riedly out of the hotel,
followed by a servant with several bags in his hands, and pushed hastily
into the group, who were preparing to enter the coach in a more
leisurely fashion. His hat partly concealed his face, but something
about him called up memories to Keith that were not wholly pleasant.
When he reached the coach door Jake Dennison and another man were just
on the point of helping in one of the women. The young man squeezed in
between them.

"I beg your pardon," he said.

The two men stood aside at the polite tone, and the other stepped into
the stage and took the back seat, where he proceeded to make himself
comfortable in a corner. This, perhaps, might have passed but for the
presence of the women. Woman at this mountain Eden was at a premium, as
she was in the first.

Jake Dennison and his friend both asserted promptly that there was no
trouble about three of the ladies getting back seats, and Jake, putting
his head in at the door, said briefly:

"Young man, there are several ladies out here. You will have to give up
that seat."

As there was no response to this, he put his head in again.

"Didn't you hear? I say there are some ladies out here. You will have to
take another seat."

To this the occupant of the stage replied that he had paid for his seat;
but there were plenty of other seats that they could have. This was
repeated on the outside, and thereupon one of the women said she
supposed they would have to take one of the other seats.

Women do not know the power of surrender. This surrender had no sooner
been made than every man outside was her champion.

"You will ride on that back seat to Gumbolt to-night, or I'll ride in
Jim Digger's hearse. I am layin' for him anyhow." The voice was Jake
Dennison's.

"And I'll ride with him. Stand aside, Jake, and let me git in there.
I'll yank him out," said his friend.

But Jake was not prepared to yield to any one the honor of "yanking."
Jake had just been down to Squire Rawson's, and this young man was none
other than Mr. Ferdy Wickersham. He had been there, too.

Jake had left with vengeance in his heart, and this was his opportunity.
He was just entering the stage head foremost, when the occupant of the
coveted seat decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and
announced that he would give up the seat, thereby saving Keith the
necessity of intervening, which he was about to do.

The ejected tenant was so disgruntled that he got o