[Frontispiece: And as he passed, he looked inunder the shadow of his hat, and toucheda bag that was tied behind his saddle]

RIMROCK JONES

BY

DANE COOLIDGE

AUTHOR OF

THE DESERT TRAIL

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

GEORGE W. GAGE

NEW YORK

GROSSET & DUNLAP

PUBLISHERS

COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY

W. J. WATT & COMPANY

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I. THE MAN WITH A GUN II. WHEN RICHES FLY III. MISS FORTUNE IV. AS A LOAN V. THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN VI. RIMROCK PASSES VII. BUT COMES BACK FOR MORE VIII. A FLIER IN STOCKS IX. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND X. THE FIGHT FOR THE OLD JUAN XI. A LITTLE TROUBLE XII. RIMROCK'S BIG DAY XIII. THE MORNING AFTER XIV. RIMROCK EXPLAINS XV. A GAME FOR BIG STAKES XVI. THE TIGER LADY XVII. AN AFTERTHOUGHT XVIII. NEW YORK XIX. WHERE ALL MEN MEET XX. A LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY XXI. THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING XXII. A FOOL XXIII. SOLD OUT XXIV. THE NEW YEAR XXV. AN ACCOUNTING XXVI. A CHAPTER OF HATE XXVII. THE SHOW-DOWN XXVIII. A GIFT XXIX. RIMROCK DOES IT HIMSELF

ILLUSTRATIONS

And as he passed, he looked in under the shadowof his hat, and touched a bag that was tiedbehind his saddle . . . _Frontispiece_

Rimrock Jones left town with four burro-loadsof powder, some provisions and a cargo of tools

That was Rimrock's notice, but now it was voidfor the hour was long after twelve

RIM ROCK JONES

CHAPTER I. 

THE MAN WITH A GUN

The peace of midday lay upon Gunsight, broken only by the distant_chang, chang_ of bells as a ten-mule ore-team came toiling in from themines. In the cool depths of the umbrella tree in front of theCompany's office a Mexican ground-dove crooned endlessly his ancientsong of love, but Gunsight took no notice. Its thoughts were not oflove but of money. 

The dusty team of mules passed down the street, dragging theirdouble-trees reluctantly, and took their cursing meekly as they madethe turn at the tracks. A switch engine bumped along the sidings, snaking ore-cars down to the bins and bunting them up to the chutes, but except for its bangings and clamor the town was still. An agedMexican, armed with a long bunch of willow brush, swept idly at thesprinkled street and Old Hassayamp Hicks, the proprietor of the AlamoSaloon, leaned back in his rawhide chair and watched him withgood-natured contempt. 

The town was dead, after a manner of speaking, and yet it was not dead. In the Gunsight Hotel where the officials of the Company left theirwomen-folks to idle and fret and gossip, there was a restless flash ofwhite from the upper veranda; and in the office below Andrew McBain, the aggressive President of the Gunsight Mining and Developing Company, paced nervously to and fro as he dictated letters to a typist. Hepaused, and as the clacking stopped a woman who had been reading anovel on the veranda rose up noiselessly and listened over the railing. The new typist was really quite deaf--one could hear every word thatwas said. She was pretty, too, --and--well, she dressed too well, forone thing. 

But McBain was not making love to his typist. He had stopped with aword on his lips and stood gazing out the window. The new typist hadlearned to read faces and she followed his glance with a start. Whowas this man that Andrew McBain was afraid of? He came riding in fromthe desert, a young man, burly and masterful, mounted on a buckskinhorse and with a pistol slung low on his leg. McBain turned white, hisstern lips drew tighter and he stood where he had stopped in his stridelike a wolf that has seen a fierce dog; then suddenly he swung forwardagain and his voice rang out harsh and defiant. The new typist tookthe words down at haphazard, for her thoughts were not on her work. She was thinking of the man with a gun. He had gone by without aglance, and yet McBain was afraid of him. 

A couple of card players came out of the Alamo and stopped to talk withHassayamp. 

"Well, bless my soul, " exclaimed the watchful Hassayamp as he suddenlybrought his chair down with a bump, "if hyer don't come that locoedscoundrel, Rimrock! Say, that boy's crazy, don't you know he is--jestlook at that big sack of rocks!"

He rose up heavily and stepped out into the street, shading his eyesfrom the glare of the sun. 

"Hello thar, Rimmy!" he rumbled bluffly as the horseman waved his hand, "whar you been so long, and nothin' heard of you? There's been a womanhyer, enquirin' for you, most every day for a month now!"

"'S that so?" responded Rimrock guardedly. "Well, say, boys, I'vestruck it rich!"

He leaned back to untie a sack of ore, but Old Hassayamp was not to bedeterred. 

"Yes sir, " he went on opening up his eyes triumphantly, "a widdywoman--says you owe her two-bits for some bread!"

He laughed uproariously at this pointed jest and clambered back to theplank sidewalk where he sat down convulsed in his chair. 

"Aw, you make me tired!" said Rimrock shortly. "You know I don't oweno woman. "

"You owe every one else, though, " came back Hassayamp with a Texasyupe; "I got you there, boy. You shore cain't git around that!"

"Huh!" grunted Rimrock as he swung lightly to the ground. "Two bits, maybe! Four bits! A couple of dollars! What's that to talk aboutwhen a man is out after millions? Is my credit good for the drinks?Well, come on in then, boys; and I'll show you something good!"

He led the way through the swinging doors and Hassayamp followedponderously. The card players followed also and several cowboys, appearing as if by miracle, lined up along with the rest. OldHassayamp looked them over grimly, breathed hard and spread out theglasses. 

"Well, all right, Rim, " he observed, "between friends--but don't bid inthe whole town. "

"When I drink, my friends drink, " answered Rimrock and tossed off hisfirst drink in a month. "Now!" he went on, fetching out his sack, "I'll show you something good!"

He poured out a pile of blue-gray sand and stood away from itadmiringly. 

Old Hassayamp drew out his glasses and balanced them on his nose, thenhe gazed at the pile of sand. 

"Well, " he said, "what is it, anyway?"

"It's copper, by grab, mighty nigh ten per cent copper, and you canscoop it up with a shovel. There's worlds of it, Hassayamp, a wholedoggoned mountain! That's the trouble, there's almost too much! Ican't handle it, man, it'll take millions to do it; but believe me, themillions are there. All I need is a stake now, just a couple ofthousand dollars----"

"Huh!" grunted Hassayamp looking up over his glasses, "you don't reckonI've got that much, do you, to sink in a pile of _sand_?"

"If not you, then somebody else, " replied Rimrock confidently. "Somefeller that's out looking for sand. I heard about a sport over inLondon that tried on a bet to sell five-pound notes for a shilling. That's like me offering to sell you twenty-five dollars for the Englishequivalent of two bits. And d'ye think he could get anyone to take'em? He stood up on a soap box and waved those notes in the air, butd'ye think he could get anybody to buy?"

He paused with a cynical smile and looked Hassayamp in the eye. 

"Well--no, " conceded Hassayamp weakly. 

"You bet your life he could!" snapped back Rimrock. "A guy came alongthat knowed. He took one look at those five-pound notes and handed upfifty cents. "

"'I'll take two of 'em, ' he says; and walks off with fifty dollars!"

Rimrock scooped up his despised sand and poured it back into the bag, after which he turned on his heel. As the doors swung to behind himOld Hassayamp looked at his customers and shook his head impressively. From the street outside Rimrock could be heard telling a Mexican inSpanish to take his horse to the corrals. He was master of Gunsightyet, though all his money had vanished and his credit would buy nothingbut the drinks. 

"Well, what d'ye know about that?" observed Hassayamp meditatively. "By George, sometimes I almost think that boy is right!"

He cleared his throat and hobbled towards the door and the crowd tookthe hint to disperse. 

On the edge of the shady sidewalk Rimrock Jones, the follower after bigdreams, sat silent, balancing the sack of ore in a bronzed androck-scarred hand. He was a powerful man, with the broad, square-setshoulders that come from much swinging of a double jack or cranking ata windlass. The curling beard of youth had covered his hard-bittenface and his head was unconsciously thrust forward, as if he stillglimpsed his vision and was eager to follow it further. The crowdsettled down and gazed at him curiously, for they knew he had a storyto tell, and at last the great Rimrock sighed and looked at hiswork-worn hands. 

"Hard going, " he said, glancing up at Hassayamp. "I've got a ten-foothole to sink on twenty different claims, no powder, and nothing butMexicans for help. But I sure turned up some good ore--she gets richerthe deeper you go. "

"Any gold?" enquired Hassayamp hopefully. 

"Yes, but pocketty. I leave all that chloriding to the Mexicans whileI do my discovery work. They've got some picked rock on the dump. "

"Why don't you quit that dead work and do a little chloriding yourself?Pound out a little gold--that's the way to get a stake!"

Old Hassayamp spat the words out impatiently, but Rimrock seemed hardlyto hear. 

"Nope, " he said, "no pocket-mining for me. There's copper there, millions of tons of it. I'll make my winning yet. "

"Huh!" grunted Hassayamp, and Rimrock came out of his trance. 

"You don't think so, hey?" he challenged and then his face softened toa slow, reminiscent smile. 

"Say, Hassayamp, " he said, "did you ever hear about that prospectorthat found a thousand pounds of gold in one chunk? He was lost on thedesert, plumb out of water and forty miles from nowhere. He couldn'ttake the chunk along with him and if he left it there the sand wouldcover it up. Now what was that poor feller to do?"

"Well, what did he do?" enquired Hassayamp cautiously. 

"He couldn't make up his mind, " answered Rimrock, "so he stayed theretill he starved to death. "

"You're plumb full of these sayings and parables, ain't you?" remarkedHassayamp sarcastically. "What's that got to do with the case?"

"Well, " began Rimrock, sitting down on the edge of the sidewalk andlooking absently up the street, "take me, for instance. I go outacross the desert to the Tecolotes and find a whole mountain of copper. You don't have to chop it out with chisels, like that native copperaround the Great Lakes; and you don't have to go underground and dotimbering like they do around Bisbee and Cananea. All you have to dois to shoot it down and scoop it up with a steam shovel. Now I'velocated the whole danged mountain and done most of my discovery work, but if some feller don't give me a boost, like taking that prospector acanteen of water, I've either got to lose my mine or sit down andstarve to death. If I'd never done anything, it'd be different, butyou know that I _made_ the Gunsight. "

He leaned forward and fixed the saloon keeper with his earnest eyes andOld Hassayamp held up both hands. 

"Yes, yes, boy, I know!" he broke out hurriedly. "Don't talk tome--I'm convinced. But by George, Rim, you can spend more money andhave less to show for it than any man I know. What's the use? That'swhat we all say. What's the use of staking you when you'll turn rightaround in front of us and throw the money away? Ain't I staked you?Ain't L. W. Staked you?"

"Yes! And he broke me, too!" answered Rimrock, raising his voice to adefiant boom. "Here he comes now, the blue-faced old dastard!"

He thrust out his jaw and glared up the street where L. W. Lockhart, the local banker, came stumping down the sidewalk. L. W. Was tall andrangy, with a bulldog jaw clamped down on a black cigar, and an air ofabsolute detachment from his surroundings. 

"Yes, I mean you!" shouted Rimrock insultingly as L. W. Went grimlypast. "You claim to be a white man, and then stand in with that lawyerto beat me out of my mine. I made you, you old nickel-pincher, and nowyou go by me and don't even say: 'Have a drink!'"

"You're drunk!" retorted Lockhart, looking back over his shoulder, andRimrock jumped to his feet. 

"I'll show you!" he cried, starting angrily after him, and L. W. Turnedswiftly to meet him. 

"You'll show me _what_?" he demanded coldly as Rimrock put his hand tohis gun. 

"Never mind!" answered Rimrock. "You know you jobbed me. I let you inon a good thing and you sold me out to McBain. I want some money andif you don't give it to me I'll--I'll go over and collect from him. "

"Oh, you want some money, hey?" repeated Lockhart. "I thought you wasgoing to _show_ me something!"

The banker scowled as he rolled his cigar, but there was a twinkle farback in his eyes. "You're bad now, ain't you?" he continuedtauntingly. "You're just feeling awful! You're going to jump on LonLockhart and stomp him into the ground! Huh!"

"Aw, shut your mouth!" answered Rimrock defiantly, "I never said a wordabout fight. "

"Uhhr!" grunted L. W. And put his hand in his pocket at which Rimrockbecame suddenly expectant. 

"Henry Jones, " began the banker, "I knowed your father and he was anhonorable, hardworking man. You're nothing but a bum and you'regetting worse--why don't you go and put up that gun?"

"I don't have to!" retorted Rimrock but he moved up closer and therewas a wheedling turn to his voice. "Just two thousand dollars, Lon--that's all I ask of you--and I'll give you a share in my mine. Didn't I come to you first, when I discovered the Gunsight, and giveyou the very best claim? And you ditched me, L. W. , dad-burn you, youknow it; you sold me out to McBain. But I've got something now thatruns up into millions! All it needs is a little more work!"

"Yes, and forty miles of railroad, " put in L. W. Intolerantly. "Iwouldn't take the whole works for a gift!"

"No, but Lon, I'm lucky--you know that yourself--I can go East and sellthe old mine. "

"Oh, you're lucky, are you?" interrupted L. W. "Well, how come thenthat you're standing here, broke? But here, I've got business, I'llgive you ten dollars--and remember, it's the last that you get!"

He drew out a bill, but Rimrock stood looking at him with a slow andcontemptuous smile. 

"Yes, you doggoned old screw, " he answered ungraciously, "what goodwill ten dollars do?"

"You can get just as drunk on that, " replied L. W. Pointedly, "as youcould on a hundred thousand!"

A change came over Rimrock's face, the swift mirroring of some greatidea, and he reached out and grabbed the money. 

"Where you going?" demanded L. W. As he started across the street. 

"None of your business, " answered Rimrock curtly, but he headedstraight for the Mint. 

CHAPTER II

WHEN RICHES FLY

The Mint was Gunsight's only gambling house. It had a bar, of course, and a Mexican string band that played from eight o'clock on; besides aroulette wheel, a crap table, two faro layouts, and monte for theMexicans. But the afternoon was dull and the faro dealer was idlyshuffling a double stack of chips when Rimrock brushed in through thedoor. Half an hour afterwards the place was crowded and all the gameswere running big. Such is the force of example--especially when youwin. 

Rimrock threw his bill on the table, bought a stack of white chips, placed it on the queen and told the dealer to turn 'em. The queen wonand Rimrock took his chips and played as the spirit moved. He wonmore, for the house was unlucky from the start, and soon others beganto ride his bets. If he bet on the seven, eager hands reached over hisshoulder and placed more chips on the seven. Petty winners drifted offto try their luck at monte, the sports took a flier at roulette; and asthe gambling spirit, so subtly fed, began to rise to a fever, RimrockJones, the cause of all this heat, bet more and more--and still won. 

It was at the height of the excitement when, with half of the checks inthe rack in front of him, Rimrock was losing and winning by turns, thatthe bull-like rumble of L. W. Lockhart came drifting in to him abovethe clamor of the crowd. 

"Why don't you quit, you fool?" the deep voice demanded. "Cash in andquit--you've got your stake!"

Rimrock made a gesture of absent-minded impatience and watched the slowturn of the cards. Not even the dealer or the hawk-eyed lookout wasmore intently absorbed in the game. He knew every card that had beenplayed and he bet where the odds were best. Every so often a long, yellow hand reached past him and laid a bet by his stake. It was thehand of a Chinaman, those most passionate of faro players, and at suchtimes, seeing it follow his luck, the face of Rimrock lightened up withthe semblance of a smile. He called the last turn and they paused forthe drinks, while the dealer mopped his brow. 

"Where's Ike?" he demanded. "Well, somebody call him--he's hiding out, asleep, upstairs. "

"Yes, wake him up!" shouted Rimrock boastfully. "Tell him RimrockJones is here. "

"Aw, pull out, you sucker!" blared L. W. In his ear, but Rimrock onlyshoved out his bets. 

"Ten on the ace, " droned the anxious dealer, "the jack is coppered. All down?"

He held up his hand and as the betting ceased he slowly pushed out thetwo cards. 

"Tray loses, ace wins!" he announced and Rimrock won again. 

Then he straightened up purposefully and looked about as he sorted hiswinnings into piles. 

"The whole works on the queen, " he said to the dealer and a hush fellupon the crowd. 

"Where's Ike?" shrilled the dealer, but the boss was not to be foundand he dealt, unwillingly, for a queen. But the fear was on him andhis thin hands trembled; for Ike Bray was not the type of yourfrozen-faced gambler--he expected his dealers to win. The dealershoved them out, and an oath slipped past his lips. 

"Queen wins, " he quavered, "the bank is broke. " And he turned the boxon its side. 

A shout went up--the glad yell of the multitude--and Rimrock rose upgrinning. 

"Who said to pull out?" he demanded arrogantly, looking about for theglowering L. W. "Huh, huh!" he chuckled, "quit your luck when you'rewinning? Quit your luck and your luck will quit you--the drinks forthe house, barkeep!"

He was standing at the bar, stuffing money into his pockets, when IkeBray, the proprietor, appeared. Rimrock turned, all smiles, as heheard his voice on the stairs and lolled back against the bar. Morethan once in the past Bray had taken his roll but now it was his turnto laugh. 

"Lemme see, " he remarked as he felt Bray's eyes upon him, "I wonder howmuch I win. "

He drew out the bills from his faded overalls and began laboriously tocount them out into his hat. 

Ike Bray stopped and looked at him, a little, twisted man with his hairstill rumpled from the bed. 

"Where's that dealer?" he shrilled in his high, complaining voice. "I'll kill the danged piker--that bank ain't broke yet--I got a bigroll, right here!"

He waved it in the air and came limping forward until he stood facingRimrock Jones. 

"You think you broke me, do you?" he demanded insolently as Rimrocklooked up from his count. 

"You can see for yourself, " answered Rimrock contentedly, and held outhis well-filled hat. 

"You're a piker!" yelled Bray. "You don't dare to come back at me. I'll play you one turn win or lose--for your pile!"

A hundred voices rang out at once, giving Rimrock all kinds of advice, but L. W. 's rose above them all. 

"Don't you do it!" he roared. "He'll clean you, for a certainty!" ButRimrock's blue eyes were aflame. 

"All right, Mr. Man, " he answered on the instant, and went over and satdown in his chair. "But bring me a new pack and shuffle 'em clean, andI'll do the cutting myself. "

"Ahhr!" snarled Bray, who was in villainous humor, as he hurled himselfinto his place. "Y'needn't make no cracks--I'm on the square--and I'lltake no lip from anybody!"

"Well, shuffle 'em up then, " answered Rimrock quietly, "and when I feellike it I'll make my bet. "

It was the middle of the night, as Bray's days were divided, and evenyet he was hardly awake; but he shuffled the cards until Rimrock wassatisfied and then locked them into the box. The case-keeper satopposite, to keep track of the cards, and a look-out on the stand atone end, and while a mob of surging onlookers fought at their backsthey watched the slow turning of the cards. 

"Why don't you bet?" snapped Bray; but Rimrock jerked his head andbeckoned him to go on. 

"Yes, and lose half on splits, " he answered grimly, "I'll bet when itcomes the last turn. "

The deal went on till only three cards remained in the bottom of thebox. By the record of the case-keeper they were the deuce and thejack--the top card, already shown, did not count. 

"The jack, " said Rimrock and piled up his money on the enameled card onthe board. 

"You lose, " rasped out Bray without waiting for the turn and then drewoff the upper card. The jack lay, a loser, in the box below and as heshoved it slowly out the deuce appeared underneath. 

"How'd you know?" flashed back Rimrock as Bray reached for his money, but the gambler laughed in his face. 

"I outlucked you, you yap, " he answered harshly. "That dealer--hewasn't worth hell room!"

"Gimme a fiver to eat on!" demanded Rimrock as Bray banked the money, but he flipped him fifty cents. It was the customary stake, the sopthrown by the gambler to the man who has lost his last cent, and Braysloughed it without losing his count. 

"Go on, now, " he said, still keeping to the formula, "go back andpolish a drill!"

It was the form of dismissal for the hardrock miners whose earnings hewas wont to take, but Rimrock was not particular. 

"All right, Ike, " he said and as he drifted out the door his prosperityfriends disappeared. Only L. W. Remained, a scornful twist to hislips, and the sight of him left Rimrock sick. "Yes, rub it in!" hesaid defiantly and L. W. , too, walked away. 

In his sober moments--when he was out on the desert or slugging awayunderground--Rimrock Jones was neither childish nor a fool. He was aserious man, with great hopes before him; and a past, not ignoble, behind. But after months of solitude, of hard, yegging work and hopesdeferred, the town set his nerves all a-tingle--even Gunsight, a meredot on the map--and he was drunk before he took his first drink. Drunkwith mischief and spontaneous laughter, drunk with good stories untold, new ideas, great thoughts, high ambitions. But now he had had hisfling. 

With fifty cents to eat on, and one more faro game behind him, Rimrockstood thoughtfully on the corner and asked the old question: What next?He had won, and he had lost. He had made the stake that would havetaken him far towards his destiny; and then he had dropped it, foolishly, by playing another man's game. He could see it now; butthen, we all can--the question was, what next?

"Well, I'll eat, " he said at last and went across the street to WooChong's. "The American Restaurant" was the way the sign read, butAmericans don't run restaurants in Arizona. They don't know how. WooChong had fed forty miners when he ran the cookhouse for Rimrock, forhalf what a white man could; and when Rimrock had lost his mine, at theend of a long lawsuit, Woo Chong had followed him to town. There was along tally on the wall, the longest of all, which told how many mealsRimrock owed him for; but Rimrock knew he was welcome. Adversity hadits uses and he had learned, among other things, that his best friendswere now Chinamen and Mexicans. To them, at least, he was still ElPatron--the Boss!

"Hello there, Woo!" he shouted at the doorway and a rapid-fire ofChinese ceased. The dining-room was deserted, but from the kitchen inthe rear he could hear the shuffling slippers of Woo. 

"Howdy-do, Misse' Jones!" exclaimed Woo in great excitement as he camehurrying out to meet him. "I see you--few minutes ago--ove' Ike Blay'splace! You blakum falo bank, no?"

"No, I lose, " answered Rimrock honestly. "Ike Bray, he gave me this toeat on. "

He showed the fifty-cent piece and sat down at a table whereat WooChong began to giggle hysterically. 

"Aw! Allee time foolee me, " he grinned facetiously. "You no see methe'? Me playum, too. Win ten dolla', you bet!"

"Well, all right, Woo, " said Rimrock. "Just give me something toeat--we won't quarrel about who won. "

He leaned back in his chair and Woo Chong said no more till he appearedagain with a T-bone steak. 

"You ketchum mine, pletty soon?" he questioned anxiously. "All lite, me come back and cook. "

Rimrock sighed and went to eating and Woo remembered the coffee, butsomehow even that failed to cheer. 

A shadow of doubt came across Woo's watchful face and he hurried awayfor more bread. 

"You no bleakum bank?" he enquired at last and Rimrock shook his head. 

"No, Woo, " he said, "Ike Bray, he came down and win all my money back. "

"Aw, too bad!" breathed Woo Chong and slipped quietly away; but after awhile he came back. 

"Too bad!" he repeated. "You my fliend, Misse' Jones. " And he laidfive dollars by his hand. 

"Ah, no, no!" protested Rimrock, rising up from his place as if he hadsuffered a blow. "No money, Woo. You give me my grub and that'senough--I haven't got down to that!"

Woo Chong went away--he knew how to make gifts easy--and Rimrock stoodlooking at the gold. Then he picked it up, slowly, and as slowlywalked out, and stood leaning against a post. 

There is one street in Gunsight, running grandly down to the station;but the rest is mostly vacant lots and scattered adobe houses, creepingout into the infinitude of the desert. At noon, when he had come totown, the street was deserted, but now it was coming to life. Wild-eyed Mexican boys, mounted on bare-backed ponies, came gallopingup from the corrals; freight wagons drifted past, hauling supplies todistant mining camps; and at last, as he stood there thinking, thewomen began to come out of the hotel. 

All day they stayed there, idle, useless, on the shaded veranda abovethe street; and then, when the sun was low, they came forth likeindolent butterflies to float up and down the street. They saunteredby in pairs, half-hidden beneath silk parasols, and their skirtsswished softly as they passed. Rimrock eyed them sullenly, for a blackmood was on him--he was thinking of his lost mine. Their faces werepowdered to an unnatural whiteness and their hair was elaboratelycoiffed; their dresses, too, were white and filmy and their high heelsclacked as they walked. But who was keeping these women, these wivesof officials, and superintendents and mining engineers? Did theyglance at the man who had discovered their mine and built up the townwhere they lived? Well, probably they did, but not so as he couldnotice it and take off his battered old hat. 

Rimrock looked up the road and, far out across the desert, he could seehis own pack-train, coming in. There was money to be got, to buypowder and grub, but who would trust Rimrock Jones now? Not theGunsight crowd, not McBain and his hirelings--they needed the money fortheir women! He gazed at them scowling as they went pacing by him, with their eyes fixed demurely on space; and all too well he knew that, beneath their lashes, they watched him and knew him well. Yes, andspoke to each other, when they were off up the street, of what a bum hehad become. That was women--he knew it--the idle kind; they judged aman by his roll. 

The pack-train strung by, each burro with its saw-horse saddle, and oldJuan and his boy behind. 

"Al corral!" directed Rimrock as they looked at him expectantly, andthen he remembered something. 

"Oyez, Juan, " he beckoned, calling his man servant up to him, "here'sfive dollars--go buy some beans and flour. It is nothing, Juanito, I'll have more pretty soon--and here's four bits, you can buy you adrink. "

He smiled benevolently and Juan touched his hat and went sidling offlike a crab and then once more the black devil came back to plague him, hissing Money, _Money_, MONEY! He looked up the street and a plan, long formless, took sudden shape in his brain. There was yet McBain, the horse-leech of a lawyer who had beaten him out of his claim. Morethan once, in black moments, he had threatened to kill him; but now hewas glad he had not. Men even raised skunks, when the bounty on themwas high enough, and took the pay out of their hides. It was the samewith McBain. If he didn't come through--Rimrock shook up hissix-shooter and stalked resolutely off up the street. 

The office of the Company was on the ground floor of the hotel--thecorner room, with a rented office beyond--and as Rimrock came towardsit he saw a small sign, jutting out from the farther door:

 MARY ROGET FORTUNE TYPEWRITING. 

He glanced at it absently, for strange emotions came over him as hepeered in through that plateglass window. It had been his office, thissame expensive room; and he had been robbed of it, under cover of thelaw. He shaded his eyes from the glare of the street and looked in atthe mahogany desk. It was vacant--the whole place was vacant--andsilently he tried the door. That was locked. McBain had seen him andslipped away till he should get out of town. 

"The sneaking cur!" muttered Rimrock in a fury and a passing woman drewaway and half-screamed. He ignored her, pondering darkly, and then tohis ears there came a familiar voice. He listened, intently, andraised his head; then tiptoed along the wall. That voice, and he knewit, belonged to Andrew McBain, the man that stole mines for a living. He paused at the door where Mary Fortune had her sign, then suddenlyforced his way in. 

Without thinking, impulsively, he had moved towards that voice as a manfollows some irresistible call. He opened the door and stood blinkingin the doorway, his hand on the pistol at his side. Then he blinkedagain, for in the gloom of the back office there was nothing but a deskand a girl. She wore a harness over her head, like a telephoneoperator, and rose up to meet him tremulously. 

"Is there anything you wish?" she asked him quietly and Rimrock fumbledand took off his hat. 

"Yes--I was looking for a man, " he said at last. "I thought I heardhim--just now. "

He came down towards her, still looking about him, and there was a stirfrom behind the desk. 

"No, I think you're mistaken, " she answered bravely, but he could seethe telltale fear in her eyes. 

"You know who I mean!" he broke out roughly, "and I guess you know whyI've come!"

"No, I don't, " she answered, "but--but this is my office and I hope youwon't make any trouble. "

The words came with a rush, once she found her courage, but the appealwas lost upon Rimrock. 

"He's here, then!" he said. "Well, you tell him to come out. I'd liketo talk with him on business--alone!"

He took a step forward and then suddenly from behind the desk a shadowrose up and fled. It was Andrew McBain, and as he dashed for the reardoor the girl valiantly covered his retreat. There was a quick slap ofthe latch, a scuffle behind her, and the door came shut with a bang. 

"Oho!" said Rimrock as she faced him panting, "he must be a friend ofyourn. "

"No, he isn't, " she answered instantly, and then a smile crept into hereyes. "But he's--well, he's my principal customer. "

"Oh, " said Rimrock grimly, "well, I'll let him live then. Good-bye. "

He turned away, still intent on his purpose, but at the door she calledhim back. 

"What's that?" he asked as if awakened from a dream. "Why, yes, if youdon't mind, I will. "

CHAPTER III

MISS FORTUNE

It was very informal, to say the least, for Mary Fortune to invite himto stay. To be sure, she knew him--he was the man with the gun, theman of whom McBain was afraid--but that was all the more reason, to areasoning woman, why she should keep silent and let him depart. Butthere was a business-like brevity about him, a single-mindeddirectness, that struck her as really unique. Quite apart from thefact that it might save McBain, she wanted him to stay there and talk. At least so she explained it, the evening afterwards, to her censoriousother-self. What she did was spontaneous, on the impulse of themoment, and without any reason whatever. 

"Oh, won't you sit down a moment?" she had murmured politely; and thesavage, fascinating Westerner, after one long look, had with equalpoliteness accepted. 

"Yes, indeed, " he answered when he had got his wits together, "you'revery kind to ask me, I'm sure. "

He came back then, a huge, brown, ragged animal and sat down, verycarefully, in her spare chair. Why he did so when his business, not tomention a just revenge, was urgently calling him thence, was a questionnever raised by Rimrock Jones. Perhaps he was surprised beyond thepoint of resistance; but it is still more likely that, without hisknowing it, he was hungry to hear a woman's voice. His black mood lefthim, he forgot what he had come there for, and sat down to wonder andadmire. 

He looked at her curiously, and his eyes for one brief moment took inthe details of the headband over her ear; then he smiled to himself inhis masterful way as if the sight of her pleased him well. There wasnothing about her to remind him of those women who stalked up and downthe street; she was tall and slim with swift, capable hands, and everyline of her spoke subtly of style. Nor was she lacking in thosequalities of beauty which we have come to associate with her craft. She had quiet brown eyes that lit up when she smiled, a high nose andmasses of hair. But across that brown hair that a duchess might haveenvied lay the metal clip of her ear-'phone, and in her dark eyes, bright and steady as they were, was that anxious look of the deaf. 

"I hope I wasn't rude, " she stammered nervously as she sat down and methis glance. 

"Oh, no, " he said with the same carefree directness, "it was me, Ireckon, that was rude. I certainly didn't count on meeting a lady whenI came in here looking for--well, McBain. He won't be back, I reckon. Kind of interferes with business, don't it?"

He paused and glanced at the rear door and the typist smiled, discreetly. 

"Oh, no, " she said. And then, lowering her voice: "Have you hadtrouble with Mr. McBain?"

"Yes, I have, " he answered. "You may have heard of me--my name isHenry Jones. "

"Oh--_Rimrock_ Jones?"

Her eyes brightened instantly as he slowly nodded his head. 

"That's me, " he said. "I used to run this whole town--I'm the man thatdiscovered the mines. "

"What, the Gunsight mines? Why, I thought Mr. McBain----"

"McBain _what_?"

"Why, I thought _he_ discovered the mines. "

Rimrock straightened up angrily, then he sat back in his chair andshook his head at her cynically. 

"He didn't need to, " he answered. "All he had to do was to discover anerror in the way I laid out my claim. Then he went before a judge thatwas as crooked as he was and the rest you can see for yourself. "

He thrust his thumb scornfully through a hole in his shirt and waved ahand in the direction of the office. 

"No, he cleaned me out, using a friend of mine; and now I'm down tonothing. What do you think of a law that will take away a man's minebecause it apexes on another man's claim? I discovered this mine and Iformed the company, keeping fifty-one per cent. Of the stock. I openedher up and she was paying big, when Andy McBain comes along. A shysterlawyer--that's the best you can say for him--but he cleaned me, down toa cent. "

"I don't understand, " she said at last as he seemed to expect somereply. "About these apexes--what are they, anyway? I've only beenWest a few months. "

"Well, I've been West all my life, and I've hired some smart lawyers, and I don't know what an apex is yet. But in a general way it's thehigh point of an ore-body--the highest place where it shows aboveground. But the law works out like this: every time a man finds a mineand opens it up till it pays these apex sharps locate the high groundabove him and contest the title to his claim. You can't do that inMexico, nor in Canada, nor in China--this is the only country in theworld where a mining claim don't go straight down. But under the law, when you locate a lode, you can follow that vein, within an extensionof your end-lines, under anybody's ground. _Anybody's_!"

He shifted his chair a little closer and fixed her with his fightingblue eyes. 

"Now, just to show you how it works, " he went on, "take me, forinstance. I was just an ordinary ranch kid, brought up so far back inthe mountains that the boys all called me Rimrock, and I found a richledge of rock. I staked out a claim for myself, and the rest for myfolks and my friends, and then we organized the Gunsight MiningCompany. That's the way we all do, out here--one man don't hog it all, he does something for his friends. Well, the mine paid big, and if Ididn't manage it just right I certainly never meant any harm. Ofcourse I spent lots of money--some objected to that--but I made the oldGunsight pay. 

"Then--" he raised his finger and held it up impressively as he markedthe moment of his downfall--"then this McBain came along and edged intothe Company and right from that day, I lose. He took on as attorney, but it wasn't but a minute till he was trying to be the whole show. You can't stop that man, short of killing him dead, and I haven't gotaround to that yet. But he bucked me from the start and set everybodyagainst me and finally he cut out Lon Lockhart. There was a man, byJoe, that I'd stake my life on it he'd never go back on a friend; buthe threw in with this lawyer and brought a suit against me, and justnaturally took--away--my--mine!"

Rimrock's breast was heaving with an excitement so powerful that thegirl instinctively drew away; but he went on, scarcely noticing, andwith a fixed glare in his eyes that was akin to the stare of a madman. 

"Yes, took it away; and here's how they did it, " he went on, suddenlystriving to be calm. "The first man I staked for, after my father andkin folks, was L. W. Lockhart over here. He was a cowman then and hehad some money and I figured on bidding him in. So I staked him a goodclaim, above mine on the mountain, and sure enough, he came into theCompany. He financed me, from the start; but he kept this claim forhimself without putting it in with the rest. Well, as luck would haveit, when we sunk on the ledge, it turned at right angles up the hill. Up and down, she went--it was the main lode of quartz and we'd beenfollowing in on a stringer--and _rich_? Oh, my, it was rotten!"

He paused and smiled wanly, then his eyes became fixed again, and hehurried on with his tale. 

"I was standing out in front of my office one day when Tuck Edwards, the boy I had in charge of the mine, came riding up and says:

"'Rim, they've jumped you!'

"'Who jumped me?' I says. 

"'Andrew McBain and L. W. !' he says and I thought at first he was crazy. 

"'Jumped our mine?' I says. 'How can they jump it when it's part theirown already?'

"'They've jumped it all, ' he says. 'They had a mining expert out therefor a week and he's made a report that the lode apexes on L. W. 'sclaim. '

"I couldn't believe it. L. W. ? I'd made him. He used to be nothingbut a cowman; and here he was in town, a banker. No, I couldn'tbelieve it; and when I did it was too late. They'd taken possession ofthe property and had a court order restraining me from going onto thegrounds. Not only did they claim the mine, but every dollar it hadproduced, the mill, the hotel, everything! And the judge backed themup in it--what kind of a law is that?"

He leaned forward and looked her in the eyes and Mary Fortune realizedthat she was being addressed not as a woman, impersonally, but as ahuman being. 

"What kind of a law is that?" he demanded sternly and took the answerfor granted. 

"That cured me, " he said. "After this, here's the only law I know. "

He tapped his pistol and leaned back in his chair, smiling grimly asshe gazed at him, aghast. 

"Yes, I know, " he went on, "it don't sound very good, but it's that orlay down to McBain. The judges are no better--they're just promotedlawyers----"

He checked himself for she had risen from her chair and her eyes wereno longer scared. 

"Excuse me, " she said, "my father was a judge. " And Rimrock reachedfor his hat. 

"Whereabouts?" he asked, groping for a chance to square himself. 

"Oh--back East, " she said evasively, and Rimrock heaved a sigh ofrelief. 

"Aw, that's different, " he answered. "I was just talking about theTerritory. Well, say, I'll be moving along. "

He rose quickly, but as he started for the door a rifle-cartridge fellfrom his torn pocket. It rolled in a circle and as he stooped swiftlyto catch it the bullet came out like a cork and let spill a thin yellowline. 

"What's that?" she asked as he dropped to his knees; and he answeredbriefly:

"Gold!"

"What--real gold?" she cried rapturously, "gold from a mine? Oh, I'dlike----"

She stopped short and Rimrock chuckled as he scooped up the elusivedust. 

"All right, " he said as he rose to his feet, "I'll make you a presentof it, then, " and held out the cartridge of gold. 

"Oh, I couldn't!" she thrilled, but he only smiled encouragingly andpoured out the gold in her hand. 

"It's nothing, " he said, "just the clean-up from a pocket. I runacross a little once in a while. "

A panic came over her as she felt the telltale weight of it, and shehastily poured it back. 

"I can't take it, of course, " she said with dignity, "but it was awfulgood of you to offer it, I'm sure. "

"Aw, what do we care?" he protested lightly, but she handed the corkedcartridge back. Then she stood off and looked at him and the huge manin overalls became suddenly a Croesus in her eyes. 

"Is that from your mine?" she asked at last and of a sudden his bronzedface lighted up. 

"You bet it is--but look at this!" and he fetched a polished rock fromhis pocket. "That's azurite, " he said, "nearly forty per cent. Copper!I'm not telling everybody, but I find big chunks of that, and I've gota whole mountain of low-grade. What's a gold mine compared to that?"

He gave her the rich rock with its peacock-blue coloring and plungedforthwith into a description of his find. Now at last he was himselfand to his natural enthusiasm was added the stimulus of her spellbound, wondering eyes. He talked on and on, giving all the details, and shelistened like one entranced. He told of his long trips across thedesert, his discovery of the neglected mountain of low-grade copperore; and then of his enthusiasm when in making a cut he encountered apocket of the precious peacock-blue azurite. And then of his schemingand hiring American-born Mexicans to locate the whole body of ore, after which he engaged them to do the discovery work and later transferthe claims to him. And now, half-finished, with no money to pay them, and not even food to keep them content, the Mexicans had quit work andunless he brought back provisions all his claims would go by default. 

"I've got a chance, " he went on fiercely, "to make millions, if I canonly get title to those claims! And now, by grab, after all I've donefor 'em, these pikers won't advance me a cent!"

"How much would it cost?" she asked him quickly, "to finish the workand pay off the men?"

"Two thousand dollars, " he answered wearily. "But it might as well bea million. "

"Would--would four hundred dollars help you?"

She asked it eagerly, impulsively, almost in his ear, and he turned asif he had been struck. 

"Don't speak so loud, " she implored him nervously. "These women in thehotel--they're listening to everything you say. I can hear all rightif you only whisper--would four hundred dollars help you out?"

"Not of your money!" answered Rimrock hoarsely. "No, by God, I'llnever come to that!"

He started away, but she caught him by the arm and held him back tillhe stopped. 

"But I want to do it!" she persisted. "It's a good thing--I believe init--and I've got the money!"

He stopped and looked at her, almost tempted by her offer; then heshook his great head like a bull. 

"No!" he said, talking half to himself. "I won't do it--I've sunk lowenough. But a woman? Nope, I won't do it. "

"Oh, quit your foolishness!" she burst out impatiently, "I guess I knowmy own mind. I came out to this country to try and recoup myself and Iwant to get in on this mine. No sentiment, understand me, I'm talkingstraight business; and I've got the money--right here!"

"Well, what do you want for it?" he demanded roughly. "If that's thedeal, what's your cut? I never saw you before, nor you me. How muchdo you want--if we win?"

"I want a share in the mine, " she answered instantly. "I don'tcare--whatever you say!"

"Well, I'll go you, " he said. "Now give me the money and I'll try tomake both of us rich!"

His voice was trembling and he followed every movement as she steppedback behind her desk. 

"Just look out the window, " she said as he waited; and Rimrock turnedhis head. There was a rustle of skirts and a moment later she laid aroll of bills in his hand. 

"Just give me a share, " she said again and suddenly he met her eyes. 

"How about fifty-fifty--an undivided half?" he asked with a dizzy smile. 

"Too much, " she said. "I'm talking business. "

"All right, " he said. "But so am I. "

CHAPTER IV

AS A LOAN

Rimrock Jones left town with four burro-loads of powder, someprovisions and a cargo of tools. He paid cash for his purchases andanswered no question beyond saying that he knew his own business. Noone knew or could guess where he had got his money--except MissFortune, and she would not tell. From the very first she had toldherself that the loan was nothing to hide, and yet she was too much ofa woman not to have read aright the beacon in Rimrock's eyes. He hadspoken impulsively, and so had she; and they had parted, as it turnedout, for months. 

[Illustration: Rimrock Jones left town with four burro-loads of powder, some provisions and a cargo of tools]

The dove that had crooned so long in the umbrella tree built a nestthere and cooed on to his mate. The clear, rainless winter gave placeto spring and the giant cactus burst into flower. It rained, short andhard, and the desert floor took on suddenly a fine mat of green; andstill he did not come. He was like the rain, this wild man of thedesert; swift and fierce, then gone and forgotten. Once she saw hisMexican, the old, bearded Juan, with his string of shaggy burros at thestore; but he brought her no word and went off the next day with morepowder and provisions in his packs. 

It was all new to Mary Fortune, this stern and barren country; and itspeople were new to her, too. The women, for some reason, had regardedher with suspicion and her answer was a patrician aloofness andreserve. When the day's work was done she took off her headband andsat reading in the lobby, alone. As for the men of the hotel, thesusceptible young mining men who passed to and fro from Gunsight, theyfound her pleasant, but not quite what they had expected--not quitewhat Dame Rumor had painted her. They watched her from the distance, for she was undeniably goodlooking--and so did the women upstairs. They watched, and they listened, which was not the least of the reasonswhy Mary Fortune laid her ear-'phone aside. No person can enjoy theintimacies of life when they are shouted, ill-advisedly, to the world. 

But if when she first came to town, worn and tired from her journey, she had seemed more deaf than she was, Mary Fortune had learned, as herhearing improved, to artfully conceal the fact. There was a certainadvantage, in that unfriendly atmosphere, in being able to overhearchance remarks. But no permanent happiness can come from small talk, and listening to petty asides; and, for better or worse, Mary took offher harness and retired to the world of good books. She read and shedreamed and, quite unsuspected, she looked out the window for him. 

