ated judicially. "What sort is she, Steve?"

"She come up to Gaynor's place along with Gratton," answered Jarrold as
though he knew all about her. "He was crazy gone on her, crazy enough to
want to marry her, even. Sent me for the judge. Then Mark King showed
up. She fell for him and gave Gratton the go-by. Then she comes into the
mountains with King, I guess. Next she gets tired of him and goes back
to Gratton."

"'Frisco woman?" asked Benny.

Jarrold nodded. Benny clacked his tongue. Brodie still brooded at his
fire, his eyes sullen upon the fitful flame and red embers.

"Where is King?" asked Brodie.

"Where is King?" repeated Jarrold to Gloria.

"I don't know," she answered, speaking with difficulty. "I ... Oh, for
God's sake, let me go. I won't say anything about what I saw; I promise.
If you will only let me go."

"They promise easy and break promises easier," said Jarrold.

Benny came up and touched Brodie on the shoulder. The squatting man
started and scowled. Benny stooped and whispered. Brodie got up heavily
and together the two withdrew, going further back in the cave. They
talked, but Gloria could not catch the words. She saw the flare of one
match after the other as they fell to smoking; the smell of strong
tobacco came to her. She looked appealingly to Jarrold. He sidled
closer, standing between her and the open.

"I'll pay you a thousand dollars when I get back to San Francisco," she
whispered eagerly. "Ten thousand! If you'll let me go now."

Jarrold pondered, his stupid little eyes steady and unwinking on her.

"A thousand dollars," he returned slowly, "wouldn't do me any good if I
never got it: as I wouldn't if none of us got clear of this damn' snow;
neither would ten I And it wouldn't do me any good if Benny and Brodie
shot me full of lead. And it wouldn't be much, anyhow, if we got away
with what we found to-day! Everything being as it is, I ain't half as
strong for a thousand dollars, nor yet ten, right now as I am for you!
And you know it, don't you?"

He tried to ogle her, and her sick dread nearly overwhelmed her.

"And you got sense, too," went on Jarrold, leering meaningly. "It won't
be bad to have a man stuck on you that's got all kind of kale, will it,
girlie?"

As he poured out his wretched insinuations she was trembling; in her
heart she thought that she had spoken truly and would die if they kept
her here.

"I am married. To Mr. King," she said as steadily as she could.