served in his heart of hearts a place of awe for one man whom he
had never seen. That was for Lord Nick, for that celebrated character
was said to be as tall and as finely built as Jack Landis himself. But
as for Donnegan--Landis wished there were three Donnegans instead of
one.

Tonight his cue was surly silence. For Nelly Lebrun had been warned by
her father, and she was making desperate efforts to recover any ground
she might have lost. Besides, to lose Jack Landis would be to lose the
most spectacular fellow in The Corner, to say nothing of the one who
held the largest and the choicest of the mines. The blond, good looks of
Landis made a perfect background for her dark beauty. With all these
stakes to play for, Nelly outdid herself. If she were attractive enough
ordinarily, when she exerted herself to fascinate, Nelly was
intoxicating. What chance had poor Jack Landis against her? He did not
call for her that night but went to play gloomily at Lebrun's until
Nelly walked into Lebrun's and drew him away from a table. Half an hour
later she had him whirling through a dance in Milligan's and had danced
the gloom out of his mind for the moment. Before the evening was well
under way, Landis was making love to her openly, and Nelly was in the
position of one who had roused the bear.

It was a dangerous flirtation and it was growing clumsy. In any place
other than The Corner it would have been embarrassing long ago; and when
Jack Landis, after a dance, put his one big hand over both of Nelly's
and held her moveless while he poured out a passionate declaration,
Nelly realized that something must be done. Just what she could not
tell.

And it was at this very moment that a wave of silence, beginning at the
door, rushed across Milligan's dance floor. It stopped the bartenders in
the act of mixing drinks; it put the musicians out of key, and in the
midst of a waltz phrase they broke down and came to a discordant pause.

What was it?

The men faced the door, wondering, and then the swift rumor passed from
lip to lip--almost from eye to eye, so rapidly it sped--Donnegan is
coming! Donnegan, and big George with him.

"Someone tell Milligan!"

But Milligan had already heard; he was back of the bar giving
directions; guns were actually unlimbering. What would happen?

"Shall I get you out of this?" Landis asked the girl.

"Leave now?" She laughed fiercely and silently. "I'm just beginning to
live! Miss Donnegan in action