uperintendent was vexed. As for Mary Fortune, she
sat at one side and pretended not to hear. Perhaps Rimrock was right
and these first minor clashes were but skirmishes before a great
battle. Perhaps, after all, Jepson was there to oppose him and it was
best to ride over him roughshod. But it seemed on the surface
extremely dictatorial, and against public policy as well. Mr. Jepson
was certainly right, in her opinion, in his attitude toward Hicks'
saloon; yet she knew it was hopeless to try to move Rimrock, so she
smiled and let them talk on.

"Now, there's another matter," broke in Jepson aggressively, "that I've
been waiting to see you about. As I understand it, I'm Mr. Stoddard's
representative--I represent his interests in the mine. Very good;
that's no more than right. Now, Mr. Stoddard has invested a large
amount of money to develop these twenty claims, but he feels, and I
feel, that that Old Juan claim is a continual menace to them all."

At the mention of the Old Juan Rimrock turned his head, and Mary could
see his jaw set; but he listened somberly for some little time as
Jepson went on with his complaint.

"You must know, Mr. Jones, that the history of the Old Juan makes it
extremely liable to be jumped. We've had a strong guard set ever since
you--well, continuously--but the title to that claim must be cleared
up. It ought to be re-located----"

"Don't you think it!" sneered Rimrock with a sudden insulting stare.
"That claim will stay--just the way it is!"

"But the guards!" protested Jepson, "they're a continual expense----"

"You can tell 'em to come down," cut in Rimrock peremptorily. "I'll
look after that claim myself."

"But why not re-locate it?" cried Jepson in a passion, "why expose us
to this continual suspense? You can re-locate it yourself----"

"Mr. Jepson," began Rimrock, speaking through his teeth, "there's no
one that questions my claim. But if any man does--I don't care who he
is--he's welcome to try and jump it. All he'll have to do is whip me."

He was winking angrily and Jepson, after a silence, cast an appealing
glance at Mary Fortune.

"You've got a wonderful property here," he observed, speaking
generally, "the prospects are very bright. There's only one thing that
can mar its success, and that is litigation!"

"Yes," cried Rimrock, "and that's just what you'd bring on by your
crazy re-location scheme! That Old Juan claim is good--I killed a man
to prove it--a