The man! There is always a man, some man, for every woman who dreams. Rimrock Jones had come once and gone as quickly, but his absence wasrainbowed with romance. He was out on the desert, far away to thesouth, sinking shafts on his claims--their claims. He had discovered afortune, but, strong as he was, he had had to accept help from her. Hewould succeed, this fierce, ungovernable desert-man; he would win theworld's confidence as he had won her faith by his strength and the boldlook in his eyes. He would finish his discovery work and record allhis claims and then--well, then he would come back. 

So she watched for him, furtively, glancing quickly out the windowwhenever a horseman passed by; and one day, behold, as she looked upfrom her typing, he was there, riding by on his horse! And as hepassed he looked in, under the shadow of his hat, and touched a bagthat was tied behind his saddle. He was more ragged than ever, and onehand had a bandage around it; but he was back, and he would come. Sheabandoned her typewriting--one of those interminable legal papers thatMcBain was always leaving on her desk--and stepped out to look down thestreet. 

The air, warm and soft, was spiced with green odors and the resinoustang of the greasewood; the ground dove in his tree seemed swooningwith passion as he crooned his throaty, Kwoo, kwoo-o. It was thebreath of spring, but tropical, sense-stealing; it lulled the brain andbade the heart leap and thrill. This vagabond, this rough horsemanwith his pistol and torn clothing and the round sack of ore lashedbehind; who would ever dream that an adventurer like him could make herforget who she was? But he came from the mine she had helped him tosave and the sack might be heavy with gold. So she watched, half-concealed, until he stopped at the bank and went striding in withthe bag. 

As for Rimrock Jones, he rode by the saloon and went direct to L. W. , the banker. It was life or death, as far as the Tecolote wasconcerned, for his four hundred dollars was gone. That had given himthe powder to shoot out his holes to the ten feet required by law, andenough actual cash to pay his Mexican locators and make a legaltransfer of the claims; but four hundred dollars will not last alifetime and Rimrock Jones was broke. He needed more money and he wentperforce to the only man who could give it. It would be a fight, forL. W. Was stubborn; but Rimrock was stubborn himself. 

"L. W. , " he said, when he found the banker in his private office in therear, "you used to be white and I want you to listen before you spitout what you've got in your craw. You may have a grievance, and Idon't deny it; but remember, I've got one, too. No, it isn't about mymine--I wouldn't sell you one share in it for your whole littlejim-crow bank. I've done my first work and I've recorded my claims, and I'll offer them--somewhere's else. All you know is gold and beforewe go any further, just run your eyes over that. "

He dumped the contents of his bag on the polished desk and L. W. Blinked as he looked. It was picked gold quartz of the richest kind, with jewelry specimens on top, and as L. W. Ran his hand through it histight mouth relaxed from its bulldog grip on the cigar. 

"Where'd you get it?" he grunted and Rimrock's eyes flashed as heanswered shortly:

"My mine. "

"How much more you got?"

L. W. Asked it suspiciously, but the gold-gleam had gone to his heart. 

"About two tons of the best, scattered around on the different dumps, and a whole scad more that will ship. I knew you wouldn't lend onanything but gold-ore and I need money to pay off my Mexicans. I'vegot to save some ore bags to sack that picked rock in, and hirefreighters to haul it in. Then there's the freight and the milling andwith one thing and another I need about two thousand dollars. "

"Oh! Two thousand dollars. Seems to me, " observed L. W. , "I've heardthat sum mentioned before. "

"You have, dad-burn ye, and this time I want it. What's the matter, ain't that ore good for it all?"

"It is, if you've got it, but I've come to the point where I don'tplace absolute confidence in your word. "

"Oh, the hell you have!" said Rimrock sarcastically, "that sounds likesome lawyer talk. You might've learned it from Apex McBain when youwas associated with him in a deal. I won't say _what_ deal, but, refreshing your memory now, ain't my word as good as yours?"

He gazed intently at the hard-visaged L. W. Whose face slowly turnedbrick red. 

"Now to get down to business, " went on Rimrock quietly, "I tell youthat ore is there. If you'll loan me the money to haul in that rockI'll pay you back from my check. And I'll give you my note at one percent. A month, compounded monthly and all that. I guess a man that canshow title to twenty claims that turn out picked ore like that--well, he's entitled, perhaps, to a little more consideration than you boyshave been showing me of late. "

L. W. Sat silent, his burning eyes on the gold, the cigar clutchedfiercely in his teeth--then without a word he wrote a check and threwit across the desk. 

"Much obliged, " said Rimrock and without further words he stepped outand cashed the check. And then Rimrock Jones disappeared. 

The last person in Gunsight to hear what had happened was Mary Fortune. She worked at her desk that day in a fever of expectation, now stoppingto wonder at the strange madness that possessed her, now poundingharder to still her tumultuous thoughts. She did not know what it wasthat she expected, only something great and new and wonderful, something to lift her at last from the drudgery of her work and makeher feel young and gay. Something to rouse her up to the wild joy ofliving and make her forget her misfortunes. To be poor, and deaf, andalone--all these were new things to Mary Fortune; but she was none ofthem when he was near. What need had she to hear when she could readin his eyes that instant admiration that a woman values most? Andpoor? The money she had given had helped him, perhaps, to gainmillions!

She worked late, that afternoon; and again, in the evening, she made anexcuse to keep her office lit up. Still he did not come and she pacedup the street, even listened as she passed by the saloons--then, overwhelmed with shame that she had seemed to seek him, she fled to herroom and wept. The next day, and the next, she watched and listenedand at last she overheard the truth. It was Andrew McBain, the hard, fighting Scotchman, who told the dreadful news--and she hated him forit, always. 

"Well, I'm glad he's gone, " he had replied to L. W. , who had beckonedhim out to the door. "He's a dangerous man--I've been afraid ofhim--you're lucky to get off at that. "

"Lucky!" yelled L. W. , suddenly forgetting his caution, "he touched mefor two thousand dollars! Do you call that lucky? And here's thelatest--he hasn't got a pound of picked ore! Even took away what hehad; and that old, whiskered Mexican says he up and borrowed that fromhim!"

"That's a criminal act, " explained McBain exultantly, as he signaled L. W. To be calm. "Shh, not so loud, the girl might hear you. Let himgo, and hold it over his head. "

"No, I'll kill the dastard!" howled L. W. Rebelliously and slammed thedoor in a rage. 

A swooning sickness came over Mary Fortune as she sat, waiting stonily, at her desk; but when McBain came back and sat down beside her shetyped on, automatically, as he spoke. Then she woke at last, as iffrom a dream, to hear his harsh, discordant voice; and a suddenresentment, a fierce, passionate hatred, swept over her as he shoutedin her ear. A hundred times she had informed him politely that she wasnot deaf when she wore her ear-'phone, and a hundred times he hadlistened impatiently and gone on in his sharp, rasping snarl. She drewaway shuddering as he looked over some papers and cleared his throatfor a fresh start; and then, without reason that he could ever divine, she burst into tears and fled. 

She came back later, but the moment he began dictating she pushed backher chair and rose up. 

"Mr. McBain, " she said tremulously, "you don't need to shout at me. Igive you notice--I shall leave on the first. "

It was plainly a tantrum, such as he had observed in women, a case, pure and simple, of nerves; but Andrew McBain let it pass. She couldspell--a rare quality in typists--and was familiar with legal forms. 

"Ah, my dear Miss Fortune, " he began propitiatingly, "I hope you willreconsider, I'm sure. It's a habit I have, when dictating a brief, tospeak as though addressing the court. Perhaps, under thecircumstances, you could take off your instrument and my voice wouldbe--ahem--just about right. "

"No! It drives me crazy!" she cried in a passion. "It makes everybodythink I'm so deaf!"

She broke down at that and McBain discreetly withdrew and was gone forthe rest of the day. It was best, he had learned, when young womenbecame emotional, to absent himself for a time. And the next day, sureenough, she came back, smiling cheerfully, and said no more of leavingher job. She was, in fact, more obliging than before and he judgedthat the tantrum had passed. 

With L. W. , however, the case was different. He claimed to be anIndian in his hates; and a mining engineer, dropping in from New York, told a story that staggered belief. Rimrock Jones was there, the talkof the town, reputed to be enormously rich. He smoked fifty-centcigars, wore an enormous black hat and put up at the Waldorf Hotel. Not only that but he was in all the papers as associating with thekings of finance. So great was his prestige that the engineer, infact, had been requested to report on his mine. 

"A report?" shouted L. W. , "what, a report on the Tecolotes? Well, Ican save you a long, dusty trip. In the first place Rimrock Jones is athorough-paced scoundrel, not only a liar but a crook; and in thesecond place these claims are forty miles across the desert with justtwo sunk wells on the road. I wouldn't own his mines if you would makeme a present of them and a million dollars to boot. I wouldn't takethem for a gift if that mountain was pure gold--how's he going to haulthe ore to the railroad? Now listen, my friend, I've known that boysince he stood knee-high to a toad and of all the liars in Arizona hestands out, preëminently, as the worst. "

"You question his veracity, then?" enquired the engineer as he fumbledfor some papers in his coat. 

"Question nothing!" raved L. W. "I'm making a statement! He's notonly a liar--he's a thief! He robbed me, the dastard; he got twothousand dollars of my money without giving me the scratch of a pen. Oh, I tell you----"

"Well, that's curious, " broke in the engineer as he stared at a paper, "he's got your name down here as a reference. "

CHAPTER V

THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN

It is an engineer's duty, when he is sent out to examine a mine, tomake a report on the property, regardless. The fact that the owner isa liar and a thief does not necessarily invalidate his claims; and anall-wise Providence has, on several occasions, allowed such creaturesto discover bonanzas. So the engineer hired a team and disappeared onthe horizon and L. W. Went off buying cattle. 

A month passed by in which the derelictions of Rimrock were capped bythe machinations of a rival cattle buyer, who beat L. W. Out of a buythat would have netted him up into the thousands. Disgusted witheverything, L. W. Boarded the west-bound at Bowie Junction and flunghimself into a seat in the half-empty smoker without looking to theright or left. He was mad--mad clear through--and the last of hiscigars was mashed to a pulp in his vest. He had just made thisdiscovery when another cigar was thrust under his nose and a familiarvoice said:

"Try one of mine!"

L. W. Looked at the cigar, which was undoubtedly expensive, and thenglanced hastily across the aisle. There, smiling sociably, was RimrockJones. 

L. W. Squinted his eyes. Yes, Rimrock Jones, in a large, black hat; achecked suit, rather loud, and high boots. His legs were crossed andwith an air of elegant enjoyment he was smoking a similar cigar. 

"Don't want it!" snarled L. W. And, rising up in a fury, he moved offtowards the far end of the car. 

"Oh, all right, " observed Rimrock, "I'll smoke it myself, then. " AndL. W. Grunted contemptuously. 

They rode for some hours across a flat, joyless country without eitherman making a move, but as the train neared Gunsight Rimrock rose up andwent forward to where L. W. Sat. 

"Well, what're you all bowed up about?" he enquired bluffly. "Has yourgirl gone back on you, or what?"

"Go on away!" answered L. W. Dangerously, "I don't want to talk to you, you thief!"

"Oh, that's what's the matter with you--you're thinking about themoney, eh? Well, you always did hate to lose. "

An insulting epithet burst from L. W. 's set lips, but Rimrock let itpass. 

"Oh, that's all right, " he said. "Never mind my feelings. Say, howmuch do you figure I owe you?"

"You don't owe me nothing!" cried L. W. Half-rising. "You _stole_ fromme, you scoundrel--I can put you in the Pen for this!"

"Aw, you wouldn't do that, " answered Rimrock easily. "I know you toowell for that. "

"Say, you go away, " panted L. W. In a frenzy, "or I'll throw you out ofthis car. "

"No you won't either, " said Rimrock truculently. "You'll have to eatsome more beans before you can put _me_ on my back. "

Rimrock squared his great shoulders and his eyes sparkled dangerouslyas he faced L. W. In the aisle. 

"Now listen!" he went on after a tense moment of silence, "what's theuse of making a row? I know I lied to you--I had to do it in order toget the money. I just framed that on purpose so I could get back toNew York where a proposition like mine would be appreciated. I was abum, in Gunsight; but back in New York, where they think in millions, they treated me like a king. "

"I don't want to talk to you, " rumbled L. W. Moving off, "you lied oncetoo often, and I've _quit_ ye!"

"All right!" answered Rimrock, "that suits me, too. All I askis--what's the damage?"

"Thirty-seven hundred and fifty-five dollars, " snapped back L. W. Venomously, "and I'd sell out for thirty-seven cents. "

"You won't have to, " said Rimrock with business directness and flasheda great roll of bills. 

"There's four thousand, " he said, peeling off four bills, "you can keepthe change for _pilon_. "

There was one thing about L. W. , he was a poker player of renown andaccustomed to thinking quick. He took one look at that roll of billsand waved the money away. 

"Nope! Keep it!" he said. "I don't want your money--just let me in onthis deal. "

"Huh!" grunted Rimrock, "for four thousand dollars? You must thinkI've been played for a sucker. No, four hundred thousand dollarswouldn't give you a look-in on the pot that I've opened this trip. "

"W'y, you lucky fool!" exclaimed L. W. Incredulously, his eyes stillglued to the roll. "What's the proposition, Rimmy? Say, you know me, Rim!"

"Yeh! Sure I do!" answered Rimrock dryly, and L. W. Turned from bronzeto a dull red. "I know the whole bunch of you, from the dog robber up, and this time I play my own hand. I was a sucker once, but the onlyfriends I've got now are the ones that stayed with me when I was down. "

"But _I_ helped you, Rim!" cried L. W. Appealingly. "Didn't I lend youmoney, time and again?"

"Yes, and here it is, " replied Rimrock indifferently as he held out thefour yellow bills. "You loaned me money, but you treated me likedirt--now take it or I'll ram it down your throat. "

L. W. Took the money and stood gnawing his cigar as the train sloweddown for Gunsight. 

"Say, come over to the bank--I want to speak to you, " he said as theydropped off the train. 

"Nope, can't stop, " answered Rimrock curtly, "got to go and see myfriends. "

He strode off down the street and L. W. Followed after him, beckoningfeverishly to every one he met. 

"Say, Rimrock's struck it rich!" he announced behind his hand and theprocession fell in behind. 

Straight down the street Rimrock went to the Alamo where old Hassayampstood shading his eyes, and while the crowd gathered around them hetook Hassayamp's hand and shook it again and again. 

"Here's the best man in town, " he began with great feeling. "Anold-time Arizona sport. There never was a time, when I was down andout, that my word wasn't good for the drinks. "

And Hassayamp Hicks, divining some great piece of good fortune, invitedhim in for one more. 

"Here's to Rimrock Jones, " he said to the crowd, "the livest boy inthis town. "

They drank and then Rimrock drew out his roll and peeled off animpressive yellow bill. 

"Just take out what I owe you, " he said to old Hassayamp, "and let theboys drink up the rest. "

With that he was gone and the crowd, scarce believing, stayed behindand drank to his health. Not a word was said by Rimrock or his friendsas to the source of this sudden wealth. For once in his life RimrockJones was reticent, but the roll of bills spoke for itself. He cameout of Woo Chong's restaurant with a broad grin on his face and lookedabout for the next man he owed. 

"You can talk all you want to, " he observed to the onlookers, "but aChink is as white as they make 'em. And any man in this crowd, " headded impressively, "that ever loaned me a cent, all he has to do is tostep out and say so and he gets his money back--and then some. "

The crowd surged about, but no one stepped forward. Strange storieswere in the air, resurrected from the past, of Rimrock and the way hepaid. When the Gunsight mine, after many difficulties, began to payback what it had cost, Rimrock had appeared on the street with a roll. And then, as now, he had announced his willingness to pay any bill, good or bad, that he owed. He stood there waiting, with the bills inhis hand, and he paid every man who applied. He even paid men whoslipped in meanly with stories of loans when he was drunk; but he notedthem well and from that day forward they received no favors from him. 

"Ah, there's the very man I'm looking for, " exclaimed Rimrock inSpanish as he spied old Juan in the crowd and, striding forward, heheld out his hand and greeted him ceremoniously. Old Juan it was ofwhom he had borrowed the gold ore that had coaxed the two thousanddollars from L. W. --and he had never sent the picked rock back. 

"How are you, Juan?" he enquired politely in the formula that allMexicans love. "And your wife, Rosita? Is she well also? Yes, thankGod, I am well, myself. Where is Rico now? He is a good boy, truly--will you do one more thing for me, Juan?"

"Sí, Sí, Señor!" answered Juan deferentially; and Rimrock smiled as hepatted his shoulder. 

"You are a good man, Juan, " he said. "A good friend of mine--I willremember it. Now get me an ore-sack--a strong one--like the one thatcontained the picked gold. "

"Un momento!" smiled Juan hurrying off towards the store and theMexicans began to swarm to and fro. Some reward, they knew, was to begiven to Juan to compensate him for the loss of his gold. His gold andhis labor and all the unpaid debt that was owing to him and his son andthe rest. The streets began to clatter with flying hoofs as they rodeoff to summon el pueblo, and by the time Old Juan returned with hissack all Mexican town was there. 

"Muy bien, " pronounced Rimrock as he inspected the ore-sack, "now comewith me, Amigo!"

Amigo Juan went, and all his friends after him, to see what El Patronwould do. Something generous and magnificent, they knew very well, forEl Patron was gentleman, muy caballero. He led the way to the bank, still enquiring most solicitously about Juan's relations, his children, his burros and so on; and Juan, sweating like a packed jack under thestress of the excitement, answered courteously, as one should to ElPatron, and clung eagerly to his sack. The crowd entered the bank andas L. W. Came out Rimrock placed Juan's sack on the table. 

"Bring out new silver dollars, fresh from the mint, " he said, "and fillup this sack for Juan!"

"Santa Maria!" exclaimed Juan fervently as the cashier came staggeringforth with a sack, and Rimrock took the bag, containing a thousandbulging dollars, and set it down before him. He broke the seal and asthe shining silver burst forth he spilled it in a huge windrow on thetable. 

"Now fill up your ore-sack, " he said to Juan, "and all you can stuffinto it is yours. "

"For a gift?" faltered Juan, and as Rimrock nodded he buried his handsin the coin. The dollars clanged and rattled as they spilled on thetable and a great silence came over the crowd. They gazed at Old Juanas if he were an Aladdin, or All Baba in his treasure-cave. Old, gray-bearded Juan who hauled wood for a living, or packed cargas on hisburros for El Patron! Yes, here he was with his fists full of dollars, piling them faster and faster into his bag. 

"Now shake the bag down, " suggested El Patron, "and perhaps you can getin some more. "

"Some more?" panted Juan and quite mad with great riches he stuffed thesack to the top. 

"Very well, " said Rimrock, "now take them home, and give part of themoney to Rosita. Then take what is left in this other bag and give afiesta to the boys who worked for me. "

"Make way!" cried Juan and as the crowd parted before him he wentstaggering down the street. A few shiny dollars heaped high on thetop, fell off and were picked up by his friends. They went offtogether, Old Juan and his amigos, and L. W. Came over to Rimrock. 

"Now listen to me, Henry Jones, " he began; but Rimrock waved him away. 

"I don't need to, " he said, "I know what you'll say--but Juan there hasbeen my friend. "

"Well, you don't need to spoil him--to break his back with money--whenten dollars will do just as well. "

"Yes, I do!" said Rimrock, "didn't I borrow his picked rock? Well, keep out then; I know my friends. He'll be drunk for a month and atthe end of his fiesta he won't have a dollar to his name, but as longas he lives he can tell the other hombres about that big sack of moneyhe had. "

Rimrock laid down one big bill, which paid for all the dollars, andwalked out of the bank on air. He was feeling rich--that wealthyfeeling that penny-pinchers never know--and all the world, except L. W. Lockhart, seemed responsive to his smile. Men who had shunned him foryears now shook his hand and refused to take back what they had lent. They even claimed they had forgotten all about it or had intended theirloans as stakes. With his pockets full of money it was suddenlyimpossible for Rimrock to spend a dollar. In the Alamo Saloon, wherehis friends were all gathered in a determined assault on the bar, hispopularity was so intense that the drinks fairly jumped at him and heslipped out the back way to escape. There was one duty more--both aduty and a pleasure--and he headed for the Gunsight Hotel. 

The news of his success, whatever it was, had preceded him hoursbefore. Andrew McBain had hid out, the idle women were all a-twitter;but Mary Roget Fortune was calm. She had heard the news from the veryfirst moment, when L. W. Had dropped in on McBain; but the more sheheard of his riotous prodigality the more it left her cold. His returnto town reminded her painfully of that other time when he had come. She had watched for him then, her knight from the desert, worn andragged but with his sack full of gold; but he had passed her by withouta word, and now she did not care. 

She looked up sharply as he came at last, a huge form, half-blockingthe door; and Rimrock noticed the change. Perhaps his suddenpopularity had made him unduly sensitive--he felt instinctively thatshe did not approve. 

"Do you mind my cigar?" he asked, stopping awkwardly half way to herdesk; and he suddenly came to life as she answered:

"Why, yes. Since you ask me, I do. "

That was straight enough and Rimrock cast his fifty-cent cigar like astogie out of the door. Then he came back towards her with his bighead thrust out and a searching look in his eyes. She had greeted himpolitely, but it was not the manner of the girl he had expected to see. Somehow, without knowing why, he had expected her to meet him with adifferent look in her eyes. It had been there before, but now it wasabsent--a look that he liked very much. In fact, he had remembered itand thought, apropos of nothing, that it was a pity she was so deaf. He looked again and smiled very slightly. But no, the look had fled. 

CHAPTER VI

RIMROCK PASSES

In the big moments of life when we have triumphed over difficulties andquaffed the heady wine of success there is always something--or thelack of something--to bring us back to earth. Rimrock Jones hadreturned in a Christmas spirit and had taken Gunsight by storm. He hadrewarded his friends and rebuked his enemies and all those who grinddown the poor. He had humbled L. W. And driven McBain into hiding; andnow this girl, this deaf, friendless typist, had snatched the cup fromhis lips. The neatly turned speech--the few well-chosen words in whichhe had intended to express his appreciation for her help--were effacedfrom his memory and in their place there came a doubt, a dimquestioning of his own worth. What had he done, or neglected to do, that had taken that look from her eyes? He sank down in a chair andregarded her intently as she sat there, composed and still. 

"Well, it's been quite a while, " he said at last, "since I've beenround to see you. "

"Yes, it has, " she replied and the way she said it raised a morepoignant question in his mind. Was she miffed, perhaps, because he hadfailed to call on her, that time when he came back to town? He hadborrowed her money--she might have been worried, that time when he wentto New York. 

"I just got in, a little while ago--been back to New York about mymine. Well, it's doing all right now and I've come around to see youand pay back that money I owe. "

"Oh, that four hundred dollars? Why, I don't want it back. You wereto give me a share in your mine. "

Rimrock stopped with his roll half out of his pocket and gazed at herlike a man struck dumb. A share in his mine! He put the money backand mopped the sudden sweat from his brow. 

"Well, now say, " he began, "I've made other arrangements. I've sold abig share already. But I'll give you the money, it'll come to the samething!" He whipped out his roll and smiled at her hopefully but shedrew back and shook her head. 

"No, " she said, "I don't want your money. I want a share in that mine. "

She faced him, determined, and Rimrock went weak for he remembered thatshe had his word. He had given his word and unless she excused him hewould have to make it good. And if he did--well, right there he wouldlose control of his mine. 

"Say, now listen a minute, " he began mysteriously, "I'm not tellingthis on the street----"

"Well, don't tell it here, then, " she interrupted hastily, "they'relistening, most of the time. "

She pointed towards the door that led to the hotel lobby and Rimrocktiptoed towards it. He was just in time, as he snatched it open, tosee McBain bounding up the back stairs; and a woman in a rocker, aftera guilty stare, rose up and moved hastily away. 

"Well, well, " observed Rimrock as he banged the door. "I don't knowwhich is worse, these women or peeping Andrew McBain. Are you stillworking for that fellow?" he enquired confidentially as he sat down andspoke low in her 'phone; and for the first time that day the smile cameback and dwelt for a moment in her eyes. 

"Yes, " she answered, "I still do his work for him. What's thematter--don't you fully approve?"

Her gaze was a challenge and he let it pass with a grin and a jerk ofthe head. 

"Just sorry for you, " he said. "You'd better take this money and get ajob with a man that's half white. "

He drew out his roll and counted out four thousand dollars and laidthem before her on the desk. 

"Now listen, " he began. "That four hundred then was worth fourthousand to me now. I had to have it, and I sure appreciate it--nowjust accept that as a payment in part. "

He pushed over the money, but she shook her head and met his gaze withresolute eyes. 

"Not much, " she said, "I don't want your money and, what's more, Iwon't accept it. I gave you four hundred dollars--all the money Ihad--to get me a share in that mine, and now I want it. I don't carehow much, but I want a share in that mine. "

Rimrock shoved back his chair and once more the sweat appeared on histroubled brow. He rose up softly and peeped out the door, then cameback and sat very close. 

"What's the idea?" he asked. "Has some one been telling you who I'vegot in with me on this deal? Well, what's the matter then? Why won'tyou take the money? I'll give you more than you could get for thestock. "

"No, all my life it's been my ambition to own a share in a mine. That's why I gave you the last of my money--I had confidence in yourmine from the start. "

"Well, what did you think, then?" enquired Rimrock sardonically, "whenI jumped out of town without seeing you? You'd have sold out cheap, ifI'd've come to you then, but now everybody knows I've won. "

"Never mind what I thought, " she answered darkly, "I took a chance, andI won. "

"Say, you're strictly business, now ain't you?" observed Rimrock andmuttered under his breath. "How much of a share do you expect me togive you?" he asked after a long anxious pause and her eyes lit up andwere veiled. 

"Whatever you say, " she answered quietly and then: "I believe youmentioned fifty-fifty--an undivided half. "

"My--God!" exclaimed Rimrock starting wildly to his feet. "Youdon't--say, you didn't think I meant that?"

"Why, no, " she said with a faint flicker of venom, "I didn't, to tellyou the truth. That's why I told you I was talking business; but yousaid: 'Well, so am I. '"

"Well, holy Jehosophrats!" cursed Rimrock to himself and turned to lookher straight in the eyes. 

"Now let's get down to business, " he went on sternly, "what do youwant, and where am I at?"

"I want a share in that mine, " she answered evenly, "whatever you thinkis right. "

"Oh, that's the deal! You don't want fifty-fifty? You leave what itis to me?"

"That's what I said from the very first. And as for fifty-fifty--no, certainly I do not. "

There were tears, half of anger, gathering back in her eyes, butRimrock took no thought of that. 

"Oh, you don't like my style, eh?" he came back resentfully. "All youwant out of me is my money. "

"No, I don't!" she retorted. "I don't want your money! I want a sharein that mine!"

"Say, who are you, anyway?" burst out Rimrock explosively. "Are yousome wise one that's on the inside?"

"That's none of your business, " she answered sharply, "you weresatisfied when you took all my money. "

"That's right, " agreed Rimrock rubbing his jaw reflectively, "that'sright, it was no questions asked. Now, say, I'm excited--I ought notto talk that way--I want to explain to you just how I'm fixed. I wentback to New York and organized a company and gave one man forty-nineper cent. Of my stock. He puts up the money and I put up the mine--andrun it, absolutely. If I give you any stock I lose control of my mine;so I'm going to ask you to let me off. "

He drew out his roll--that banded sheaf of yellow notes that he lovedso dearly to flash--and began slowly to count off the bills. 

"When you think it's enough, " he went on ponderously, "you can say so, but I need all that stock. "

He laid out the bills, one after another, and the girl settled back inher chair. "That's ten, " he observed, "these are thousand-dollarbills--well, there's twelve, then--I'll make it thirteen. " He glancedup expectantly, but she gave no sign and Rimrock dealt impassively on. "Well, fourteen--lots of money. Say, how much do you want? Fifteenthousand--you only gave me four hundred. Sixteen, seventeen--well, youget the whole roll; but say, girl, I can't give you that stock. "

He threw down the last bill and faced her appealingly, but she answeredwith a hard little laugh. 

"You've got to, " she said. "I don't want your money. I want one percent. Of your stock. "

"What, of what I've got left? Oh, of the whole capital stock! Well, that only leaves me fifty per cent. "

"That's one way of looking at it. Now look at it another way. Don'tyou think I'm entitled to that? Don't you think if I'd said when Igave you that money: 'All I want is one per cent. Of your mine'--don'tyou think now, honestly, that you'd have said: 'All right!' and agreedto it on the spot?"

She looked at him squarely and the fair-fighting Rimrock had to agree, though reluctantly, that she was right. 

"Well, now that you've won when nobody expected you to, now that you'vegot money enough to get the whole town drunk, is that any reason whyyou should come to a poor typist and ask her to give up her rights?I'm putting it frankly and unless you can answer me I want you to giveme that stock. "

"Well, all right, I'll do it, " answered Rimrock impulsively. "Ipromised you, and that's enough. But you've got to agree not to sellthat stock--and to vote it with me, every time. "

"Very well, " she said, "I'll agree not to sell it--at least not to anyone but you. And as far as the voting goes, I think we can arrangethat; I'll vote for whatever seems right. "

"No, right or wrong!" challenged Rimrock instantly. "I'm not going tobe beat out of my mine!"

"What do you mean?" she demanded. "I hope you don't think----"

"Never mind what I think, " answered Rimrock grimly, "I got bit once, and that's enough. I lost the old Gunsight just by trusting myfriends, and this time I'm not trusting anybody. "

"Oh, you're one of these cynics, these worldly-wise fellows that havelost all their faith in mankind? I've seen them before, but it wasn'tmuch trouble to find somebody else that _they'd_ wronged!"

She said the words bitterly with a lash to her tongue that cut RimrockJones to the quick. It had always been his boast that there was no manor woman that could claim he had done them a wrong, and he answeredback sharply, while the anger was upon him, that he was not and therewas no such thing. 

"Well, if that's the case, then, " she suggested delicately but with atouch of malice in her smile, "it seems rather personal to begin nowwith me, and take away my right to vote. Did this man in New York, when he bought into your company, agree to vote with you, right orwrong? Well then, why should I? Wasn't my money just as necessary, when I gave it to you, as his was when he gave it, later?"

"Oh--" Rimrock choked back an oath and then fell back on personalitiesto refute her maddening logic. 

"Say, your father was a judge, " he burst out insultingly. "Was he apromoted lawyer, too; or did you learn that line of talk from McBain?"

"Never mind about that. You haven't answered my question. Wasn't mymoney just as necessary as his? It was! Yes, you know it. Well, then, why should you choose me for the very first person that you everintentionally wronged?"

"Well, by grab, " moaned Rimrock, slumping down in his chair as he sawhis last argument gone, "it was a black day for me when I took thatfour hundred from you. I'd have done a heap better to have held upsome Chinaman or made old L. W. Come through. And to be trimmed by awoman! Well, gimme your paper and I'll sign whatever you write!"

She drew in her lips and gazed at him resentfully; then, sitting downat her typewriter, she thought for a minute and rattled off a singlesentence. Rimrock took the paper and signed it blindly, then stoppedand read what it was. 

"I, Henry (Rimrock) Jones, for value received, hereby agree to give toMary Roget Fortune, one per cent. Of the total capital stock of theTecolote Mining Company. "

"Yes, all right, " he said. "You'll get your stock just as soon as Iget it from the East. And now I hope, by the Lord, you're satisfied. "

"Yes, I am, " she answered and smiled cryptically. 

"Well, I pass!" he exploded and, struggling to his feet, he lurched outupon the street. 

CHAPTER VII

BUT COMES BACK FOR MORE

From the highest pinnacle of success to the black depths of despair isa long way to drop in one hour and if Rimrock Jones went the way of allflesh it is only another argument for prohibition. All the rest of thetown had got a good start before he appeared on the scene and to drownthat black thought--defeated by a woman--he drank deep with the crowdat the Alamo. At the end of the bout when, his thoughts cominghaphazard, he philosophized on the disasters of the day, his brainslipped a cog and brought two ideas together that piled Pelion on theOssa of his discontent. 

The first vision to rise was that of the lady typist, exacting her fullpound of flesh; and then, groping back to that other catastrophe, hismind fetched up--Andrew McBain! And then he remembered. She workedfor McBain. He straightened up in the bar-room chair and gusty cursesswept from his lips. 

"You're stung, you sucker!" he cried in a fury. "You're sold out toAndrew McBain! Oh, you dad-burned idiot--you ignorant baboon--you weredrunk, that's why you signed up!"

Rimrock's pitiful rage at that other personality that had marred hisfair hopes in his mine--that perverse, impulsive, overweening innerspirit that took the helm at each crisis of his life--was a rage tomake the gods above weep if they did not laugh at the jest. And thisblind, drunken self that rose up within him to sit leeringly injudgment on his acts, it judged not so ill, if the truth must bespoken. He had gone to Mary Fortune with the bouquet of Bourbon subtlyblended with the aroma of his cigar and the fine edge of his reason hadbeen dulled by so much when he matched his boy's wit against hers. Hismind had not sought out the hidden motive that lay behind what she hadsaid; he had followed where she led and, finding her logic impregnable, had yielded like a child, in a pique. Yes, yielded out of spitewithout ever once thinking that she worked, day by day, for McBain. 

A dull rage came over him and when he roused up next morning that fixedidea was still in his brain. But in the morning it was different. Those two personalities that had been so exalted, and differentiated, by drink, snapped back into one substantial I Am; and his tumultuous, fighting ego took command. Rimrock rose up thinking and the first hourafter breakfast found him working feverishly to build up a defense. Hehad been jumped once before by Andrew McBain--it must not happen again. No technicality must be left to serve as a handle for thislawyer-robber to seize. Before noon that day Rimrock had two gangs ofsurveyors on their way to his Tecolote claims; and for a full week theylabored, running side-lines, erecting monuments and taking angles onevery landmark for miles. The final blue-prints, duly certified andwitnessed, he took to the Recorder himself and then, still obsessed byhis premonition of evil, he came back to serve notice on McBain. 

For every man there is always some person instinctively associated withtrouble; some person that he hates beyond all bounds and reason, andintuitively fears and distrusts. In the jumping of the Gunsight therehad been others just as active, but Rimrock had forgiven them all butMcBain. Even the piratical L. W. , for all his treachery, was stillwithin the pale of his friendship. But this tall, lanky Scotchman, always lurking within the law as a spider hides for safety in its hole, invoked nothing but his anger and contempt. 

Rimrock dropped off the train that had brought him from the Countyseat, and went straight up the street to the hotel. McBain was in hisoffice, stalking nervously up and down as he dictated to Mary Fortune, when the door opened suddenly and Rimrock Jones stepped in and stoodgazing at him insolently. 

"Good morning, " he said with affected nicety of speech. "I hope that Idon't intrude. Yes, it is lovely weather, but I came here on a matterof business. We've had our difficulties, Mr. Apex McBain, but all thatis in the past. What I came to say is: I've got my eye on you and Idon't want you out at my mine. Those claims are my property and, Igive you fair notice, if you trespass on my ground you'll get shot. That's all for the present; but, because you've cleaned me once, don'tthink you can do it again. "

He bowed with mock politeness, taking off his hat with a flourish, andas he backed out Mary Fortune turned pale. There was something in thatbow and the affected accents that referred indirectly to her. She knewit intuitively and the hot blood rushed back and mantled her cheekswith red. Then she straightened up proudly and when McBain began todictate her machine went on clacking defiantly. 

There followed long days in which Rimrock idled about town or rode backand forth to his mine, and then the gossips began to talk. A change, over night, had taken place in Rimrock the day after his return fromNew York. On the first great day he had been his old self--boasting, drinking, giving away his money and calling the whole town in on hisjoy. The next day he had been sober and from that day forth he had nottaken even a drink. It was noted also that nothing was doing in thedirection of developing his mine; and another quality, the rare gift ofreticence, had taken the place of his brag. He sat off by himself, absent-minded and brooding, which was not like the Rimrock of old. 

The first man to break loose from the spell he cast by the flash of hisbig roll of bills was L. W. Lockhart, the banker. For some reason bestknown to himself Rimrock still carried his roll in his pocket, whereasany good business man will tell you that he should have deposited it inthe bank. And one thing more--not a man in Gunsight knew the firstthing about his associates in the mine. 

"I'll tell you the truth, " said the overbearing L. W. As he stoodarguing with Rimrock in front of the Alamo, "I don't believe you've gotany company. I believe you went East with that two thousand dollarsand won a stake at gentleman's poker; and then you come back, with yourchest all throwed out, and get mysterious as hell over nothing. "

"Well, what do you care?" answered Rimrock scornfully. "You don'tstand to win or lose, either way!"

"Nope! Nope!" pronounced Hassayamp positively, "he's got a company--Iknow that. I reckon that's what worries him. Anyhow, they's somethingthe matter; he ain't took a drink in a week. Seems like when he wasbroke he was round hyer all the time, jest a-carousin' and invitin' inthe whole town; and now when he's flush and could buy me out with thatlittle wad right there in his jeans, he sits here, by George, like aKeeley graduate, and won't even drink when he's asked. "

"Well, laugh, " grumbled Rimrock as Old Hassayamp began to whoop, "Ireckon I know what I'm doing. When you've got nothing to lose exceptyour reputation it don't make much difference what you do; but whenyou're fixed like I am, with important affairs to handle, a man can'tafford to get drunk. He might sign some paper, or make some agreement, and euchre himself out of millions. "

"Aw! Millions! Millions!" mocked L. W. , "your mine ain't worth amillion cents. A bunch of low-grade copper on the Papago Desert, fortymiles on a line from the railroad and everything packed in by burros. Who's going to buy it? That's what I ask and I'm waiting to hear theanswer. "

He paused and waited while Rimrock smiled and felt thoughtfully throughhis clothes for a match. 

"Well, don't let it worry you, " he said at last. "I'm not tellingeverything I know. If I did, by grab, there'd be a string of men fromhere to the Tecolote Hills. "

"Yes--coming back!" jeered the provocative L. W. ; but Rimrock onlysmiled again and gazed away through a thin veil of smoke. 

"You just keep your shirt on, Mr. Know-it-all Lockhart, and rememberthat large bodies move slowly. You'll wake up some morning and readthe answer written in letters ten feet high. "

"Yes--For Rent!" grunted L. W. , and shutting down on his cigar, hestumped off up the street; but Old Hassayamp Hicks nodded and winked atRimrock, though at that he was no wiser than L. W. 

Rimrock kept his own counsel, sitting soberly by himself and mullingover what was on his mind; and at last he went to see Mary Fortune. Itwas of her he had been thinking, though in no sentimental way, duringthe long hours that he sat alone. Who was this woman, he askedhimself, and what did she want with that stock? And should he give itto her? That was the one big question and it took him two weeks todecide. 

He came into her office while she was running her typewriter and noddedbriefly as he glanced out the rear door; then without any preliminarieshe drew out an engraved certificate and laid it down on her desk. 

"There's your stock, " he said. "I've just endorsed it over to you. And now you can give me back that paper. "

He did not sit down, did not even take off his hat; and he studiouslyavoided her eyes. 

"Oh, thank you, " she replied, glancing hurriedly at the certificate, "won't you sit down while I write out a receipt?"

She picked up the paper, a beautiful piece of engraving, and looked itover carefully. 

"Oh, _two_ thousand shares?" she murmured questioningly. "Yes, I see;there are two hundred thousand in all. 'Par value, one hundreddollars. ' I suppose that's just nominal. How much are they reallyworth?"

"A hundred dollars a share, " he answered grimly and as she cried out hepicked up a pen and fumbled idly with its point. 

"Oh, surely they aren't worth so much as that?" she exclaimed, but hecontinued his attentions to the pen. 

"No?" he enquired and then he waited with an almost bovine calm. 

"Why, no, " she ran on, "why, I'd----"

"You'd what?" he asked, but the trap he had set had been sprung withoutcatching its prey. 

"Why, it seems so much, " she evaded rather lamely. 

"Oh, I thought you were going to say you'd like to sell. "

"No, I wouldn't sell, " she answered quickly as her breath came backwith a gasp. 

"Because if you would, " he went on cautiously, "I'm in the market tobuy. It'll be a long time before that stock pays any dividend. How'dyou like to sell a few shares?"

"No, I'd rather not--not now, at least. I'll have to think it overfirst. But won't you sit down? Really, I'm quite overcome! It's somuch more than I had a right to expect. "

"If you'd sell me a few shares, " went on Rimrock without finesse, "youwouldn't have to work any more. Just name your price and----"

"Oh, I like to work, " she countered gaily as she ran off a formalreceipt; and, signing her name, she handed it back to him with atwinkle of amusement in her eyes. "And then there's anotherreason--sit down, I want to talk to you--I think it will be better foryou. Oh, I know how you feel about it; but did you ever consider thatother people like their own way, too? Well, when you're off byyourself just think that over, it will help you understand life. "

Rimrock Jones sat down with a thud and took off his hat as he gazed atthis astonishing woman. She was giving him advice in a most superiormanner; and yet she was only a typist. 

"You said something one time, " she went on seriously, "that hurt myfeelings very much--something about being trimmed, and by a woman! Iresolved right there that you needed to be educated. Do you mind if Itell you why? Well, in the first place, Mr. Jones, I admire you verymuch for the way you've kept your word. You are absolutely honest andI won't forget it when it comes to voting my stock. But that cynicalattitude that you chose to affect when you came to see me before--thatcalm way of saying that you couldn't trust anybody, not even the personaddressed--that won't get you very far, where a woman is concerned. That is, not very far with me. "

She looked him over with a masterful smile and Rimrock began to fumblehis hat. 

"You took it for granted, " she went on accusingly, "that I had set outfrom the first to trim you but--and here's the thing that makes mefurious--you said: 'Trimmed, by grab, by a _woman_!' Now I'd like toenquire if in your experience you have found women less honest thanmen; and in the second place I'd like to inform you that I'm just asintelligent as you are. It was no disgrace, as I look at the matter, for you to be bested by me; and as for being trimmed, I'd like to knowwhat grounds you have for that remark? Did I ever ask more than youyourself had promised, or than would be awarded in a court of law? Andcouldn't I have said, when you went off without seeing me or writing asingle word; couldn't I have said, when you went off with my money andwere enjoying yourself in New York, that _I_ had been trimmed--by a_man_?"

She spat out the word with such obvious resentment that Rimrock jumpedand looked towards the door. It came over him suddenly that this mild, handsome woman was at heart strictly anti-man. That was putting itmildly, she was anti-Jones and might easily be tempted too far; forright there in her hand she held two thousand shares of stock thatcould be used most effectively as a club. 

