ow the body of one of the owners of the claim came into
a neighboring river. Only one comrade, and a mine-floating speculator,
who stood behind the humbler disputants, knew or guessed at the events
which led up the fatality. The comrade shortly afterwards vanished,
too, but the richer man, who had connived at Black's disappearance,
kept a close hand on him, forcing him as the price of freedom to act as
cat's-paw in risky operations, until Black, tired of tyranny, had been
glad to tell Thurston part of the truth and to accept his protection.
The man from whose grip he hoped he had escaped was the one who had
helped Leslie out of a difficulty.

Black Christy found, however, that a life of virtuous toil grew
distinctly monotonous, and one morning, when Mattawa Tom's vigilance
was slack, he departed in search of diversion in the settlement of Red
Pine, which lay beyond the range. He found congenial society there,
and, unfortunately for himself, went on with a boon companion next
morning to a larger settlement beside the railroad track. He intended
to complete the orgie there, and then to return to camp. Accordingly
it happened that, when afternoon was drawing towards a close, he sat
under the veranda of a rickety wooden saloon, hurling drowsy
encouragement at the freighter who was loading rock-boring tools into a
big wagon. He wondered how far his remaining dollar would go towards
assuaging a thirst which steadily increased, and two men, who leaned
against the wagon, chuckled as they watched him. The hands of one of
the men were busy about the brass cap which decorated the hub of the
wheel, but neither Black nor the teamster noticed this fact. Black had
seen one of the men before, for the two had loafed about the district,
ostensibly prospecting for minerals, and had twice visited Thurston's
camp.

It was a pity Black had absorbed sufficient alcohol to confuse his
memory, for when the men strolled towards him he might have recognized
the one whose hat was drawn well down. As it was, he greeted them
affably.

"Nice weather for picnicking in the woods. Not found that galena yet?
I guess somebody in the city is paying you by the week," he observed
jocosely.

"That's about the size of it!" The speaker laughed. "But we've pretty
well found what we wanted, and we're pulling out with the Pacific
express. There don't seem very much left in your glass. Anything the
matter with filling it up with me?"

"I'm not p