began a rapid, vehement talking, explaining, arguing, pleading; he had
not meant to steal the food; he could lead them to the gold; he wanted
none of it; all that he asked was to be allowed to live----

"Shut up!" Brodie cried again disgustedly. "You ain't dead yet, are you?
So's you keep your lying face closed I'll give you one show. Step
lively; _where is it_?"

Gratton, like a hound in leash suddenly freed, turned and sped toward
the spot where he had hid the gold. Brodie, his rifle shifting in his
hands, leaped after him, keeping close to him. Gratton was down on his
hands and knees, scratching among the loose stones like a dog digging
for a buried bone. Brodie put a heavy hand on his shoulder and jerked
him back, hurling him to one side. Thus it was Brodie who found the bag
and dragged it forward to the fire, dumping its contents on the ground.
Benny was with him now, pawing over the heavy lumps. Brail, the Italian,
Steve Jarrold--all rushed forward and snatched up bits of the ore that
had rolled from the sack; one of them shouted in wonder; another seized
the nugget from his hands; they all talked at once; Benny squealed in
high rage as Jarrold shoved him backward; the Italian trod in the fire
and cursed and kicked at it savagely, sending burning brands in all
directions.

Gloria had stood powerless to move. Now she saw that in their flush of
excitement no one was looking toward her. She began slowly, silently,
edging toward the side of the cave, toward the way out. Her one thought
was to slip away while none noted her; to dart out and hurry up the
cliff to come to the hiding-place of which Mark King had told her.

"I never see such gold, and me an old-timer in the mines." It was Steve
Jarrold muttering. "It's like they'd took clean gold down to the mint
and rolled it and lumped it into nuggets. _This was broke off the mother
lode_. Oh, my Gawd!"

Gloria made another quiet step--and another. Still no one saw her. If
she could only make half a dozen more steps before these men awoke from
the first moments of a spell that had made them oblivious of everything
on earth except that little heap of rock! Another step; she went
quicker; their backs were toward her. And still no one saw. Yes, Gratton
alone had seen. She made a quick frightened gesture. His jaw sagged
open; he watched her with bulging eyes. She could read his thought so
plainly: he was thinking of his own ultimate chances for life, he was
screwing up