"Well, just let me explain, " he stammered abjectly. "I want you toknow how that came about. When I came back from the claims I'd spentall that money and I had to have two thousand more. I had to have it, to get back to New York, or our mine wouldn't have been worth anything. Well, I went to L. W. , the banker up here, and bluffed him out of themoney. But I know him too well--he'd think it over and if he caught mein town he'd renig. Demand back his money, you understand; so I ranout and swung up on the freight. Never stopped for nothing, and thatwas the reason I never came around to call. "

"And your right hand?" she asked sweetly, "the one that you write with?It was injured, I suppose, in the mine. I saw it wrapped up when yourode past the window, so everything is nicely explained. "

She kept on smiling and Rimrock squirmed in his chair, until he gaveway to a sickly grin. 

"Well, I guess you've got me, " he acknowledged sheepishly, "never wasmuch of a hand to write. "

"Oh, that's all right, " she answered gamely, "don't think I mean tocomplain. I'm just telling you the facts so you'll know how I feltwhen you suggested that you had been trimmed. Now suppose, forexample, that you were a woman who had lost all the money she had. Andsuppose, furthermore, that you had an affliction that an expensiveoperation might cure. And suppose you had worked for a year and a halfto save up four hundred dollars, and then a man came along who neededthat money ten times as badly as you did. Well, you know the rest. Iloaned you the money. Don't you think I'm entitled to this?"

She picked up the certificate of stock and readjusted the 'phonereceiver to her ear; and Rimrock Jones, after staring a minute, settledback and nodded his head. 

"Yes, you are, " he said. "And furthermore----" He reached impulsivelyfor the roll of bills but she checked him by a look. 

"No, " she said, "I'm not asking for sympathy nor anything else of thekind. I just want you to know that I've earned this stock and thatnobody here has been trimmed. "

"That's right, " he agreed and his eyes opened wider as he took her allin, once more. "Say, was that the reason you were saving your money?"he asked as he glanced at the ear-'phone. "Because if I'd a-known it, "he burst out repentantly, "I'd never touched it--no, honest, I neverwould. "

"Well, that's all right, " she answered frankly, "we all take a chanceof some kind. But now, Mr. Jones, since we understand each other, don't you think we can afford to be friends?"

She rose smiling and back into her eye came that look he had missedonce before. It came only for a moment--the old, friendly twinkle thathad haunted his memory for months--and as Rimrock caught it he leapt tohis feet and thrust out his great, awkward hand. 

"W'y, sure, " he said, "and I'm proud to know you. Say, I'm comingaround again. "

CHAPTER VIII

A FLIER IN STOCKS

It was as dazzling to Rimrock as a burst of sunshine to a man just comeup from a mine--that look in Mary Fortune's eyes. He went out of heroffice like a man in a dream and wandered off by himself to think. Butthat was the one thing he could not negotiate, his brain refused towork. It was a whirl of weird flashes and forms and colors, like afuturist painting gone mad, but above it all when the turmoil hadsubsided was the thought of going back. He had told her when he lefther that he would come around again, and that fixed idea had held tothe end. But how? Under what pretext? And would she break down hispretense with that smile?

Rimrock thought it over and it seemed best at the end to invite her totake a ride. There were certain things in connection with their minewhich he wished very much to discuss, but how could he do it in thehotel lobby with the Gunsight women looking on? Since his rise toaffluence one of them had dared to speak to him, but she would never doit again. He remembered too well the averted glances with which theyhad passed him, poor and ragged, on the street. No, he hated thempassionately as the living symbols of Gunsight fraud and greed; thesoft, idle women of those despicable parasites who now battened on whathe had earned. 

But Mary Fortune, how else was he to meet her without envious eyeslooking on; or stealthy ears of prying women, listening at keyholes tocatch every word? And out on the desert, gliding smoothly along in thebest hired automobile in town, where better could he give expression tothose surging confidences which he was impelled against his judgment tomake? It was that same inner spirit that made all his troubles, nowurging him he knew not where. All he knew for certain was that the shywoman-look had crept back for a moment into her eyes; and after thatthe fate of empires was as nothing to the import of her smile. Did shefeel, as he felt, the mystic bond between them, the appeal of his youngman's strength; or was that smile a mask, a provocative weapon, to veilher own thoughts while she read through his like a book? He gave itup; but there was a way of knowing--he could call out that smile again. 

The idle women of the Gunsight Hotel, sitting in their rockers on theupper porch, were rewarded on that day for many a wasted hour. Forlong months they had watched McBain's typist, with her proud way ofignoring them all; and at last they had something to talk about. Rimrock Jones in his best, and with a hired automobile, came gliding upto her office; and as he went tramping in every ear on the veranda wasstrained to catch his words. 

"Aw, don't mind those old hens, " he said after a silence, roaring itout that all could hear. "They're going to talk anyway so let's take aride; and make 'em guess, for once, what I say. "

There was nothing, after that, for the ladies to do but retire in thebest form they could; but as Mary Fortune came out in an auto' bonnetwith a veil and coat to match they tore her character to shreds frombehind the Venetian blinds. So that was her game--she had thrown overMcBain and was setting her cap for Rimrock Jones. And automobileclothes! Well, if that wasn't proof that she was living down a pastthe ladies would like to know. A typewriter girl, earning less thatseventy dollars a month, and with a trunk full of joy-riding clothes!

With such women about her it called for some courage for Mary Fortuneto make the plunge; but the air was still fragrant, spring was on thewind and the ground dove crooned in his tree. She was tired, worn outwith the deadly monotony of working on day by day; and she had besidesthat soul-stirring elation of having won in the great game for herstock. 

"It'll be a stockholders' meeting, " Rimrock had explained in her ear. "We represent a majority of the stock. I want to tell you somethingbig, where nobody else will hear. Come on, let your typewriting slide!"

And Mary Fortune had laughed and run scampering up the stairs and comedown with her gloves and veil, and as the automobile moved off she hadthat joyous sensation of something about to happen. They drove out oftown on the one straight road that led to the Gunsight mine and Rimrockwas so busy with the mechanics of his driving that she had a chance toview the landscape by herself. The white, silty desert, stretching offto blue mountains, was set as regularly as a vineyard with the waxy, dark-green creosote bushes; and at uncertain intervals the fluted giantcactus rose up like sentinels on the plain. All the desert trees thatgrew near the town--the iron-woods and palo verdes and cat-claws andmesquite and salt-bushes--had been uprooted by the Mexicans in theirsearch for wood; but in every low swale the grass was still green andthe cactus was crowned with gorgeous blossoms. 

"Isn't it glorious?" she sighed as she breathed the warm air andRimrock looked up from studying his clutches. 

"The finest God ever made!" he said as his engine chugged smoothlyalong. "By George, I was glad to get home. Ever been in New York?Well, you know what it's like then; give me Arizona, every time. Butsay, that's some town; I stayed at the Waldorf, where the tips are adollar a throw. Every time you turn around, or the boy grabs your hat, you give him a dollar bill. Say, I put up a front--they all thought Iwas a millionaire--have you ever been down to the curb market? Oh, don't you know what that is? Why, it's the place near Wall streetwhere they sell stock in the middle of the street. "

He negotiated a sand wash and nearly stripped a gear as he threw in thelow by mistake. 

"You bet, quite a country!" he went on unconcernedly. "I thought Iknew sign language, but those curb brokers have got me beat. I can sitdown with an Indian and by signs and sand-pictures I can generally makehim savvy what I want, but those fellers back there could buy and sellme while I was asking the price of a horse. I was down there on Broadstreet and a man in the crowd jumped up and let out a yell. 

"'Sold!' says a feller that's standing next to me, and began to makesigns to a fellow in a second-story window and writes something down ona pad. I asked a man that was taking me around--they treated me rightin that town--what in the world was going on, and he told me they'dmade a trade in stock. The first fellow says:

"'Sell five hundred shares of So-and-So at seventy-nine!' and thesecond man raises his right hand like an Indian how-sign and there's atwenty thousand-dollar trade pulled off. They both write it down on aslip of paper and the man in the window does the telephoning. Say, I'mgoing back there when I got a stake, and try my hand at that game. "

An expression of pain, as of some evil memory, passed swiftly over MaryFortune's face and she turned from gazing at the mountains to give hima warning shake of the head. 

"Don't you do it!" she said; but when he asked her why not she shut herlips and looked far away. 

"You must've got bit some time, " he suggested cheerfully, but sherefused for the moment to be drawn out. 

"Perhaps, " she replied, "but if that's the case my advice is all themore sound. "

"No, but I'm on the inside, " he went on impressively. "I know some ofthose big ones personally. That makes the difference; those fellowsdon't lose, they skim the cream off of everything. Say, I ought toknow--didn't I go in there lone-handed and fight it out with a king offinance? That's the man we're in with--I can't tell you his name, now--he's the one that owns the forty-nine per cent. They're crazyabout copper or he'd never have looked at me--there's some big marketfight coming on. And didn't he curse and squirm and holler, trying tomake me give up my control? He told me in years he had never gone intoanything unless he got more than half _for a gift_! But I told him'no, ' I'd been euchered out of one mine; and after his expert hadreported on the property he came through and gave me my way. And afterthat! Say, there was nothing too good for me. He agreed to spendseveral million dollars to pay for his share of the mine and then hegave me that roll of bills to bind the bargain we'd made. By George, Ifelt good, to go there with two thousand dollars and come back with abig roll of yellowbacks; but before I went away he introduced me to afriend and told him how to show me the sights. 

"This friend was a broker, by the name of Buckbee, and believe me, he'son the inside. He took me around and showed me the Stock Exchange andput me wise to everything. We were up in the gallery and, on the floorbelow us, there were a whole lot of posts with signs; and a bunch ofthe craziest men in the world were fighting around those posts. Fight?They were tearing each other's clothes off, throwing paper in the air, yelling like drunk Indians, knocking each other flat. It was so rough, by George, it scared me; but Buckbee told me they were selling stocks. There were thousands of dollars in every yell they let out, they talkedsigns like they were deaf and dumb, and every time a man held up hisright hand it meant: Sold! And they wrote it down on a slip. "

Rimrock paused in his description to make some hurried adjustments ashis machine slowed down to a stop, but after a hasty glance he burstinto a laugh and settled back in his seat. 

"Well, what do we care?" he went on recklessly. "This desert is allthe same. We can sit right here and see it all, and when it comes timeto go back I'll shake the old engine up. But as I was telling you, playing the stock market is all right if you've got some one to put youwise. "

"No, it isn't, " she answered positively. "I've been there and I know. "

"Well, listen to this then, " went on Rimrock eagerly, "let me show youwhat Buckbee can do. I dropped in at his office, after I'd received myroll, and he said: 'Want to take a flier?'

"'Sure, ' I said, 'here's a thousand dollars. Put it on and see how farit will go. ' Well, you can believe me or not, in three days' time hegave me back over two thousand dollars. "

He nodded triumphantly, but the woman beside him shook her head andturned wearily away. 

"That's only the beginning, " she answered sadly, "the end is--whathappened to me. "

"What was that?" he asked and she gazed at him curiously with a look hedid not understand. 

"Well, you can see for yourself, " she said at last, "this is the firstpleasure I've had for a year. I used to have a home with servants towait on me; and music, and society and all, and when my father died andleft me alone I might even then have kept on. But--well, I'll tell itto you; it may make you stop and think the next time you meet one ofthose brokers. My father was a judge and the ethics of his professionprevented him from speculating in stocks, but he had an old friend, hiscollege classmate, who had made millions and millions on the StockExchange. He was one of the most powerful financiers in New York andwhen my father died he made the request that Mr. Rossiter should investmy legacy for me. My father knew that the money he left would barelykeep me, at the best; and so he asked this old friend of his to seethat it was safely invested. 

"So when the estate had been administered I went to see Mr. Rossiterand, after discussing different investments, he told me of a plan hehad. It seems he was at the head of a tremendous combination thatcontrolled the price of a certain stock and, although it was strictlyagainst the rules, he was going to give me a tip that would double mymoney in a few weeks. I was afraid, at first, but when he guaranteedme against loss I took all my money to a certain broker and boughtforty-three thousand shares. Then I watched the papers and every day Icould see the price of it going up. One day it nearly doubled and thenit went back, and then stopped and went up and up. In less than amonth the price went up from twenty-three cents to nearly fifty andthen, just at a time when it was rising fastest, Mr. Rossiter called meto his office again. He took me back into his private room and told mehow much he had loved my father. And then he told me that the time hadcome for me to take my profits and quit; that the market was safe for aman of his kind who was used to every turn of the game, but the bestthing for me now was to get my money from my broker and invest it incertain five per cent. Bonds. And then he made me promise, as long asI lived, never to buy a share of stock again. "

She paused and sighed. 

"Can you guess what I did?" she asked. "What would you do in a caselike that? Well, I went to the broker and sold back my shares and thenI stood watching the tape. I had learned to read it and somehow itfascinated me--and my stock was still going up. In less than two hoursit had gone up twenty points--it was the only stock that was sold! Andwhen I saw what I could have gained by waiting--what do you think Idid?"

"You turned right around, " answered Rimrock confidently, "and boughtthe same stock again. "

"No, you're wrong, " she said with a twist of the lips, "I'm a biggergambler than that. I put up all my money on a ten-point margin and wascalled and sold out in an hour. The stock went tumbling right after Ibought it and, before I could order them to sell, the price had gonedown far below my margin and the brokers were in a panic. Theywouldn't stop to explain anything to me--all they said was that I hadlost. I went back home and thought it over and decided never to lethim know--Mr. Rossiter, I mean; he had been so kind to me, and I hadn'tdone what he said. I found out afterwards that, shortly after I hadleft him, he had deliberately wrecked the price; and he, poor man, wasthinking all the time, what a favor he had done his old friend'sdaughter. "

She laughed, short and mirthlessly, and Rimrock sat looking at her, hiseyes once more big with surprise. She was not the inexperiencedcreature he had taken her for, she was a woman with high spots in hercareer. 

"Well, then what did you do?" he enquired at last as she showed nodisposition to proceed. "How'd you come to get out here? Did you knowold McBain or----"

"Say, can't you start that engine?" she spoke up sharply. "Let's go onand forget about the rest. I'm here, we know that; and I only told youwhat I did to break you of gambling in stocks. "

"No, that engine is stalled, " he said with authority, "but I'll get itto go, when it's time. But say, tell me something--we're going to befriends, you know--does Rossiter know where you are now?"

"Oh, yes, " she answered, "I write to him frequently. He thinks I'm outhere for my health. I have this trouble, you know, and the doctorsadvised me to come out where the air is dry. "

"Well, you're a peach, " observed Rimrock admiringly. "And the old manstill thinks you're rich? What'll he say, do you think, when he hearsof your latest--getting in on this Tecolote strike?"

"Oh, I won't dare tell him, " she answered quickly. "I'm afraid hewouldn't approve. And may I make a suggestion? If you'll throw onyour spark I think your engine will run. "

"Say, you scare me!" said Rimrock with a guilty grin. "You're so smartyou make me afraid. I'll crank her up, too--do you think that wouldhelp some? Huh, huh; I get caught every time!"

CHAPTER IX

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

"Well, well, " remarked Rimrock after he had started his machine and thedesert was gliding smoothly by, "so that's why they call you MissFortune, eh? Losing all your money on that stock. "

The silent woman who sat beside him closed her lips, but made no reply. He glanced at her curiously. She was deaf, of course, though sheseldom showed it--perhaps she had failed to hear. 

"But that can be fixed, " he said, speaking louder, "you can cut offthat Miss, any time. "

"Yes, " she said with a touch of sarcasm, "I believe I've heard thatbefore. "

"But I mean it!" he declared and she smiled rather grimly. "And that!"she answered, whereupon Rimrock flushed. He had used those wordsbefore in exactly the same connection. It must be madness, this insaneprompting that moved him to talk love to this girl. The first time hehad met her, after a scant hour of conversation, he had made thatequivocal remark: "How about fifty-fifty--an undivided half?" And manytimes since, when he came to think of it, he had wondered how the wordshad slipped out. It was a way he had, of speaking impulsively, but nowit was more than that. He had deliberately planned to take her out onthe desert and ask her that question again. There was something abouther that destroyed his judgment even when, as now, she made no effortto charm. 

"Then that shows I mean it!" he answered fatuously. "I meant it, thevery first time. "

"Well, it's very flattering, " she said, dimpling slightly, "but isn'tthis rather sudden?"

"You bet it's sudden--that's the way I do things!" He dropped thewheel and caught her in his arms. 

"Oh, be careful, " she cried and as he tried roughly to kiss her shethrust him in the throat with her elbow. They struggled for a momentand then, as the machine made a swerve, she laid her hands on the wheel. 

"Just let me drive this machine, " she said, "and remember--you aresupposed to be a gentleman. "

"Well, I am!" protested Rimrock as he came out of his madness. "What'sthe matter? Are you going back home?"

She had flung a quick turn out across a hard flat and was swinging backinto the road. 

"I think we'd better, " she answered quietly. "I hope you haven't madeany mistake?"

"Why--no!" he stammered. "Why? What do you mean? Don't you think I'mon the square? Well, I certainly am; I'm asking you to marry me!"

"Yes, but even then; have I given you any reason to think I'm so madlyinfatuated? Of course I was foolish to come out with you this way, butI assure you I'm no flighty girl. "

"Oh, I didn't mean that!" protested Rimrock abjectly. "Say, nowlisten, you don't understand. " He stopped and panted as he fought downhis emotions and the automobile sped smoothly on. It was eight or tenmiles across the level desert and a few minutes would bring them intotown. "You don't know my ways, " he went on bluffly, "but say, youdon't need to be afraid. Just slow down a little, I want to talk withyou--you're the finest girl I know. I want you, don't you see? Andwhen I want anything----"

He stopped as she glanced at him swiftly. 

"Yes, you try to take it, " she said and curled her lip with scorn. "Iunderstand you, perfectly; but I want to tell you something--there aresome things you can't get that way. And one of them is love. That hasto be given to you--and you have to be worthy of it--I don't supposeyou ever thought about that. "

She kept her eyes on the road ahead, but Rimrock could see that she wasbiting her lip with anger. 

"That's the thing I don't like about you, " she burst out passionately, "you never think about anybody else. You always resort to violence. And just because you can walk in on Mr. McBain----"

"Ah!" exclaimed Rimrock, leaning forward accusingly; but she scorned tomeet his stare. 

"--just because you can terrorize him with that pistol you carry----"

"So that's what's the matter, " went on Rimrock significantly, "you'rethinking about Andy McBain!"

"Mr. Jones!" she burst out, bringing the auto to a stop, "I guess thishas gone far enough. Will you walk to town, or shall I?"

"Neither one, " he said quietly, taking over the wheel, "I'll drive youto the hotel myself. "

"Very well, " she said and sat back white with anger as mile after milesped past. 

"Here you are, " he said as he slowed down at the Gunsight and suddenlyshe was her old, sweet self. 

"Thank you very much, " she said, stepping gracefully out of the car;"the country was very beautiful. " And she went smilingly in throughthe door. 

Rimrock Jones sat silent, struck dumb by her manner, so different fromher cold, silent wrath; and then he caught a flash of movement on theveranda. She was hiding their quarrel from the women!

"Sorry you couldn't stay longer, " he answered, taking off his hat witha belated flourish. "Good evening, " he added and then, jamming on hishat, he drove off where he could be alone. 

After twenty-four hours of conflicting emotions Rimrock weakened andtook his troubles to Hassayamp; and after a passionate presentation ofhis side of the misunderstanding he acknowledged that the lady wasright. He was nothing but a brute, a despicable barbarian, not worthyto look at her; a presumptuous hound, and so on. But he toldHassayamp, as one friend to another, that there would soon be a deaddog in camp; and if Andy McBain ever crossed his path he would shoothim down in his tracks. 

With all this on his mind he made very poor company and Gunsight hadjust about decided he had failed on his mine when it awoke to a suddenmiracle. A large party of surveyors had come in during the night andwere running a line to the south. Straight out across the desert, while the morning light was good, they had driven their line of stakes;a line which sighted as true as a rifle to the Tecolote Hills. It wasfor a wagon road, perhaps--but why these surveyors when the wholedesert was as flat as a board? A railroad! The whole town jumped tothe same conclusion at once and the rush for the Tecolotes was on. 

The men who had laughed at Rimrock Jones for months were leaders in thewild stampede and Hassayamp roused up Rimrock from where he wasbrooding and warned him to get to his ground. 

"They'll jump you, " he bellowed, "the whole town is going. They'llstake every claim for miles!"

"Let 'em stake!" answered Rimrock whose mood was vindictive, "and thefirst man that jumps me, I'll jump him, by grab, with this!"

He patted his pistol which, in its ancient holster was once more slungon his hip, and stalked sullenly out into the street. Every wagon andbuckboard in the town of Gunsight seemed lined up in front of thestores. Men rushed to and fro with canteens and grub-sacks orhalf-filled boxes and sacks. 

"Is it a railroad?" they yelled as Rimrock appeared and he answered:

"You bet your life it is!"

That settled it, and soon across the desert there went a procession ofhorsemen and wagons. Those who could travel no other way filled syrupcans with water and started for the Tecolotes on foot. A railroad!Well, why had they never thought of that in the long, wasted daysbefore? Even L. W. , the scoffer, caught the sudden contagion; butAndrew McBain did not stir. He was a cautious man and good friends hadtold him that Rimrock Jones had threatened his life. He stayed intown--and Rimrock stayed also--and soon the procession came back. Itwas led by L. W. In his cactus-proof automobile, and he reported allthe ground as staked. He reported further that the ground wasworthless, but Rimrock Jones only smiled. 

"Yes, all that's left, " he answered grimly. "I made you out a sucker, for once. I guess you remember when I offered you a share in my minefor two thousand dollars or less; but now, by grab, I've staked it alland you Gunsight boys can go bust. And I give you fair warning!" heshouted fiercely, "I'll say it to all of you--the first man that jumpsme, I'll kill him!"

"Well, who's trying to jump you?" asked L. W. Irritably. "What'sbiting you, anyway? Ain't your claims all legal? Has anybody disputedyou? Well, get onto yourself, you danged fool!"

"Well, all the same, " went on Rimrock insistently, "I know what somepeople will do. I don't name no names, but I've been cleaned outonce----"

"Aw, you make me tired!" snapped back L. W. , "you're crazy--and what'smore you're drunk! You're a hell of a subject to be Gunsight's firstcitizen, a building ho-tels, and general stores and banks!"

"Well, all the same, you watch me do it! I'm going to make this townover right. And I warn you all, you can't be friends with me and thatdastardly McBain outfit, too. It's a fight to a finish and I don'tcare who knows it, I'm going to bust him if it takes my last cent. I'mnot talking about L. W. Nor anybody else--you can jump any way youplease--but there's one man in this town that I'm out to get and I'llkill him, by grab, if he peeps!"

"You talk too much!" answered L. W. Scornfully. "Why don't you go andput up that gun? If we had a town marshal that was worth the powderhe'd come around and take it away. "

"He would not, " retorted Rimrock, "because he knows I won't give it up. I'm carrying that gun just to let people know that I'm out now to fightfor my rights. As long as I'm left alone in my legal rights I'm themost peaceable man in this town, but the first man that builds amonument on my claims is going to find that I can't be bluffed. "

"Oh, cut it off, " cried L. W. In disgust, "we know you're bad--you'vetold us before. And as for Andrew McBain, you'd better not crowd himtoo far; he'll fight, on a pinch, himself. "

"All right, if he wants it. I've got my eye on him. I'm just waitingtill he makes the first move. I know it's coming, but as sure as hedoes it----"

"Plain drunk, " grunted L. W. Contemptuously and stumped away up thestreet. 

It was easy enough to say Rimrock was drunk, but it was soondemonstrated that he was not crazy. He was standing in front of theAlamo Saloon, still holding forth against McBain, when a Mexican boybeckoned him off to one side and slipped a note into his hand. 

"Please come to my office at once. --M. F. "

Rimrock read it over and thrust it into his pocket, then drew it outand read it over again; after which he went up the street. 

He stepped into the office with his eyes fixed and sullen and she methim just inside the door. 

"I'll accept your apology for your conduct the other day, " she saidwith compelling calm, "and then I want to tell you some news. "

"All right, " mumbled Rimrock, "I apologize, all right. I was amiserable, pot-licking hound. I'd give my right hand----"

"Yes, yes, that's all right, " she broke in hurriedly, "but here's whatI want to say. Mr. McBain has been up to Geronimo and got him a copyof that survey of your claims!"

"I knowed it!" burst out Rimrock swinging his fist into his hand, "Isaw him get off that train!"

"No, listen!" she said, "you mustn't talk so loud! You mustn't talk atall! Just listen to what I say. I depend on you to save our mine. "

"I'll do it!" began Rimrock; but she made a motion for silence and wentswiftly on with her tale. 

"More than that, " she said. "I happen to know that he's looked up thenames of those Mexicans, the original locators of your claims; and Ithink--I can't be sure--but I think that one or two of them were notcitizens of the United States. Now wait! I've not finished! I'mlooking to you to go out there and protect our claims!"

"Well--the dirty--thief!" rumbled Rimrock in his throat. "I didn'tthink he had the nerve. But say, " he went on, suddenly struck with anidea, "how come you're telling me all this? I thought you andMcBain----"

"We won't discuss that, if you please, " she broke in, blushingpainfully. "There are some things you don't understand. But I think, under the circumstances, I have the right to take steps to protect myown interests. Now will you go out to the claims and keep them frombeing jumped, or----"

"Leave it to me, " he said, the fighting light in his eyes. "Where'sMcBain? He's the man I've got to stop. "

"No, now let's not have any violence. I know something of the law. All you need to do is to stay on the ground. If you're inpossession----"

"That's got nothing to do with it!" he burst out impatiently. "Thishas gone beyond the law. I've warned this man McBain before all kindsof witnesses not to set his foot on my ground; and if he does it--I'llmake him pay for it. "

He started for the door, hitching up his belt, and she caught at hispistol as he passed. 

"No, " she said, "I don't want you to shoot him. I'd rather we'd losethe mine. "

"You don't understand, " he answered. "This has got nothing to do witha mine. " He took both her hands in one of his and put them firmlyaway. "It's between me and him, " he said and went off without lookingback. 

CHAPTER X

THE FIGHT FOR THE OLD JUAN

When a man's honor is questioned--his honor as a fighting man--it isthe dictum of centuries of chivalry that he shall not seek to avoid thecombat. A great fortune was at stake, many millions of dollars and thepossession of a valuable mine, and yet Rimrock Jones did not move. Hewalked around the town and held conferences with his friends until wordcame at last that he was jumped. 

"All right, " he said and with Hassayamp and L. W. He started across thedesert to his mine. Red-handed as he was from a former treachery, L. W. Did not fail Rimrock in this crisis and his cactus-proof automobiletook them swiftly over the trail that led to the high-cliffedTecolotes. He went under protest as the friend of both parties, butall the same he went. And Hassayamp Hicks, who came from Texas wheremen held their honor above their lives; he went along as a friend inarms, to stand off the gunmen of McBain. 

The news had come in that Andrew McBain had left Geronimo under coverof the night, with an automobile load of guards, and the next day atdawn some belated stampeders had seen them climbing up to the dome. There lay the apex of the Tecolote claims, fifteen hundred lateral feetthat covered the main body of the lode; and with the instinct of a minepirate McBain had sought the high ground. If he could hold the OldJuan claim he could cloud the title to all the rich ground on bothsides; and at the end of litigation, if he won his suit, all theimprovements that might be built below would be of value only to him. Always providing he won; for his game was desperate and he knew thatRimrock would fight. 

He had flung down the challenge and, knowing well how it would end, hehad had his gunmen barricade the trail. They were picked-up men ofthat peculiar class found in every Western town, the men who live bytheir nerve. There were some who had been officers and others outlaws;and others, if the truth were known, both. And as neither officers noroutlaws are prone to question too closely the ethics of theirparticular trade so they asked no questions of the close-mouthedMcBain, except what he paid by the day. Now, like any hired fighters, they looked well to their own safety and let McBain do the worrying forthe crowd. He was a lawyer, they knew that, and it stood to reason hewas acting within the law. 

L. W. 's auto' reached Ironwood Springs, where Rimrock had made his oldcamp, while the sun was still two hours high. From the Springs to thedome, that great "bust-up" of porphyry which stood square-topped andsheer against the sky, there was a single trail full of loose, shalyrocks that mounted up through a notch in the rim. They started up insilence, Rimrock leading the way and Hassayamp puffing along behind;but as they neared the heights, where the shattered base of the butterose up from the mass of fallen debris, Rimrock forged on and left thembehind. 

"Hey, wait!" called Hassayamp with the last of his breath, but neitherRimrock nor L. W. Looked back. It was a race to the top, Rimrock toget his revenge and L. W. To stop his mad rush; but in this race, asalways, youth took the lead and L. W. Lagged far behind. Like amountain sheep on some familiar trail Rimrock bounded on until hisbreath came in whistling gasps; but, while the blood pounded againsthis brainpan and his muscles quivered and twitched, the strength of tenmen pulsed through his iron limbs, and he kept his face to the heights. 

He was all of a tremble when, in the notch of the trail, he waschallenged by a ringing:

"Halt!"

He stopped, sucked in a great breath and dashed the stinging sweat fromhis eyes; and then, hardly seeing the barricade before him or therifles that thrust out between the rocks, he put down his head andtoiled on. Right on the rim, where the narrow trail nicked it, thegunmen had built a low wall and as he came on unheeding they rose upfrom behind it and threw down on him with their rifles. 

"Stop right where you are!" a guard called out harshly and Rimrockhalted--and then he came on. 

"Get back or we'll shoot!" shouted a grizzled gunman who now suddenlyseemed to take charge. "This claim is held by Andrew McBain and thefirst man that trespasses get's killed!"

"Well, shoot then, " panted Rimrock, still struggling up the pathway. "Go ahead--it's nothing to me. "

"Hey, you stop!" commanded the gunman as Rimrock gained the barricade, and he struck him back with the muzzle of his gun. Rimrock staggeredand caught himself and then held on weakly as his breath came inquivering sobs. 

"That's all right, " he gasped. "I've got no quarrel with you. I cameto get Andrew McBain. "

"Well, stay where you are, " ordered the gunman sternly, "or I'll killyou, sure as hell. "

Rimrock swayed back and forth as he clung to a bush that he hadclutched in his first lurching fall and as he labored for breath hegazed about wildly at the unfamiliar faces of the men. 

"Who are you boys?" he asked at last and as nobody answered him heglanced swiftly back down the trail. 

"It's no use to try that, " said the gunman shortly, "you can't rush us, behind the wall. "

"Oh, I've got no men, " answered Rimrock quickly, "those fellows arejust coming along. I'm Henry Jones and I came to warn you gentlemenyou're trespassing on one of my claims. "

"Can't help it, " said the guard, "we're here under orders to kill youif you come over this line. "

He indicated the wall which barred the way to the location notice ofthe claim and Rimrock hitched his belt to the left. 

"Show me your papers, " he said. "You've got no right to kill any manuntil you prove that this claim is yours. "

That hitch of the belt had brought his heavy six-shooter well around onthe side of his leg and as the gunmen watched him he looked them over, still struggling to get back his breath. Then as no one moved headvanced deliberately and put his hand on the wall. 

"Now, " he said, "you show me your authority or I'll come over there andput you off. "

There was a stir in the ranks of the grim-faced gun-fighters and theircaptain looked behind. Not forty feet away on the flat floor of themesa was the shaft of the Old Juan claim and, tacked to the post thatrose up from its rockpile was a new, unweathered notice. 

"That's the notice, " said the captain, "but you stay where you are. You knock down that wall and you'll get killed!"

"Killed nothing!" burst out Rimrock contemptuously, "you're afraid toshoot me!" And looking him straight in the eyes, he pushed the toprock off the wall. 

"Now!" he said after a moment's silence as the gunmen moved uneasilyabout, "I'll do that again, and I'll keep on doing it until you show methat this ain't my claim. "

"Mr. McBain!" called the captain and as Rimrock clutched at his pistolhe found a gun thrust against his stomach. 

"You make a crooked move, " warned the captain sharply, "and----"

He stopped for up from the mouth of the Old Juan shaft came the head ofAndrew McBain. 

"Ah, hiding in a hole, " spoke up Rimrock sneeringly, as McBain openedhis mouth to talk. "I'd like to work for a man like you. Say, boys, take on with me--I'll double your money; and what's more I'll stand upfor my rights!" He looked around at the line of gun-fighters, buttheir set lips did not answer his smile. Only in their eyes, thosesubtle mirrors of the mind, did he read the passing reflex of theirscorn. "You're scared, you coward, " went on Rimrock scathingly asMcBain looked warily about. "Come out, if you're a man, and prove yourtitle, or by grab, I'll come in there and get you!"

He stopped with a grunt for the hard-eyed captain had jabbed him withthe muzzle of his gun. 

"None of that, " he said, but Rimrock took no notice--his eyes werefixed on McBain. 

He came out of the hole with a waspish swiftness, though there was awild, frightened look in his eyes; and as he advanced towards thebarricade he drew out a bulldog pistol and held it awkwardly in hishand. 

"Mr. Jones, " he began in his harsh lawyer's voice, "don't think for amoment you can bluff me. These men have their orders and at the firstshow of violence I have told them to shoot you dead. Now regardingthis claim, formerly known as the Old Juan, you have no legal right tothe same. In the first place, Juan Soto, whom you hired to locate it, is not an American citizen and therefore his claim is void. In thesecond place the transfer for the nominal sum of ten dollars provescollusion to perpetrate a fraud. And in the third place----"

"You're a liar!" broke in Rimrock, his breast heaving with anger, "he'sas much a citizen as you are. He's been registered in Gunsight fortwenty years and his vote has never been challenged. "

"Juan Bautista Soto, " returned McBain defiantly, "was born in Caborca, Sonora, on the twenty-fourth day of June, eighteen sixty. I have acopy of the records of the parish church to prove he is Mexican-born. And in the third place----"

"And in the third place, " burst out Rimrock, raising his voice to ayell, "that proves conclusively that you've set out to steal my mine. I don't give a damn for your thirdlys and fourthlys, nor all the lawsin the Territory. To hell with a law that lets a coyote like you robhonest men of their mines. This claim is mine and I warn you now--ifyou don't get off of it, I'll kill you!"

He dropped his hand to his pistol and the startled gunmen lookedquickly to their captain for a cue. But the captain stooddoubtful--there were two sides to the question, and a man will only goso far to earn ten dollars a day. 

"Now hear me, " warned Rimrock as there fell a tense silence, "you getoff----"

"Shoot that man!" yelled McBain as he sensed what was coming, butRimrock was over the wall. He knocked it flat with the fury of hischarge, striking the gunmen aside as he passed. There was a moment ofconfusion and then, as McBain turned to run, the bang of Rimrock's gun. Andrew McBain went down, falling forward on his face, and as Rimrockwhirled on the startled gunmen they shot blindly and broke for cover. The fight had got beyond them, their hearts were not in it--and theyknew that McBain was dead. 

"You get off my claim!" cried Rimrock as he faced them andinstinctively they backed away. That look in his eyes they knew alltoo well, it was the man-killing berserker rage. Many a time, onforeign battlefields or in the bloody saloon fights of the frontier, they had seen it gleaming in the eyes of some man whom nothing butdeath would stop. They backed off, fearfully, with their guns at aready; and when they were clear they ran. 

When L. W. Looked over the shattered wall he saw Rimrock tearing downthe notice and crunching it into the ground. He was perfectly calm, but in his staring blue eyes the death look still burned like livecoals; and it was only when Hassayamp, risking his life from heartfailure, toiled up and took charge of his claim that he could bepersuaded to give himself up. 

CHAPTER XI

A LITTLE TROUBLE

Rimrock came back to Gunsight in charge of a deputy sheriff and withthe angry glow still in his eyes. The inquest was over and he was heldfor murder, but he refused to retain a lawyer. 

"I don't want one, " he said when his friends urged it on him. "I wishevery lawyer was dead. "

He sat in gloomy silence as the Gunsight justice of the peace wentthrough the formalities of a preliminary examination and then, whilethey waited for the next train to Geronimo, he and the deputy droppedin on Mary Fortune. 

"Good morning, " he said, flushing up as she looked at him, "can youspare me a few minutes of your time?"

"Why, certainly, " she answered, and he spoke to the deputy, who waitedoutside the door. 

"I've had a little trouble, " went on Rimrock grimly as he sat downwhere he could speak into her transmitter, "and I want you to help meout. Mr. Hicks over here is guarding the mine and I've sent four moreboys out to help, but there's a whole lot of business coming up. Canyou hold down the job of Secretary?"

Mary Fortune thought a moment, then nodded her head and waited to hearwhat he would say. 

"All right, " he said, "I'll telegraph East and have the appointmentO. K. 'd. Then there's another matter. We're going to lay that railroadacross the desert as they never laid one before--six months will see itdone--but even that don't suit us. We're going to lay out our millsiteand have everything ready the day that railroad is done. Then we'regoing to erect the mill and install the machinery and go to throwingdirt. Eight months at the least and we'll have a producing propertyshipping trainloads of ore every day. Well, what I was going tosay--there's a man named Jepson, a mining engineer, coming out tosuperintend that work and I want you to give him all the assistance youcan and help boost the thing along. That's all--I'll send you a checkand the papers--you can address me at the County Jail. "

He rose hastily and started for the door, then looked back withquestioning eyes. 

"Very well, " she said and he dropped his head and slouched heavily outthe door. 

Mary Fortune sat alone, staring absently after him. What acontradictory man he was. And yet, how well he understood. He knewwithout telling that she would not take his hand so he kept it behindhis back; but he knew at the same time that she would attend to hisbusiness while his address was the County Jail. And no plea forsympathy, no word of explanation; just business, and then he was gone. His life was at stake, and yet he spoke of nothing but the mine. "Alittle trouble!" And he had killed a man. Was he a savage or asuperman?

The mail the next day brought a note from him, written with a leadpencil on a piece of torn paper. It had the jail smell about it, arank, caged-animal odor that she learned to recognize later, but therewas no mention of any jail. He enclosed a check and a power ofattorney, with directions for buying some land--and then there came atelegram from New York. 

M. R. Fortune, Gunsight, Arizona. 

Wire from Henry Jones intimating trouble Tecolote claims. Yourappointment agreeable. Spare no expense safeguard claims. Jepsonsuperintendent arrives Friday. Wire particulars. 

W. H. Stoddard. 

One look at that signature and the Wall Street address and Mary Fortunesaw with sudden clearness what had been mystery and moonshine formonths. W. H. Stoddard was Whitney H. Stoddard, the man who controlledthe Transcontinental Railroad. His name alone in connection with theTecolote would send its stock up a thousand per cent. And what astroke of business that was--to make a feeder for his railroad while hebuilt up a great property for himself. Now at last she understood theinexplicable reticence with which Rimrock had veiled his associate'sname and her heart almost stopped as she thought how close she had cometo parting with her Tecolote stock. Those two thousand shares, if sheheld on to them to the end, might bring her in thousands of dollars!

Her brain cleared like a flash and she remembered Rimrock'sinstructions concerning land for the Company's office. The wire couldwait--and Whitney H. Stoddard--the first thing to do was to get anoption, for even telegraph operators have been known to talk. Sheslipped out quietly and a half hour afterward the papers were drawn upand signed, and the whole vacant block across the street from the hotelwas tied up for the Tecolote Mining Company. And then the great newsbroke. 

It is a penal offense, punishable by heavy fine and imprisonment, for atelegraph operator to disclose the secrets of his files; but within tenminutes the whole street knew. The values on property went up inmeteor flights as reckless speculators sought to buy in on the groundfloor. All the land along the railroad, instead of being raw desert, became suddenly warehouse sites; the vacant lots along the main streetwere snatched up for potential stores and saloons, and all the drabflats where the Mexican burros wandered became transformed to choiceresidence properties. It had come at last, that time prophesied byRimrock when Gunsight would be transformed by his hand, but the prophetwas not there to see. After all his labors, and his patient enduranceof ridicule and unbelief, when the miracle happened Rimrock Jones themagician was immured in the County Jail. 

But it made a difference. Even Mary Fortune came to think of him withmore kindness in her heart. The Geronimo papers suddenly blossomed outwith accounts of the Gunsight boom; and Rimrock Jones, though held formurder, was heralded as a mining king. The story was recalled of hisdiscovery of the Gunsight and of his subsequent loss of the same; andthe fight for the Old Juan, with the death of McBain, was rewritten tofit the times. Then the grading crew came with their mules andscrapers, and car-loads of ties and rails. Great construction trainscongested all the sidings as they dumped off tools and supplies. Atrack-laying machine followed close behind them, and the race for theTecolotes was on. What a pity it was that poor Rimrock Jones was notthere to see the dirt fly!

And there were other changes. From a plain office drudge, MaryFortune, the typist, suddenly found herself the second in command. Every day from Geronimo there came letters and telegrams from theprisoner in the County Jail and his trenchant orders were put intoeffect by the girl who had worked for McBain. Nothing more was saidabout her mysterious past, nor the stigma such a past implies; thewomen of the hotel now bowed to her hopefully and smiled if she raisedher eyes. Even Jepson, the superintendent, addressed herrespectfully--after stopping off at the County Jail--and all theaccounts of the Company, for whatever expense, now passed through hercompetent hands. 

She was competent, Jepson admitted it; yet somehow he did not like her. It was his wife, perhaps, a proud, black-eyed little creature, whofirst planted the prejudice in his breast; although of course no manlikes to take orders from a woman. To be sure, she gave no orders, butshe kept the books and that gave her a check on his work. ButAbercrombie Jepson was too busily occupied to brood much over thisincipient dislike, he had men by the hundred pouring out to the mineand all the details of a great plant on his hands. 

First out across the desert went the derricks of the well-borers, todevelop water for the concentrator and mill; and then diamond-drill menwith all their paraphernalia, to block out the richest ore; and afterthem the millwrights and masons and carpenters, to lay foundations andbuild the lighter parts of the plant; and, back and forth in a steadystream, the long lines of teamsters, hauling freight from the end ofthe railroad. It was an awe-inspiring spectacle, this invasion of thedesert, this sure preparation to open the treasure-house where theTecolotes had locked up their ore. But Rimrock was missing from it all!

There came a time when Mary Fortune acknowledged this to herself; and, without knowing just why, she took the next train to Geronimo. Thesummer had come on and the jail as she entered it was stifling with itsclose, smelly heat. She sickened at the thought of him, caged up thereday and night, shut off even from light and air; and when the sherifflet her in through the clanging outer gate she started back at sight ofthe tanks. Within high walls of concrete a great, wrought-ironcell-house rose up like a square box of steel and, pressed against thebars, were obscene leering eyes staring out for a look at the woman. 

