t those two. Would they stand together? Did she
realize her advantage? Could he buy her off--and for how much? A
hundred swift questions flashed through his mind, and then Rimrock
reached over for the notice. He gazed at it quietly and then, looking
at Mary, he gave way to a cynical smile.

"Could you hear through a wall?" he enquired enigmatically, and
Stoddard snapped his fingers in vexation.

"Ah, I see," he observed, "not so deaf as you seem. Well, Miss
Fortune, may I see you alone?"

"You may not!" she answered. "I might show you some pity, though you
don't deserve it; so, knowing Mr. Jones as I do, I will leave the
decision to him."

She glanced at Rimrock with a quick, radiant smile that revealed more
than she knew of her heart; but his face had suddenly gone grim.

"Take him out and kill him," he advised vindictively. "That's all the
advice I'll give."

"No, I don't believe in that," she answered sweetly, "but perhaps our
decision can wait."

"Well, you needn't wait for me," replied Rimrock ungraciously, "because
I'm through, for good and all. The first man that gives me a check for
my stock----"

Whitney Stoddard reached swiftly for his checkbook and pen, but she
stopped him with a warning look.

"No, there'll be nothing like that," she answered firmly. "But I moved
once that we declare a dividend."

"Second the motion," murmured Stoddard resignedly; and Rimrock, too,
voted: "Ay!"

Then he rose up sullenly and gazed at them both with a savage,
insulting glare.

"You can keep your old mine," he said to Mary. "I'm going to beat it
to Mexico!"

He started for the door and they looked after him, startled, but at the
doorway he stopped and turned back.

"Where do I get that check?" he asked and after a silence Mary answered:

"From Mr. Lockhart."

"Good!" he muttered and closed the door quietly, whereat Stoddard began
instantly to talk. He might have talked a long time, or only a few
moments; and then Mary began to hear.

"What's that?" she asked and Stoddard repeated what he considered a
very generous offer.

"Mr. Stoddard," she cried with almost tearful vehemence, "there's only
one condition on which I'll even think of giving you back your mine,
and that is that Rimrock shall run it. Mr. Jepson must be fired, Mr.
Jones must have full charge, and all this chicanery must stop; but if
Rimrock goes away without taking his mine I'll--I'll make you wish he
hadn't!"

She snatched