these stolen meetings, and unless he could not come until very late she
waited wide-eyed and listening for him. Then, besides, as long as Kells
was stirring in the cabin she spent her time spying upon him.

Jim Cleve had gone to an unfrequented part of the gulch, for no
particular reason, and here he had located his claim. The very first
day he struck gold. And Kells, more for advertisement than for any
other motive, had his men stake out a number of claims near Cleve's, and
bought them. Then they had a little field of their own. All found the
rich pay-dirt, but it was Cleve to whom the goddess of fortune turned
her bright face. As he had been lucky at cards, so he was lucky at
digging. His claim paid big returns. Kells spread the news, and that
part of the gulch saw a rush of miners.

Every night Joan had her whispered hour with Cleve, and each succeeding
one was the sweeter. Jim had become a victim of the gold fever. But,
having Joan to steady him, he did not lose his head. If he gambled
it was to help out with his part. He was generous to his comrades. He
pretended to drink, but did not drink at all. Jim seemed to regard his
good fortune as Joan's also. He believed if he struck it rich he could
buy his sweetheart's freedom. He claimed that Kells was drunk for gold
to gamble away. Joan let Jim talk, but she coaxed him and persuaded him
to follow a certain line of behavior, she planned for him, she thought
for him, she influenced him to hide the greater part of his gold-dust,
and let it be known that he wore no gold-belt. She had a growing fear
that Jim's success was likely to develop a temper in him inimical to
the cool, waiting, tolerant policy needed to outwit Kells in the end.
It seemed the more gold Jim acquired the more passionate he became, the
more he importuned Joan, the more he hated Kells. Gold had gotten into
his blood, and it was Joan's task to keep him sane. Naturally she gained
more by yielding herself to Jim's caresses than by any direct advice or
admonishment. It was her love that held Jim in check.

One night, the instant their hands met Joan knew that Jim was greatly
excited or perturbed.

"Joan," he whispered, thrillingly, with his lips at her ear, "I've made
myself solid with Kells! Oh, the luck of it!"

"Tell me!" whispered Joan, and she leaned against those lips.

"It was early to-night at the Nugget. I dropped in as usual. Kells was
playing faro again with that gambler they call Flash. He