"Oh, that's all right, " said the sheriff kindly, "just step right downthis way. I regret very much I can't bring him outside, but he's infor a capital offense. "

He led the way down a resounding corridor, with narrow windows high upnear the roof; and there, staring out from a narrow cell, she sawRimrock Jones. His face was pale with the prison pallor and a tawnygrowth covered his chin; but the eyes--they were still the eyes ofRimrock, aggressive, searching and bold. 

"A lady to see you, " announced the sheriff and suddenly they were alone. 

There had been some business, some important matter upon which she hadneeded his advice, but as she saw him shut up like a common felon thesudden tears came to her eyes. 

"Kind of limited quarters, " observed Rimrock, smiling wanly, "nothinglike that new hotel that we're building. Well, it won't be long nowtill I'm out of this hole. Is there anything special you want?"

"Why, yes!" she said, getting control of herself, "can't--can't we getyou out on bail? I didn't know it was so awful inside here--I'm goingto engage the best lawyer in town!"

"No use, " answered Rimrock, "I'm held for murder--and I don't want nolawyer, anyhow. "

The old stubborn tone had come back into his voice, but swiftcompassion urged her on. 

"But you certainly will have one when your case goes to trial! Mr. Lockhart said he would hire one himself. "

"Nope, don't want 'em, " answered Rimrock. "They're a bunch of crooks. I'll handle my case myself. "

"Yourself? Why, you don't know the law----"

"That's why I'll win, " broke in Rimrock impatiently. "I'm going topick out that jury myself. "

"No, but the briefs and papers! And who will represent you in court?"

"Never mind, " sulked Rimrock, "I'll take care of all that. But I won'thave a lawyer, if I swing for it!"

"Oh!" she gasped, but he gazed at her grimly without thinking aboutanything but his case. 

"All I want is justice, " he went on doggedly. "I want a fair trialbefore a jury of Arizona men. When I state my case I'll tell them thetruth and I don't want any lawyer butting in. And one thing more. I'mgoing to ask you, Miss Fortune, to leave this case strictly alone. Ithank you just as much for your good intentions, but we don't look atthis matter the same. I quit the law when I lost title to theGunsight, and I'm going to play out my hand to the end. I claimthere's a law that's above all these lawyers--and judges and supremecourts, too--and that's the will of the people. I may be mistaken, butI'll gamble my life on it and if I lose--you can have the whole mine. "

"I don't want the whole mine, " she answered resentfully, "I want--Iwant you to be free. Oh, I came to tell you about all we'redoing--about the construction and the mine work and all--but I justcan't say a word. Are you determined to plead your own case?"

"Why, certainly, " he said. "Why shouldn't I do it? I don't considerI've done anything wrong. I hope you don't think, just because Ikilled McBain, that I'm suffering any regrets? Because I'm not, nornothing of the kind--I'm glad I killed him like I did. He had itcoming to him and, gimme a square jury, I'll make 'em say I did right. "

"I guess I don't understand, " she stammered at last, "but--but I'm gladthat it doesn't seem wrong. I can't understand how a man could do it;but I'll help you, any way I can. "

"All right, " said Rimrock and looked at her strangely, "I'll tell youwhat you can do. In the first place I want you to go back to Gunsightand stay there until I come back. And in the second place--well, Ican't forget what I did--that day. I want you to say it's all right. "

"It is all right, " she answered quickly, "I guess that's what I came tosay. And will you forgive me, too, for letting you lie here and neverdoing anything to help?"

"Oh, that's nothing, " said Rimrock, "I don't mind it much. But say, isn't there anything else?"

"No!" she said, but the hot blood mounted up and mantled her cheekswith red. 

"Come on, " he beckoned. "Just to show you forgive me--it will help meto win if you do. "

She looked around, up and down the narrow corridor, and then laid hercheek to the bars. Who would not do as much, out of Christiankindness, for a man who had suffered so much?

CHAPTER XII

RIMROCK'S BIG DAY

The white heat of midsummer settled down on the desert and therattlesnakes and Gila monsters holed up. As in the frozen East theyhibernated in winter to escape the grip of the cold, so in sun-cursedPapagueria, where the Tecolotes lie, they crawled as deep to get awayfrom the heat. But in the Geronimo jail with its dead, fetid air, Rimrock Jones learned to envy the snakes. Out on the stark desert, where the men laid the track, the hot steel burned everything ittouched; but the air was clean and in the nights, when he suffocated, they lay cool and looked up at the stars. They did a man's work anddrew their pay; he lay in the heat and waited. 

Then the first cool days came and the Tecolote Mining Company resumedits work in feverish haste. An overplus of freight was jammed in theyards; the construction gangs laid track day and night; and from theend of the line, which crept forward each day, the freight wagonshauled supplies to the mine. There was a world of work, back and forthon the road; and in Tecolote and Gunsight as well. A magnificenthotel, with the offices of the Company, was springing up across thestreet from the Gunsight; at the mine there were warehouses and acompany store and quarters for the men on the flats where Rimrock hadonce pitched his tent. But the man who built them was AbercrombieJepson--the master hand was slack. 

It had killed a man and for that offense Rimrock Jones must wait on thelaw. There was no bail for him, for he had made a threat and thenkilled his man as he fled. And he would not deny it, nor listen to anylawyer; so he lay there till the circuit court convened. All throughthe slow inferno of that endless summer he had cursed the law's delay;but it held him, regardless, until the calm-eyed judge returned for thefall term of court. The jail was full to the last noisome cell-roomand, caught with the rest, was Rimrock. 

Yet if Rimrock had suffered there had been compensation--Mary Fortunehad written him every day. He knew everything that Jepson was doing;and he knew a little more about her. But only a little; there wassomething about her that balked him a thousand times. She eluded him, she escaped him, she ignored his hot words; she was his friend, and yetonly so far. She did not approve of what he was doing, and she hadtaken him at his word. He had asked her, once, not to interfere in hiscase; and from that day she kept her hands off. 

The day of the trial came and Hassayamp Hicks, with L. W. And a host offriends, went to Geronimo to cheer Rimrock by their presence. Thepapers came back full of the account of the case, but Mary Fortune didnot appear in court. Even when the great day came when Rimrock was tomake his appeal to the jury she remained in her office in Gunsight--andthen came the telegram: "Acquitted!"

He had been right then, after all; he knew his own people! But then, there were other things, too. Mary Fortune was not so innocent thatshe had not noticed the strong interest which the newspapers had takenin his case. They had hailed him, in those last days, the firstcitizen of Geronimo County; and first citizens, as we know, are seldomhanged. The wonderful development of the Tecolote Mining Company hadbeen heralded, month after month; and the name Rimrock Jones was alwaysspoken with a reverence never given to criminals. He was the man withthe vision, the big man of a big country, the man whose touch broughtforth gold. And now he had won; his man-killing had been justified;and he was coming back--to see her. 

She knew it. She even knew what he would hasten to say the firstmoment he found her alone. He was simple, in those matters; which madeit all the more necessary to have the answer thought out in advance. But was life as simple as he insisted upon making it? Was every oneeither good or bad, and everything right or wrong? She doubted it, andthe answer was somewhere in there. That he was a great man, sheagreed. In his crude, forceful way he had succeeded where most menwould have failed; but was he not, after all, a great, thoughtlessgiant who went fighting his way through life, snatching up what hewanted most? And because his eyes were upon her, because she had comein his way, was that any reason why the traditions of her life shouldfall down and give way to his?

Even when the answer is "no" that is not any reason why a woman shouldnot appear at her best. Mary Fortune met the train in an afternoondress that had made an enemy of every woman in town. She had a friendin New York who picked them out for her, since her salary had becomewhat it was. A great crowd was present--the whole populace of Gunsightwas waiting to see their hero come home--and as the train rolled in andRimrock dropped off, in the excitement she found tears in her eyes. But then, that was nothing; Woo Chong, the restaurant Chinaman, wasweeping all over the place; and Old Hassayamp Hicks, hobbling offthrough the crowd, wiped his eyes and sobbed, unashamed. And thenRimrock seized her by both her hands and made her walk with him back tothe hotel!

It was no time for discipline, that night; Rimrock was feeling toohappy and gay. He would shake hands with a Mexican with equalenthusiasm, or a Chinaman, or a laborer off the railroad. They wereall his friends, whether he knew them or not, and he called on thewhole town to celebrate. The Mexican string band that had met him atthe train was chartered forthwith for the night, Woo Chong had an orderto bring all the grub in town and feed it to the crowd at the hotel;but Hassayamp Hicks refused to take any man's money, he claimed thatthe drinks were on him. And so, with the band playing "Paloma" on theveranda and refreshments served free to the town, Rimrock Jones cameback, the first citizen of Gunsight, and took up his life with a bang. 

He stood in the rotunda of the Hotel Tecolote and gazed admiringly atthe striped marble pillars that he had ordered at great expense, andhis answer was always the same. 

"Why, sure not! I knowed that jury wouldn't convict. I picked themmyself by the look in their eye, and every man had to be ten years inthe Territory. A fine bunch of men--every one of 'em square--they canhave anything I've got. That's me! You know Rimrock! He neverforgets his friends! And he don't forget his enemies, either!"

And then came the cheers, the shouts of his friends. The only enemy hehad was dead. 

Mary Fortune had a room on the second floor of the hotel--one of thenicest of them all, now that the painters and paperhangers had finallyleft--and she came down late in an evening gown. The marble steps, which Rimrock had insisted upon having, led up and then turned to bothsides and as she came down, smiling, with her ear-'phone left off andher hair in a glorious coil, Rimrock paused and his eyes grew big. 

"By Joe, like that Queen picture!" he burst out impulsively and wentbounding to meet her half way. And Mary Fortune heard him, in spite ofher deafness; and understood--he meant the Empress Louise. He had seenthat picture of the beloved Empress tripping daintily down the stairsand, for all she knew, those expensive marble steps might have beenbuilt to give point to the compliment. 

"You sure look the part!" he said in her ear as he gallantly escortedher down. "And say, this hotel! Ain't it simply elegant? We'll showthose Gunsight folks who's who!"

"They're consumed with envy!" she answered, smiling. "I mean thewomen, of course. I heard one of them say, just before I moved over, that you'd built it here just to spite them. "

"That's right!" laughed Rimrock--"hello there, Porfilio--I built itjust to make 'em look cheap. By grab, I'm an Injun and I won't soonforget the way they used to pass me by on the street. But now it'sdifferent--my name is Mister, and that's one bunch I never will know. "

"They know _me_, now, " she suggested slyly, "but I'm afraid I'm partIndian, too. "

"You're right!" he said as he guided her through the crowd and led theway out into the street. "Let's walk up and down--I don't dare to goout alone, or the boys will all get me drunk. But that's right, " hewent on, "I've been thinking it over--you can forgive, but you neverforget. "

"Well, perhaps so, " she replied, "but I don't spend much of my time inplanning out some elaborate revenge. Now those marble steps--do youknow what Mr. Stoddard said when he came out to inspect the mine?"

"No, and what's more, I don't care, " answered Rimrock lightly. "I'mfixed so I don't have to care. Mr. Stoddard is all right--he's a niceable provider, but we're running this mine, ourselves. "

He squeezed her hand where she had slipped it through his arm andlooked down with a triumphant smile. 

"We, Us and Company!" he went on unctuously, "fifty-one per cent. Ofthe stock!"

"Does Stoddard know that?" she asked him suddenly, looking up to readthe words from his lips. "I noticed when he was here he treated mevery politely, whereas Mr. Jepson didn't fare nearly so well. "

"You bet he knows it, " answered Rimrock explosively. "And Jepson willknow it, too. The first thing I do will be to get rid of our dummy andmake you a Director in the Company. I'm going to take charge here andyour one per cent. Of stock entitles you to a bona-fide place on theBoard. "

"Well, I'd think that over first, " she advised after a silence, "because I foresee we sha'n't always agree. And if it's a dummy youwant you'd better keep Mr. Buckbee. I'm fully capable of voting youdown. "

"No, I'll take a chance on it, " he went on, smiling amiably. "All Iask is that you let me know. If you want to buck me, why, that's yourprivilege--you get a vote with me and Stoddard. "

"Well, we'll talk that over, " she said, laughing indulgently, "whenyou're not feeling so trustful and gay. This is one of those timesI've heard you tell about when you feel like walking the wires. Themorning after will be much more appropriate for considering an affairof this kind. "

"No, I mean it!" he declared and then his face reddened. He had usedthat phrase before, and always at an unfortunate time. "Let's go backto the hotel, " he burst out abruptly, "these boys are painting the townright. "

They turned back down the street, where drunken revellers hailed theirhero with cheers as he passed, and as they entered the hotel Rimrockcarried her on till they had mounted to the ladies' balcony. This waslocated in the gallery where the ladies of the hotel could look downwithout being observed and for the space of an hour Rimrock leaned overthe railing and gazed at the crowded rotunda. And as he gazed hetalked, speaking close in her ear since he knew she had left off her'phone; and all the time, as the people thinned and dwindled, he stroveto win her over to his mood. 

He was, as she had said, in one of those expansive moods when histhoughts were lofty and grand. He opened up his heart and disclosedhopes and ambitions never before suspected by her; and as she listenedit became apparent that she, Mary Fortune, was somehow involved in themall. Yet she let him talk on, for his presence was like wine to her, and his dreams as he told them seemed true. There was the trip toEurope--he alluded to it very tactfully--but he did not speak as if itwere to be made alone. 

And then he spoke of his plans for the Tecolote, and further conqueststhat would startle the world. There was Mexico, a vast treasure-house, barely scratched by the prospector; his star would soon lead him there. All he needed was patience, to wait the short time till the Tecolotebegan to pour out its ore. He asked her minutely of Jepson and hiswork and of her interview with the great Whitney H. Stoddard, and thenhe struck the stone rail with his knotted fist and told what would haveto be done. And then at last, as the lights grew dim, he spoke of hislong days in jail and how he had looked each day for her letter, whichhad never failed to come. His voice broke a little as he told of thetrial and then he reached out and took her hand. 

"I've learned from you, " he said, leaning closer so she could hear him, "I've learned to understand. And you like me; now, don't you? Youcan't tell me different because I can see it right there in your eye?"

She looked away, but she nodded her head, and her hand still lay quietin his. 

"Yes, I like you, " she said. "I can't help but like you--but let's notsay any more. Aren't you happy enough without always havingthings--can't you wait for some things in this world?"

"Yes, I can, " he said. "I can wait for everything--the money, thesuccess and all--but I can't wait for you! No, that's asking too much!"

He drew her towards him and his strong arm swept about her, but shestraightened rebelliously in his clutch. 

"Remember!" she warned and his arm relaxed though his breath was stillhot on her cheek. "Now I must be going, " she said, rising swiftly. "Good-night, Rimrock! I'm glad you're here!"

"Don't I get a kiss?" he demanded hoarsely as his hand reached again. "Come on, " he pleaded. "Didn't I turn you loose? You kissed meonce--in jail!"

"But you're free now, Rimrock, and--that makes a difference. You mustlearn to wait, and be friends. "

"Oh--hell!" he burst out as she flitted away from him. But she wasdeaf--she turned back and smiled. 

CHAPTER XIII

THE MORNING AFTER

The morning after found Rimrock without regrets and, for once, withouta head. He had subtly judged, from something she had said, that Marydid not like whiskey breaths, nor strong cigars, nor the odors of thetwo combined. So, having certain words to speak in her ear, he hadrefrained, with the results as aforesaid. For the first time in herlife she had looked him in the eye and acknowledged, frankly, that sheliked him. But she had not kissed him--she drew the line there--andonce more in his shrewd unsophisticated way he judged it was neverdone, in her set. 

He found her in the office when he appeared the next morning, with herharness over her head. It was the sign in a way that she was strictlybusiness and all personal confidences were taboo, but Rimrock did nottake the hint. It annoyed him, some way, that drum over her ear andthe transmitter hung on her breast, for when he had seen her theevening before all these things had been set aside. 

"What? Still wearing that ear-thing?" he demanded bluffly and sheflushed and drew her lips tight. It was a way she had when sherestrained some quick answer and Rimrock hastened on to explain. "Younever wore it last night and--and you could hear every word I said. "

"That was because I knew what you were going to say. "

She smiled, imperceptibly, as she returned the retort courteous and nowit was Rimrock who blushed. Then he laughed and waved the matter aside. 

"Well, let it go at that, " he said sitting down. "Gimme the books, I'mgoing to make you a director at our next meeting. "

Mary Fortune looked at him curiously and smiled once more, then rosequickly and went to the safe. 

"Very well, " she said as she came back with the records, "but I wonderif you quite understand. "

"You bet I do, " he said, laying off his big hat and spreading out thepapers and books. "Don't fool yourself there--we've got to befriends--and that's why I'm going the limit. "

He searched out the certificate where, to qualify him for director, hehad transferred one share of the Company stock to Buckbee, and filledin a date on the back. 

"Now, " he went on, "Mr. Buckbee's stock is cancelled, and hisresignation automatically takes place. Friend Buckbee is all right, but dear friend W. H. Stoddard might use him to slip something over. It's We, Us and Company, you and me, little Mary, against Whitney H. Stoddard and the world. Do you get the idea? We stand solidtogether--two directors out of three--and the Tecolote is in the hollowof our hand. "

"Your hand!" she corrected but Rimrock protested and she let him havehis way. 

"No, now listen, " he said; "this doesn't bind you to anything--all Iwant is that we shall be friends. "

"And do you understand, " she challenged, "that I can vote against youand throw the control to Stoddard? Have you stopped to think that Imay have ideas that are diametrically opposed to your own? Have youeven considered that we might fall out--as we did once before, youremember--and that then I could use this against you?"

"I understand all that--and more besides, " he said as he met her eyes. "I want you, Mary. My God, I'm crazy for you. The whole mine isnothing to me now. "

"Oh, yes, it is, " she said, but her voice trailed off and she thoughtfor a minute in silence. 

"Very well, " she said, "you have a right to your own way--but remember, this still leaves me free. "

"You know it!" he exclaimed, "as the desert wind! Shake hands onit--we're going to be friends!"

"I hope so, " she said, "but sometimes I'm afraid. We must wait a whileand be sure. "

"Ah, 'wait'!" he scolded. "But I don't like that word--but come on, let's get down to business. Where's this Abercrombie Jepson? I wantto talk to him, and then we'll go out to the mine. "

He grabbed up his hat and began to stride about the office, running hishand lovingly over the polished mahogany furniture, and Mary Fortunespoke a few words into the phone. 

"He'll be here in a minute, " she said and began to straighten out thepapers on her desk. Even to Rimrock Jones, who was far fromsystematic, it was evident that she knew her work. Every paper was putback in its special envelope, and when Abercrombie Jepson came in fromhis office she had the bundle back in the safe. 

He was a large man, rather fat and with a ready smile, but with aharried look in his eye that came from handling a thousand details; andas Rimrock turned and faced him he blinked, for he felt something wascoming. 

"Mr. Jepson, " began Rimrock in his big, blustering voice, "I want tohave an understanding with you. You're a Stoddard man, but I thinkyou're competent--you certainly have put things through. But here'sthe point--I've taken charge now and you get your orders from me. Youcan forget Mr. Stoddard. I'm president and general manager, andwhatever I say goes. "

He paused and looked Jepson over very carefully while Mary Fortunestared. 

"Very well, sir, " answered Jepson, "I think I understand you. I hopeyou are satisfied with my services?"

"We'll see about that later, " went on Rimrock, still arrogantly. "I'llbegin my tour of inspection to-day. But I'll tell you right now, sothere won't be any mistake, that all I ask of you is results. Youwon't find me kicking about the money you spend as long as it comesback in ore. You're a competent man, so I've been given to understand, and, inside your field, you're the boss. I won't fire any of your menand I won't interfere with your work without having it done throughyou; but on the other hand, don't you forget for a single minute thatI'm the big boss on this dump. And whatever you do, don't make themistake of thinking you're working for Stoddard. I guess that will beall. Miss Fortune is going to be a director soon and I've asked her togo out with us to the mine. "

A strange, startled look came over Jepson's face as he received thislast bit of news, but he smiled and murmured his congratulations. Thenhe expressed the hope that he would be able to please them and withdrewwith the greatest haste. 

"Well!" observed Rimrock as he gazed grimly after him, "I guess thatwill hold Mr. Jepson. "

"Very likely, " returned Mary, "but as a prospective director may Ienquire the reason for this outburst?"

"You may, " replied Rimrock. "This man, Abercrombie Jepson, was putover on me by Stoddard. I had to concede something, after holding outon the control, and I agreed he could name the supe. Well now, afterbeing the whole show, don't you think it more than likely that Mr. Jepson might overlook the main squeeze--me?"

He tapped himself on the breast and nodded his head significantly. 

"That's it, " he went on as she smiled enigmatically. "I know thesegreat financiers. I'll bet you right now our fat friend Abercrombie isdown telegraphing the news to Stoddard. He's Stoddard's man but I'vegot my eye on him and if he makes a crooked move, it's bingo!"

"All the same, " defended Mary, "while I don't like him personally, Ithink Jepson is remarkably efficient. And when you consider his yearsof experience and the technical knowledge he has----"

"That has nothing to do with it, as far as I'm concerned--there areother men just as good for the price--but I want him to understand sohe won't forget it that he's taking his orders from _me_. Now I happento know that our dear friend Stoddard is out to get control of thismine and the very man that is liable to ditch us is this same efficientMr. Jepson. Don't ever make the mistake of giving these financiers thecredit of being on the level. You can't grab that much money in theshort time they've been gathering without gouging every man you meet. So just watch this man Jepson. Keep your eye on his accounts, andremember--we're pardners, now. "

His big, excited eyes, that blazed with primitive emotion whenever heroused from his calm, became suddenly gentle and he patted her hand ashe hurried off to order up the car. 

All the way across the desert, as Mary exclaimed at the signs ofprogress, Rimrock let it pass in silence. They left the end of therailroad and a short automobile ride put them down at the Tecolotecamp. Along the edge of the canyon, where the well-borers haddeveloped water, the framework of a gigantic mill and concentrator wasrapidly being rushed to completion. On the flats below, where OldJuan's burros had browsed on the scanty mesquite, were long lines ofhouses for the miners and a power plant to run the great stamps. A biggang of miners were running cuts into the hillside where the first ofthe ore was to come out and like a stream of ants the workmen and teamsswarmed about each mighty task, but still Rimrock Jones remainedsilent. His eyes opened wider at sight of each new miracle but toJepson he made no comments. 

They went to the assay house, where the diamond drill cores showed theore from the heart of the hills; and there at last Rimrock found histongue as he ran over the assayer's reports. 

"Pretty good, " he observed and this time it was Jepson who tightenedhis lips and said nothing. "Pretty good, " repeated Rimrock and then helaughed silently and went out and sat down on the hill. "A mountain ofcopper, " he said, looking upward. "The whole butte is nothing but ore. Some rich, some low-grade, but shattered--that's the idea! You canscoop it up with a steam shovel. "

He whistled through his teeth, cocking his eye up at the mountain andthen looking down at the townsite. 

"You bet--a big camp!" And then to Jepson: "That's fine, Mr. Jepson;you're doing noble. By the way, when will that cook-house be done?Pretty soon, eh? Well, let me know; I've got a friend that's crazy tomove in. "

He smiled at Mary, who thought at once of Woo Chong, but Jepson lookedsuddenly serious. 

"I hope, Mr. Jones, " he said, "you're not planning to bring in thatChinaman. I've got lots of Bisbee men among my miners and they won'tstand for a Chinaman in camp. "

"Oh, yes, they will, " answered Rimrock easily. "You wait, it'll be allright. And there's another thing, now I think about it; Mr. Hicks willbe out soon to look for a good place to locate his saloon. I've givenhim the privilege of selling all the booze that is sold in Tecolote. "

"Booze?" questioned Jepson, and then he fell silent and went to gnawinghis lip. 

"Yes--booze!" repeated Rimrock. "I know these Cousin Jacks. They'vegot to have facilities for spending their money or they'll quit you andgo to town. "

"Well, now really, Mr. Jones, " began Jepson earnestly, "I'd much preferto have a dry camp. Of course you are right about the averageminer--but it's better not to have them drunk around camp. "

"Very likely, " said Rimrock, "but Old Hassayamp is coming and I guessyou can worry along. It's a matter of friendship with me, Mr. Jepson--I never go back on a friend. When I was down and out OldHassayamp Hicks was the only man that would trust me for the drinks;and Woo Chong, the Chinaman, was the only man that would trust me for ameal. You see how it is, and I hope you'll do your best to make themboth perfectly at home. "

Abercrombie Jepson mumbled something into his mustache which Rimrocklet pass for assent, although it was plainly to be seen by the fire inhis eye that the superintendent was vexed. As for Mary Fortune, shesat at one side and pretended not to hear. Perhaps Rimrock was rightand these first minor clashes were but skirmishes before a greatbattle. Perhaps, after all, Jepson was there to oppose him and it wasbest to ride over him roughshod. But it seemed on the surfaceextremely dictatorial, and against public policy as well. Mr. Jepsonwas certainly right, in her opinion, in his attitude toward Hicks'saloon; yet she knew it was hopeless to try to move Rimrock, so shesmiled and let them talk on. 

"Now, there's another matter, " broke in Jepson aggressively, "that I'vebeen waiting to see you about. As I understand it, I'm Mr. Stoddard'srepresentative--I represent his interests in the mine. Very good;that's no more than right. Now, Mr. Stoddard has invested a largeamount of money to develop these twenty claims, but he feels, and Ifeel, that that Old Juan claim is a continual menace to them all. "

At the mention of the Old Juan Rimrock turned his head, and Mary couldsee his jaw set; but he listened somberly for some little time asJepson went on with his complaint. 

"You must know, Mr. Jones, that the history of the Old Juan makes itextremely liable to be jumped. We've had a strong guard set ever sinceyou--well, continuously--but the title to that claim must be clearedup. It ought to be re-located----"

"Don't you think it!" sneered Rimrock with a sudden insulting stare. "That claim will stay--just the way it is!"

"But the guards!" protested Jepson, "they're a continual expense----"

"You can tell 'em to come down, " cut in Rimrock peremptorily. "I'lllook after that claim myself. "

"But why not re-locate it?" cried Jepson in a passion, "why expose usto this continual suspense? You can re-locate it yourself----"

"Mr. Jepson, " began Rimrock, speaking through his teeth, "there's noone that questions my claim. But if any man does--I don't care who heis--he's welcome to try and jump it. All he'll have to do is whip me. "

He was winking angrily and Jepson, after a silence, cast an appealingglance at Mary Fortune. 

"You've got a wonderful property here, " he observed, speakinggenerally, "the prospects are very bright. There's only one thing thatcan mar its success, and that is litigation!"

"Yes, " cried Rimrock, "and that's just what you'd bring on by yourcrazy re-location scheme! That Old Juan claim is good--I killed a manto prove it--and I'm not going to back down on it now. It won't bere-located and the man that jumps it will have me to deal with, personally. Now if you don't like the way I'm running thisproposition----"

"Oh, it isn't that!" broke in Jepson hastily, "but I'm hired, in a way, to advise. You must know, Mr. Jones, that you're jeopardizing ourfuture by refusing to re-locate that claim. "

"No, I don't!" shouted Rimrock, jumping fiercely to his feet, whileMary Fortune turned pale. "It's just the other way. That claim isgood--I know it's good--and I'll fight for it every time. Your courtsare nothing, you can hire a lawyer to take any side of any case, butyou can't hire one to go up against this!" He patted a lump thatbulged at his hip and shook a clenched fist in the air. "No, sir! Nolaw for me! Don't you ever think that I'll stand for re-locating thatclaim. That would be just the chance that these law-sharps are lookingfor, to start a contest and tie up the mine. No, leave it to me. I'llbe my own law and, believe me, I'll never be jumped. There are somepeople yet that remember Andrew McBain----"

He stopped, for Mary had risen from her place and stood facing him withblazing eyes. 

"What's the matter?" he asked, like a man bewildered; and then heunderstood. Mary Fortune had worked for Andrew McBain, she had heardhim threaten his life; and, since his acquittal, this was the firsttime his name had been mentioned. And he remembered with a start thatafter he came back from the killing she had refused to take his hand. 

"What's the matter?" he repeated, but she set her lips and moved awaydown the hill. Rimrock stood and watched her, then he turned to Jepsonand his voice was hoarse with hate. 

"Well, I hope you're satisfied!" he said and strode savagely off downthe trail. 

CHAPTER XIV

RIMROCK EXPLAINS

It had not taken long, after his triumphant homecoming, for Rimrock towreck his own happiness. That old rift between them, regarding thelaw, had been opened the very first day; and it was not a differencethat could be explained and adjusted, for neither would concede theywere wrong. As the daughter of a judge, conservatively brought up in acommunity where an outlaw was abhorred, Mary Fortune could no moreagree to his program than he could agree to hers. She respected thelaw and she turned to the law, instinctively, to right every wrong; buthe from sad experience knew what a broken reed it was, compared to hisgun and his good right hand. The return to Gunsight was a gloomyaffair, but nothing was said of the Old Juan. Abercrombie Jepsonguessed, and rightly, that his company was not desired; and they whohad set out with the joy of lovers rode back absent-minded anddistrait. But the question of the Old Juan was a vital problem, involving other interests beside theirs, and in the morning there was atelegram from Whitney H. Stoddard requesting that the matter be clearedup. Rimrock read it in the office where Mary sat at work and threw itcarelessly down on her desk. 

"Well, it's come to a showdown, " he said as she glanced at it. "Thequestion is--who's running this mine?"

"And the answer?" she enquired in that impersonal way she had; andRimrock started as he sensed the subtle challenge. 

"Why--we are!" he said bluffly. "You and me, of course. You wouldn'tquit me on a proposition like this?"

"Yes, I think I would, " she answered unhesitatingly. "I think Mr. Stoddard is right. That claim should be located in such a manner as toguarantee that it won't be jumped. "

"Uh! You think so, eh? Well, what do you know about it? Can't youtake my word for anything?"

"Why, yes, I can. In most matters at the mine I think you're entitledto have your way. But if you elect me as a Director in this comingstockholders' meeting and this question comes before the Board, unlessyou can make me see it differently I'm likely to vote against you. "

Rimrock shoved his big hat to the back of his head and stood gazing ather fixedly. 

"Well, if that's the case, " he suggested at last, and then stopped asshe caught his meaning. 

"Very well, " she said, "it isn't too late. You can get you anotherdummy. "

"Will you vote for him?" demanded Rimrock, after an instant's thought, and she nodded her head in assent. 

"Well, dang my heart!" muttered Rimrock impatiently, pacing up and downthe room. "Here I frame it all up for us two to get together and runthe old Company right and the first thing comes up we split right thereand pull off a quarrel to boot. I don't like this, Mary; I want toagree with you; I want to get where we can understand. Now let meexplain to you why it is I'm holding out; and then you can have yousay-so, too. When I was in jail I sent for Juan Soto and it's true--hewas born in Mexico. But his parents, so he says, were born south ofTucson and that makes them American citizens. Now, according to theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo if any citizen of Mexico moves to theUnited States, unless he moves back or gives notice within five yearsof his intention of returning to Mexico he becomes automatically anAmerican citizen. Do you get the idea? Even if Juan was born inMexico he's never considered himself a Mexican citizen. He moved backwith his folks when he was a little baby, took the oath when he came ofage and has been voting the Democratic ticket ever since. But here'sanother point--even if he is a Mexican, no private citizen can jump hisclaim. The Federal Government can, but I happen to know that noordinary citizen can take possession of a foreigner's claim. It's beendone, of course, but that lawyer I consulted told me it wasn'taccording to Hoyle. And here's another point--but what are youlaughing at? Ain't I laying the law down right?"

"Why, yes, certainly, " conceded Mary, "but with all this behind youwhat's the excuse for defying the law? Why don't you tell Mr. Jepson, or Mr. Stoddard, that the Old Juan is a perfectly good claim?"

"I did!" defended Rimrock. "I told Jepson so yesterday. I used thosevery same words!"

"Yes, but with another implication. You let it be understood that thereason it was good was that you were there, with your gun!"

"Stop right there!" commanded Rimrock. "That's the last, ultimatereason that holds in a court of law! The code is nothing, the Federallaw is nothing, even treaties are nothing! The big thing that countsis--possession. Until that claim is recorded it's the only reason. The man that holds the ground, owns it. And that's why I say, and Istand pat on it yet, that my gun outweighs all the law!"

"Well, I declare, " gasped Mary, "you are certainly convincing! Whydidn't you tell _me_ about it yesterday?"

"Well, " began Rimrock, and then he hesitated, "I knew it would bringup--well, another matter, and I don't want to talk about that, yet. "

"Yes, I understand, " said Mary very hastily, "but--why didn't you tellJepson this? I may do you an injustice but it seemed to me you wereseeking a quarrel. But if you had explained the case----"

"What? To Stoddard's man? Why, you must think I'm crazy. Jepson hashired a lawyer and looked up that claim to the last infinitesimalhickey; he knows more about the Old Juan than I do. And speaking aboutquarrels, don't you know that fellow deliberately framed the wholething? He wanted to know just where I stood on the Old Juan--and hewanted to get me in bad with you. "

"With me?"

"Yes, with you! Why, can't you see his game? If he can get you tothrow your vote against me he can knock me out of my control. Add yourstock to Stoddard's and it makes us fifty-fifty--a deadlock, withJepson in charge. And if he thought for a minute that I couldn't firehim he'd thumb his nose in my face. "

Mary smiled at this picture of primitive defiance in a battle ofgrown-up men and yet she saw dimly that Rimrock was right in hisestimate of Jepson's motives. Jepson did have a way that was subtlyprovocative and his little eyes were shifty, like a boxer's. As thetwo men faced each other she could feel the antagonism in every wordthat they said; and, looking at it as he did, it seemed increasinglyreasonable that Rimrock's way was the best. It was better just tofight back without showing his hand and let Jepson guess what he could. 

"But if we'd stand together--" she began at last and Rimrock's face litup. 

"That's it!" he said, leaping forward with his hand out, "will youshake on it? You know I'm all right!"

"But not _always_ right, " she answered smiling, and put her hand inhis. "But you're honest, anyway; and I like you for that. It'sagreed, then; we stand together!"

"No-ow, that's the talk!" grinned Rimrock approvingly, "and besides, Ineed you, little Mary. "

He held on to her hand but she wrested it away and turned blushing toher work. 

"Don't be foolish!" she said, but her feelings were not hurt for shewas smiling again in a minute. "Don't you know, " she confided, "I feelutterly helpless when it comes to this matter of the mine. Everythingabout it seems so absolutely preposterous that I'm glad I'm not goingto be a Director. "

"But you are!" came back Rimrock, "now don't tell me different; becauseyou're bull-headed, once you've put yourself on record. There ain'tanother living soul that I can trust to take that directorship. EvenOld Hassayamp down here--and I'd trust him anywhere--might get drunkand vote the wrong way. But you----"

"You don't know me yet, " she replied with decision. "I won't getdrunk, but I've got to be convinced. And if you can't convince me thatyour way is right--and reasonable and just, as well--I give you noticethat I'll vote against you. Now! What are you going to say?"

"All right!" he answered promptly, "that's all I ask of you. If youthink I'm wrong you're welcome to vote against me; but believe me, thisis no Sunday-school job. There's a big fight coming on, I can feel itin my bones, and the best two-handed scrapper wins. Old W. H. Stoddard, when he had me in jail and was hoping I was going to be sentup, he tried to buy me out of this mine. He started at nothing andwent up to twenty million, so you can guess how much it's worth. "

"Twenty million!" she echoed. 

"Yes; twenty million--and that ain't a tenth of what he might bewilling to pay. Can you think that big? Two hundred million dollars?Well then, imagine that much money thrown down on the desert for himand me to fight over. Do you think it's possible to be pleasant andpolite, and always reasonable and just, when you're fighting a manthat's never quit yet, for a whole danged mountain of copper?" He roseup and shook himself and swelled out his chest and then looked at herand smiled. "Just remember that, in the days that are coming, and giveme the benefit of the doubt. "

"But I don't believe it!" she exclaimed incredulously. "What groundhave you for that valuation of the mine?"

"Well, his offer, for one thing, " answered Rimrock soberly. "He neverpays what a thing is worth. But did you see Mr. Jepson when I wentinto the assay house and began looking at those diamond-drill cores?He was sore, believe me, and the longer I stayed there the more fidgetyJepson got. That ore assay's big, but the thing that I noticed is thatall of it carries some values. You can begin at the foot of it andwork that whole mountain and every cubic foot would pay. And thatpeacock ore, that copper glance! That runs up to forty per cent. Now, here's a job for you as secretary of the Company, a little whirl intothe higher mathematics. Just find the cubic contents of Tecolotemountain and multiply it by three per cent. That's three per cent. Copper, and according to those assays the whole ground averages that. Take twenty claims, each fifteen hundred feet long, five hundred feetacross and say a thousand feet deep; pile the mountain on top of them, take copper at eighteen cents a pound and give me the answer in dollarsand cents. Then figure it out another way--figure out the humancussedness that that much copper will produce. "

"Why--really!" cried Mary as she sat staring at him, "you make mealmost afraid. "

"And you can mighty well be so, " he answered grimly. "It gets me goingsometimes. Sometimes I get a hunch that I'll take all my friends andgo and camp right there on the Old Juan. Just go out there with gunsand hold her down, but that ain't the way it should be done. Theminute you show these wolves you're afraid they'll fly at your throatin a pack. The thing to do is to look 'em in the eye and keep your gunkind of handy, so. "

He tapped the old pistol that he still wore under his coat and leanedforward across her desk. 

"Now tell me this, " he said. "Knowing what you know now, does it seemso plain criminal--what I did to that robber, McBain?"

Mary met his eyes and in spite of her the tears came as she read thedesperate longing in his glance. He was asking for justification afterthose long months of silence, but his deed was abhorrent to her still. She had shuddered when he had touched that heavy pistol whose shot hadsnuffed out a man's life; and she shuddered when she thought of it, when she saw his great hand and the keen eyes that had looked death atMcBain. And yet, now he asked it, it no longer seemed criminal, onlybrutal and murderous--and violent. It was that which she feared inhim, much as she was won by his other qualities, his instinctive resortto violence. But when he asked if she considered it plain criminal shewas forced to answer him:

"No!"

"Well, then, what is the reason you always keep away from me and looklike you didn't approve? Ain't a man got a right, if he's crowded toofar, to stand up and fight for his own? Would you think any better ofme if I'd quit in the pinch and let McBain get away with my mine?Wasn't he just a plain robber, only without the nerve, hiringgun-fighters to do the rough work? Why, Mary, I feel proud, every timeI think about it, that I went there and did what I did. I feel like aman that has done a great duty and I can't stand it to have youdisapprove. When I killed McBain I served notice on everybody that noman can steal from me, not even if he hides behind the law. And now, with all this coming up, I want you to tell me I did right!"

He thrust out his big head and fixed her eyes fiercely, but she slowlyshook her head. 

"No, " she said, "I can never say that. I think there was another way. "

"But I tried that before, when he robbed me of the Gunsight. My God, you wouldn't have me go to law!"

"You didn't need to go to law, " she answered, suddenly flaring up inanger. "I warned you in plenty of time. All you had to do was to goto your property and be there to warn him away. "

"Aw, you don't understand!" he cried in an agony. "Didn't I warn himto keep away? Didn't I come to his office when you were right thereand tell him to keep off my claims? What more could I do? But he wentout there anyhow, and after that there was nothing to do but fight!"

"Well, I'm glad you're satisfied, " she said after a silence. "Let'stalk about something else. "

"No, let's fight this out!" he answered insistently. "I want you tounderstand. "

"I do, " she replied. "I know just how you feel. But unfortunately Isee it differently. "

"Well, how do you see it? Just tell me, how you feel and see if Ican't prove I'm right. "

"No, it can't be proved. It goes beyond that. It goes back to the waywe've been brought up. My father was a judge and he worshiped thelaw--you men out West are different. "

"Yes, you bet we are. We don't worship any law unless, by grab, it'sright. Why, there used to be a law, a hundred years ago, to hang a manif he stole. They used to hang them by the dozen, right over there inEngland, and put their heads on a spike. Could you worship that law?Why, no; you know better. But there's a hundred more laws on ourstatute books to-day that date clear back to that time, and lots ofthem are just as unreasonable. I believe in justice, and every man forhis own rights, and some day I believe you'll agree with me. "

"That isn't necessary, " she said, smiling slightly, "we can proceedvery nicely without. "

"Aw, now, that's what I mean, " he went on appealingly. "We canproceed, but I want more than that. I want you to like me--and approveof what I do--and love and marry me, too. "

He poured it out hurriedly and reached blindly to catch her, but sherose up and slipped way. 

"No, Rimrock, " she said as she gazed back at him from a distance, "youwant too much--all at once. To love and to marry are serious things, they make or mar a woman's whole life. I didn't come out here with theintention of marrying and I have no such intention yet. And to win awoman's love--may I tell you something? It can never be done byviolence. You may take that big pistol and win a mountain of copperthat is worth two hundred million dollars, but love doesn't come thatway. You say you want me now, but to-morrow may be different. And youmust remember, you are likely to be rich. "

"Yes, and that's why I want you!" burst out Rimrock impulsively. "Youcan keep me from blowing my money. "

"Absolutely convincing--from the man's point of view. But what aboutthe woman's? And if that's all you want you don't have to have me. You'll find lots of other girls just as capable. "

"No, but look! I mean it! I've got to have you--we can throw in ourstock together!"

There was a startled pause, in which each stared at the other as ifwondering what had happened, and then Mary Fortune smiled. It was avery nice smile, with nothing of laughter in it, but it served torecall Rimrock to his senses. 

"I think I know what you mean, " she said at last, "but don't you thinkyou've said enough? I like you just as much; but really, Rimrock, you're not very good at explaining. "

CHAPTER XV

A GAME FOR BIG STAKES

The next thirty days--before the stockholders' meeting--were spent byRimrock in trying to explain. In spite of her suggestion that he wasnot good at that art he insisted upon making things worse. What hewanted to say was that the pooling of their stock would be ahappy--though accidental--resultant of their marriage; what he actuallysaid was that they ought to get married because then they would standtogether against Stoddard. But Mary only listened with a wise, sometimes wistful, smile and assured him he was needlessly alarmed. Itwas that which drove him on--that wistful, patient smile. Somehow hefelt, if he could only say the right words, she would lean right overand kiss him!

But those words were never spoken. Rimrock was worried and harassedand his talk became more and more practical. He was quarreling withJepson, who stood upon his rights; and Stoddard had served notice thathe would attend the meeting in person, which meant it had come to ashowdown. So the month dragged by until at last they sat together inthe mahogany-furnished Directors' room. Rimrock sat at the head of thepolished table with Mary Fortune near by, and Stoddard and Buckbeeopposite. As the friend of all parties--and the retiringDirector--Buckbee had come in the interest of peace; or so he claimed, but how peace would profit him was a question hard to decide. It mightseem, in fact, that war would serve better; for brokers are the sharksin the ocean of finance and feed and fatten where the battle isfiercest. 

