ng. It was not at all
incredible or unique. It bore Government sanction, if not its
trademark. And granting that the reservation tract did actually extend
so far as to lap across the "Laughing Water" claim, the right of an
entrant to locate the ground and oust all previous trespassers after
the legal opening was undeniable.

Much of the natural fighting spirit, welded by nature into Van's being,
had been sickened into inactivity by the blow succeeding blow received
at the hands of Beth Kent. The case against her was complete.

Her letter to her brother was sufficient in itself. The need for its
delivery in person to her brother he thought undoubtedly a ruse to get
himself out of the way. If she had not planned with the others to warn
the convict, Barger, of his trip, she had certainly loaned her money to
Bostwick for his needs--and her letter contained the threat, "I will
repay!"

At the end of three days of dulling disgust and helplessness, Van and
his "family" were camping in a tent above the town of Goldite, on a
hill. They were all but penniless: they had no occupation, no hope.
They were down once more at the ladder's bottom rung, depleted in
spirit, less young than formerly, and with no idea of which way to turn.

Van meant to fight, if the slightest excuse could be discovered. His
partners would back him, with their lives. But he and they, as they
looked their prospects fairly in the face, found themselves utterly
disarmed. Except for the credit, extended by friends of Van,
starvation might have lurked about their tent. All delayed seeking for
outside work while the prospect of putting up a fight to regain their
property held forth a dim glimmer of hope.

The last of Van's money went to meet a debt--such a debt as he would
not disregard. The account was rendered by a cutter of stone, who had
carved upon a marble post the single legend:

QUEENIE.

This post was planted where a small earth mound was raised upon the
hill--and word of the tribute went the rounds of the camp, where
everyone else had forgotten.

The town's excitement concerning the rush had subsided with greater
alacrity as reports came back, in rapid procession--no gold on the
reservation. The normal excitements of the mining field resumed where
the men had left them off. News that Matt Barger was not only still at
large, but preying on wayside travelers, aroused new demands for the
sheriff's demonstrations of his fitness t