hed Big Draw only a couple of hours ahead of Reynolds and
Sconda. He had travelled fast, impelled by a burning rage, eager to
impart to others as vile as himself the story he had concocted in his
venomous mind. He was seated in the roadhouse, surrounded by his
favorite gang, as Reynolds and his guide rode into camp. He reminded
his hearers how the former had gone with Frontier Samson in quest of
gold, and that the old prospector had mysteriously disappeared. He
informed them that he had met Reynolds at Glen West with Jim Weston's
daughter, and that they had both sneered at him.

"I was walking along the street," the liar continued, "when I saw the
two standing together, an' very chummy. When Reynolds saw me he tried
to hurry away into an Indian's shack. But I stopped him, an' asked him
what he had done with Frontier Samson. This made him mad, an' he told
me it was none of my business, an' if I didn't leave Glen West at once
he'd set the Indians upon me."

"What did you do?" one of the listeners eagerly asked, as Curly paused
and lighted a cigarette.

"Oh, I just laughed an' told him that I didn't care a rip for him or
the Indians, an' that I would leave when I got ready. Then he an' the
girl made fun of me, told me I was a queer looking guy, an' if I was
anxious about the old prospector I had better go an' hunt for him
myself. I left them at that, an' strolled about the place for a while.
But that night didn't the Indians come upon me. They took me down into
the woods, tied me to a tree, an' were all ready to burn me alive.
Say, it was hell fer a while, an' I thought sure I was a goner. But
just as a big devil stooped to light the dry wood at my feet, Jim
Weston arrived, beat them off, an' set me free. An' all the time I was
tied to that tree, didn't Reynolds stand by an' make fun of me. He
said he would shut my mouth once an' for all about Frontier Samson.
When I told him I was certain he had killed the old man, he flew into a
rage an' cursed like a pirate. That's what he did, the cuss. Hand me
over a drink, Tom; I'm thirsty."

While Curly and his gang were talking and drinking, across the street
Reynolds was recording three double claims, for Jim Weston, Glen
Weston, and himself, as discoverers. He produced a specimen of the
gold which he carried in his pocket, and explained the exact position
where the claims were situated. This work completed, he went at once
to the roadhouse, and asked for his