Whitney Stoddard sat silent, a tall, nervous man with a face lined deepwith care, and as he waited for the conflict he tore off long strips ofpaper and pinched them carefully into little square bits. ElwoodBuckbee smiled genially, but his roving eye rested fitfully on MaryFortune. He was a dashing young man of the Beau Brummel type and therewas an ease and grace in his sinuous movements that must have flutteredmany a woman's heart. But now he, too, sat silent and his appraisingglances were disguised in a general smile. 

"Well, let's get down to business, " began Rimrock, after thepreliminaries. "The first thing is to elect a new Director. Mr. Buckbee here has been retired and I nominate Mary Fortune to fill thevacancy. "

"Second the motion, " rapped out Stoddard and for a moment Rimrockhesitated before he took the fatal plunge. He knew very well that, once elected to the directorship, he could never remove her by himself. Either her stock or Stoddard's would have to go into the balance toundo the vote of that day. 

"All in favor say 'Ay!'"

"Ay!" said Stoddard grimly; and Rimrock paused again. 

"Ay!" he added and as Mary wrote it down she felt the eyes of both ofthem upon her. The die had been cast and from that moment on she wasthe arbiter of all their disputes. 

They adjourned, as stockholders, and reconvened immediately asDirectors; and the first matter that came up was a proposition fromBuckbee to market a hundred million shares of common stock. 

"You have here, " he said, "a phenomenal property--one that will standthe closest of scrutiny; and with the name of Whitney H. Stoddardbehind it. More than that, you are on the eve of an enormousproduction at a time when copper is going up. It is selling now forover eighteen cents and within a year it will be up in the twenties. Within a very few months, unless I am mistaken, there will be a battleroyal in the copper market. The Hackmeister interests have had coppertied up, but the Tecolote Company can break that combine and at thesame time gain an enormous prestige. There will be a fight, of course, but this stock will cost you nothing and you can retain a controllingshare. My proposition is simply that you issue the common and divideit pro rata among you, your present stock then becoming preferred. Then you can put your common on the market in such lots as you wish andtake your profits at the crest. In conclusion let me say that I willhandle all you offer at the customary broker's charge. "

He sat down and Rimrock looked out from under his eyebrows at Stoddardand Mary Fortune. 

"Very well, " said Stoddard after waiting for a moment. "It's agreeableto me, I'm sure. "

"I'm against it, " declared Rimrock promptly. "I'm against any form ofreorganization. I'm in favor of producing copper and taking ourprofits from that. "

"But this is plain velvet, " protested Buckbee, smilingly. "It's justlike money picked up in the road. I don't think I know of any companyof importance that hasn't done something of the kind. "

"I'm against it, " repeated Rimrock in his stubborn way and all eyeswere turned upon Mary Fortune. She sat very quiet, but her anxious, lip-reading gaze shifted quickly from one to the other. 

"Did you get that, Miss Fortune?" asked Buckbee suavely, "theproposition is to issue a hundred million shares of common and startthem at, say, ten cents a share. Then by a little manipulation we canraise them to twenty and thirty, and from that on up to a dollar. Atthat price, of course, you can unload if you wish: I'll keep you fullyinformed. "

"Yes, I understood it, " she answered, "but I'm not in favor of it. Ithink all stock gambling is wrong. "

"You--_what_?" exclaimed Buckbee, and Whitney H. Stoddard was soastounded that he was compelled to unmask. His cold, weary eyes becamepredatory and eager and a subtle, scornful smile twisted his lips. Even Rimrock was surprised, but he leaned back easily and gave her aswift, approving smile. She was with him, that was enough; let thestock gamblers rage. He had won in the very first bout. 

"But my dear Miss Fortune, " began Stoddard, still smiling, "do yourealize what you have done? You have rejected a profit, at the veryleast, of one or two million dollars. "

"That may be, " she said, "but I prefer not to take it unless we givesomething in return. "

"But we do!" broke in Buckbee, "that stock is legitimate. The peoplethat buy in will get rich. "

"But the people who buy last will lose, " she said. "I know, because Idid it myself. "

"Oho!" began Buckbee, but at a glance from Stoddard he drew back andconcealed his smirk. Then for half an hour with his most tellingarguments and the hypnotic spell of his eyes Whitney Stoddard outdidhimself to win her over while Rimrock sat by and smiled. He had triedthat himself in days gone by and he knew Stoddard was wasting hisbreath. She had made up her mind and that was the end of it--therewould be no Tecolote common. Even Stoddard saw at last that his casewas 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 ofconscience. They would see if that conscience could not be utilized. 

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

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

"I refer, " he said, "to the saloon at the camp, which you have putthere in spite of Jepson's protests. Now outside the question ofgeneral policy--the effect on the men, the increase in accidents andthe losses that are sure to result--I wish to protest, and to protestmost vigorously, against having a whiskey camp. I want the Tecolote todraw 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 theirlives with rum. I could speak on this further, but I simply make amotion that Tecolote be kept a temperance camp. "

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

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

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

"How do _you_ vote?" challenged Stoddard, trying to spur him to theleap, 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 anafterthought, but Stoddard was again wearing his mask. It was Buckbeewho indulged in the laugh. 

"We can't all win, " he said, rising up to go. "Think of me and thatTecolote common!"

Rimrock grinned, but Stoddard had come there for a purpose and he didnot choose to unbend. 

"Mr. Jones, " he began, as they were left alone, "I see we are not ableto agree. Every point that I bring up you oppose it on generalprinciples. Have you any suggestions for the future?"

"Why, yes, " returned Rimrock, "since I'm in control I suggest that youleave me alone. I know what you'd like--you'd like to have me playdead, and let you and Jepson run the mine. But if you've got enough, if you want to get out, I might take that stock off your hands. "

A questioning flash came into Stoddard's keen eyes. 

"In what way?" he enquired cautiously. 

"Well, just place a value on it, whatever you think it's worth, andwe'll get right down to business. " Rimrock hitched up his trousers, and the square set of his shoulders indicated his perfect willingnessto begin. "You're not the only man, " he went on importantly, "that'sgot money to put into mines. "

"Perhaps not, " admitted Stoddard, "but you take too much for granted ifyou think I can be bought out for a song. "

"Oh, no, " protested Rimrock, "I don't think anything like that. Iexpect you to ask a good price. Yes, a big price. But figure it out, now, what you've put into the mine and a reasonable return for yourrisk. Then multiply it by five, or ten, or twenty, whatever you thinkit's worth, and make me an offer on paper. "

"Not at all! Not at all!" rapped out Stoddard hastily, "I'm in themarket to buy. "

"Well, then, make me an offer, " said Rimrock bluffly, "or Miss Fortunehere, if she'd like to sell. Here, I'll tell you what you do--you nameme a figure that you'll either buy at, or sell! Now, that's fair, ain't it?"

A fretful shadow came over Stoddard's face as he found himself still onthe defense and he sought to change his ground. 

"I'll tell you frankly why I make this offer--it's on account of theOld Juan claim. If you had shown any tendency to be in the leastreasonable I'd be the last to propose any change----"

"Never mind about that, " broke in Rimrock peremptorily, "I'll take yourword for all that. The question is--what's your price?"

"I don't want to sell!" snapped out Stoddard peevishly, "but I'll giveyou twenty million dollars for your hundred thousand shares of stock. "

"You offered that before, " countered Rimrock coolly, "when I was shutup in the County Jail. But I'm out again now and I guess you can see Idon't figure on being stung. "

"I'll give you thirty million, " said Stoddard, speaking slowly, "andnot a dollar more. "

"Will you sell out for that?" demanded Rimrock instantly. "Will youtake _forty_ for what you hold? You won't? Then what are you offeringit to me for? Haven't I got the advantage of control?"

"Well, perhaps you have, " answered Stoddard doubtfully and turned andlooked straight at Mary. "Miss Fortune, " he said, "I don't know youintimately, but you seem to be a reasonable woman. May I ask at thistime whether it is your present intention to hold your stock, or tosell?"

"I intend to hold my stock, " replied Mary very quietly, "and to vote itwhichever way seems best. "

"Then am I to understand that you don't follow Mr. Jones blindly, andthat he has no control over your stock?"

Mary nodded, but as Stoddard leaned forward with an offer she hurriedon to explain. 

"But at the same time, " she said in her gentlest manner and with areassuring glance at her lover, "when we think what hardships Mr. Joneshad endured in order to find this mine, and all he has been throughsince, I think it is no more than right that he should remain incontrol. "

"Aha! I see!" responded Stoddard cynically, "may I enquire if youyoung people have an understanding?"

"That is none of your business, " she answered sharply, but the telltaleblush was there. 

"Ah, yes, excuse me, " murmured Stoddard playfully, "a lady might wellhesitate--with him!"

He cast a teasing glance in the direction of Rimrock and perceived hehad guessed right again. "Well, well, " he hurried on, "that does makea difference--it's the most uncertain element in the game. But allthis aside, may I ask you young people if you have a top price for yourstock. I don't suppose I can meet it, but it's no harm to mention it. Don't be modest--whatever it is!"

"A hundred million dollars!" spoke up Rimrock promptly, "that's what Ivalue my share of the mine. "

"And you?" began Stoddard with a quizzical smile, but Mary seemed notto hear. It was a way she had, when a thing was to be avoided; butStoddard raised his voice. "And you, Miss Fortune?" he calledinsistently. "How much do you want for your stock?"

She glanced up, startled, then looked at Rimrock and dropped her eyesto the table. 

"I don't wish to sell, " she answered quietly and the two men glared ateach other. 

"Mr. Jones, " began Stoddard in the slow, measured tones of a priest whoinvokes the only god he knows, "I'm a man of few words--now you cantake this or leave it. I'll give you--fifty--million--dollars!"

"Nothing doing!" answered Rimrock. "I don't want to sell. Will youtake fifty millions for yours?"

For a moment Stoddard hesitated, then his face became set and his voicerasped harshly in his throat. 

"No!" he said. "I came here to buy. And you'll live to wish you hadsold!"

"Like hell!" retorted Rimrock. "This has been my day. I'll know whereI'm at, from now on. "

CHAPTER XVI

THE TIGER LADY

The winter came on with its rains and soft verdure and desert shrubsbursting with bloom and, for a man who professed to know just exactlywhere he was at, Rimrock Jones was singularly distrait. When he castdown the glove to Whitney H. Stoddard, that glutton for punishment whohad never quit yet, he had looked for something to happen. Eachmorning he rose up with the confident expectation of hearing that theOld Juan was jumped; but that high, domelike butte remained as lifelessas ever, without a single guard to herd the apex claim. Then he fellto watching Jepson and talking to the miners and snooping for somehidden scheme, but Jepson went ahead with his machine-like efficiencyuntil the Tecolote began to turn out ore. 

Day and night the low thunder of the powerful batteries told of themilling of hundreds of tons; and the great concentrator, sprawling downon the broad hillside, washed out the copper and separated it from themuck. Long trains of steel ore-cars received the precious concentratesand bore them off to the distant smelters, and at last there came theday when the steady outpay ceased and the money began to pile up in thebank. L. W. 's bank, of course; for since the fatal fight he had beenRimrock's banker and bosom friend. But that ended the long wait. Atthe sight of all that money Rimrock Jones began to spend. 

For a year and more Rimrock had been careful and provident--that is, careful and provident for him. Six months of that time had been spentin the County Jail, and since then he had been watching Stoddard. Butnow Whitney H. Stoddard--and Jepson, too--were uniformly polite andconsiderate. There was no further question--whatever Rimrock orderedwas done and charged up to the Company. That had been Stoddard'spayment for his share of the mine, and now the money was pouring back. Rimrock watched it and wondered, then he simply watched it; and at lasthe began to spend. 

His first big blow-out was a raid on The Mint, where Ike Bray still ranhis games; and when Rimrock rose up from the faro table he owned theplace, fixtures and all. It had been quite a brush, but Rimrock waslucky; and he had a check-book this time, for more luck. That turnedthe scales, for he outheld the bank; and, when he had won The Mint, hepresented it to Old Hassayamp Hicks. 

"They can talk all they please, " he said in his presentation speechwhich, though brief, invoked tremendous applause, "but the man don'tlive that can say I don't remember my friends. "

Yet how difficult it is to retain all our friends, though we come withgifts in both hands! Rimrock rewarded Hassayamp and L. W. , and WooChong, and every man who had done him a kind act. If money can cementfriendships he had won over the whole town, but with Mary Fortune hehad failed. On that first triumphant night when, after their bout withStoddard, they realized the true value of their mine; in the dim lightof the balcony and speaking secretly into her ear, he had won, for oneinstant, a kiss. But it was a kiss of ecstasy, of joy at their triumphand the thought that she had saved him from defeat; and when he laidhold of her and demanded another she had fought back and leapt up andfled. And after that, repentance; the same, joyless waiting; and, atlast, drink again, to forget. And then humbler repentance andforgiveness of a kind, but the sweet trustfulness was lost from hersmile. 

So with money and friends there came little happiness, either forRimrock or yet for her. They looked at each other across a chasm ofdifferences where any chance word might offend. He had alluded at onetime to the fact that she was deaf and she had avoided his presence fordays. And she had a way, when his breath smelled of drink, of drawingher head away. Once when he spoke to her in his loud, outdoor voiceshe turned away and burst into tears; but she would never explain whatit was that had hurt her, more than to ask him not to do it again. Soit went until his wild, ungoverned nature broke all bounds and heturned to drink. 

Yet if the first phase of his devotion had been passed by Rimrock hewas not lacking in attentions of a kind, and so one evening as theWest-bound train was due Mary found herself waiting for him in theladies' balcony. This oriental retreat, giving them a view of thelobby without exposing them to the rough talk of the men, was commonground for the women of the hotel, and as she looked over the railingMary was distinctly conscious of the chic Mrs. Jepson, sitting near. Mrs. Jepson, as the wife of the Tecolote Superintendent, was in asocial class by herself and, even after Mary's startling rise to adirectorship in the Company, Mrs. Jepson still thought of her as atypist. Still a certain feeling of loyalty to her husband, and anatural fear for his job, had prompted Mrs. Jepson, in so far aspossible, to overlook this mere accident of occupation. And behind hertoo-sweet smile there was another motive--her woman's curiosity waspiqued. Not only did this deaf girl, this ordinary typist, hold thefate of her husband in her hand, but she could, if she wished, marryRimrock Jones himself and become the wife of a millionaire. And yetshe did not do it. This was out of the ordinary, even in Mrs. Jepson'sstratum of society, and so she watched her, discreetly. 

The train 'bus dashed up outside the door and the usual crowd of peoplecame in. There was a whiff of cold air, for the winter night was keen, and then a strange woman appeared. She walked in with a presence, escorted by Jepson, who was returning from a flying trip East; andimmediately every eye, including Mrs. Jepson's, was shifted and rivetedupon her. She was a tall, slender woman in a black picture-hat andfrom the slope of her slim shoulders to the high heels of her slippersshe was wrapped in a single tiger skin. Not a Bengal tiger with blackand tawny stripes, but a Mexican tiger cat, all leopard spots and red, with gorgeous rosettes in five parallel rows that merged in the purewhite of the breast. It was a regal robe, fit to clothe a queen, andas she came in, laughing, she displayed the swift, undulating stride ofthe great beast which had worn that fine skin. 

They came down to the desk and the men who had preceded them gave wayto let her pass. She registered her name, meanwhile making some gayanswer to a jesting remark from Jepson who laid aside his dignity tolaugh. The clerk joined the merriment, whereupon it was instantlyassumed that the lady was quite correct. But women, so they say, arepreternaturally quick to recognize an enemy of the home. As Mary gazeddown she became suddenly conscious of a sharp rapping on the balconyrail and, looking up, she beheld Mrs. Jepson leaning over, glaring ather husband. Perhaps Jepson looked up--he sensed her in some way--and, remembering, glanced wildly about. And then, to the moment, in cameRimrock Jones, striding along with his big hat in his hand. 

It happened as in a play, the swift entrance of the hero, a swifterglance, and the woman smiled. At sight of that tiger-skin coat Rimrockstopped dead in his tracks--and Jepson saw his chance to escape. 

"Mr. Jones, " he beckoned frantically, "let me introduce you to Mrs. Hardesty. Excuse me!" And he slipped away. There were explanationslater, in the privacy of the Jepson apartments, but Mr. Jepson nevercould quite understand. Mrs. Hardesty had come out with a card fromMr. Stoddard and it was his duty, no less, to look after her. Butmeanwhile the drama moved swiftly, with Mary in the balcony looking on. She could not hear, but her eyes told her everything and soon she, too, slipped away. Her appointment was neglected, her existence forgotten. She had come--the other woman!

"Ah, well, well!" the woman cried as she opened her eyes at Rimrock andheld out a jeweled hand, "have you forgotten me already? I used to seeyou so often--at the Waldorf, but you won't remember!"

"Oh! Back in New York!" exclaimed Rimrock heartily. "What'd you saythe name? Oh, _Hardesty_! Oh, yes! You were a friend of----"

"Mr. Buckbee! Oh, I was sure you would remember me! I've come out tolook at your mine!"

They shook hands at that and the crowd moved off further, though itincreased as the circle expanded, and then Rimrock looked again at thetiger-skin. 

"Say, by George!" he exclaimed with unctuous admiration, "ain't thatthe finest tiger-skin you ever saw. And that's no circusproduct--that's a genuine _tigre_, the kind they have in Old Mexico!"

"Oh, you have been in Mexico? Then that's how you knew it! I meet somany people who don't know. Yes, I have an interest in the famousTigre Mine and this was given me by a gentleman there!"

"Well, he must have been crazy over you!" declared Rimrock frankly, "orhe'd never have parted with that skin!"

"Ah, you flatter me!" she said and turned to the clerk with an inquiryregarding her room. 

"Give her the best there is!" spoke up Rimrock with authority, "andcharge it up to the Company. No, now never you mind! Ain't you afriend of Buckbee's? And didn't you come out to see our mine?"

"Oh, thank you very much, " answered Mrs. Hardesty sweetly, "I prefer topay, if you don't mind. "

"Your privilege, " conceded Rimrock, "this is a fine, large, freecountry. We try to give 'em all what they want. "

"Yes, it is!" she exclaimed. "Isn't the coloring wonderful! And haveyou spent all your life on these plains? Can't we sit down heresomewhere? I'm just dying to talk with you. And I have business totalk over, too. "

"Oh, not here!" exclaimed Rimrock as she glanced about the lobby. "This may not be the Waldorf, but we've got some class all the same. Come up to the balcony--built especially for the ladies--say, how'sfriend Buckbee and the rest?"

And then with the greatest gallantry in the world he escorted her toMary's own balcony. There was another, across the well, but he did noteven think of it. He had forgotten that Mary was in the world. Asthey sat in the dim alcove he found himself telling long stories andlistening to the gossip of New York. Every word that he said wasreceived with soft laughter, or rapt silence or a ready jest; and whenshe in her turn took the conversation in hand he found her sharing withhim a new and unseen world. It was a woman's world, full of oddsurprises. Everything she did seemed quite sweet and reasonable and atthe same time daring and bizarre. She looked at things differently, with a sort of worldly-wise tolerance and an ever-changing, provocativesmile. Nothing seemed to shock her even when, to try her, he movedcloser; and yet she could understand. 

It was a revelation to Rimrock, the laughing way she restrained him;and yet it baffled him, too. They sat there quite late, each delvinginto the mystery of the other's personality and mind, and as the lowerlights were switched off and the alcove grew dimmer, the talk becameincreasingly intimate. A vein of poetry, of unsuspected romance, developed in Rimrock's mind and, far from discouraging it or seeming tobelittle it, Mrs. Hardesty responded in kind. It was a rare experiencein people so different, this exchange of innermost thoughts, and astheir voices grew lower and all the world seemed far away, they took nonotice of a ghost. 

It was a woman's form, drifting past in the dark corridor where thecarpet was so thick and soft. It paused and passed on and there was aglint of metal, as of a band of steel over the head. Except for thatit might have been any woman, or any uneasy ghost. For night is thetime the dead past comes back and the soul mourns over what islost--but at dawn the spirits vanish and the work of the world goes on. 

Mary Fortune appeared late at the Company office, for she had verylittle to do; and even when there she sat tense and silent. Why not?There was nothing to do. Jepson ran the mine and everything about it, and Rimrock attended to the rest. All she had to do was to keep trackof the records and act as secretary to the Board of Directors. Theynever met now, except perfunctorily, to give Rimrock more money tospend. He came in as she sat there, dashing past her for some papers, and was dashing out when she spoke his name. 

"Oh, Mr. Jones, " she said and, dimly noting its formality, he pausedand questioned her greeting. 

"Oh, it's Mister again, is it?" he observed stopping reluctantly. "Well, what's the matter now?"

"Yes, it's Mister, " she said, managing to smile quite naturally. "Youknow you told me your name was 'Mister'--since you made your pile andall that--but, Mister, I'm going away. "

"Going away!" exclaimed Rimrock, suddenly turning to look at her; andthen he came hurriedly back. 

"Say, what's the matter?" he asked uneasily, "have I done somethingelse that is wrong?"

"Why, no, " she laughed, "what a conscience you have! I'm going Eastfor an operation--I should have gone long ago. Oh, yes, I've beenthinking about it for quite a while; but now I'm going to go. Youdon't know how I dread it. It's very painful, and if it doesn't makeme any better it's likely to make me--. "

"Oh, " said Rimrock thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, "well, say, when doyou want to go? I'm going East myself and there ought to be one ofus----"

"So soon?" enquired Mary and as Rimrock looked at her he caught atwinkle in her eyes. Not of merriment exactly, but of swiftunderstanding and a hidden, cynical scorn. 

"What d'ye mean?" he blustered. "Ain't I got a right----"

"Why, certainly, " she returned, still with that subtle resentment, "Ihave no objections at all. Only it might make a difference to Mr. Stoddard if he found us both away. "

"Aw, that's all bosh!" broke out Rimrock impatiently, "he's got hishands more than full in New York. I happen to know he's framing up acopper deal that will lay the Hackmeisters wide open. That's why Iwant to go back. Mrs. Hardesty says----"

"Mrs. Hardesty?"

Rimrock stopped and looked down. Then he picked up his hat and madeanother false start for the door. 

"Yes, Mrs. Hardesty--she came in last night. That lady that wore thetiger skin. "

"Oh!" said Mary and something in her voice seemed to stab him in theback as he fled. 

"Say, what do you mean?" he demanded, coming angrily back, "you speaklike something was wrong. Can't a man look twice at some other womanwithout your saying: 'Oh!' I want you to understand that this Mrs. Hardesty is just as good as you are. And what's more, by grab, she'sgot stock in our Company and we ought to be treating her nice. Yes, she bought it from Stoddard; and if I could just pull her over----

"How much stock?" asked Mary, reaching suddenly for a book, and Rimrockfidgeted and turned red. 

"Two thousand shares!" he said defiantly. "She's got as much as youhave. "

"Oh!" murmured Mary as she ran through the book, and Rimrock flew intoa fury. 

"Now for the love of Mike!" he cried, striding towards her, "don'talways be pulling that book! I know you know where every share is, andjust who transferred it to who, but this Mrs. Hardesty has told meshe's got it and that ought to be enough!"

"Why, certainly!" agreed Mary, instantly closing the book. "I justdidn't recall the name. Is she waiting for you now? Then don't let medetain you. I'll be starting East to-night. "

Rimrock rocked on his feet in impotent anger as he groped for a fittingretort. 

"Well, go then!" he said. "What do I give a damn?" And he rushedsavagely out of the room. 

CHAPTER XVII

AN AFTERTHOUGHT

It was part of the violent nature of Rimrock that his wrath fell uponboth the just and the unjust. Mary Fortune had worsted him in theirpassage at arms and left him bruised from head to heels. She hadsimply let him come on and at every bludgeon stroke she had repliedwith a rapier thrust. Without saying a word against the character ofMrs. Hardesty she had conveyed the thought that she was an adventuress;or, if not exactly that, then something less than a lady. And the sureway in which she had reached for that book was proof positive that thestock was not recorded. But the thing that maddened him most, andagainst which there was no known defense, was her subtle implicationthat Mrs. Hardesty was at the bottom of his plan to go East. And so, with the fury still hot in his brain, he made poor company on the roadto the Tecolote. 

Since Mrs. Hardesty had come, as a stockholder of course, to look overthe Company's properties, it was necessary that she should visit themine, though she was far from keen for the trip. She came down atlast, heavily veiled from the sunshine, and Rimrock helped her into hismachine; but, being for the moment in a critical mood and at war in hisheart against all women, he looked at her with different eyes. For thebest complexion that was ever laid on will not stand the test of thedesert and in the glare of white light she seemed suddenly older andpitifully made up and painted. Even the flash of pearly teeth and thedangerous play of her eyes could not hide the dark shadows beneath; andher conversation, on the morning after, seemed slightly artificial andforced. 

Perhaps, in that first flight of their unleashed souls when they satclose in the balcony alone, they had reached a height that could neverbe attained when the sun was strong in their eyes. They crouchedbehind the windshield, for Rimrock drove recklessly, and went roaringout across the desert and between the rush of the wind and the sharpkick of the chuck-holes conversation was out of the question. Thenthey came to the camp, with its long rows of deal houses and the roughbulk of the concentrator and mill; and even this, to Mrs. Hardesty'swind-blown eyes, must have seemed exceedingly Western and raw. 

A mine, at the best, is but a hole in the ground; and that whichappears on top--the shaft-houses and stacks and trestles and dumps--issingularly barren of interest. The Tecolote was better than most, forthere were open cuts with steam shovels scooping up the ore, and minersdriving holes into the shattered formation and powder-men loadingshots. Rimrock showed it all faithfully, and they watched some blastsand took a ride in the gliding cars, but it was hardly a trip that theaverage lady would travel from New York to take. So they both breatheda sigh when the ordeal was over and the car had taken them home. 

At the door of the hotel Mrs. Hardesty disappeared, which gave Rimrocka chance for a drink, but as he went past the desk the clerk called himback and added to the burden of his day. 

"What's these?" demanded Rimrock as the clerk handed over some keys, but he knew them all too well. 

"The keys to the office, sir. Miss Fortune left quite suddenly andrequested me to deliver them to you. "

"Where'd she go?" he asked, and, not getting an answer, he burst into afit of cursing. He could see it all now. She had not gone for anoperation, she had gone because she was mad. She was jealous, and thatwas her way of showing it--she had gone off and left him in a hole. Heought to have known from that look in her eye and the polite, smilingway she talked. Now he was tied to the mast and if he went to New Yorkhe would have to turn over the mine to Jepson! And that would giveJepson just the chance he wanted to jump the Old Juan claim. 

For a man who was worth fifty million dollars and could claim a wholetown for his friends Rimrock put in a most miserable night as he dwelton this blow to his hopes. He was like a man checkmated atchess--every way he turned he was sure to lose if he moved. For thechance of winning a hypothetical two thousand shares, which Stoddardwas supposed to have sold to Mrs. Hardesty, he had thrown away and lostforever his control over Mary Fortune's stock. Now, if he followedafter her and tried to make his peace, he might lose his chance withMrs. Hardesty as well; and if he stayed with _her_ Mary was fullycapable of throwing her vote with Stoddard's. It was more than herstock, it was her director's vote that he needed above everything else!

Rimrock paced up and down in his untidy room and struggled to find away out. With Mary gone he could not even vote a dividend unless hecame to an agreement with Stoddard. He could not get the money tocarry out his plans, not even when it lay in bank. He could notappoint a new secretary, to carry on the work while he made his trip toNew York. He couldn't do anything but stay right there and wait untilhe heard from her!

It was a humiliating position for a man to find himself in, andespecially after his talk with Mrs. Hardesty. Perhaps he had notconsidered the ways and means very carefully, but he had promised herto go back to New York. A man like him, with his genius for financeand his masterful control of men, a man who could rise in a single yearfrom a prospector to a copper king; such a man was wasted in provincialArizona--his place was in Wall Street, New York. So she had said thatnight when they sat close together and their souls sought the highempyrean of dreams--and now he was balked by a woman. Master of men hewas, and king of finance he might be, but woman was still his bane. 

He looked at it again by the cold light of day and that night heappealed to Mrs. Hardesty. She was a woman herself, and wise in theways of jealousy, intrigue and love. A single word from her and thisimpenetrable mystery might be cleared up like mist before the sun. Andshe ought to help him because it was through her, indirectly, that allthis trouble had occurred. Until her arrival there had never been amoment when he had seriously worried over Mary. She had scolded, ofcourse, about his gambling and drinking and they had had their bad halfhours, off and on; but never for an instant had there been thesuggestion of a break in their business affairs. About that, at least, she had always been reasonable; but now she was capable of anything. It would not surprise him to get a telegram from Stoddard that he wascoming out to take over the control; nor to discover later, across thedirectors' table, Mary Fortune sitting grimly by. He knew her toowell! If she once got started! But he passed--it was up to Mrs. Hardesty. 

They met at dinner, the lady being indisposed during the day as aresult of their strenuous trip, but she came down now, floatinggracefully in soft draperies and Rimrock knew why he had built thosebroad stairs. He had thought, in jail, that he was building them forMary, but they were for Mrs. Hardesty after all. She was a queen noless in her filmy gown than in the tiger-skin cloak that she wore, andRimrock dared to use the same compliment on her that he had coined forMary Fortune. They dined together in a secluded corner on the bestthat the chef could produce--and for a Chinaman, he accomplishedmiracles--but Rimrock said nothing of his troubles. The talk waswholly of gay, distant New York, and of the conflict that was formingthere. 

For a woman of society, compelled by her widowhood to manage her ownaffairs, it was wonderful to Rimrock how much she knew of theintricacies of the stock market and of the Exchange. There was not afinancier or a broker of note that she did not know by name, and thecomplex ways by which they achieved their ends were an open book toher. Even Whitney H. Stoddard was known to her personally--theshrewdest intriguer of them all--and yet he, so she said, had a humanside to him and let her in on occasional deals. He had been a closefriend of her husband, in their boyhood, and that probably accountedfor the fact; otherwise he would never have sold her that Tecolote. 

"But he's got a string on it, " suggested Rimrock shrewdly; but she onlydrooped her eyelashes and smiled. 

"I never carry gossip between rivals, " she said. "They might fly ateach other's throats. You don't like Mr. Stoddard. Very well, hedoesn't like you. He thinks you're flighty and extravagant. But isthat any reason why we shouldn't be friends--or why my stock isn'tperfectly good?"

"Don't you think it!" answered Rimrock. "Any time you want to sellit----"

"A-ah! At it again!" she chided laughingly. "How like fightinganimals men are. If I'd toss that stock, like a bit of raw meat, inthe midst of you copper-mad men! But I won't, never fear. In thefight that would follow I might lose some highly valued friend. "

From the droop of her lashes Rimrock was left to guess who that friendmight be and, not being quick at woman logic, he smiled and thought ofStoddard. They sat late at their table and, to keep him at ease, Mrs. Hardesty joined him in a cigarette. It was a habit she had learnedwhen Mr. Hardesty was living; although now, of course, every onesmoked. Then, back at last in the shadowy alcove--which was suddenlyvacated by the Jepsons--they settled down on the Turkish divan andinvited their souls with smoke. It rose up lazily as the talk driftedon and then Rimrock jumped abruptly to his problem. 

"Mrs. Hardesty, " he said, "I'm in a terrible fix and I want you to helpme out. I never saw the man yet that I couldn't get away with--give metime, and room according to my strength--but I've had a girl workingfor me, she's the secretary of our company, and she fools me everytime. "

Mrs. Hardesty laughed--it was soft, woman's laughter as if she enjoyedthis joke on mere man--and even when Rimrock explained the dangerousside of his predicament she refused to take it seriously. 

"Ah, you're all alike, " she said sighing comfortably, "I've never knownit to fail. It's always the woman who trusts through everything, andthe man who disbelieves. I saw her, just a moment, as she passed downthe hall and I don't think you have anything to fear. She's a quietlittle thing----"

"Don't you think it!" burst out Rimrock. "You don't know her the way Ido. She's an Injun, once she makes up her mind. "

"Well, even so, " went on Mrs. Hardesty placidly, "what reason have youto think she means trouble? Did you have any words with her before shewent away? What reason did she give when she left?"

"Well, " began Rimrock, "the reason she gave was some operation to beperformed on her ears. But I know just as sure as I'm sitting hereto-night she did it out of jealousy, over you. "

"Over me!" repeated Mrs. Hardesty sitting up abruptly; and then shesank back and shook with laughter. "Why, you foolish boy, " she cried, straightening up reproachfully, "why didn't you tell me you were inlove? And we sat here for hours! Did she see us, do you suppose? Shemust have! Was she waiting to speak to you, do you think?"

"My--God!" exclaimed Rimrock, rising slowly to his feet. "I had anappointment with her--that night!" He paused and Mrs. Hardesty satsilent, the laughter dead on her lips. "Yes, sir, " he went on, "I wasgoing to meet her--here! By grab, I forgot all about it!" He struckhis leg a resounding whack and sank back upon the divan. "Well, nowisn't--that fierce!" he muttered and Mrs. Hardesty tittered nervously. 

"Ah, well, " she said, "it's soon discovered, the reason why she leftyou so abruptly. But didn't she say a word about it? That doesn'tseem very lover-like, to me. What makes you think the child wasjealous? Did she mention my name at all?"

"Nope, " mumbled Rimrock, "she never mentioned it. That girl is anInjun, all through! And she'll knife me, after this! I can feel itcoming. But, by George, I plumb forgot!"

"Oh, come now!" consoled Mrs. Hardesty, giving him a gentle pat, "thisisn't so bad, after all. If I can only see her, I'll explain itmyself. Have you any idea where she's gone?"

"Bought a ticket for New York--where Old Stoddard hangs out. I can seemy finish--right now!"

"No, but listen, Mr. Jones--or may I call you Rimrock? That's such afine, Western name! Did it ever occur to you that the trains are stillrunning? You could follow, and let me explain!"

"Aw, explain to a tiger cat! Explain to an Apache! I tell you thatgirl is an Injun. She'll go with you so far, and stand for quite alittle; but when she strikes fire, look out!"

"Oh, very well, " murmured Mrs. Hardesty and reached for a cigarettewhich she puffed delicately while Rimrock gloomed. It was painfullyclear now--the cause of Mary's going and the embittered vindictivenessof her smile. Not only had he sat up to talk with Mrs. Hardesty, buthe had brought her to where Mary had been waiting. He had actuallytalked love, without really meaning it, with this fascinating woman ofthe world; and, having an appointment to meet him right there, howcould Mary help but know? He pictured her for a moment, lingeringsilently in the background, looking on where she could not hear. Wasit less than human that she should resent it and make an excuse to go?And yet she had done it so quietly--that was the lady in her--without aword of tragedy or reproach! He remembered suddenly that she hadlaughed quite naturally and made some joke about his name being Mister. 

"What's that you say about the trains still running?" he demanded as heroused up from his thoughts. "Well, excuse me, right now! I'm on myway! I'm going back to hunt that girl up!"

He leaped to his feet and left her still smoking as he rushed off toenquire about the trains. 

"Well, well, " she murmured as she gazed thoughtfully after him, "he'sas impulsive as any child. Just a great, big boy--I rather likehim--but he won't last long, in New York. "

CHAPTER XVIII

NEW YORK

Rimrock Jones' return to New York was as dramatic and spectacular ashis first visit had been pretentious and prodigal. With two thousanddollars and a big black hat he had passed for a Western millionaire;now, still wearing the hat but loaded down with real money, he returnedand was hailed as a Croesus. There are always some people in publiclife whose least act is heralded to the world; whereas others, muchmore distinguished but less given to publicity, accomplish miracles andare hardly known. And then there are still others who, fed up withflattery and featured in a hundred ways, are all unwittingly thevictims of a publicity bureau whose aim is their ultimate undoing. 

A real Western cowboy with a pistol under his coat, a prospector turnedmulti-millionaire in a year, such a man--especially if he wears asombrero and gives five-dollar tips to the bell-hops--is sure to breakinto the prints. But it was a strange coincidence, when Rimrock jumpedout of his taxicab and headed for the Waldorf entrance, to find abattery of camera men all lined up to snap him and a squad of reportersinside. No sooner had Rimrock been shot through the storm door intothe gorgeous splendors of Peacock Alley than they assailed him enmasse--much as the bell-boys had just done to gain his grip and thefive-dollar tip. 

That went down first--the five-dollar tip--and his Western remarks onthe climate. Then his naïve hospitality in inviting them all to thebar where they could talk the matter over at their ease, and hisequally cordial agreement to make it tea when he was reminded that somereporters were women--it all went down and came out the same evening, at which Rimrock Jones was dazed. If he had telegraphed ahead, or letanyone know that he planned to return to New York, it would not havebeen surprising to find the reporters waiting, for he was, of course, agreat man; but this was a quick trip, made on the spur of the moment, and he hadn't told a soul. Yet in circumstances like these, with aroomful of newspapers and your name played up big on the front page, itis hardly human nature to enquire too closely or wonder what is goingon. Still, there was something up, for even coincidence can explainthings only so far. Leaving out the fact that Mrs. Hardesty might havesent on the telegram herself, and that Whitney H. Stoddard might havemotives of his own in inviting his newspapers to act; it did not standto reason that the first man Rimrock ran into should have had such asweet inside tip. Yet that was what the gay Buckbee told him--andcircumstances proved he was right. The money that Rimrock put up thatnight, after talking it over in the cafe, that money was doubled withinthe next three days, and the stock still continued to advance. It wasinvested on a margin in Navajoa Copper, a minor holding of the greatHackmeister combine that Stoddard had set out to break. 

Stoddard was selling short, so Buckbee explained, throwing great blocksof stock on a market that refused to break; and when the rush came andNavajoa started up Rimrock was there with the rest of his roll. It wasa game that he took to--any form of gambling--and besides, he wasbucking Stoddard! And then, there was Buckbee. He knew more in aminute than some brokers know in a lifetime; and he had promised tokeep him advised. Of course it was a gamble, a man might lose, but itbeat any game Rimrock had played. And copper was going up. Copper, the metal that stood behind it all, and that men could not do without. 

There was a movement on such as Rimrock had never dreamed of, tocontrol the copper product of the world. It had been tried before andhad ended disastrously, but that did not prove it impossible. Therewere in the United States six or eight companies that produced the bulkof the ore. Two or three, like the Tecolote, were closed corporations, where the stock was held by a few; but the rest were on the market, thefootball of The Street, their stock owned by anybody and everybody. Itwas for these loose stocks that the combine and Stoddard were fighting, with thousands of the public buying in, and as the price of some stockwas jigged up and down it was the public that cast the die. 

If the people were convinced that a certain stock was good and refusedto be shaken down, the price of that stock went up. But if the people, through what they had read, decided that the stock was bad; then therewas a panic that nothing could stop and the big interests snapped upthe spoils. So much Rimrock learned from Buckbee, and Mrs. Hardestytold him the rest. It was her judgment, really, that he came to relyupon; though Buckbee was right, in the main. He told the facts, butshe went behind them and showed who was pulling the strings. 

It was from her that he had learned of the mighty press agencies--whichat the moment were making much of his coup--and how shrewd financierslike the Hackmeisters or Stoddard used them constantly to influence themarket. If it became known, for instance, that Rimrock Jones wasplunging on Navajoa and that within three days he had doubled his moneyand was still holding out for a rise; that was big news for Hackmeisterand his papers made the most of it. But if Navajoa went down and somebroker's clerk lost his holdings and committed embezzlement, or if amining engineer made an adverse report, or the company passed adividend, then Stoddard's press agents would make the most of eachitem--if he wished the stock to go down. Otherwise it would not bementioned. It was by following out such subtleties and closelystudying the tape, that brokers like Buckbee guessed out each move inadvance and were able to earn their commissions. 

But all this information did not come to Rimrock for nothing--there wasa price which had to be paid. For reasons of her own the dashing Mrs. Hardesty appeared frequently in the Waldorf lobby, and when Rimrockcame in with any of his friends he was expected to introduce them. AndRimrock's friends in that swarming hotel were as numerous as they werein Gunsight. He expected no less, wherever he went, than thefriendship of every man; and if any held back, for any reason, hemarked him as quickly for an enemy. He was as open-hearted and free inthose marble corridors and in the velvet-hung club and cafe as the oldRimrock had been on the streets of Gunsight when he spoke to everyMexican. 

It was his day of triumph, this return to the Waldorf where before hehad been but a pretender, and it did his heart good to share hisvictory with the one woman who could understand. She knew all his waysnow, his swift impulsive hatreds and his equally impulsive affections;and she knew, as a woman, just when to oppose him and when to lead himon. She knew him, one might say, almost too well for her success; forRimrock was swayed more by his heart than his head, and at times sheseemed a little cold. There was a hard, worldly look that came overher at times, a sly, calculating look that chilled him when he mighthave told everything he knew. Yet it may easily be that he told herenough, and more than she needed to know. 

In some curious way that Rimrock could never fathom, Mrs. Hardesty wasinterested in stocks. She never explained it, but her visits to theWaldorf had something to do with trades. Whether she bought or sold, gathered tips or purveyed them or simply guarded her own investmentswas a mystery that he never solved; but she knew many people and, insome way not specified, she profited by their acquaintance. She was anelusive woman, like another that he knew; but at times she startledhim, too. Those times were mostly on the rare occasions when sheinvited him to supper at her rooms. These were at the St. Cyngia, notfar from the Waldorf, a full suite with two servants to attend. 

On his first formal call Rimrock had been taken aback by the wealth andluxury displayed. There were rare French tapestries and soft Persianrugs that seemed to merge into the furniture of the rooms and at hisvery first dinner she had poured out the wine until even his stronghead began to swim. It was a new world to him and a new kind ofwoman--with the intellect and, yes, the moral standards of a man. Shewas dainty and feminine, and with a dark type of beauty that went tohis head worse than wine, but with it all she had a stockbroker'sinformation and smoked and drank like a man. But then, as she said, all the women smoked now; and as far as he could judge, it was so. Thewomen they saw in the gay all-night restaurants or after the theater incabarets, all beautifully gowned and apparently with their husbands, drank and smoked the same as the men. 

But the thing that startled Rimrock and made him uneasy was the way shehad when they were alone. After the dinner was over, in her luxuriousapartments, when the servant had left them alone, as they sat togetheracross the table and smoked the scented cigarettes that she loved, hecould feel a spell, a sort of enchantment, in every soft sweep of hereyes. At other times her long, slender arms seemed thin, in a way, andunrounded; but then her whole form took on the slim grace of a dancerand that strange light came into her eyes. It too was a light such ascomes to dancers' eyes, as they take on some languid pose; but it hadthis difference--it was addressed to him, and her words belied hereyes. The eyes spoke of love, but, leaning across the table, the tigerlady talked of stocks. 

