there
would be no Tecolote common. Even Stoddard saw at last that his case
was hopeless and he turned to the next point of attack. Rimrock Jones,
he knew, opposed him on general principles--but the girl as a matter of
conscience. They would see if that conscience could not be utilized.

"Very well," he said, "I'll withdraw my motion. Let us take up this
matter of the saloon."

"What saloon?" demanded Rimrock, suddenly alert and combative, and
Stoddard regarded him censoriously.

"I refer," he said, "to the saloon at the camp, which you have put
there in spite of Jepson's protests. Now outside the question of
general policy--the effect on the men, the increase in accidents and
the losses that are sure to result--I wish to protest, and to protest
most vigorously, against having a whiskey camp. I want the Tecolote to
draw the best type of men, men of family who will make it their home,
and I think it's a sin under circumstances like this to poison their
lives with rum. I could speak on this further, but I simply make a
motion that Tecolote be kept a temperance camp."

He paused and met Rimrock's baleful glance with a thin-lipped fighting
smile; and then the battle was on. There were hot words in plenty and
mutual recrimination, but Stoddard held the high moral ground. He
stuck to his point that employers had no right to profit by the
downfall of their men; and when it came to the vote, without a moment's
hesitation, Mary Fortune cast her vote with his.

"What's that?" yelled Rimrock, rising up black with anger and striking
a great blow on the table. "Have I got to tell Hassayamp to go? This
old friend of mine that helped me and staked me when nobody else would
trust me? Then I resign, by grab. If I can't do a little thing like
that, I'm going to quit! Right now! You can get another manager! I
resign! Now vote on it! You've got to accept it or----"

"I accept it!" said Stoddard and a wild look crossed Rimrock's face as
he saw where his impetuosity had led him. But Mary Fortune, with an
understanding smile, shook her head and voted no.

"How do _you_ vote?" challenged Stoddard, trying to spur him to the
leap, but Rimrock had sensed the chasm.

"I vote _no_!" he said with answering scowl. "I'll take care of Mr.
Hicks, myself. You must take me for a sucker," he added as an
afterthought, but Stoddard was again wearing his mask. It was Buckbee
who indulged in the laugh.

"We can't all win," he sa