e, but
I reckoned you--was--petered--out?"

"Petered out--_me_?"

"Yas; I'm a silly, fullish woman."

"No, you ain't. Petered out--_me_? Wal," he glanced at Leveson,
"somebody _is_ petered out, but it ain't me. Did ye ever see a
man scairt worse'n him? I scairt the wizard some; yas I did, but he
could run: this feller can't crawl, I reckon. An' this yere Colt wan't
loaded then, an' it ain't loaded--now. Look! What an appetite I hev!
Who says supper? Now, mister," he addressed Leveson, "seein' as the
starch is outer you, I'll give ye my arm as fur as the Paloma."

"Leave me," gurgled Leveson.

"I'm too good a Christian. In the state yer in it'd kill ye to meet
somebody else ye've robbed. It's too risky."

"Go, you scoundrel! Authority was returning to his voice; the old
arrogance gleamed in his eyes.

"Scoundrel--hay?" Uncle Jap's voice became savage. "You come along
with me--quick an' quiet. This old Colt ain't loaded, but ef I hit you
over the head with the butt of it, ye'll think it is. Come!"

In silence the four of us marched up to the Paloma, and into the big
hall where a dozen men were smoking. Uncle Jap addressed the clerk in
a loud, clear voice.

"Mr. Leveson," he said, "has just concluded a leetle deal with me.
He's bought Sunny Bushes an' the lake of ile for two hundred and
fifteen thousand and one hundred dollars. Here is his note. Put it in
the safe for me till to-morrer."

The chatter in the big room had ceased long before Uncle Jap had
finished. More than one man present divined that something quite out
of the ordinary had taken place. Leveson moistened his lips with his
tongue. His chance had come. Had he chosen to repudiate the note, had
he denounced Uncle Jap as obtaining at the pistol point what could be
obtained in no other way, the law of the land would have released him
from his bond. But Uncle Jap had read him aright: he was a coward.

"Yes," he said. "I've bought Sunny Bushes."

"An' dirt cheap, too," said Uncle Jap. He spoke to the clerk in his
usual mild voice: "Can you give Mis' Panel an' me accommodation?"

"Certainly, Mr. Panel. What sort of accommodation, sir?"

Uncle Jap looked fondly at his wife. I doubt if she had ever crossed
the threshold of the Paloma before. I could see her blinking at the
marble columns, at the velvet pile rugs, and the innumerable electric
lights just turned on.

"What sorter accommodation?" repeated Uncle Jap. "Why, anything'd do
fer me, but Mis