It was on the occasion of his first winning on copper, when he had soldout his Navajoa at a big profit; and, after the celebration that he hadprovided, she had invited him to supper. The cigarettes were smokedand, with champagne still singing in his ears, Rimrock followed her tothe dimly lighted reception-room. They sat by the fire, her slim armsgleaming and dark shadows falling beneath her hair; and as Rimrockwatched her, his heart in his throat, she glanced up from her musing tosmile. 

"What a child you are, after all!" she observed and Rimrock raised hishead. 

"Yes, sure, " he said, "I'm a regular baby. It's a wonder someonehasn't noticed and took me in off the street. "

"Yes, it is, " she said with a twist of the lips, "the Street's no placefor you. Some of those big bears will get you, sure. But here's whatI was thinking. You came back to New York to watch Whitney Stoddardand be where you could do him the most harm. That's childish in itselfbecause there's no reason in the world why both of you shouldn't befriends. But never mind that--men will fight, I suppose--it's only aquestion of weapons. "

"Well, what do we care?" answered Rimrock with a ready smile, "Ithought maybe you might adopt me. "

"No, indeed, " she replied, "you'd run away. I've seen boys like youbefore. But to think that you'd come back here to get the lifeblood ofStoddard and then go to buying Navajoa! Why not? Why, you might aswell be a mosquito for all the harm you will do. A grown man likeyou--Rimrock Jones, the copper king--fighting Stoddard through Navajoa!"

"Well, why not?" defended Rimrock. "Didn't I put a crimp in him?Didn't I double my money on the deal?"

"Yes, but why Navajoa? Why not Tecolote? If you must fight, why notuse a real club?"

Rimrock thought a while, for the spell was passing and his mind hadswitched from her charms. 

"How'm I going to use Tecolote?" he blurted out at last. "It's tiedup, until I can find that girl!"

"Not necessarily, " she replied. "We who live by the Street learn touse our enemies as well as our friends. You will never whip Stoddardas long as you stand off and refuse to sit in on the game. Isn't hisvote as good as your friend, the typist's? Then use it to put Tecoloteon the market. You know what I mean--to vote Tecolote commons and getthe stakes on the board. Then while this scramble is on and he'sfighting the Hackmeisters, buy Tecolote and get your control. "

"Fine and dandy!" mocked Rimrock. "You're right, I'm a sucker; andit's a shame to take my money. But I don't want any Tecolote Commons. "

"Why not?" she challenged, laughing gayly at his vehemence. "Are youafraid to play the game?"

"Not so you'd notice it, " answered Rimrock grimly, "but I never playthe other fellow's game. The Tecolote game is going to be played inArizona, where my friends can see fair play. But look at Navajoa, howballed up that company is with its stocks all scattered around. Untilit comes in for transfer nobody knows who's got it. They may be soldclear out and never know it. No, I may look easy, but I've beendog-bit once and I've got the leg to show for it. To issue that stockwe'd have to call in the lawyers and go through some reorganizationscheme; and by the time we got through, with Miss Fortune gone, I'dfind myself badly left. There'll be no lawyers for me, and no commonstock. I know another way to win. "

He paused and as she failed to ask what it was, he grunted and litanother cigarette. 

"I wonder, " she began after a thoughtful pause, "if Stoddard doesn'tknow where she is. "

She had guessed it as surely as if he had stated his plan--he stillhoped to find Mary Fortune. And then? Well, his plan was a littlenebulous right there; but Mary held the necessary stock. If he couldget control, in any way whatsoever, of that one per cent. Of the stockhe could laugh at Stoddard and take his dividends to carry on his fightin coppers. He had neglected her before, but this time it would bedifferent; she could have anything she asked. And his detectives werehunting for her everywhere. 

"Don't know, " he answered after a dogged silence. "Why? what makes youthink he does?"

She laughed. 

"You don't know Mr. Stoddard as well as I do. He's a very successfulman. Very thorough. If _he_ set out to find Mary Fortune he'd bealmost sure to do it. "

"Hm, " said Rimrock. "I'd better watch him, then. I'll call up aboutthat to-morrow. Just have a man there to watch the door--she might begoing in or out. "

"What a sleuth you are!" she answered gravely, and then she broke downand laughed. "Well, well, " she said, "'tis a battle of wits, but lovemay find a way. Do you believe in love?" she went on abruptly asRimrock showed signs of pique. "I just wanted to know. You great, bigWestern men seem more fitted, somehow, for the part of copper kings. But tell me honestly, I feel so trifling to-night, do you believe inthe great love for one woman? Or do you hold with these drawing-roomphilosophers that man is by nature polygamous? Never mind myfeelings--just tell me. "

She coiled up lazily in her soft plush great-chair and regarded himwith languid eyes, and Rimrock never suspected that the words he hadspoken would go straight to Stoddard that night. He forgot hisrejection of a get-together plan and his final refusal of commonstocks; all he saw was this woman with her half-veiled glances and thefirelight as it played on her arms. He had confessed his hope of stillfinding Mary and of winning her back to his side; but as he gazed atthe tiger lady, sprawling so negligently before him, his ficklethoughts wandered to her. He denounced the theory of these latter-dayphilosophers that man is essentially a brute and, still watching herfurtively, he expressed the conviction that he could love the One Womanforever. 

CHAPTER XIX

WHERE ALL MEN MEET

When Rimrock had caught the first train for New York he had thought itwas to seek out Mary Fortune--to kneel at her feet and tell her humblythat he knew he had done her a wrong--but as the months went by and hisdetectives reported no progress he forgot his early resolve. The rushand excitement of that great gambling game that goes on in the StockExchange, the plunges on copper and the rushes for cover, all thegive-and-take of the great chase; it picked him up as a great flowingstream floats a leaf and hurries it along, and Gunsight and Tecoloteand the girl he had known there seemed far away, like a dream. 

He was learning the game from the gamblers about him, all the ins andouts of The Street; the names and methods of all the great leaders andhow they had won their success; and also, bold gambler that he was, hewas starting on a career of his own. In days gone by, at roulette orfaro, or in frontier poker games, he had learned to play with bigchances against him and, compared to them, Wall Street was safe. Themoney that he staked was less than six months' earnings of his share ofthe Tecolote Mine; and from the brief notes of L. W. , who was acting ashis agent, there was more of it piling up. So he played it carelessly, like the plunger he was, and fortune--and Mrs. Hardesty--smiled. 

He won, on the Street; and, though the stakes were not specified, heseemed to be winning with her. It was a question with him whether awoman of her kind ever thought of such a thing as marriage. She hadmoney of her own, and all that money could buy; and her freedom, whatever that was. In this new world about him all the terms of lifeseemed changed and transposed and vague, and he never quite knew whatshe meant. Every word that she said when they discussed life and loveseemed capable of a double intent, and whether by freedom she meant toyield or to escape something he had never made out. All he knew wasthat at times she seemed to beckon him on and at others to fend himaway. She was fickle as fortune which, as he plunged and covered, sometimes smiled and again wore a frown. 

But it was sparkling and stimulating as the champagne he now drank, this new life with its win and lose, and he played his stakes with thestoical repose of a savage, the delighted abandon of a boy. His brokerwas always Buckbee, that gay, laughing Beau Brummel who had given himhis first start in the world. It was Buckbee who had met him when hefirst came to the Waldorf with his assays and his samples of ore and, after much telephoning and importuning and haggling, had arranged forhis interview with Stoddard. That interview had resulted in Rimrock'sfirst clash with Stoddard, and he had hated him ever since; for a manwho would demand a controlling interest in a mine for simply lendinghis name was certainly one who was fully capable of grabbing the restif he could. So Rimrock had fought him; but for Buckbee, the broker, he had nothing but the best of good will. 

To be sure Buckbee worked for Stoddard--that was plainly made evidentat the time they had made the first deal--but he was open-hearted andhonest and generous with his tips, and Rimrock found they were good. Buckbee even went further, he arranged credit for Rimrock at one of thebiggest banks and when in his plunges he was caught short of funds thebank made him loans on his note. They took no chances, for he wasrated at millions as half owner of the Tecolote Mine, but it helped outmightily as he extended his operations and found his marginsthreatened. But all this buying and selling of stocks, theestablishment of his credit and the trying out of his strength, it wasall preliminary to that great contest to come when he would come outinto the open against Stoddard. 

Whitney Stoddard was a man rated high up in the millions, but he wasfallible like the rest. His wealth, compared to Rimrock's was as ahundred dollars to one, but it was spread out a hundred times as far;and with his next dividend, which was due in December, Rimrock wouldhave nearly a million in cash. To Stoddard, at the same time, therewould come nearly the same amount of money, but it would be gone withina few days. There were obligations to be met, as Rimrock well knew, that would absorb his great profits and more. The Tecolote Mine, before it began to pay, had cost several million dollars in dead work. That money had been borrowed, and while Rimrock took in velvet, Stoddard was obligated to pay his debts. 

Several months went by and, patient Indian that he was, Rimrock stillfollowed on Stoddard's trail. He looked up his connections with theTranscontinental railroad and there he made his first strike. Althoughhe moulded the policies of that great corporation and seemed endowedwith unlimited power his actual holdings in the stock of the companywere almost ridiculously small. Yet he took advantage of hisdominating position and the influence it gave him with the directors tomake such coups as he had made with the Tecolote, building the branchline which had given value to his mine. As a business proposition itwas a good investment for the Company, but who was it that reaped thebig profits? By the investment of less than three milliondollars--which he had borrowed as he went along--Whitney Stoddard hadacquired practically a half interest in a property which he valued at ahundred millions. And now he was bucking the Hackmeisters!

The thought of this man, who had come up from nothing and was even yetbarely on his feet, deliberately attempting to break the great coppercombine was hardly credible to Rimrock. He marveled now at thepresumption of Stoddard in offering him fifty millions for his half andthe control of the mine. From what he could gather Stoddard had neverpossessed fifty millions, nor did he possess them then. He was tradingon his name and traveling on a shoestring; quite the common thing inNew York. But Rimrock knew as well as he knew anything that a man likeStoddard was dangerous. As sure as the time came, by some hook orcrook, he would beat him out of his mine. The thing to do was to beathim to it--to raid his newly acquired Navajoa stocks and then pinch himuntil he let go of Tecolote. But it must be done secretly, not a wordto anybody, not even to Buckbee or Mrs. Hardesty. They were friends ofStoddard's as well as his--it was safest to work alone. 

So, while outwardly the same good-hearted plunger, Rimrock began hiscampaign of revenge. It opened with a series of secret orders tooutside brokers that he knew and soon, by selling Navajoa short, he hadhammered the asking price down. Then he bought it in, a little at atime, until the market began to rise; and then, vindictively, heslaughtered it again and gathered in more at the bottom. Not fornothing had he listened to Mrs. Hardesty and Buckbee and learned howthe market riggers worked, but neither to her nor to Buckbee did he somuch as hint of his purpose. His day would come when the Tecolotedividend was voted, when he got his million dollar check; and the onlything that could keep him from a notable revenge was some slip-up inconnection with the dividend. 

In the continued absence of Mary Fortune, with her third and decisivevote, it would be necessary for Rimrock to agree with Stoddard, to theextent of dividing their profits. Not a great ways to go, even for menwho were sworn enemies, and Stoddard certainly needed the money. Heneeded it badly, much worse than Rimrock, and would need it from timeto time; yet until Rimrock actually got his hands on the money it wasessential to conceal his plans. For a shrewd man like Stoddard, if hegot an inkling of his purpose, was perfectly capable of tying up theirprofits and of stopping his credit at the bank. It was dangerousground and Rimrock trod it warily, buying Navajoa in the mostroundabout ways; yet month after month increased his holdings until hiscredit at the bank was stretched. If they asked for collateral hecould turn over his Navajoa, although that would tip off his hand; buthis note was still good and he went in deeper as the date of the annualmeeting drew near. 

There came a time when Buckbee asked shrewd questions and Mrs. Hardestytook him playfully to task; but he carried it off by wise nods andsmiles and the statement that he knew something good. He was learningthe game and, to cover up his tracks, he joined the mad whirl of sociallife. In place of his black sombrero and the high-heeled boots thathad given him his entree in New York he appeared one evening in a tophat and dress suit, with diamonds glittering down the front of hisshirt. It was a new plunge for him, but Buckbee supplied the tailorand Mrs. Hardesty launched his debut. 

She had almost adopted him, this baffling, "free" woman, and yet shestill had her reserves. She went with him everywhere, but therecherché suppers were almost a thing of the past. It was the operanow, and the gayest restaurants, and dinners where they metdistinguished guests; but at the entrance of the St. Cyngia, when thegraven-faced doorman opened the door to let her pass, she had acquireda way of giving Rimrock her hand without asking if he wouldn't come in. She played him warily, for his nature was impetuous and might easilylead him too far; but the time came at last when she found himrecalcitrant and insurgent against her will. 

It was at the opera where, amid jewelled women and men in immaculateattire, they had sat through a long and rather tedious evening duringwhich Mrs. Hardesty had swept the boxes with her lorgnette. Somethingthat she saw there had made her nervous and once in the cloakroom shedelayed. Rimrock waited impatiently and when at last she joined him heforced his way aggressively into the slow-moving crowd and they wereswept on down the broad, marble stairs. Once a part of that throng, there was no escaping its surge, and yet, as they drifted with therest, two great columns of humanity flowing together like twin brooksthat join in a river below, she clutched his arm and started back; butthe crowd swept her inexorably on. Then Rimrock caught her glance--itwas flashing across the foyer to the stream on the other side. Hefollowed it instinctively and there, tripping gracefully down thestairway as he had seen her once before at Gunsight, was Mary Fortune, his girl!

Yes, his girl! Rimrock knew it instantly, the girl he had alwaysloved. The One Woman he could love forever if fate would but give himthe chance. He started forward, but a hand restrained him; it was Mrs. Hardesty at his side. 

"Where are you going?" she asked and the slim, jewelled fingers closeddown on his hand like a vise. 

"Let me go!" muttered Rimrock, as he struggled against her; but shejerked him back to her side. 

"Don't you dare to humiliate me!" she hissed into his ear, "don't youdare to leave me--for her!"

"It's Mary!" mumbled Rimrock without taking his eyes from her and Mrs. Hardesty tightened her grasp. 

"If you do--I'll kill you!" she added dangerously; but Rimrock gave noheed. He had forgotten all about her; forgotten she was there, thedead weight that was holding him back; all he saw was Mary, moreradiant than ever, moving towards him down the stairs. She was dressedin soft white and her glorious brown hair, that had before been crusheddown beneath its clasp, was fluffed out now in all its beauty; and shetalked and laughed as she came. At her side was an elderly, distinguished gentleman who listened with an indulgent smile--and thenthey were engulfed in the crowd. The mass of humanity that had sweptthem down the stairway closed in and swallowed them up. 

She was gone--but she was there--right there through the crowd--andRimrock started towards her. Mrs. Hardesty followed, dragged on bymain strength, and then resolutely she set her feet. The outragedescorts of jostled ladies formed a solid phalanx against him andRimrock wheeled impatiently. 

"Let go of my arm!" he commanded savagely and then he met her eyes. Ifhe had doubted before the nature of the tiger woman he could read itnow at a glance. She was choking with anger and her thin, even teethwere bared as she hissed out her breath; and then she spoke, veryquietly:

"If you are a gentleman, " she said in his ear, "you will not fail toescort me home. Otherwise----"

She stopped, but the roll of her eyes conveyed a threat that wentbeyond words. She was a tigress, after all, a woman of dark passionsand uncontrolled anger, a woman who beneath her languid grace had thestrength and the courage to strike. And now as she faced him themill-race of people surged against them and carried them on. Theymoved with the crowd, there was no escape, and she lashed him withbitter words. He listened, unchastened, his head held high, his eyesstill seeking for Mary; and as they plunged into the opposing currentsof the street, he met her, face to face. 

The distinguished man was talking now and Mary was listening to what hesaid; yet her eyes, that were accustomed to read from the lips, werenow free to look about. A swift, unbidden gladness leapt up into themat first as she recognized Rimrock in the crowd; and then, quick aslightning, she saw the other woman and the glad look went out of hereyes. They flared up suddenly with the old anger and resentment and asquickly took on a distant stare. Then they turned to her escort and asRimrock was shoved past them he heard her answer him pleasantly. Itwas just a word, only a fraction of a word, and then Mrs. Hardestybroke in. What she said fell again upon unheeding ears, but Rimrockknew it was harsh. Harsh and threatening and yet with an undertone ofpassion that thrilled him against his will. 

He found himself in a gliding auto' with the street lights twinklingpast, and there he came out of his dream. 

"What's the matter with you?" he asked at last as he discovered herstill walking on and she burst into hysterical tears. 

"What's the matter!" she echoed, "why, can't you see? I'm in love withyou--that's what's the matter! Oh, I hate that woman! She's a cruelthing--didn't you see the way she looked at me? But I'll pay her back, I'll get even with her yet! Ah, my God, how I hate the sight of her!"

She fell to weeping and Rimrock, silenced, drew away and left heralone. Then the automobile stopped and through the glass they couldsee the imposing entrance of the St. Cyngia. The chauffeur reachedback and threw open the door and Rimrock leapt quickly out, but Mrs. Hardesty did not follow. She sat in the half-darkness, composing herhair and working swiftly to cover the traces of tears; and when shestepped out she was calm. 

"Excuse me, " she whispered as he led her towards the door, "I didn'tmean what I said. But I do love you, Rimrock, in spite of myself, and--won't you come in for a moment?"

They stood at the entrance and the Sphinxlike doorman opened the doorto let them pass. Outside it was cold and from the portals there cameforth a breath of warm air, but for the first time Rimrock held back. 

"No, thank you very much, " he said, bowing formally, and turned quicklyback towards the car. She watched him a moment, then drew her cloakabout her and hurried in swiftly through the door. 

CHAPTER XX

A LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY

As Mrs. Hardesty guessed, Rimrock was hurrying away in order to followMary Fortune; and as Rimrock guessed, she had invited him in to keephim from doing just that. She failed, for once, and it hurt her pride;but Rimrock failed as well. After a swift spin through the streets hereturned to his hotel and called up his detective in a rage. 

"Say, what kind of an agency are you running, anyhow?" he demanded whenhe got his man. "Ain't you been working ten months to find MaryFortune? Well, I met her to-night, on the street. What's that yousay? There's three million people! Well, I don't care if there'ssix--I want you to find that girl! No, stop her nothing! You lay ahand on her and I'll come down to your office and kill you. Just tellme where she is and keep an eye on her and I don't care what youcharge. And paste this in your hat--if you don't find that girl you'llhave to sue for your pay!"

The agency had to sue, for ten days later, Rimrock received a letterfrom her hand. It was mailed from Gunsight, Arizona, and was strictlybusiness throughout. It was, in fact, the legal thirty days' notice ofthe annual meeting of the Company

"in the town of Gunsight, county of Geronimo, Territory of Arizona, onTuesday, the 22nd day of December, to transact the following business, viz:

"1--to elect a Board of Directors

"2--to transact any other business that may properly come before themeeting. "

Rimrock read it over and his courage failed him--after all he wasafraid to face her. He did not flatter himself that she hated him; shedespised him, and on account of Mrs. Hardesty. How then could hehasten back to Gunsight and beg for a chance to explain? She had fledfrom his presence ten months before, on the day after Mrs. Hardestycame; and ten months later, when she met him by accident, he was withMrs. Hardesty again. As far as he knew Mrs. Hardesty was a perfectlady. She went out everywhere and was received even by millionaires onterms of perfect equality--and yet Mary Fortune scorned her. Shescorned her on sight, at a single glance, and would not even argue thematter. Rimrock decided to use "the enclosed proxy. "

He made it out in the name of L. W. Lockhart and returned it by thefollowing mail, and then he called up the detective agency and toldthem to go ahead and sue. He told them further that he was willing tobet that Stoddard knew where she was all the time; and if they werestill working for him, as he strongly suspected, they could tell himshe was back in Gunsight. Rimrock hung up there and fell to pacing thefloor and for the first time the busy city looked gray. It looked draband dirty and he thought longingly of the desert with its miles andmiles of clean sand. He thought of his mine and how he had fought forit, and of all his friends in the straggling town; of Old Juan and L. W. And hearty Old Hassayamp with his laugh and his Texas yupe. And ofMary Fortune, the typist, as he had known her at first--but now she wassending letters like this:

"DEAR SIR:

You are hereby notified that the regular Annual Meeting of theStockholders of the Tecolote Mining Company will be held at the officesof the Company, in the Tecolote Hotel, " etc. , etc. 

Rimrock threw down the letter and cursed himself heartily for a fool, achump and a blackguard. With a girl like that, and standing all shehad from him, to lose her over Mrs. Hardesty! Who was Mrs. Hardesty?And why had she gone to Gunsight and fetched him back to New York? Wasit because he was crazy that he had the idea that she was an agent, somehow, of Stoddard? That two thousand shares of Tecolote stock thatshe had assured him Stoddard had sold her, wasn't it part of theirscheme to lure him away and break up his friendship with Mary? Becauseif Mrs. Hardesty had it she had never produced it, and there was norecord of the transfer on the books. Rimrock brought down his fist andswore a great oath never to see the woman again. From the day he mether his troubles had begun--and now she claimed she loved him!

Rimrock curled his lip at the very thought of any New York woman inlove. There was only one woman who knew what the word meant and shewas in Gunsight, Arizona. He picked up her letter and scanned itagain, but his eyes had not learned to look for love. Even the driestformula, sent from one to another, may spell out that magic word; mayspell it unconsciously and against the will, if the heart but rules thehand. Mary Fortune had told him in that briefest of messages that shewas back in Gunsight again; and furthermore, if he wished to see her, he could do so in thirty days. It told him, in fact, that while theirpersonal relations had been terminated by his own unconsidered acts; asfellow stockholders, perhaps even as partners, they might meet and worktogether again. But Rimrock was dense, his keen eyes could not see it, nor his torn heart find the peace that he sought. Like a woundedanimal he turned on his enemy and fought Stoddard to keep down thepain. And back at Gunsight, trying to forget her hate, Mary Fortunefought her battle alone. 

There was great excitement--it amounted almost to a panic--when MaryFortune stepped in on Jepson. During her unexplained absence he hadnaturally taken charge of things, with L. W. Of course, to advise; andto facilitate business he had moved into the main office where he couldwork with the records at hand. Then, as months went by and neither shenor Rimrock came back to assert their authority, he had rearranged theoffices and moved her records away. Behind the main office, with itsplate-glass windows and imposing furniture and front, there were twosmaller rooms; the Directors' meeting place and another, now filledwith Mary's records. A clerk, who did not even know who she was, satat his ease behind her fine desk; and back in the Directors' room, withits convenient table, L. W. And Jepson were in conference. She couldsee them plainly through the half-opened door, leaning back and smokingtheir cigars, and in that first brief interval before they caught sightof her she sensed that something was wrong. 

Of course there were apologies, and Jepson insisted upon moving out orgiving her any room she chose, but Mary assured him she had not comeback permanently and the smaller room would do just as well. Then sheset about writing the notices of the annual meeting, which had to besent out by her hand, and Jepson recovered from his fright. Perhaps herecovered too much; for Mary Fortune had intuitions, and she rememberedthat first glimpse of L. W. As the agent of Rimrock and his legalrepresentative it was desirable, of course, to be friends; but Jepson, it was well known, was the agent of Stoddard and Stoddard was aftertheir mine. Therefore it ill became Lockhart, with one treacheryagainst him, to be found smoking so comfortably with Jepson. 

So astonished and stunned had she been by the changes and the suddensuspicions that arose that Mary at first had stood startled and silent, and Jepson had raised his voice. At this he remembered that she hadgone East for an operation to help restore her hearing and, seeing hernow so unresponsive, he immediately assumed the worst. So he shoutedhis explanations and Mary, flushing, informed him that she could hearvery well. 

"Oh, I beg your pardon, " he apologized abjectly; but she noticed thathe kept on shouting. And then in a flash of sudden resentment she bither lips and let him shout. If he still wished to think that she wasdeaf as a post she would not correct him again. Perhaps if hersuspicions should prove to be justified it would help her to discoverhis plans. 

In her room that evening Mary brought from her trunk the ear-'phone shehad cast aside. She had packed it away with a sigh of relief and yet alingering fear for the future, and already she was putting it on. Atthe back of the transmitter there was a mechanical device whichregulated the intensity of the sound. When she settled the claspacross her head and hung the 'phone over her ear she set it at normaland then advanced the dial until she could hear the faintest noise. The roar of the lobby, drifting in through the transom, becameseparated into its various sounds. She could hear men talking andoutbursts of laughter and the scrape of moving chairs. The murmur ofconversation in the adjoining room became a spat between husband andwife and, ashamed of her eavesdropping, she put down the instrument andlooked about, half afraid. 

As the doctor through his stethoscope can hear the inrush of air as itis drawn into the patient's lungs, or the surge of blood as it ispumped through the heart with every telltale gurgle of the valves; sowith that powerful instrument she could hear through walls and knowwhat was being said. It was a wonderful advantage to have over thesemen if she discovered that there was treachery afoot and the followingmorning, to test it out, she wore her 'phone to the office. 

"Mr. Jepson, " she said as he rose nervously to meet her, "I'd like tobring my books down to date. Of course it is mostly a matter of form, or I couldn't have been gone for so long, but I want to look over therecords of the office and make out my annual report. "

"Why, certainly, " responded Jepson, still speaking very clearly, andassuming his most placating smile, "I'd be glad to have you check up. With Mr. Jones away I've been so pressed by work I hardly know where weare. Just make yourself at home and anything I can do for you, pleasefeel free to let me know. "

She thanked him politely and then, as she ran through the files, sheabsently removed her ear-'phone. 

"Just hold out that report of the mining experts, " she heard Jepsonremark to his clerk; and in an instant her suspicions were confirmed. He had had experts at work, making a report on their property, but hewished to withhold it from her. That report was doubtless for WhitneyH. Stoddard, the only man that Jepson really served, the man whoactually controlled their mine. But she worked on unheeding andpresently, from across the room, she heard him speak again. His voicewas low, but the painful operations, the tedious treatments she hadendured, had sharpened her hearing until she caught every word exceptthe mumbled assent of the clerk. 

"And tell Mr. Lockhart I'll arrange about that rebate. The check willgo directly to him. "

He went on then with some hurried directions about the differentaccounts to be changed and then, without troubling to shout at heragain, he turned and slipped away. She had found him out, then, thevery first day--Mr. Jepson had an understanding with L. W. ! Sheretired to her room to think it over and then went systematically towork on the books, but these seemed scrupulously correct. Theinfluence of Stoddard, that apostle of thoroughness, was apparentthroughout the office; for Jepson well knew that the day was comingwhen he must render an account to his master. The books were correct, yet she could hardly believe the marvellous production they recorded. Her share alone--a poor one per cent. Of all that enormousprofit--would keep her in comfort for the rest of her life; she neednever work again. 

But as the days went by and the yearly profit was reduced to dollarsand cents; as she looked over the statement from L. W. 's bank and sawthe money piling up to their credit; the first thrill of joy gave wayto fear--of Stoddard, and what he might do. With interests so vastlying unprotected what could restrain his ruthless hand? And yet therewas Rimrock, wrecking his life in New York and letting her watch theirmine alone! A wave of resentment rose up at the thought--it was theold hatred that she tried to fight down--and she clasped her hands andgazed straight ahead as she beheld in a vision, the woman! A lank ragof a woman, a Kipling's vampire, who lived by the blood of strong men!And to think that she should have fastened on Rimrock, who was once sofaithful and true!

For the thousandth time there rose up in her mind the old Rimrock asshe had seen him first--a lean, sunburned man on a buckskin horse witha pistol slung at his hip; a desert miner, clean, laughing, eager, following on after his dream of riches. But now, soft and fat, in tophat and diamonds, swaggering past with that woman on his arm! It wouldbe a blessing for them both if Stoddard should jump the mine and putthem back where they were before--he a hardy prospector; and she a poortypist, with a dream! But the dream was gone, destroyed forever, andall she could do was to fight on. 

As she waited for his letter from day to day, Mary Fortune thoughtincessantly of Rimrock. She went out to the mine and gazed at thegreat workings where men appeared no larger than ants. She watched theore being scooped up with steam shovels and dropped load by load intocars; she saw it crushed and pulverized and washed and the concentratesdumped into more cars; and then the endless chain of copper going outand the trainloads of supplies coming in. It was his, if he would cometo it; every man would obey him; his orders would tear down a mountain;and yet he chose to grow fat and sordid, he preferred that woman to her!

She fought against it, but the anger still raged that had driven herfleeing from New York. How could she endure it, to meet him again?And yet she hoped he would come. She hated him, but still she waitedand at last his letter came. She tore it open and drew out his proxy;and then in the quiet of her office she sat silent, while the letterlay trembling in her hands. This was his answer to her, who hadendured so much for him, his answer to her invitation to come. Heenclosed his proxy for L. W. 

She began on a letter, full of passionate reproaches, and tore it up ina rage. Then she wrote another, and tore it up, and burst into a stormof tears. She rose up at last and, dry-eyed and quiet, typed a noteand sent it away. It was a formal receipt for his proxy for Lockhartand was signed: Mary R. Fortune, Secretary. 

CHAPTER XXI

THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING

The second annual meeting of the Tecolote stockholders found Whitney H. Stoddard in the chair. Henry Rimrock Jones was too busy on the stockmarket to permit of his getting away. He was perfecting a plan whereby throwing in all his money, and all he could borrow at the bank, hehoped to wrest from Stoddard his control of Navajoa, besides dealing ablow to his pride. But Whitney H. Stoddard, besides running a railroadand a few subsidiary companies as well, was not so busy; he had plentyof time to come to Gunsight and to lay out a carefully planned program. As his supposed friend, the mysterious Mrs. Hardesty, had remarked onceupon a time: he was a very thorough man, and very successful. 

He greeted Mary warmly and in a brief personal chat flattered herimmensely by forgetting that she was deaf. He also found time toexpress his gratification that she had approved his idea of atemperance camp. In the election that followed the incumbent Directorswere unanimously re-elected, whereupon, having performed their solefunction as stockholders, they adjourned and immediately reconvened asDirectors. In marked contrast to the last, this meeting of theDirectors was characterized by the utmost harmony--only L. W. Seemedill at ease. He had avoided Mary since the day she came back, and evenyet seemed to evade her eye; but the reason for that appeared in time. 

After the usual reports of the secretary and treasurer, showing acondition of prosperity that made even Stoddard's eyes gleam, Mr. Jepson presented his report. It was a bulky affair, full of technicalstatistics and elaborate estimates of cost; but there was arecommendation at the end. 

"The report of our treasurer, " said Jepson in closing, "shows a netprofit of several million dollars, but I wish to point out our losses. Chief of these is the enormous wastage which comes from shipping ourconcentrates. There is no doubt in my mind that the Tecoloteproperties contain an inexhaustible supply of ore; nor that that ore, if economically handled, will pay an increasing profit. The principalcharges, outside the operating expenses, have been freight and thesmelting of our concentrates. As you doubtless know, the long haul toEl Paso, and the smelter charges at that end, have materially reducedour net profits. The greater part of this loss is preventable and Itherefore recommend that the Company construct its own smelter. "

He went on with estimates of costs and the estimated saving per ton, but Mary Fortune allowed her attention to stray. She was thinking ofRimrock Jones, and she was watching Rimrock's proxy. Like a criminalon trial L. W. Sat glowering, his dead cigar still in his teeth; andbefore the end of the report was reached the sweat was beading his face. 

"Well, I, for one, " began Stoddard diplomatically, "most heartilyapprove of this plan. It will necessitate, of course, a postponementof profits, but I think we can all stand that. I therefore suggestthat we apply this year's profits to the immediate construction of asmelter and, if I hear a motion, we will consider the question ofpassing the annual dividend. "

He paused and as Mary went on with her writing a dead silence fell uponthe room. L. W. Glanced at Jepson and then at Stoddard and at last hecleared his throat. 

"Well, Mr. President, " he said, half-heartedly, "this is a newproposition to me. I regret very much that Mr. Jones isn't here, but--well, I make a motion that we build the smelter and pass theannual dividend. "

He spoke with an effort, his eyes on the table, and at the end he sankback in his chair. 

"Did you get that, Miss Fortune?" asked Stoddard solicitously and Marynodded her head. 

"Yes, I second the motion, " she answered sweetly and an electric thrillpassed round the room. It had not been expected by the most optimisticthat the vote would be unanimous. 

"All in favor, say 'Ay!' spoke up Stoddard sharply, but L. W. Hadsprung to his feet. 

"Mr. President!" he began, suddenly panting with excitement, andStoddard fixed him with his steely eyes. 

"Very well, Mr. Lockhart, " he responded curtly, "what is it you wish tosay?"

"Why, I--I didn't know, " began L. W. Haltingly, "that she was going tovote--that way. "

"Well, you know it now, " answered Stoddard freezingly, "does thatconclude your remarks?"

"Oh, no!" burst out L. W. , his drawn face twitching. "I--in that case, I change my vote. I don't think Mr. Jones----"

"You haven't voted yet, " corrected Stoddard shortly, "all in favorplease say: 'Ay!'"

"Ay!" said Mary and as Stoddard echoed it he cast a sneering glance atL. W. 

"Do I understand, Mr. Lockhart, " he enquired pointedly, "that you wishto go on record as voting 'No'?"

"Yes, put me down 'No!'" directed L. W. Feverishly. "I don't approveof this at all. Rimrock needs the money--he wrote me particularly--Iwouldn't put him out for the world. " He straightened the stoop fromhis long, bent back and his eyes opened up appealingly. "Put me downfor a 'No, '" he repeated wildly. "My God, he'll kill me for this. Iwouldn't cross that boy for anything in the world--he's the best frienda man ever had. But put me down 'No'--you will, won't you, Miss? Idon't want Rimrock to know. "

"Mr. Lockhart votes 'No, '" broke in Stoddard peremptorily, "the 'Ayes'have it and the motion is carried. Is there any other business?"

His cold, incisive words seemed almost to stab, but L. W. Still swayedon his feet. 

"I'd like to explain, " he went on brokenly. "I never go back on afriend. But Rimrock, he's wasting his money back there--I thought itwould be a kindness. "

"Yes, yes, Mr. Lockhart, " interrupted Stoddard impatiently, "we allknow the goodness of your heart. Do I hear a motion to adjourn?"

He shifted his keen, commanding eyes to Mary, who nodded her head inreturn. She was watching L. W. As he stood there sweating, with theanguish of that Judas-like thought. He had betrayed his friend, he hadsold him for gold; and, already, he was sorry. 

"Second the motion, " said Stoddard. "All in favor say 'Ay!' Themeeting stands adjourned. "

He rose up quickly and gathering up his papers, abruptly left the room. Jepson followed as quickly and L. W. , still talking, found himselfalone with the girl. She was gazing at him strangely and as he pausedenquiringly she went over and held out her hand. 

"I understand, Mr. Lockhart, " she said, smiling comfortingly. "Iunderstand just how you feel. It _was_ a kindness--I felt somyself--and that's why I voted as I did. "

The staring eyes of L. W. Suddenly focused and then he seized her hand. "God bless you, " he cried, crushing her fingers in his grip. "You'llmake it right on the books? God bless you, then; I wouldn't sell outthat boy for all the money in the world. "

He broke off suddenly and dashed from the room while Mary gazedpensively after him. She too, in a way, had betrayed her friend; butshe had not done it for gold. 

As secretary of the Company and the Board of Directors it devolved uponMary Fortune to notify Rimrock of the passed dividend. She knew aswell as L. W. Knew that it would be a bitter blow to him, but she feltno pity or regret. The money that would otherwise be wasted in NewYork would be diverted to the construction of the smelter, and if hefound the loss a hardship he had only himself to thank. She went intoher office and shut the door, but, simple as the letter seemed, she wasunable to put it on paper. Three times she tried, but at each attempther pent-up anger burst forth and the coldest and most business-likewords she could summon seemed packed with hate and resentment. Shegave up at last and was sitting listlessly when she heard voices in theouter room. It was Jepson and Stoddard, and as she listened closer shecould make out what they said. 

"I've got a report here, " said the voice of Jepson, "that I'd like toshow you--alone. "

There was an impatient slamming of desk drawers and then the clerkspoke up--the young man who had taken Mary's place. 

"That report of the experts? I put it in here. You remember, onaccount of Miss Fortune. "

"Oh, yes, " answered Jepson, "and by the way, where is she?"

And then suddenly his voice was dropped. Mary reached for herear-'phone and slipped it on and listened to catch every word. IfJepson saw fit to practice deceit she had no compunction in listeningin. 

"Well, that's all right, " he was saying, "she can't hear what we say. You go on out for your lunch. "

There was a scuffling of feet and then, still talking, Jepson led theway to the Directors' room. 

"Yes, she reads your lips--she's really quite clever at it--that's her, running the typewriter, now. "

He shut the door and for several minutes Mary played a tattoo on hermachine. Then she keyed down quietly and, setting her transmitter atits maximum, she turned it towards the wall. 

"This is that report, " the voice of Jepson was saying, "that you spoketo me about in the spring. It gives the geology of the whole Tecoloteproperties, by the very best experts in the field--three independentreports, made in advance of litigation, and each comes to the sameconclusion. If we accept the ore-body as a single low-grade depositinstead of a series of high-grade parallel veins--and each of theseexperts does--the crest of that dome, the Old Juan claim, is the apexof the whole. In other words, according to the apex law, thepossession of the Old Juan claim will give us indisputable right to thewhole property. You can look over that yourself. "

There was a period of silence, broken only by the rattling of MaryFortune's machine, and then they began again. 

"Very well, " said Stoddard, "this seems satisfactory. Now what aboutthis L. W. Lockhart? In our meeting this morning he showed such acontemptible weakness that--now Jepson, that was very careless of you!Why didn't you find out before that fiasco how Miss Fortune intended tovote? It must have been perfectly evident to her, from the way Mr. Lockhart talked, that he had been--well, over-persuaded, to say theleast. It was very awkward, and if I hadn't rushed it she might havereconsidered her vote. But never mind that--I suppose you did yourbest--now who is to re-locate this claim?"

"Well, that's the question, " began Jepson. "There's a man here namedBray, who used to keep a saloon--"

"No, no!" broke in Stoddard, "no disreputable characters! Now, Jepson, this is up to you! You're the only man we can trust in anextremity----"

"Positively--no!" exclaimed Jepson firmly. "I absolutely refuse totouch it. I'll arrange the preliminaries, but after it's started youmust look to your attorneys for the rest. "

"Oh, nonsense!" cried Stoddard, "isn't it perfectly legal? Won't theclaim be open to location? Well, then, why this sudden resort toevasion and hairsplitting, and all over a mere detail?"

"I have told you before, " answered Jepson impatiently, "that it'sagainst the ethics of my profession. I am a mining engineer and if youwant this claim jumped----"

"Oh, yes, yes! We won't argue the matter! Who is this Mr. Bray?"

"He's a man with nerve--about the only one in the country that willstand up to Rimrock Jones. It seems that Jones won his saloon awayfrom him and gave it to one of his friends. Some gambling feud they'vehad on for years, but now Mr. Bray is broke. I haven't sounded him, but for a thousand dollars----"

"Five hundred!"

"Now, Mr. Stoddard!" burst out Jepson complainingly, "you don'tunderstand the gravity of this case. Do you realize that already oneman has been killed in trying to jump that claim? And Rimrock Joneshas made the threat openly that he will kill any man who does it!"

"He's a blusterer--a braggart--a criminal, through and through! Well, make it a thousand dollars. Now one thing more--is there any chancethat Mr. Lockhart may still break up all our plans? As I understandit, Jones gave him his orders to see that the assessment work was done. There are still nine days before the first of January, and it struck methat he was repenting of his bargain. You must watch him carefully--hedoesn't seem trustworthy--and positively we must have no slip-up now. Does he actually know that this work has been neglected--and that, ifnot performed, it will invalidate the claim?"

"Yes, he knows it, " answered Jepson wearily. "I've been stuffing moneyinto his bank until he has over a million in deposits, and still theold screw isn't satisfied. He's crazy over money--and yet he's just ascrazy over standing A1 with Jones. You don't realize, Mr. Stoddard, what a strain I've been under in trying to make that man run true. "

"Well, give him anything. We must win at all hazards before this thinggets back to Jones. We have cut off his money by the construction ofthis smelter, but that can't be done again; and, once he begins toaccumulate his profits, we'll find him a dangerous man. But we havepassed this dividend and before I get through with him he'll bestripped of every dollar he has won. I'm going to break that man, Jepson, if only as an example to these upstarts who are houndingNavajoa. I've got him by the heels and--but never mind that, let's seeif our plans are air-tight. Now, this man Lockhart!"

"He's drunk!" answered Jepson. "I'll arrange it to keep him soaked. "

"Very well--now Bray!"

"He's drinking, too. I'll wait till the last day, and probably sendhim out with a guard. "

"Yes, make sure of that. Better send two guards. They can sign theirnames as witnesses, in case Bray should leave the Territory. And now, this girl!" went on Stoddard, lowering his voice instinctively, "is shereally as deaf as she seems? Remember, you can never depend on awoman!"

"Yes, she's deaf!" replied Jepson. "And you don't need to worry--shehates Rimrock Jones like poison. Did you notice the way she passedthat dividend, to cut off his supply of slush? Just as sweet andsmiling! When they take it like that--well, we can forget about her!"

He paused and in the silence a typewriter began to clack with a fierce, staccato note. It was Mary Fortune, writing her letter to RimrockJones. 

CHAPTER XXII

A FOOL

The big day came for which Rimrock had waited, the day when he couldstrike his first blow. In his room at the Waldorf he had installedspecial telephone connections, with a clerk to answer his calls; andclose by the table, where he could follow his campaign, a stock tickerstamped away at its tape. It was the morning of the twenty-third ofDecember, and he had wired L. W. For his money. All was ready now forthe first raid on Navajoa and he went down to see Buckbee, the broker. 

"Mr. Buckbee, " he said when he had him by himself, "I just want to findwhere you're at. You introduced me to Stoddard and, as it turned out, we all of us made on the deal. But here's the question--if it came toa show-down, would you be for Stoddard, or me?"

"Why, my dear friend Rimrock, " answered Buckbee jovially, "I'm afraidyou don't get me right. That little deal with Stoddard was strictly onthe side--my business is to buy and sell stock. An order from you willlook just as good to me as one from Whitney H. Stoddard, and it will beexecuted just as carefully. But if it's Navajoa you have on your mindmy advice is positively to lay off. I'll buy or sell as much Navajoaas you want for the regular brokerage fee, but get this straight--whenyou go up against Stoddard you stand to lose your whole roll. Nowshoot, and I give you my word of honor to execute your orders to theletter. "

"All right, " said Rimrock, "sell ten thousand shares short. Dump 'emover--I want Navajoa to go down. "

"It'll go down, " answered Buckbee as he scribbled out the order. "Atwhat point do you want me to buy?"

