darkness, waiting and wondering.

Suddenly the slight sharp twing was repeated. It seemed to come from
outside her flesh. She shivered a little, thinking it might be a
centipede. When she reached for her shoulder her hand came in contact
with a slender stick that had been thrust through a crack between the
boards. Jim was trying to rouse her. This had been his method on several
occasions when she had fallen asleep after waiting long for him.

Joan got up to the window, dizzy and sick with the resurging memory of
Jim's return to Kells with that gold-belt.

Jim rose out of the shadow and felt for her, clasped her close. Joan
had none of the old thrill; her hands slid loosely round his; and every
second the weight inwardly grew heavier.

"Joan! I had a time waking you," whispered Jim, and then he kissed her.
"Why, you're as cold as ice."

"Jim--I--I must have fainted," she replied.

"What for?" "I was peeping into Kells's cabin, when you--you--"

"Poor kid!" he interrupted, tenderly. "You've had so much to bear!...
Joan, I fooled Kells. Oh, I was slick!... He ordered me out on a job--to
kill a miner! Fancy that! And what do you think? I know Creede well.
He's a good fellow. I traded my big nugget for his gold-belt!"

"You TRADED--you--didn't--kill him!" faltered Joan.

"Hear the child talk!" exclaimed Cleve, with a low laugh.

Joan suddenly clung to him with all her might, quivering in a silent
joy. It had not occurred to Jim what she might have thought.

"Listen," he went on. "I traded my nugget. It was worth a great deal
more than Creede's gold-belt. He knew this. He didn't want to trade. But
I coaxed him. I persuaded him to leave camp--to walk out on the road to
Bannack. To meet the stage somewhere and go on to Bannack, and stay a
few days. He sure was curious. But I kept my secret.... Then I came
back here, gave the belt to Kells, told him I had followed Creede in
the dark, had killed him and slid him into a deep hole in the creek....
Kells and Pearce--none of them paid any attention to my story. I had
the gold-belt. That was enough. Gold talks--fills the ears of these
bandits.... I have my share of Creede's gold-dust in my pocket. Isn't
that funny? Alas for my--YOUR big nugget! But we've got to play the
game. Besides, I've sacks and cans of gold hidden away. Joan, what'll
we do with it all? You're my wife now. And, oh! If we can only get away
with it you'll be rich!"

Joan could not share his happiness a