uth remained hidden, for Stark could not be seen, and
neither Gale nor Burrell would speak. All that the people knew was that
one lay wounded to death behind the dumb walls of his cabin, and that
the other had brought him down. When the old man vouchsafed no more
than a nod to his question, the prospector inquired:

"Where's Poleon? I've got news for him from the creek."

"I don't know; he's gone."

"Back soon?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"His laymen have give up. They've cross-cut his ground and the pay
ain't there, so they've quit work for good."

"He drew a blank, eh?"

"Worse'n that--three of them. The creek is spotteder than a leopard.
Runnion's men, for instance, are into it bigger than a house, while
Poleon's people can't raise a color. I call it tough luck--yes, worse'n
tough: it's hard-biled and pickled. To them as has shall it be given,
and to them as hasn't shall be took even what they 'ain't got, as the
poet says. Look at Necia! She'll be richer than a cream puff. Guess
I'll step around and see her."

"She's gone," said the trader, wearily, turning his haggard face from
the prospector.

"Gone! Where?"

"Up-river with Runnion. They got her away from me last night."

"Sufferin' snakes!" ejaculated Lee. "So that's why!" Then he added,
simply, "Let's go and git her, John."

The trader looked at him queerly.

"Maybe I won't--on the first boat! I'm eating my heart out hour by hour
waiting--waiting--waiting for some kind of a craft to come, and so is
Burrell."

"What's he got to do with it?" said the one-eyed miner, jealously.
"Can't you and me bring her back?"

"He'll marry her! God, won't there never be a boat!"

For the hundredth time that morning he went to the door of the post and
strained his eyes down-stream.

"Well, well! Them two goin' to be married," said Lee. "Stark licked,
and Necia goin' to be married--all at once. I hate to see it, John; he
ain't good enough; she could 'a' done a heap better. There's a lot of
reg'lar men around here, and she could 'a' had her pick. Of course,
always bein' broke like a dog myself, I 'ain't kept up my personal
appearance like I'd ought, but I've got some new clothes now, and you
wouldn't know me. I bought 'em off a tenderfoot with cold feet, but
they're the goods, and you'd see a big improvement in me."

"He's a good man," said Gale. "Better than you or me, and he's all torn
up over this. I never saw a man act so. When he learned about it I
thought