"Don't want to buy, " replied Rimrock grimly and Buckbee shook his head. 

"All right, my boy, " he said debonairly, "there'll be wild doings thisday in Navajoa. But it's people like you that makes the likes of merich, so divvel another word will I say. "

Rimrock returned to his room and sat watching the tape as the tickerchamped it out and soon he saw Navajoa. It had been quoted atthirty-two and a half, but this sale was made at thirty. He watched itdecline to twenty-eight, and twenty-five, and soon it was down totwenty. He called up Buckbee. 

"Sell ten thousand more, " he ordered and Buckbee went on with theslaughter. Navajoa went down to eighteen and sixteen and then itjumped back to twenty. Big buying developed, but still Rimrock soldshort and again Navajoa slumped. At the end of the day it stood attwenty and he prepared for the next step in his campaign. He hadbeaten Navajoa down to nearly half its former price and without partingwith a single share. He had at that moment, in stock bought and paidfor, enough to cover all his short selling--this raid was to call outmore. When stock is going up the people cling to it, but when it dropsthey rush to sell. Already he could see the small sales of the pikersas they were shaken down for their shares. The next thing to do, as hehad learned the game, was to buy in; and then hammer it again. 

On the twenty-fourth, the day before Christmas, he bought till he couldbuy no more; and still the price stayed down. It was the holidaysslump, so the brokers said, but it suited him to a nicety. The nextday was Christmas and he wired once more for his money, for L. W. Hadnot answered his first telegram; and then he went out with the boys. Since his break with Mrs. Hardesty he had taken to dodging into thebar, where he could be safe from her subtle advances; but on Christmaseve he went too far. They all went too far, in the matter of drinking, but Rimrock went too far with Buckbee. He told him just exactly whathe intended to do to Stoddard; which was indiscreet, to say the least. But Buckbee, who was likewise in an expansive mood, told in turneverything he knew; and the following day, as Rimrock thought it over, he wondered if he had not been wrong. 

Buckbee had assured him that the stock on the market represented lessthan half of the Navajoa capitalization; and if that was the case itwas hopeless, of course, to try to break Stoddard's control. But, strictly as a friend and for old time's sake, Buckbee had offered tosell Rimrock's stock at a profit; he had even gone further and promisedto pass it on to Stoddard, who was in the market to protect hisholdings. At twenty-four, which was where it was selling, Rimrockwould clean up a tidy sum; and every cent of that absolute velvet wouldcome out of Stoddard's pocket. It was a great temptation, but asRimrock sobered he remembered that it was a fight to a finish. He hadset out to break Whitney Stoddard. 

The next morning at ten he sat at his desk waiting expectantly for theStock Exchange to open. It was to have been his big day when, withover a million dollars from his dividends, he had intended to buy inNavajoa. But there was one thing that left him uneasy--his money hadnot come. If it had been sent by registered mail the Christmas glutwould easily account for the delay, but three telegrams had remainedalso unanswered. He pondered for a moment, whether to wire to Mary ornot, and then the telephone rang. 

"Hello?" said a voice, "this is Buckbee speaking. What do you thinkabout the proposition I made?"

"What proposition?" demanded Rimrock and then he grunted intolerantlyas Buckbee renewed his offer for the stocks. "You must be drunk!" hesaid at the end and a merry laugh came back over the 'phone. 

"No, all joking aside--I'm sober now. What do you say to twenty-four?"

"Too little!" bluffed Rimrock. "I want at least thirty. "

"Will you take that?"

"No!" replied Rimrock, "nor thirty-five. I'm in the market to buy!"

"Well, how much do you want, then?" began Buckbee eagerly, "it's allthe same to me. As long as it moves and I get my commission I don'tcare who buys the stock. But I'll tell you one thing--you'll have toput up more margin if you start to bidding it up. Twenty per cent. , atthe least, and if it goes above thirty I'll demand a full fifty percent. You want to remember, Old Scout, that every time you buy on amargin the bank puts up the rest; and if that stock goes down they'llcall your loan and you're legally liable for the loss. You'll have tostep lively if you buck Whitney H. Stoddard--he's liable to smash theprice down to nothing. "

"I'll show him!" gritted Rimrock, "but I'll call up that bank first andfind out just how far I can go. A man like me, worth fifty millions atleast----"

"Ye-es!" jeered Buckbee, and as the broker hung up Rimrock called thepresident of the bank. It took time to get him, but when Rimrockstated his case he promised an immediate report. The answer camewithin half en hour--he could borrow up to five hundred thousand. 

"All right, " said Rimrock, and calling up Buckbee he told him to goahead and buy. 

"How much?" enquired Buckbee. 

"Buy all you can get, " answered Rimrock briefly and hurried off to thebank. 

"Now about this loan, " said the president pleasantly, "I find we havealready given you money on your note up to nearly the entire fivehundred thousand. Of course there's no question of your ability topay, but wouldn't it be more businesslike if you could put up a littlecollateral?", "For instance?" said Rimrock and at the note of antagonism thepresident was quick to explain. 

"Of course you understand, " he went on cordially, "you are good, as faras I'm concerned. But we have such troublesome things as bankexaminers, and the law is very strict. In fact, a loan of half amillion dollars on the unendorsed note of one man----"

"How much do you want?" asked Rimrock and fetched out a great sheaf ofNavajoa. 

"Well--not Navajoa, " said the banker uneasily, "we have quite a lot ofthat already, on brokers' loans. Mr. Buckbee, you know. But if youwould just put up, say two thousand shares of Tecolote----"

"No!"

"We could loan you up to two million. "

The president paused and glanced at him mildly, but Rimrock had throwndown his stock. 

"No, " he said, "you can take this Navajoa or I'll quit and go somewhereelse. I wouldn't put up a single share of Tecolote if you'd give meyour whole, danged bank. "

"Very well, " said the president with a fleeting smile, "we'll acceptyour Navajoa. My secretary will arrange it--but mind this is on a callloan! Give him credit for five hundred more, " he added and the clerkshowed Rimrock out. 

There are certain formalities that the richest must observe before theycan borrow half a million and it was nearly noon before Rimrock wasfree and on his way to the hotel. He was just leaping out of histaxicab when he saw Mrs. Hardesty reeling towards him. 

"Oh, Rimrock!" she gasped, "I've had such a blow--won't you take meback to my rooms? Oh, I can't explain it, but Whitney H. Stoddard istrying to force me to give up my stock! That Tecolote stock----"

"Here, get into this taxi!" said Rimrock on the instant, "now where doyou want to go?"

"To the St. Cyngia on Ninety-fifth Street--and hurry!" she commanded;and the chauffeur slammed the door. 

"Now what's the matter?" demanded Rimrock hurriedly. "I haven't got aminute to spare. Did you notice Navajoa? Well, I've got a buy orderin----"

"Oh, no! I've seen nothing--not since he sent me that message! Itseems he's back in town. "

"Who? Whitney Stoddard? Well, let me get out then--I've got to getback to that tape!"

"Oh, no!" she murmured sinking against him with a shudder, "don't goand leave me alone. I need your help, Rimrock! My whole fortune isinvolved. It's either that or give back the stock. "

"What stock?" asked Rimrock, "that two thousand Tecolote? Well, youjust give that to me! Have you really got it, or are you juststalling? Let me look at it and I'll see you through hell!"

"It's in my apartment, " she answered weakly. "I'll show it to you whenwe are there. Ah, Rimrock, something told me you would come to saveme. But--oh, I'm ready to fall. "

She dropped against him and the startled Rimrock took her quicklywithin his arm. They rode on swiftly and as she lay panting on hisbreast she told him the story of her misfortune. 

"I don't deserve it, " she said, "to have you help me, because I startedto do you a wrong. I didn't know you then, nor your generousheart--and so I made the agreement with Stoddard. I was to go toGunsight and get acquainted with you and get you to come back to NewYork--and for that I was to receive two thousand shares of Tecolotestock. Oh, not as a present--I'd never think of that--but far belowwhat they are worth. It would take all the money I had in the worldjust to make a part payment on the stock. But I knew how wonderfullyvaluable they were and so I took the chance. "

She sighed and leaned against him closer while Rimrock listened eagerlyfor the rest. 

"Can you understand now why I've seemed worried, and anxious and whyI've concealed my affairs? I went there and met you, but when Irefused to betray you I found I was caught in a trap. Whitney Stoddardis hounding you in every possible way to make you give up your mine, and after I refused to give back my stock he set out deliberately toruin me!"

She shuddered and lay silent and Rimrock moved uneasily. 

"What was it he wanted you to do?" he asked at last and she toreherself swiftly away. 

"I can't tell you--here. But come up to my rooms. I defied him, but Idid it for you. "

She fell quickly to rearranging her hair and hat in preparation for theshort dash past the doorman and at the end she looked at him and smiled. 

"I knew you would come, " she said; and as he helped her out he thrilledto the touch of her hand. At odd times before she had seemed old andblasé, but now she was young and all-alive. He dismissed the taxiwithout a thought of his business and they hurried up to herapartments. She let herself in and as she locked the door behind themshe reached up and took his big hat. 

"You must stay a while, " she said. "The servants are gone and I haveno one to protect me if they come to serve the papers. Just start thefire--and if anyone knocks don't let them break down the door. "

She smiled again and a sudden giddiness seemed to blind Rimrock andmake him doubt where he was. He looked about at the silken rugs andthe luxurious hangings on the walls and wondered if it was the sameplace as before. Even when he lit the laid fire and sank down on adivan he still felt the sweet confusion of a dream; and then she cameback, suddenly transformed by a soft house-gown, and looked himquestioningly in the face. 

"Can you guess, " she asked as she sat down beside him, "what it wasthat he wanted me to do? No, not to betray you or get possession ofyour stock--all he asked was that I should marry you. "

"Marry me!" exclaimed Rimrock and his keen, staring eyes suddenlynarrowed as she bowed her head. 

"Yes, marry you, " she said. "That was what made it so hard. Did younotice, when I stopped inviting you here? I was afraid, my Rimrock; Iwas afraid I might forget and--marry you. That was the one spot whereStoddard's plan failed, he forgot that I might fall in love. I lovedyou, Rimrock, loved you too much to marry you, and so I broke up allhis plans. If I had married you, don't you see how easy it would havebeen for me to get hold of your stock? And that girl out there--theone I don't like--she would have thrown her vote to Stoddard. Thatalone would give him control, they would have fifty per cent. Of thestock. "

"No they wouldn't, " corrected Rimrock, "not if you've got that twothousand. That would give us fifty-one per cent!"

A shadow of annoyance passed over her face, as if some part of her planhad gone wrong, and then her eyes took on a fire. 

"'_Us_?'" she said. "Would you have married me, Rimrock? But surely, not for the stock! Oh, I wish sometimes----" She stopped abruptly andlooked at him strangely and then she hurried on. "Ah, no, " she sighed, "that can never be--you are in love with that other woman--out there. When you met her at the opera, you forgot all about me. You went offand left me alone. If Whitney H. Stoddard had called me up then!" Hereyes flashed dangerously and she looked away, at which Rimrock glancedquickly at his watch. 

"By--grab!" he exclaimed half-rising to his feet, "do you know it'shalf-past twelve? Say, where's your telephone? I've got a deal on inNavajoa and I've just got to find out where I am!"

She rose up suddenly and turned to face him with a look of queenlyscorn. 

"I have no telephone!" she answered evenly, "and if I did have I wouldnot lend it to you. You're just like the rest of these men, I see; youthink in terms of stocks. I should have done as Stoddard said, andpaid you back for your rudeness. Do you know, Mr. Jones, that youthink more of money than of anything else in the world? Are you awareof the fact that all the love and devotion that any poor woman mightbestow would be wholly wasted, and worse than wasted, on a miserablestock-gambler like you! Ah, I was a fool!" she burst out, stamping herfoot in a passion; and then she sank back on the divan and wept. 

Rimrock stood and gazed at her, then glanced absently at his watch andlooked about, shamefaced, for a 'phone. But in that elegant apartment, with its rich furnishings and tapestries there was no place for acrude, commercial telephone, and the door to the inner room was closed. He turned towards the outer door, for his business was urgent, but shehad carried off the key. He stirred uneasily, and a shrewd doubtassailed him for her weeping seemed all at once sophisticated andforced; and at the moment she raised her head. One look and she hadcast herself upon him and twined her arms about his neck. 

"I can't help it! I can't help it!" she sobbed convulsively and drewdown his head and kissed him. "I can't help it!" she whispered. "Ilove you, Rimrock; I can't bear to let you go!"

She clung to him passionately and with tremulous laughter tugged todraw him back to the divan, but Rimrock stood upright and stubborn. Some strange influence, some memory, seemed to sweep into his brain andmake him immune to her charm. It was the memory of a kiss, but notlike her kisses; a kiss that was impulsive and shy. He ponderedlaboriously, while he took hold of her hands and slowly drew them away, and then his strong grip tightened. It was the kiss that Mary hadgiven him in prison, when she had laid her cheek against the bars!That kiss had haunted him through the long months of waiting, and itrose in his memory now, when perhaps it were better forgotten. He putaway the hands that still clung and petted and gazed fiercely into hereyes. And the woman faced him--without a tear on her cheek for all thefalse weeping she had done. 

"How's this?" he said and as she sensed his suspicion she jerked backin sudden defiance. 

"A stock-jobber!" she mocked. "All you think of is money. The love ofa woman is nothing to you!"

"Aw, cut out that talk!" commanded Rimrock brutally. "Some women arestock-jobbers, too. And speaking of stock, just give me a look atthose two thousand shares of Tecolote. "

A sullen, sulky pout distorted her mouth and she made a face like awilful girl. 

"You'd snatch them, " she said, "and run away and leave me. And thenwhat would I say to Stoddard?"

"Are you working for him?" he asked directly and she threw out her armsin a pet. 

"No! I wish I were, but it's too late now. I might have made money, but as it is I stand to lose everything. "

"Oh, you stand to lose everything, do you? Well say, that reminds me, I guess I stand about the same!"

He picked up his hat and started for the door, but she caught him bythe arm. 

"You're going to that woman!" she hissed vindictively, "perhaps I cantell you something about her. Well, I can!" she declared, "and I canprove it, too. I can prove it by my Tecolote stock. "

"You haven't got any stock, " answered Rimrock roughly. But he stoppedand she drew back and smiled. 

"Oh!" she said as she noted his interest, "you're beginning to believeme now. Well, I can show you by the endorsement where she sold out toStoddard over a month before I came. She sold him two thousand sharesof Tecolote for exactly two million dollars--and that's why she leftwhen I came. She was afraid you would find her out. But you, you poorfool, you thought she was perfect; and had left because her feelingswere hurt! But she couldn't fool me, I could read her like a book, andI'll tell you what she has done. "

"You'll do nothing of the kind!" broke in Rimrock savagely, "you'll goand get me that stock. I won't believe a word you say----"

"What will you give me if I do?" she demanded coquettishly at the sametime backing away. 

"I'll give you a nice, sweet kiss!" answered Rimrock, twisting hismouth to a sinister smile. "And if you don't----"

"Ah, will you?" she cried as she started towards him and then shedanced mockingly away. 

"You can keep it for her!" she flung back bitterly and passed outthrough the inner door. 

Like a lion held in leash Rimrock paced up and down and then helistened through the door. All was silent and with a suddenpremonition he laid a quick hand on the knob. The door was lockedagainst him! He listened again, then spoke through the keyhole, thenraised his voice to a roar. The next moment he set his great shoulderto the panel, then drew back and listened again. A distant sound, likea door softly closing, caught his ear and all was still. He hurledhimself with desperate vehemence against the door so treacherouslylocked and with a crash it leapt from its hinges and he stumbled intothe room. From where he stood Rimrock looked about in a daze, for theroom was stripped and bare. The table, the furnishings, all that hadmade it so intimate when he had dined with the tiger lady before; allwere gone and with the bareness there came a chill and the certaintythat he had been betrayed. He turned and rushed to the outer entrance, but as he laid violent hands on that door it opened of itself and withsuch unexpected suddenness that he fell backwards on the floor. Herose up cursing, for something told him whose hand had unlocked thedoor; but she was gone and all that remained was a scribbled card inthe hall. 

"Kiss your money good-bye, " was written on its face and on the back:

"I hate a fool. "

CHAPTER XXIII

SOLD OUT

What a fool he was and how much the tiger lady hated him Rimrock wasalready in a position to judge, but the inner meaning of "Kiss your moneygood-bye!" was still to be disclosed. As he dashed down the hall and outinto the street and into the first taxi that passed it seemed but acynical way of saying that his sole sweetheart was gold; but when hereached his room and glanced at the tape its meaning was written plain. Navajoa was quoted at six. He brushed aside his excited clerk and calledup Buckbee on the 'phone. 

"What?" yelled Buckbee as he recognized his voice, "have you been hereall the time? My God, man, I've got the whole police department afteryou! You've ruined me! I've gone to the wall! Yes, bankrupt, I tellyou, unless you go to the bank and put up collateral for my loans. Whydidn't you tell me you only had credit of a million dollars in all? Yousaid: 'Buy all you can get!' and by the gods they threw it in my facewith both hands! Hundreds of shares, thousands of shares! And then whenI called you up your clerk said you had gone. Well, I had my orders andyou can't say I weakened--I bought thirty-two thousand shares!"

"'Thirty-two thousand!' Well, what are you kicking about? That gives mecontrol of the mine. But say, what the devil does this ticker mean, quoting Navajoa at six dollars a share?"

"It means!" shouted Buckbee, "that you bid up the market until I paidforty-three for the last and then Whitney K. Stoddard dumped every sharehe had and cut the ground out under your feet! You're obligated to makeup a total deficiency of nearly a million at the bank; your loans havebeen called, and mine have been called, and the stock is forfeit for thedebt. You've lost your stock that you bought on a margin and unless youcan take up these loans, every blessed share of Navajoa will go toStoddard and his bank. "

"To Stoddard! Well, what does that bank outfit mean by grabbing all myshares? Ain't my name good for about fifty million? Did I ever defaulton a debt? I'm going right down there and tell that president to give meback every share, and if he don't----"

"Oh, now don't talk that stuff! Just go down and put up some collateral. That's all that will save you--they've got the law behind them andthey're strictly within their rights. No, now listen! You borrowed ahalf a million dollars at the bank this morning and put up your Navajoafor collateral. It was worth twenty-four then, but now, by my ticker, it's only five and a half. Can't you see where you are? Stoddard caughtyou napping and he'll never let up till you're broke. You valued it atthirty, but he'll keep the market down to nothing until you settle up andliquidate those claims. Then the prices will soar, but you won't be inon it. He's got you trimmed, and no mistake. "

"But I don't see it!" came back Rimrock insistently. "I want every oneof those shares. And I've got the money--it ought to be here now--to payevery cent I owe. Say, come on up, Buckbee, and help me straighten thisthing out--I was unexpectedly called away. "

He hung up the 'phone and turned to the letters and telegrams that werestrewn about the desk. There were notices from the bank and franticdemands that he put up more margin on his stock and a peremptoryannouncement that his loans had been called and must be taken up by thenext day at noon--and a letter from Mary Fortune. He thrust it aside andsearched again for some letter or telegram from L. W. , and then hesnatched up hers. There was something wrong and her letter might explainit--it might even contain his check. 

He tore it open and read the first line and then the world turned black. The dividend had been passed! He hurled the letter down and struck itwith his fist. Passed! He turned on his clerk and motioned him from theroom with the set, glassy stare of a madman. Passed! And just at thetime when he needed the money most! He picked up the letter and read alittle further and then his hand went slack. She had voted againsthim--it was her vote and Stoddard's that had carried the day against L. W. ! He dropped the letter into a gaping wastebasket and sat backgrinding his teeth. 

"Damn these women!" he moaned and when Buckbee found him he was stillcalling down curses on the sex. In vain Buckbee begged him to pullhimself together and get down to figures and facts, he brushed all thepapers in a pile before him and told him to do it himself. Buckbee madememoranda and called up the bank, and then called up Stoddard himself;and still Rimrock sat cursing his luck. Even when Buckbee began to readthe final statement his mind was far away--all he heard was the lump sumhe owed, a matter of nearly a million. 

"Well, I'll tell you, " he said, when Buckbee came to an end, "I'll fix itso you don't lose a cent. But that bank is different. They sold me outto Stoddard and peddled me my own stock twice. Now don't say a word, because I know better--it was like Davey Crockett's coonskin, that hekept stealing from behind the bar. They take my stock for security andthen hand it to Stoddard and he sells it over to you, and by the time weget through Stoddard has still got the stock and I owe the bank amillion. Those may not be big words but that's what's happened, likeCrockett buying the drinks with his coonskin; but if they collect from methey'll have to sue. Now how can I fix it for you?"

"Well, just raise the money to meet my shortage--it's a matter of nearlysix hundred thousand. "

"All right, " said Rimrock, "I'll tell you what I'll do. I just got somebad news from the mine. That big dividend that I absolutely counted onto meet all those obligations was held up--it wasn't passed. But here'sthe point: the money is still there, right in old L. W. 's bank; the onlyquestion is how to get it out. You show me how I can borrow on thattied-up dividend and I'll pay you back every dollar. "

"The easiest thing in the world!" exclaimed Buckbee. "All you have to dois to put up your Tecolote stock. "

"Nothing doing, " said Rimrock, "show me some other way. You fellows knowall the tricks. "

"No, there's no other way, " responded Buckbee earnestly. "That's theonly way you can touch it, until the dividend is declared. The surplusin the bank is regarded in law simply as increasing the value of theshares; and so all you have to do is to prove its existence and put upyour stock as security. "

"And then, if I don't pay it back, the bank will keep my stock!" Rimrockstated it guardedly, but his eyes were snapping and his mouth had becomesuddenly hard. "Don't you ever think it!" he burst out. "I don't put upthat stock! No, by grab, not a single share of it, if I lose every centI've got and leave my best friend in the hole! Do you know what Ithink?" he demanded portentously as he shook his finger under Buckbee'snose. "I believe every doggoned woman and broker in the whole crookedcity of New York is working for--Whitney--H. --Stoddard!"

He paused and at a sudden guilty glance he dropped his hand and startedback. 

"My God!" he cried, "not you, too, Buckbee? Don't tell me you're in onit, too! Well, I might as well quit, then! What's the use of tryingwhen every friend you've got turns out a crook!" He slumped down in hischair and, rumpling up his hair, gazed at Buckbee with somber eyes. "So!Old friend Buckbee, too? Well, Buckbee, what's the deal? Just tell mewhere I'm at and I'll leave this cursed town forever. "

"Too bad, Old Scout, " answered Buckbee kindly, "but you know I warnedyou, from the first. I'm a Stoddard man, and I told you to lay off--buthere's where he's got you now. You owe money to his bank, and you owe itto me, and he's guaranteed us both against loss. Now he might step inand get a judgment against you and tie up every share you've got; but allhe wants--and he told me so himself--is four thousand shares of Tecolote. That gives him control and, I'll tell you frankly, he's going to getthose shares. "

"Oh, he is, is he?" said Rimrock and then sat silent while Buckbee bitthe tip from a cigar. 

"Yes, he's going to get them, " went on Buckbee quietly, "but here's howit looks to me. The loss you will suffer from those four thousand shareswill be more than made up by the increase in the dividends on the rest. You are not a good business man and, more than that, you have gone offand neglected your mine. But give Stoddard the control and, the wayhe'll manage it, your stock will bring you in more. You've learned yourlesson--just hold on to the rest and you'll always have money to burn. But, if you try to buck him, as sure as God made little fishes, he'llhave your hide on the fence. "

"D'ye think so?" enquired Rimrock and again he sat silent while Buckbeepuffed away at his cigar. 

"Yes, he's a hard man to whip, " went on Buckbee thoughtfully, "they callhim the Iron Man. Any place you hit him you only break your hand; butwhen he comes back--zowie!"

"Well, I guess you're right, " answered Rimrock slowly, "New York is noplace for me. It's back to the cactus where they fight it out withsixshooters and the man that wins grabs the loot. But here you can getsome kind of a judgment and let the sheriff do the job. "

Buckbee laughed lightheartedly and slapped him on the back, but Rimrockdid not even smile. 

"By George, " exclaimed Buckbee, "I'll be sorry to lose you. You do havea way of putting things. But say, Old Sport, let's get this painfulbusiness over. When can you arrange to turn in that stock?"

"I don't know, " grumbled Rimrock, "I'll have to think this over--maybecall in a lawyer or two. I'm not so sure about those hands-up judgments. "

"Why, my dear boy, " exclaimed Buckbee, "you don't doubt for a moment thata bank can attach your stock? You must bear in mind that they loaned youhalf a million on your mere name stuck to a note. Not a cent ofcollateral--and on the other half million you were distinctly notified itcould be called. Why, the banks have a department where they grind outthese actions just exactly as a mill grinds out corn. It's the simplestthing in the world. "

"Well, I'll think it over, " answered Rimrock noncommittally, "unlessyou've got one of those attachments on you?"

"Oh, no!" laughed Buckbee, "I'm no summons-server. It isn't quite sosimple as that. You see the bank begins the action, the court issues asummons, and if you don't appear the judgment is declared by default. But it won't come to that, I'm sure. Just think it over and I'll callyou up later. So long; don't take it too hard. "

He flashed back a smile, but as the door closed behind him Rimrockanswered by showing his teeth. He went to a safe that stood in the roomand took out a single envelope. Then he strapped on his shabby oldsix-shooter, stepped quietly out and was gone. 

CHAPTER XXIV

THE NEW YEAR

A crafty-eyed lawyer on an East-side street told Rimrock all he neededto know--a summons in equity could not be served outside the bounds ofthe state. And so, a year after his triumphal arrival, Rimrock Jonesleft gay New York. He slipped out of town with a mysterious swiftnessthat baffled certain officers of the court, but, though Jepson watchedthe trains in something approaching a panic, he did not drop off atGunsight. Mary Fortune watched the trains, too, though with differentmotives and hopes, and when the last day dawned and no Rimrock appearedshe went off by herself on the desert. 

When that sun rose again, unless something was done, the Tecolote minewould be lost. And all because Rimrock did not come. His share in themine as well as her own was dependent upon what she should do and shemotored out across the desert to think. Jepson's plans werecomplete--L. W. Was still drunk and Ike Bray was waiting for the word. At midnight that night, as the old year went out and the new year wasushered in, Ike Bray and his guards would climb up to the dome andre-locate the Old Juan claim. And then they would leave it--for thatwas their plan--and let Rimrock contend with the law. Once located andrecorded they had ninety days in which to sink their discovery shaft, and the last day was as good as the first. 

Mary had overheard Jepson in his numerous consultations until she knewevery move he would make; the question was, what would she do? Wouldshe sit idly by and let this mountain of copper be snatched from theirhands by Stoddard; or would she, alone and with no one to help her, brave the darkness and locate it herself? Already, as she nervedherself for the deed, she had typed out her location notice induplicate; filling in the exact description of the boundaries from therecords of the Old Juan claim. But would she dare to post that notice, in the face of three desperate men? Would she dare risk a meeting withdrunken Ike Bray on the summit of that lonely peak? She resolved andrecanted, and resolved again and drove back to the hotel in despair. 

From the day she had known him she had helped Rimrock Jones in everyway that she could; but he from the first had neglected every duty andfollowed after every half-god. She had written him to come, and toldhim of his peril, and that her own rights were jeopardized with hisown; and he answered never a word. A hot wave passed over her, ofpassionate resentment and hatred and womanly scorn, and she drew herlips to a line. She would jump the Old Juan, but she would jump it forherself and hold it against both Rimrock and Stoddard!

It had once been observed that, when driven too far, Mary Fortunebecame an Indian; and the man who said it knew. For the rest of thatday she was afire with a resolution which contemplated even the killingof men. She bought her a pistol and, driving out on the desert, shepractised until she could shoot. Then as the sun sank low and Jepsonand his men were occupied with sobering up Ike Bray, she drove off inthe direction of Geronimo. She was far out on the desert when darknessfell, rushing south on the other road to Tecolote. Within sight of thecamp she put out her lamps and, turning her machine out of the road, she crept along until it was hidden from view, then leapt out andstarted for the butte. It stood against the stars, huge and sinisterin its black bulk, and she shuddered as she took the lone trail. 

Up that very same path the year before Rimrock Jones had rushed on todefend his claim. He had been a man then, or at least a fightinganimal; but now he was a soft, pampered brute. He left his fighting tobe done by a woman while he spent his money like a fool. The fierceanger from that thought gave courage to her heart and her resentmentspurred her on. She toiled on and rested and gazed despairingly at thehigh crags, but still she kept her face to the heights. As midnightapproached and the trail had no ending she stopped and gazed doubtfullyback, and then she went hurrying on. A clanking of rocks and the bassguffaw of men had come up to her from below; and terror supplied a whipthat even hatred lacked--it was Ike Bray and his drunken guards!

As she staggered to the rim and dragged herself past the wall whereMcBain had come to his death it seemed as if she must drop, but the menwere coming behind. She drew a great sobbing breath and, with her handon her pistol, hastened over to the discovery shaft. It was a black, staring hole and by the dump beside it there stood a sign-postsupported by rocks. A pale half moon had risen in the East and by itslight she made out the notice that was tacked to the center of theboard. That was Rimrock's notice, but now it was void for the hour waslong after twelve. She tore it down and stuffed it into her pocket anddrew out the one she had prepared. Then, gumming it carefully from atube of glue, she posted it on the board. Already the voices werecoming nearer, but there was one thing more to do--she lit a match and, looking at her watch, wrote the exact time on the blanks. 

[Illustration: That was Rimrock's notice, but now it was void for thehour was long after twelve]

In the brief half hour that was occupied by Ike Bray in making the lastlap of his trip Mary lived in an agony of fear. He came up slowly, using such violent language as she had never heard before; and, combined with the curses that he called down on the guards, was thedemand for drink, and more drink. As she crouched behind a boulderthat stood on the rim she bit her lips with shame and the hot rush ofanger at his obscene revilings made her reconciled to killing him, ifshe must. He was lower than the lowest of created animals, a vile, degenerate beast; and as he struggled to the top and made for themonument his curses were directed against Rimrock. 

"I'll show him!" he vaunted as he swayed before the sign, "I'll showhim if Ike Bray's afraid. He can run a blazer over lawyers and women;but me--hey, tear off this notice!"

There was a minute of fumbling and then, as she gazed out at them, thetaller guard spoke up. 

"It's stuck, " he said, "tighter than the back door of hell. Let it goand nail yours on top. Holy Smoke, if I'd knowed what a job thiswas--here, what are you doing now? Aw, give me that notice! Nowwhere's your tacks? Say, Hank, pull him back from that hole!"

The sound of hammering came to her ears, half-drowned by a drunkenbrawl, and then there was a horror-stricken yell. 

"He's fell down the hole! Are you hurt bad, Ike?"

The answer was a muffled curse, and both guards hurried to the shaft. With a prayer on her lips Mary crept from her shelter, then crouchedand ran for the trail. She saw them leaning over the shaft and heardthem bandying oaths and then she had gained the path. 

"What's that?" cried one as she knocked a stone from the wall, and asit clattered she went dashing down the trail. She fell and laybreathless, listening dully for their footsteps, then rose up and wentlimping on. She paused for strength far down the path, where it swingsalong the wall, and her heart beat loud in her breast. They were stillon the cliff-tops, still cursing and quarrelling and poisoning theclean silence with their words--but she had located first!

The day was breaking when, lost and wandering, she found her machine onthe plain, but as it took the smooth road and went gliding towardsGeronimo she smiled with a great sense of power. It was not alone thatshe controlled that throbbing engine, which made the car pulsate andthrill; she had a handle that would make two men she knew bow down andask her for peace--Rimrock Jones and Whitney Stoddard. She appearedthe next morning at the Recorder's office with a copy of her notice forrecord. Her torn clothes were concealed beneath a full cloak and herhands within automobile gloves; but the clerk, even in the rush of NewYear recording, glanced curiously at a bruise across her forehead. Then he filed her claim with a hundred others and she slipped out anddrove away. 

When Mary Fortune returned to Gunsight she found the whole town in anuproar. Men were running to and fro and a great crowd of people wasgathered in front of the hotel. If she had feared for a moment thatthe scar above her eye, which she had covered so artfully with herhair, might be noticed by Jepson and others, that fear was instantlyallayed. There was bigger news afoot--Ike Bray had come to town andgiven notice that he had jumped the Old Juan claim. He was backed upnow against a plate-glass window of the Tecolote Mining Company'soffice and Jepson was making a speech. As she drove up closer shecould see Hassayamp Hicks and as the crowd shouted he broke in onJepson's disavowal. 

"That ain't the question, suh!" he shouted fiercely, "we want to know_who paid him_! And as a personal friend of Mr. Jones, the best man inthis hyer town, I wish to say right now that the Old Juan claim can'tbe jumped by _nobody_!"

"Just a moment, Mr. Hicks!" interrupted Jepson patiently, but the mobwas shouting him down. 

"It's a lie!" yelled Bray from his place against the window. "I jumpedthat claim for myself! I jumped it myself; and Rimrock Jones, nor noneof his friends, can't come and take it away!"

"Oh, they can't, hey?" thundered a voice and Mary started as she saw atall form through the crowd. It was L. W. Lockhart, the man who hadsold Rimrock out and allowed the Old Juan to lapse. "They can't, yousay? Well, I want to tell you they _can_! And, gun-play or not, they_will_!"

His high hat surged forward into the forbidden space that Bray hadcleared with his gun and then a pistol shot rang out. The next momentthe glass windows were swaying and bending beneath the weight of themob. There was a babel of shouting, a quick surge forward and then thecrowd gave back. L. W. Was coming out and as they gave way before himhe addressed the men of Gunsight. 

"I've got 'im, boys!" he cried in a frenzy, "come on, we'll string 'imup! We'll show 'im if he can jump Rimrock's claim!"

He came striding from the crowd, one arm hanging limp the otherdragging the cursing Ike Bray. 

"You got me!" he snarled, shaking Bray like a rat, "but dang you, I'vegot you, too!"

The mob fell in behind, but as they passed Mary's automobile Brayreached out and clutched it with both hands. 

"Let go!" commanded L. W. , still dragging at his collar while hisbloody arm flapped with each jerk. "Let go, you dastard, or I'll skinyou alive--you can't run no sandy over me! The man don't live, so helpme God, that can rob a friend of mine!"

He turned back impatiently, but as he raised his boot to stamp on theclinging hands his eyes met Mary Fortune's. 

"Don't let him kill me, lady!" gasped Ike Bray imploringly as he feltL. W. 's grip relax. "I only shot in self-defense. "

"You'd better let him in here, " suggested Mary as she hurriedly threwopen the door. "I think it will be better that way. "

"No, he robbed old Rimmy!" sobbed L. W. Hysterically, "the best friendI ever had. And I was drunk and let the assessment work lapse. MyGod, he'll kill me for this!"

"No, he won't!" she said and as she touched his hand L. W. Let go andbacked away. 

"Well, all right, Miss Fortune, " he stammered brokenly, "but--but he'sgot to git out of town!"

"I'll take him!" she answered and as the crowd fell back she speeded upand raced away. 

"God bless you, ma'am, " cried Ike Bray tremulously as she slowed up tolet him down, "I'll do as much for you, some day! Is there anything, now, I can do?"

He had read the sudden wish in her eyes, but she hesitated long beforeshe spoke. 

"Yes, " she said as she started ahead, "keep away from Rimrock Jones!"

CHAPTER XXV

AN ACCOUNTING

All the next day, and the next, Mary watched the door and on themorning of the third Rimrock came. From motives of prudence the badlyshaken Jepson had suggested that she see him first and she hadconsented with an understanding smile. He slipped in quietly, glancingfurtively around, and then looked at her coldly in the eye. 

"Well, " he said with an accusing smile, "I see you sold out toStoddard, too. "

She turned away wearily and, picking up a letter, laid it down on thecounter before him. 

"There's a notice, " she said as if she had not heard him, "that I'vebeen asked to turn over to you. "

He glanced at it impatiently and then, confused by its verbiage, lookedup with a questioning scowl. 

"What's all this?" he asked. And then, in a louder tone: "Where'd youget this paper?"

"It was sent to me, " she answered, "as secretary of the Company. Butit's only a matter of form. When you left New York a general summonswas published in a legal paper and in ninety days you will have toappear or lose your stock by default. "

"Uhr! Pretty nice!" he sneered, and came in and sat down in a chair. "Pretty nice!" he repeated as he took off his hat and glanced aroundthe room, "you must've known I was coming. What's the matter?" heburst out as she made no answer, "can't you hear, or don't you care?"

"I can hear, " she replied categorically, "and I don't care. "

"Oh! Like the rest of 'em, hey? Got no use for me, now. And so I'msummoned to appear in court? I come back home and the first thing youshove at me is this here little notice. " He drummed on a desk with therolled-up paper, but as she sighed he changed his tone. "Well, well, "he said, "you've got things all changed since Rimrock was here before. "

"Yes, " she answered with her old-time pleasantness. "Mr. Jepson didit. I found it like this myself. "

"'S that so?" observed Rimrock and gazed at her curiously. "How longago was that?"

"Oh, back in November. It was about the twentieth. I came to send outthe notices. "

"Oh! Ah, yes! For the annual meeting. Well, you put a crimp in methen. Just by passing that dividend you dropped me so flat that I lostevery dollar I had. "

"Very likely, " she observed with no sign of regret, "but you shouldhave attended the meeting. "

"Attended the meeting!" he repeated angrily. "I had something else todo! But is that any excuse for stopping my dividend and leaving me forStoddard to clean?"

"If you had come to the meeting, " she responded evenly, but with ananswering fire in her eyes, "and explained that you needed the money, Imight have voted differently. As it was I voted for the smelter. "

"The smelter?"

"Why, yes! Didn't you get my letter? We're going to build a smelter. "

"Oh, my Lord!" raved Rimrock, "did you let them fool you on that old, whiskered dodge? Sure I got your letter--but I never read it--thefirst few lines were enough! When I saw that you'd sold me out toStoddard and gone and passed that dividend----" He paused--"Say, what's the matter?"

She had forgotten at last her studied calm and was staring at him withstartled eyes. 

"Why--didn't you read about Ike Bray?"

"Ike Bray! Why, no; what's the matter with Ike? I just came in--onthe freight. "

"Then you don't know that your claim has been jumped, and----"

"_Jumped_!" yelled Rimrock, rising suddenly to his feet and making aclutch for his gun. 

"Yes--jumped! The Old Juan claim! The assessment work was never done. "

"Uh!" grunted Rimrock and sank back into his chair as if he hadreceived a blow. "Not done?" he wailed staggering wildly up again. "My--God! Did L. W. Go back on me, too? Didn't Hassayamp or anybodyjust think to go out there and see that the holes were sunk? Oh, myLord; but this is awful!"

"Yes, it is, " she said, "but it wouldn't have happened if you had comeout here yourself. And if you'd just read my letter instead ofthrowing it down the minute it didn't happen to please----" Shestopped and winked back the angry tears that threatened to betray herhurt. "But now go on, and blame me for this--you blame me foreverything else! Curse and swear and ask me what I was doing when allthis came to pass! Ah, you expect more of others, Mr. Rimrock Jones, than you ever do of yourself; and now it will be me or poor L. W. Thatwill come in for all the----"

She broke down completely and buried her face in her arms while Rimrockstood staring like a fool. He was stunned, astounded; put beyond thepower to listen, or reason, or think. All he knew was that some time, when he was away and while no one was there to befriend, Ike Bray hisenemy had climbed up the butte and jumped the Old Juan claim. And allthe time he was dallying in New York and playing his puny string atNavajoa the Old Juan claim and the mighty Tecolote had been leftunguarded until they were jumped. 

"Where's L. W. ?" he asked, coming suddenly from his trance; and she wassitting there, dry-eyed as before. 

"He's gone to the hospital. Bray shot him through the arm in a quarrelover the claim. "

"What? Shot L. W. ? Well, the little shrimp! Just wait till I get tohim with this!"

He tapped his pistol and a wry, cynical smile came over hertear-stained face. 

"Yes! Wait!" she mocked. "You'll be a long time waiting. He's underthe protection of the court. No, you can put up that pistol and nevermiss it--this case will be tried by law. "

"Well, we'll see about that, " he answered significantly. "I've got alook-in on this, myself. "

"No, I don't think you have, " she responded firmly. "The claim was theproperty of the Company. "

"Well, what of that?"

"Why, only this, that the case is out of your hands. Ike Bray hasdisappeared, the claim is recorded, and only the Company can sue. "

"What, do you mean to say that when my claim is jumped I can't beginsuit to get it back?"

"Why, certainly. You have transferred that claim to the Company. "

"Well, why didn't Jepson do that work? Do you mean to say that thathigh-priced man, getting his twenty-five thousand a year, deliberatelysat down and let that assessment work lapse and then let Ike Bray jumpit?"

"Yes, " she nodded, "that's it. "

"But----" He stopped and a wave of sudden intelligence swept thepassion from his face. 

"It's Stoddard!" he said and once more she nodded, then waited with anunderstanding smile. 

"Yes, it's Stoddard, " she said. "But of course we can't prove it. Mr. Bray has already begun suit. "

"What, suit to dispossess us? Does he claim the whole works? Well, there must be somebody behind him. You don't think it could be--what?Well, doesn't that--beat----"

"Yes, it does!" she cut in hastily. "The whole thing has been verycarefully thought out. "

He slapped his leg and, rising from his chair, paced restlessly to andfro. 

"How'd you know all this?" he demanded at last and something in thenagging, overbearing way he said it woke the smouldering fires of herhate. 

"Mr. Jones, " she said rising up to face him, "we might as wellunderstand each other right now. From the very first you have taken itfor granted that I have sold you out. You don't need to deny it, because you have used those very words--but please don't do it again. And please don't speak to me in that tone of voice, as if I had doneyou some great wrong. _You_ are the one that has done _me_ a wrong andI assure you, I will never forget. But from this time on, if you wantanything of me, please ask for it like a gentleman. Now what do youwant to know?"

"I want to know, " began Rimrock slowly and then he broke down and smotethe desk. "You have too sold me out!" he exploded in a fury, "youhave--I don't care what you say! You stood in with Stoddard to passthat dividend and, by grab, you can't deny it! If you'd voted with L. W. ----"

"Very well!" returned Mary in a tone that silenced him, "I see that youdon't wish to be friends. And I want to tell you, in parting, that youexpect a constancy from women that you signally lack yourself. I willsend Mr. Jepson down to be sworn at. "

When Jepson, pale and anxious, sidled warily into the office he foundRimrock sitting thoughtfully in a chair. Some time had passed, forJepson's wife had delayed him, but time alone could not account for thechange. Rimrock was more than quiet, he was subdued; but when helooked up there was another change. In Abercrombie Jepson he saw, without question, the tool and servitor of Stoddard, the man who hadengineered his downfall. And Jepson's smile as he came forwarddoubtfully--but with the frank, open manner he affected--was sickly andjaundiced with fear. It was a terrible position that he found himselfplaced in and his wife was crying, upstairs. 

