pleasure of being near her, one would
think; in reality, while the pleasure was there, that he might see both
Baumberger's face and Stanley's without turning more than his eyes.

"All there is to it," Stanley began blustering, "you see before yuh.
I've located twenty acres here as a placer claim. That there's the
northwest corner--ap-prox'm'tley--close as I could come by sightin'.
Your fences are straight with yer land, and I happen to sabe all yer
corners. I've got a right here. I believe this ground is worth more for
the gold that's in it than for the turnips you can make grow on top--and
that there makes mineral land of it, and as such, open to entry. That's
accordin' to law. I ain't goin' to build no trouble--but I sure do
aim to defend my prope'ty rights if I have to. I realize yuh may think
diffrunt from me. You've got a right to prove, if yuh can, that all this
ain't mineral land. I've got jest as much right to prove it is."

He took a breath so deep it expanded visibly his chest--a broad,
muscular chest it was--and let his eyes wander deliberately over his
audience.

"That there's where _I_ stand," he stated, with arrogant self-assurance.
His mouth drew down at the corners in a smile which asked plainly what
they were going to do about it, and intimated quite as plainly that he
did not care what they did, though he might feel a certain curiosity as
an onlooker.

"I happen to know--" Peaceful began, suddenly for him. But Baumberger
waved him into silence.

"You'll have to prove there's gold in paying quantities here," he stated
pompously.

"That's what I aim to do," Stanley told him imperturbably.

"_I_ proved, over fifteen years ago, that there WASN'T," Peaceful
drawled laconically, and sucked so hard upon his pipe that his cheeks
held deep hollows.

Stanley grinned at him. "Sorry I can't let it go at that," he said
ironically. "I reckon I'll have to do some washin' myself, though,
before I feel satisfied there ain't."

"Then you haven't panned out anything yet?" Phoebe caught him up.

Stanley's eyes flickered a questioning glance at Baumberger, and
Baumberger puffed out his chest and said:

"The law won't permit you to despoil this man's property without good
reason. We can serve an injunction--"

"You can serve and be darned." Stanley's grin returned, wider than
before.

"As Mr. Hart's legal adviser," Baumberger began, in the tone he employed
in the courtroom--a tone which held no hint of his