is claim when it was held by Bible-Back Murray? He went down to the
store, where the Miners' Meeting was assembled, and beckoned Bunker
aside.

"Mr. Hill," he said, "you promised me one time to give me the loan of a
gun. Well, now is the time I need it."

"Nope," warned Bunker, "you ain't got a chance. Them fellers are just up
here to get you."

"Well, for self-defense!" protested Denver, "Dave sent word he'd kill
me."

"Keep away, then," advised Bunker, "don't give him no chance. But if
them fellers should jump on you, just run to my house and I'll slip you
the old Injun-tamer."

Denver went out on the street, now swarming with traffic, and looked up
toward his mine; and as he gazed he walked up closer until he stopped at
the fork of the trails. The men behind the wall were watching him
grimly, without letting their faces be seen; but as he stood there
looking they began to bandy jests and presently to taunt him openly. But
Denver did not answer, for he divined their evil purpose, and at last he
turned quietly away.

"Hey! Come back here!" roared a voice and Denver whirled in his tracks
for he knew it was Slogger Meacham's. He was standing there now, looking
across the barricade, and as Denver met his gaze he laughed.

"Ho! Ho!" he rumbled folding his arms across his breast and thrusting
out his huge black mustache. "Well, how do you feel about it now?"

"Never mind," returned Denver and, leaving him gloating, he hurried away
down the trail. Old Bunk was right, they had come there to get him, and
there was no use playing into their hands; yet at thought of Slogger
Meacham his hair began to bristle and he muttered half-formed threats.
The Slogger had come to get him--and Dave Chatwourth was behind there,
too--the whole district was dominated by their gang; but the times would
change and with inrush of other men the jumpers would soon be
out-numbered. It was better then to wait, to let the excitement die down
and law and order return; and then, with a deputy sheriff at his back,
he could eject them by due process of law. The claim was his, his papers
were recorded and no lawyer could question their validity--no, the best
thing was to let the jumpers rage, to say nothing and keep out of sight.
That was all that he had to do.

But to avoid them was not so easy, for as the day wore on and no attempt
was made to oust them, the jumpers walked boldly into town. At first it
was Chatwourth, to buy some tobacco and bre