"Ah, good morning, Mr. Jepson, " said Rimrock pleasantly and put hishand behind his back. 

"Good morning, " returned Jepson, drawing in a deep breath, "is thereanything I can do?"

"Yes, " said Rimrock coldly. "I've been away for some time. I'd liketo know what's going on. You'll excuse me, Mr. Jepson, if I ask you afew questions about the jumping of the Old Juan claim. "

"Ah, yes, yes, " spoke up Jepson briskly, "very regrettable case, I'msure. But you must remember, if you'll pardon my mentioning it, that Ispoke of this possibility before. The Old Juan claim, as I told you atthe time, placed our entire property in jeopardy. It should have beenre-located before all this had happened; but I have turned over thewhole affair to our attorneys, McVicker and Ord. "

"And what do they think?"

"Well, as to that, I can't say. You see, I have really beenfrightfully busy. Still, they are a very good firm and I think verylikely the affair can somehow be compromised. Looks very bad for theCompany, as far as the law goes, if you should ask my private opinion;but all such litigation, while of course very expensive, generallyresults, in the end, in a compromise. "

"Oh, a compromise, eh? Well, sit down a minute; I want to find out afew details. Do you think now, for instance, that Whitney H. Stoddardis back of this man, Ike Bray? Because if he is, and their claim is agood one, it might make some difference to me. "

He said this so naturally and with such apparent resignation thatJepson almost rose to the bait, but he had learned Rimrock's ways toowell. Such an admission as that, if made before the trial, mightseriously affect Stoddard's case. And besides, this was a matter forlawyers. 

"Well, as to that, Mr. Jones, " he replied apologetically, "I reallycannot say. As superintendent of the mine, and lately as actingmanager, I am fully occupied, I am sure----"

"Yes, no doubt, " observed Rimrock, suddenly changing his tone, "butyou've got more time, now--I'll take that manager job off your hands. "

"What? Take charge of the mine again?" cried Jepson aghast. "Why, Ithought----"

"Very likely, " returned Rimrock, "but guess again. I'm still generalmanager, unless the Directors have fired me; and believe me, I'm goingto take charge. In the next few days I'm going to go through thisoffice with a six-shooter and a fine-tooth comb and if I find a singledollar paid out to Ike Bray some ex-manager is liable to get shot. Youunderstand that, now don't you, Mr. Jepson? All right then; we can goahead. Now will you kindly tell me how, as general manager and minesuperintendent, and being worried so much over that claim, you came tolet the ordinary assessment work lapse on the apex claim to our mine?"

He leaned back in his chair and put one hand in his pocket and Jepsonbroke into a sweat. It is no easy task for a man to serve two masters, and Rimrock had exposed a heavy pistol. 

"Well--why, really!" burst out Jepson in desperation, "I thought youhad entrusted that to Mr. Lockhart. He told me so, distinctly, when Ispoke of it in your absence, and naturally I let the matter drop. "

"Yes, naturally, " drawled Rimrock and as he reached for hishandkerchief Jepson started and almost ran. "You're a great man, Jepson, " he went on cuttingly, "a great little piece of mechanism. Nowcome through--what does Stoddard want?"

"Mr. Jones, " began Jepson in his most earnest manner, "I give you myword of honor I don't know of what you are speaking. "

"Oh, all right, " answered Rimrock, "if that's the way you feel aboutit. You stand pat then, and pull the injured innocence? But you'renot much good at it, Jepson; nothing like some people he has workingfor him. That fellow Buckbee is a corker. You're too honest, Jepson;you can't act the part, but Buckbee could do it to perfection. Youshould've been there to see him trim me, when I tried that little flierin Navajoa. Not an unkind word ever passed between us, and yet hebusted me down to a dollar. He was a great fellow--you ought to knowhim--you could take a few leaves from his book. 

"But here's the proposition as I look at it, Jepson, " went on Rimrockwith an ingratiating smile, "you're supposed to be strictly on thesquare. You're a solid, substantial, mining engineer, chieflyinterested in holding your job. But on the side, as I happen to know, you're doing all this dirty work for Stoddard. Now--as generalmanager, if I did my duty, I ought to fire you on the spot; but I'mgoing to give you a chance. So I'll make you an offer and you can takeit or leave it. If you'll recognize my authority as general managerand tell me what I'm entitled to know, I'll leave you where you are;but if you don't I'll not only fire you, but I'll run you out of town. Now how about it--ain't I the legal manager of this Company?"

"Why--why, yes, Mr. Jones, " stammered Jepson abjectly, "as far as thatgoes, I'm sure no one will object. Of course it was understood, between Mr. Stoddard and me, when you went East a year ago----"

"Yes, all right, Mr. Jepson, " interrupted Rimrock easily, "now how muchmoney have we got?"

"Why, as to that, " began Jepson his eyes opening wider, "there is quitea sum in the bank. Some three millions, altogether, but the most ofthat is set aside for the construction of the smelter. "

"Ah, yes! Exactly! But that was set aside before the Old Juan claimwas jumped. A smelter's no good now, if we're going to lose ourmine--it would be just like making a present of it to Ike Bray. "

"Oh, but my dear Mr. Jones!" burst out Jepson in dismay, "you surelywouldn't stop the smelter now?"

"Well, I don't know why not, " answered Rimrock briefly. "Don't youthink so now, yourself?"

He gazed at his superintendent with an unwinking smile and Jepson bowedhis head. 

"Oh, very well, sir, " he said with a touch of servility, "but Mr. Stoddard will be greatly put out. "

"You're working for me!" spoke up Rimrock sharply, "and we'll spendthat money for something else. "

"Spend it?"

"Yes, for lawyers! I hate the whole outfit--they're a bunch of lousycrooks--but we'll see if money don't talk. I'm going to hire, Jepson, every lawyer in this Territory that's competent to practice in thecourts. Now look at it fairly, as a business proposition; would it beright to do anything else? Here's a copper property that you couldsell to-morrow for a hundred million dollars gold, and the apex claimis jumped. The whole title to the mine is tied up right there--theycan claim every shovelful you mine, and your mill and your smelter toboot. What kind of a business man would I be if I left this toMcVicker and Ord? No, I'm going to send to San Francisco, and Denver, and Butte, and retain every mining attorney I can get. It's the onlything to do; but listen, my friend, I'm not going to tell anybody butyou. So if Stoddard finds this out, or McVicker and Ord, or whateverblackleg lawyers Ike Bray has, I'll just know where to go. And onething more--if I find you've split on me, I'll kill you like aMexican's dog. "

He rose up slowly and looked Jepson in the eye with glance that heldhim cold. 

"Very well, sir, " he said as he started to his feet. "And now, ifyou'll excuse me----"

"All right, " nodded Rimrock and as he watched him pass out he gave wayto a cynical smile. 

"Good enough!" he said. "They can all go back on me, but there's oneman I know I can trust!"

CHAPTER XXVI

A CHAPTER OF HATE

It was a source of real regret to Mary Fortune that she could not keepon hating Rimrock Jones. In the long, weary months that she had beenaway from him she had almost dismissed him from her mind. Then she hadmet him in New York and the old resentment had flashed up into thewhite heat of sudden scorn. She despised him for all that she read ofhis life in that encounter face to face--the drinking, the gambling, the cheap, false amusements, and the painted woman at his side. Andwhen he returned, after ignoring her letters and allowing his miningclaim to lapse, and resumed his fault-finding complaints she had puthim back in his place. 

But that was just it, the outburst had relieved her; she had lost hercherished hate. In the quiet of her room she remembered how he looked, so beaten and yet so bold. She remembered the blow that her words hadgiven him when he had learned that his stock was doomed; and thatgreater blow when he saw even his equity placed in jeopardy by thejumping of the Old Juan. Had it not been a little cruel, to fly athim, after that? He was wrong, of course, but the occasion was greatand his mind was on other things. Yet he had told her, and repeatedit, that she had sold him out--and that she could never endure. 

She remained resolutely away until late in the afternoon and then shereturned to the office. It was her office, anyway, as much as his; andbesides, she had left her ear-'phone. Not that she needed it, ofcourse, but she must keep up appearances, although it seemed impossibleto persuade people that she was no longer deaf. Even Rimrock hadshouted in that old, maddening way the instant she did not reply. Itwas natural, of course, but with him at least she would like it theother way. She would like him to speak as he had spoken at first whenhe had come to her office alone. But those days were gone, along witheaves-dropping Andrew McBain, their first happiness and the goldendreams. All was gone--all but the accursed gold. 

She found Rimrock alone in the silent office, running through filingcases in blundering haste. 

"What are you looking for?" she asked demurely and as he noticed heramusement he smiled. 

"Examining the books, " he answered grimly. "Say, how much money havewe got?"

"Oh, don't look there!" she said, pushing the filing drawer back intoits case. "Here, I'll give you our last monthly statement, broughtdown to January first. "

She ran through the files and with a practised hand drew out the paperhe wanted. 

"Much obliged, " he mumbled and as he glanced at the total he blinkedand his eyes opened up. "All right!" he said, "that will last me awhile. I might as well spend it, don't you think? I'm GeneralManager, as long as I last, and it will take money to beat this manBray. "

"What, have you taken charge of the legal part of it? I thought thatwas left to McVicker and Ord?"

"McVicker and Ord! They're a couple of mutton-heads. Why, Bray hasgot Cummins and Ford. I know they're good, because they beat me out ofthe Gunsight; but they're nothing to the men I've retained. I'vetelegraphed money to ten attorneys already--the best in the UnitedStates, so Ben Birchett, my Geronimo lawyer, says--and they'll be herewithin a few days. It'll be a galaxy of the finest legal talent thatever took a case in Arizona. Ben told me frankly when I called him upLong Distance that we've got a very weak case; but you wait, they'llframe something up. We're fighting Stoddard, there isn't a doubt aboutit; but we're spending his money, too. "

He met her gaze with a disarming grin and the reproaches died on herlips. After all, it was his right, after what he had suffered, to havethis one, final fling. He was nothing but a child, a great overgrownboy, and it was fitting he should have his jest. And between him andStoddard, the ice-cold lightning-calculator who kept count of everycent, there was really little to choose. Only Rimrock, of course, washuman. He was a drunken and faithless gambler; a reckless, fightinganimal; a crude, thoughtless barbarian; but his failings were those ofa man. He didn't take advantage of everybody--it was only his enemiesthat he raided. 

"Yes, you're spending his money, " she conceded pleasantly, "but part ofit is yours and--mine. "

"Well, all right, then, " he said after a moment's thought, "I'll showyou where it's gone. "

"No, I didn't mean that, " she said, "my point is, don't throw it away. If we lose this suit, and I think we will, you'll need something tomake a fresh start. "

"Nope, it's dead loss to me, whichever way you figure it--if I don'tspend it, it goes to Stoddard. He won't have any mercy on me, even ifwe win this case. My stock is gone when the ninety days are up. Themost I can hope is to beat him on this suit. That will make myTecolote stock more valuable and maybe I can borrow the money to payoff the debt at the bank. But I'm busted, right now; I can see myfinish. It's just a question of the epitaph the boys will put over mygrave, and I want that to be: 'He did his damnedest!' Then I'll getout of town with whatever I have left and begin all over again, down inMexico. "

"Oh, won't that be fine!" she cried enthusiastically, but Rimrocklooked at her dubiously. 

"What, to lose all my money?"

"No, to begin all over again. To get away from this trickery anddishonesty and the jealousy that spoils all your friends; and start allover again, get back to real work and build up another success!"

"You sure make it sound attractive, " he answered glumly, "but there aresome people who hate to lose. That's me--but cheer up, I haven't lostyet. You wait till I hire a few expert geologists and I'll prove thatthe Old Juan doesn't apex anything. No, absolutely nothing; not eventhe ore that's under it. I've got a couple of them coming, now. "

She looked at him frowning. 

"I don't like you that way, " she said impatiently. "It sounds low andcheap, and I don't like it. And I hope when it's over and you've lostyour case that you'll see that this lawlessness doesn't pay. Of courseit's too late now, because I know you're going to do it, but I do wantyou to know how I feel. I liked you best when you were a poor, hard-handed prospector without a dollar to your name; but whathappiness has it brought you--or me, either, for that matter--all thismoney we've got from the mine?"

"Well, " began Rimrock; and then he stopped and pondered. "Say, ithasn't brought us much, after all, now has it? I've helped out a fewfriends, but seems like they've all gone back on me. But what makesyou think I'll lose?"

He was watching her furtively, but she sensed his purpose and asquickly was on her guard. 

"Because you're wrong, " she said. "You haven't a case. You know youlet your title lapse and now you're trying to evade the law. You'rewrong, in the first place; and in the second place you're trying to bedishonest. I hope you do lose it. "

"Uhrr! Thanks!" he jeered. "The same to you! If I lose, I guess youlose, too. "

"I don't care, " she persisted, "I want you to lose--and after it's allover, I'll tell you something. "

She smiled in a mysterious and tantalizing way, but Rimrock's facenever changed. 

"You'd better tell me now, while you've got the chance, " he suggestedsitting down by her desk. "And by the way, how come you're hearing sowell?"

"Oh, that reminds me!" she cried laughing gayly and picked up herear-'phone. "What was that you said?" she asked with mock anxiety, slipping the headband over her head, and Rimrock looked at her insurprise. 

"By grab!" he exclaimed, "I believe you can hear! What do you carrythat thing around for?"

She twitched it off and gazed at him again with a triumphant butbaffling smile. 

"Yes, I _can_ hear, " she admitted quietly, "but I'll have to ask younot to tell. Why, Mr. Jepson and some of these people fairly shoutwhen they speak to me now. "

She smiled again in such a cryptic manner that Rimrock became suddenlyaroused. 

"Say, what's going on?" he cried, all excitement, "have you beenlistening in on their schemes?"

"Why, Mr. Jones!" she exclaimed reproachfully but still with a twinklein her eye; and Rimrock leaned forward eagerly. 

"Yes, that's my name, " he answered, "go ahead and tell me what youknow. "

"No, you wouldn't put it to the best of purposes--but hold this overyour ear. " She held up the attachment to his ear and, as she ran upthe dial, she whispered:

"Do you think you could hear through a wall?"

"You bet!" replied Rimrock and as she took it away he gave her asearching glance. "I wonder, " he said, "if you're as innocent as youlook. " And Mary broke down and laughed. 

"I wonder, " she observed, but when he questioned her further she onlyshook her head. 

"No, indeed, " she said, "I won't tell you anything--but after you lose, come around. "

"No, but look!" he urged. "If I lose, you lose. Come through and tellme now. "

"You called me a crook, " she answered spitefully, "you said I had soldyou out! Do you think I will tell you, after that? No, you're sosmart, go ahead--Spend your money! Hire a lot of lawyers and experts!You think I sold you out to Stoddard? Well, go ahead--_you_ try to buyme! No, I'm going to show you, Mr. Rimrock Jones, that I have neversold out to anybody--that I can't be bought, nor sold. You need thatlesson more than you need the money that you are wasting in vice andfraud. "

She ended, panting with the anger that swept over her, and Rimrockthrust out his chin. 

"Huh! Vice and fraud!" he repeated scornfully, "you certainly don'thunt for words. Is it vice and fraud to hire lawyers and experts andtry to win back my own mine? What do you want me to do--go and kow-towto Stoddard and ask him to please step on my neck?"

"No, I want you to do what you're going to do--spend the Company'smoney, and lose. That money is part mine, but I'll be glad to partwith it if it will cure you of being such a fool. "

They faced each other, each heated and angry, and then he showed histeeth in a smile. 

"I know what's the matter, " he said at last, "you're jealous of Mrs. Hardesty!"

She checked the denial that leapt to her lips to search for a morefitting retort. 

"You flatter yourself, " she said, smiling thinly, "but you do notflatter me. "

"Yeah, 'vice and crime. ' That shows where you good people fall down. I suppose you think that she was an _awful_ disreputable woman! Well, she wasn't; she was just another of Stoddard's stool-pigeons that heuses to work suckers like me. She got me back there and helped himbleed me and then she kissed me good-bye--so!"

He made the motion of slamming a door and his eyes turned dark withfury. 

"She had a good line of talk herself, " he sneered, "and her heart wasas black as that book!"

He pointed to a book that was black indeed but Mary said never a word. This was news to her, and perhaps it was balm that would in time cure awound in her heart, but now it rankled deep. 

"I think, " she said at last, "the most pitiable spectacle in the worldis you, Mr. Rimrock Jones. You try to buy friends, as if they werecommodities, and you try to buy them wholesale. You set up the drinksand try to buy the whole town, but what is the result of it all? Why, you simply attract a lot of leeches and bloodsuckers whose sole purposeis to get your money. And then, when you finally become disillusioned, you class them all together. You don't deserve any friends!"

"Well, maybe not!" he answered truculently, "but who's got the most, right now? You or me? Look at Old Hassayamp Hicks, and Woo Chong--andL. W. !"

A swift, almost instantaneous, change swept over her sensitive face andthen she closed down her lips; yet Rimrock was quick enough to see it. 

"What's the matter?" he challenged. "What's the matter with L. W. ?Ain't he stood by me like a rock? He's in the hospital right now witha busted arm, and I won't hear a word against him. No, my troubleshave been with women. "

A swifter spasm, almost ugly in its rage, came over Mary Fortune'slips; and then she shut them down again. 

"Yes, " she said with a sarcastic smile, "I've heard women say the sameabout men. "

"Oh, you've always got some come-back, " he went on blusteringly, "but Inotice you don't say nothing against L. W. Now there was a man who haddone me dirt--he sold me out, on the Gunsight--but when I trusted himand treated him white L. W. Became my best friend. He stood right upwith me against Andy McBain and that bunch of hired gun-fighters hehad; and he'd lay down his life for me, to-morrow. And yet he justworships money! He thinks more of a dollar than I do of a million, butcould Stoddard buy him out? Not on your life--he voted for thedividend! But where was my lady friend at?"

He glared at her insultingly and, torn by that great passion that comesfrom devotion misprized and sacrifice rewarded with scorn, she leapt upto hurl back the truth. But a vision rose before her, the picture ofL. W. Sobbing and bleeding, his arm flapping beside him, strivingvainly to retrieve his treachery; and the words did not pass her lips. 

"_I'm_ not your friend, if that's what you mean, " she answered withwithering scorn. "I'm against you, from this moment, on. "

"Well, let it ride, then, " he responded carelessly, and as she sweptfrom the room, he smiled. 

CHAPTER XVIII

THE SHOW-DOWN

For the few brief weeks before the great trial the office was swarmingwith men. There were high-priced lawyers and geologists of renown andexperts on every phase of the suit, and in the midst of them satRimrock Jones. He wore his big black hat that had cost him a hundreddollars--including the hat-check tips at the Waldorf--and his pistolwas always at his hip. Every step of their case was carefully framedup in the long councils that took place, but at the end Rimrock losthis nerve. For the first time in his life, and with all eyes upon him, he weakened and lowered his proud head. He had a hunch he would lose. 

For all those weeks he had been haunted by a presence that alwaysflitted out of his way; but now she was there, in the crowdedcourt-room, and she greeted him with a slow, mirthless smile. It wasMary Fortune and he remembered all too well that time when she had toldhim he would lose. She had said he would lose because he had no case, and because he used money instead; but he knew from that smile she hadother reasons for pronouncing his doom in advance. He had lawyershired who told him, to the contrary, that he had a very good case--andStoddard had spent money, too. Not openly, of course, but through hisattorneys; but that was customary, it was always done. No, behind allher professions of respect for the judiciary and of worship for thelaw, she must know that the right sometimes failed. But behind thatsmile there was the absolute certainty that in some way he was certainto lose. 

He met her glance as he came into the court-room surrounded by a troopof his friends, surrounded by lawyers and mining experts and geologistswho professed to see through the earth, and before her gaze he haltedand blenched. There was another person there who regarded him coldlywith a glance like a rapier thrust; but it was not of Stoddard he wasafraid. It was of Mary Fortune, who had come out against him and whocould hear through walls with her 'phone. What she knew might havehelped him, but she was against him now--and she had told him inadvance that he would lose. 

As Rimrock sat thinking, his eyes cast down and his mind far back inthe past, a great blow was struck by the bailiff's mallet and the crowdrose up to its feet. A stern-faced judge, robed in the black cloak ofhis office, stepped out through the curtains behind the bench and asRimrock stared the bailiff beckoned him sharply and he scrambled to hisfeet with the rest. 

"Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!" cried the bailiff in the words that echoed of thepast. "The United States District Court is now in session!"

He struck again as the judge took his seat and Rimrock sank down intohis chair. But he had stood in respect to the majesty of the law andit was then that his hunch came back. For this was no appeal to anelected judge or the easily swayed emotions of a jury; it was an appealto the cold, passionless mind of a man who considered nothing but thelaw. 

Ike Bray was there, looking pinched and scared, and the two guards whohad witnessed his relocation, and they testified to the facts. In vainRimrock's lawyers orated and thundered or artfully framed up their longquestions; it took days to do it, but when the testimony was all in itwas apparent that Ike Bray's claim would hold. But this was only thebeginning of the battle, the skirmish to feel out the ground; and nowthe defense brought up its big guns. One after the other they putexperts on the stand to testify to the geology of the Tecolote; butCummins and Ford produced others as eminent who testified to theopposite effect. So the battle raged until the wearied judge limitedthe profitless discussion to one more day, and then Cummins and Fordlaunched their bombshell. 

"Your Honor, " began Cummins as he rose with a great document. "Ishould like to introduce as evidence this report, which unfortunatelyhas only just come to hand. As Your Honor has intimated the testimonyof hired experts is always open to suspicion of bias, and especiallywhere great interests are at stake; but I am able to offer for theinformation of the Court a document both impartial and thorough. It isthe combined reports of three practical geologists employed by theTecolote Company itself, though at a time preceding this suit andintended solely for the purposes of exploration. As Your Honor willobserve, although the reports were made independently and under ordersto seek nothing but the facts, they agree substantially in this: that, within an extension of its end-lines, the Old Juan claim is the trueapex of the entire Tecolote ore body. "

He handed over the report and sat down in triumph, while Rimrock'slawyers all objected at once. The argument upon admitting to evidencethis secret but authoritative report, consumed the greater part of theday; and at the end the plaintiff rested his case. Throughout the dinof words, the verbal clashes, the long and wearisome citing ofauthorities and the brief "Overruled!" of the judge, Rimrock Jones satsullen and downcast; and at the end he got up and went out. No onefollowed to cheer or console him--it was his confession of utterdefeat. And the following day, when the Court convened, a verdict wasrendered for the plaintiff. The lawyers and experts took their checksand departed and Rimrock Jones went home. 

He went back to Gunsight where he had seen his greatest triumphs andhis days of blackest defeat and waited for Stoddard to strike. It wasall over now--all over but the details and the final acceptance ofterms--and, while he waited, he packed up to go. No one knew betterthan Rimrock himself that it was right and fitting to move on. Oldhatreds and animosities, old heart-burnings and recriminations, wouldmake Gunsight a hell-spot for him, and thwart him at every move. Itwas best to go on to Mexico. Even Hassayamp and L. W. Agreed in this, although L. W. Insisted upon staking him and declared it was all hisown fault. But Mary Fortune, whether she gloried in his fall or pitiedhim for his great loss, kept discreetly out of his way. 

She faced him the first time at the special meeting when Stoddard cameto lay down his terms. As a legal fiction, a technical subterfuge, hestill claimed to have bought up Bray's claim; but no one was deceivedas to his intent. If he had bought Bray out it was not for theCompany, but for Whitney H. Stoddard personally; and with no intentionof compromising. He came in briskly, his face stern and forbidding, his eyes burning with ill-suppressed fire; and he sat down impatientlyto wait. Then as Rimrock slouched in and called the meeting to orderStoddard picked up a piece of blank paper and began to tear it intolong, slender shreds. 

"Well, to get down to business, " said Rimrock at last after the variousreports had been read, "we have come here, I take it, for a purpose. "

He raised his eyes and met Stoddard's defiantly, but Mary looked away. 

"Yes, we have, " answered Stoddard with business-like directness, "Ihave a proposition to make. As I suppose you both know I have boughtup the claim of Mr. Bray, as decided by the court. That claim, ofcourse, practically invalidates your stock since it takes awaypossession of the mine; but I am willing to make you a generous offer. Our undivided profits--minus the amount, of course, that our GeneralManager has squandered on his defense--will be shared among us, prorata. This will be in cash, and in consideration of the payment, Ishall expect you to turn in your stock. "

"What? For nothing?" cried Mary; but Rimrock did not flinch though hisface became set with rage. 

"It can hardly be called nothing, " replied Stoddard severely, "whenyour own share comes to over two hundred thousand dollars. And as forMr. Jones, he understands very well that I can claim every dollar hehas. "

"Well, that may be so, since you have a claim against him, but my stockis unencumbered. And since my share of the profits is in no sense apayment I shall decline to turn in my stock. "

"Very well, " answered Stoddard, his voice low and colorless, "I shallturn the matter over to my attorney and refuse to vote the dividend. "

"Ah, I see, " she murmured and glanced at Rimrock who answered with acurl of the lip. 

"Mr. President, " she said, "I move that the money at present in ourtreasury be set aside as a profit and divided among the stockholderspro rata. "

"Just a moment!" warned Stoddard as Rimrock seemed about to fall inwith her, "you can never collect that money. I have notified Mr. Lockhart, the treasurer of our Company, that I will hold him personallyresponsible for every dollar he pays out, without my official O. K. Youunderstand what that means. Within less than a month, through my suitnow in court, I can claim every share of Mr. Jones' stock. Its value, in law, has been reduced to nothing, outside of this undivided profit;and that I offer you now. If you refuse I shall get judgment, claimhis entire share of the profits, and take possession of the wholeTecolote properties by right of the Old Juan decision. I advise you toaccept my first offer. "

"All right, " spoke up Rimrock, "I knew you'd rob me. Write out thecheck and I'll be on my way. "

"No, indeed!" cried Mary, "don't you let him fleece you! I've gotsomething to say here, myself!"

"Well, say it to him, then, " returned Rimrock, wearily, "I'm sick anddisgusted with the whole business. "

"Yes, naturally, " observed Stoddard, reaching into his pocket anddeliberately pulling out his checkbook. "Most people are, by the timeI get through with them; and your case is no exception. You made themistake of trying to oppose me. "

"I made the mistake, " returned Rimrock hoarsely, "of trusting a lot ofcrooks. But I never trusted you--don't you think it for aminute--you've got n. G. Written all over you. "

"Another remark like that, " said Stoddard freezingly, "and I'll put mycheckbook away. "

"You do it, " warned Rimrock without changing his position, "and I'llblow the top of your head off. "

Stoddard looked at him keenly, then uncapped his pen and proceeded tofill out the stub. For a moment there was silence, broken by the softscratching of the pen, and then Mary Fortune stood up. 

"I know it is customary, " she said in suppressed tones, "for men tosettle everything themselves; but you, Mr. Stoddard, and you, Mr. Jones, are going to listen to me. I have put up long enough with yourhigh-handed methods; but now, will you kindly look at that?"

She laid a paper on the table before Stoddard and stood back to watchthe effect, but Rimrock only grunted contemptuously. 

"Aw, fill out my check!" he said impatiently, but Stoddard was staringat the paper. 

"Why, what is this? Where did you get this, Miss Fortune? I don'tthink I quite understand. "

"No, naturally! You overlooked the fact that a woman can jump claims, too. That is a recorded copy of my re-location of the Old Juan claim, at twelve-fifty-one, on January first. Your drunken Ike Bray camealong at one-thirty and tacked his notice over mine. And now I mustthank you, gentlemen, both of you, for your kind efforts in my behalf. By spending your money on this expensive lawsuit you have proved mytitle to the Tecolote Mine. "

She sat down, smiling, and as Stoddard looked again at the paper hisdrawn face went suddenly white. He laid it down and with startled eyesglanced fearfully at those two. Would they stand together? Did sherealize her advantage? Could he buy her off--and for how much? Ahundred swift questions flashed through his mind, and then Rimrockreached over for the notice. He gazed at it quietly and then, lookingat Mary, he gave way to a cynical smile. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"No, there'll be nothing like that, " she answered firmly. "But I movedonce 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 itto Mexico!"

He started for the door and they looked after him, startled, but at thedoorway 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 beganinstantly to talk. He might have talked a long time, or only a fewmoments; and then Mary began to hear. 

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

"Mr. Stoddard, " she cried with almost tearful vehemence, "there's onlyone 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 ifRimrock goes away without taking his mine I'll--I'll make you wish hehadn't!"

She snatched up her papers and ran out of the room and Stoddard caughtup the 'phone. 

"Give me Mr. Lockhart!" he said. "Yes, Lockhart, the banker. Mr. Lockhart? This is Mr. Stoddard. If you pay Henry Jones a cent of thatmoney I'll break you, so help me God. And listen! If you value yourrating with Bradstreet, you make him apologize to that girl!"

CHAPTER XXVIII

A GIFT

Mary Fortune was pacing up and down her room in something very like arage. Her trunk, half-packed, stood against the wall and her pictureslay face down on the bed, and she hovered between laughter and tears. It seemed as if every evil passion in her nature had been stirred up bythis desperate affray and in the fierce swirl of emotions her joy inher victory was strangely mingled with rage at Rimrock. After schemingfor months to prove her superiority, and arranging every possibledetail, she had been cut down in her pride and seen her triumph turnedto nothing by his sudden decision to sulk. Just at the very momentwhen she was preparing to be gracious and give him his precious mineback he had balked like a mule and without sense or reason stormed offon his way to Old Mexico. 

She returned to her packing and was brushing away a tear that hadfallen somehow on a fresh waist when there was a trampling in the lobbyand she heard a great voice wafted up from the corridor below. 

"Come on!" it thundered like the hoarse rumbling of a bull. "Come on, I tell ye; or you'll tear my arm loose where it's knit. You dad-burnedcub, if I had two good hands---- Say, come on; ain't you got a lick ofsense?"

It was L. W. Lockhart and, from the noise in the hallway, he seemed tobe coming towards her door. She listened and at a single rebelliousgrunt from Rimrock she flew to the mirror and removed the last trace ofthe tear. He was bringing Rimrock for some strange purpose, and--yes, he was knocking at her door. She opened it on a struggle, Rimrockbegging and threatening and trying gingerly to break away; andiron-jawed L. W. With his sling flying wildly, holding him back withhis puffed-up game hand. 

"Excuse me, Miss Fortune, " panted L. W. Brokenly, "but I just had tofetch this unmannerly brute back. He can't come, like he did, to myplace of business and speak like he did about you. You're the bestfriend, by Gregory, that Rimrock Jones ever had; and I'll say that formyself, Miss, too. You've been a _good_ friend to me and I'll neverforgit it, but Rim is jest naturally a fool!"

He stopped for breath and Rimrock set back sullenly without raising hiseyes from the floor. 

"Now!" said L. W. As he winced at the pull, "you can decide what you'regoing to do. Are you going to bust my arm, where I got it shot in twojest by fighting Ike Bray for your mine; or are you going to stan' uphere and apologize like a gentleman for saying Miss Fortune sold youout. "

"I'll apologize, doggone you, " answered Rimrock between his teeth, "ifyou'll shut up and let go my coat. "

"Well, all right, then, " sighed L. W. As he cradled his injured arm, "I'll wait for you at the head of the stairs. "

"You do and I'll kill you, " returned Rimrock savagely. "Go on, now--and don't you come back. "

He waved a threatening hand at the belligerent L. W. And watched himtill he passed down the stairs. Then, turning to Mary, he set hismouth and looked her over grimly. 

"Well, I apologize, " he said. "Does that make you feel better? Andnow I hope I may go. "

"No, you can't, " she replied. "Now it's my turn to apologize. And Ihope you have good luck. "

She held out her hand and he glanced at it questioningly, then reachedout and took it in his. 

"I mean it, " he said with sudden earnestness. "I sure-enoughapologize. I'm sorry for what I done. "

She patted his hand where it still held hers fast and bowed her head tokeep back the tears. 

"It's all right, " she said. "We could never be happy. It's better tohave you go. "

"I'll come back!" he said with impulsive gladness. "I'll come back--ifyou say the word. "

"Well--come back, then, " she answered. "But not to quarrel; not tohaggle, and backbite and scold! Oh, it makes me so ashamed! I used tobe reasonable; but it doesn't seem possible now. I can't even saveyour mine, that you killed a man over and went to prison to defend; Ican't even do that but in such a hateful way that you won't accept itas a gift. "

"Aw, you take it too hard, " protested Rimrock feebly. "Say, come onover here and sit down. " He led her reluctantly to the ill-fatedbalcony, but at the divan she balked and drew back. 

"No, not there, " she said with a little shudder, and turned back andsank down in a chair. 

"Well, all right, " agreed Rimrock, but as he drew up another hesuddenly divined her thought. "Say, I apologize again, " he went onabjectly, "for that time--you know--when she came. I was a Mexican'sdog, there's no use talking, but--oh, well, I've been a damned fool. "

"You mustn't swear so much, " she corrected him gently; and then theygazed at each other in silence. "It's strange, " she murmured, "how wehated each other. Almost from the first day, it seems. But no, notthe first! I liked you then, Rimrock; better than I ever will again. You were so clean and strong then, so full of enthusiasm; butnow--well, I wish you were poor. "

"Ain't I broke?" he demanded and she looked at him sadly as she slowlyshook her head. 

"No, you're rich, " she said. "I'm going to give you back the mine, andthen I'm going away. "

"But I don't want it!" he said. "Didn't I tell you to keep it? Well, I meant it--every word. "

"Ah, yes, " she sighed. "You told me--I know--but to-morrow is anotherday. You'll change your mind then, the way you always do. You see, Iknow you now. "

"You do not!" he denied. "I don't change my mind. I stick to one ideafor years. But there's something about you--I don't know what itis--that makes me a natural-born fool. "

"Yes. I make you mad, " she answered regretfully. "And then you willsay and do anything. But now about the mine. I left Mr. Stoddard inthe office just biting his fingers with anxiety. "

"Well, let him bite 'em, " returned Rimrock spitefully, "I hope he eats'em off. If it hadn't been for him, and that Mrs. Hardesty, and allthe other crooks he set on, we'd be friends to-day--and I'd rather havethat than all the mines in the world. "

"Oh, would you, Rimrock?" she questioned softly. "But no, we couldnever agree. It isn't the money that has come between us. We blameit, but it's really our own selves. You will gamble and drink, it'syour nature to do it, and that I could never forgive. I like you, Rimrock, I'm afraid I can't help it, but I doubt if we can even befriends. "

"Aw, now listen!" he pleaded. "It was you drove me to drink. A mancan get over those things. But not when he's put in the wrong ineverything--he's got to win, sometimes. "

"Yes, but, Rimrock, there has never been a time when you couldn't havehad everything you wanted--if you wouldn't always be fighting for it. But when you distrust me and go against me and say that I've sold youout, how can a woman do anything but fight you back? And I will--I'llnever give up! As long as you think I'm not as good as you are--justas smart, just as honest, just as brave--I'll never give in an inch. But there has never been a time during all our trouble, when, if you'donly listened and trusted me, I wouldn't have helped you out. Now takethat letter that I wrote you in New York--I warned you they would jumpyour claim! But when you didn't come and complete your assessmentwork, I went up and jumped it myself. I got this great scar----" shethrust back her hair--"coming down the Old Juan that night. But I didit for you, I didn't do it for myself, and then--you wouldn't take backyour mine!"

She bowed her head to brush away the tears and Rimrock stared andsmiled at a thought. 

"Well, I'll take it now, " he said consolingly. "But I didn'tunderstand. I didn't know that you want to give things--I thought youwere on the make. "

"Well, I was!" she declared, "I wanted all my rights--and I want themall to-day. But if you'd trust me, Rimrock, if you'd always depend onme to do the best that a woman can I'd--I'd give you anything--but youalways fight me. You always try to _take_!"

"Well, I won't any more, " replied Rimrock penitently, yet with amasterful look in his eyes. "But you'll have to make it easy, atfirst. "

"Why, what do you mean?" she asked rather tremulously. And then sheblushed and glanced swiftly about. 

"All right, Rimrock, " she whispered as she took both his hands and thenslipped into his arms. "I'll give you anything--if you'll only let me. But remember, I do it myself. "

CHAPTER XXIX

RIMROCK DOES IT HIMSELF

"Now, let's talk reason, " said Rimrock at last as he put away herhands. "Let's be reasonable--I don't know where I'm at. Say, wherehave I been and what have I been up to? Am I the same feller thatblowed into town on the blind baggage, or is this all a part of thedream?"

"It's a part of the dream, " answered Mary with a sigh. "But if youhelp, Rimrock, it may come true. "

"Do you mean it?" he demanded. "Well, I guess you must or you wouldn'tgive me a kiss like that. Say, you think a lot of me, now don't you, Little Spitfire? I believe you'd go through hell for me. "

"No, I wouldn't, " she replied. "That's just where I draw theline--because you'd be going through hell, too. You're a good man, Rimrock--you've got a good heart--but you're a drunken, fighting brute. "

"Hmm!" shrilled Rimrock, "say, that don't sound very nice after whatyou said a minute ago. "

"We're talking reason, now, " said Mary, smiling wanly, "I was excited aminute ago. "

"Well, get excited again, " suggested Rimrock, but she pushed his handsaway. 

"No, " she said, "I kissed you once because--well, because I liked youand--and to show that I forgive what you've done. But a woman mustconsider what love might mean and I'll never marry a drunkard. I knowwomen who have and they all regretted it--it took all the sweetness outof life. A woman expects so much--so much of tenderness and sympathyand gentleness and consideration--and a drunken man is a brute. Youknow it, because you've been there; and, oh, you don't know how I'dhate you if you ever came back to me drunk! I'd leave you--I'd neverconsent for a minute to so much as touch your hand--and so it's betterjust to be friends. "

She sighed and hurried on to a subject less unpleasant. 

"Now, there's the matter of that claim. You know I hold title to theOld Juan and it gives me control of the mine. Even Stoddardacknowledges it, although he'll try to get around it; and if we presshim he'll take it to the courts. But now listen, Rimrock, this is amatter of importance and I want you to help me out. I want you toattend to getting my discovery work before the ninety days has expired. Then we'll draw up a complete and careful agreement of just what wewant at the mine and Whitney H. Stoddard, if I know anything about him, will be only too glad to sign it. I told him before I left him thatthis chicanery must cease and that you must be given back your mine. Itold him you must run it, and that Jepson must be fired--but Rimrock, there's one thing more. "

"What's that?" enquired Rimrock rousing up from his abstraction and shesmiled and patted his hand. 

"You mustn't fight him, " she suggested coaxingly. "It interferes withthe work. "

"Fight who?" he demanded and then he snorted. "What, me make friendswith Stoddard? Why, it's that crooked hound that's at the bottom ofall this. He's the man that's made all the trouble. Why, we weredoing fine, girl; we were regular pardners and I wasn't drinking adrop. I was trying to make good and show you how I loved you when hebutted in on the game. He saw he couldn't beat us as long as we stoodtogether and so he sent out that damnable Mrs. Hardesty. He hired heron purpose and she worked me for a sucker by feeding me up with bigwords. She told me I was a wonder, and a world-beater for a gambler, and then--well, you know the rest. I went back to New York and theytrimmed me right, and if it wasn't for you I'd be broke. No, I'llnever forget what you did for me, Mary; and I'll never forget what hedid, either!"

"No, I hope you won't, " she said, winking fast, "because that's what'sruined your life. He can always whip you when it comes to business, because you fight in the open and he never shows his hand. And he'sabsolutely unscrupulous--he'd think no more of ruining our happinessthan--than you do, when you're fighting mad. Oh, if you knew how Isuffered during all those long months when you were stock-gambling andgoing around with--her. "

"Aw, now, Mary, " he soothed, wiping away the sweat from his brow; andthen he took her into his arms. "Now, don't cry, " he said, "because Iwent back there to look for you--I paid out thousands of dollars fordetectives. And when I saw you that time, when you came down thestairway in that opera house back in New York, I never went near heragain. I quit her at the door and had detectives out everywhere; but, you went away, you never gave me a chance!"

"Well, " she sobbed, "we all make mistakes, but--but I was so ashamed, to be jealous of _her_. Couldn't you see what she was? Couldn't youtell that type of woman? Oh, Rimrock, it was perfectly awful!Everybody that saw you, every woman that looked at her, must have--oh, I just can't bear to think about it!"

"My God!" groaned Rimrock; and then he was silent, looking sober-eyedaway into space. It came over him at last what this woman had bornefrom him and yet she had been faithful to the end. She had evenbefriended him after he had accused her of treachery, but she hadreserved the privilege of hating him. Perhaps that was the woman ofit, he did not know; if so, he had never observed it before. Orperhaps--he straightened up and drew her closer--perhaps she was theOne Woman in the world! Perhaps she was the only woman he would everknow who would love him for himself, and take no thought for his money. She had loved him when he was poor----

"Say, " he said in a far-away voice, "do you remember when I saw youthat first time? You looked mighty good to me then. And I was soragged, and wild and woolly, but you sure came through with the roll. The whole roll, at that. Say, I ain't going to forget that--RimrockJones never forgets a friend. Some time when you ain't looking for itI'm going to do something for you like giving that roll to me. Something hard, you understand; something that will take the hide offof me like parting with the savings of a lifetime. But I haven't gotanything to give. "

"Yes, you have, " she said, "and it will hurt just the same. It issomething you had on then. "

"Huh, I didn't have hardly anything but my clothes and my gun. Youdon't mean----"

"Yes, I mean the gun. "

"Oh!" he said, and fell into silence while she watched him from beneathher long lashes. He reached back ruefully and drew out his pistol andtwirled the cylinder with his thumb. 

"That's a fine old gun, " he said at last. "I sure have carried it manya mile. "

"Yes, " she answered, and sat there, waiting, and at last he met hereyes. 

"What's the idea?" he asked, but his tone was resentful--he knew whatwas in her mind. 

"I just want it, " she said. "More than anything else. And you mustnever get another one. "

"How'm I going to protect myself?" he demanded hotly. "How'm I goingto protect my claims? If it wasn't for that gun, where'd the Old Juanbe to-day?"

"Well, where is it?" she asked and smiled. 

"Why----"

"Why, you lost it, " she supplied. "And I won it, " she added. "Itstands in my name to-day. "

"Yes, but Andrew McBain----"

"Was he any smarter than Stoddard? Well, I didn't need any gun. "

"Yes, but look who you are!" observed Rimrock sarcastically andbalanced the old gun in his hand. 

"Well, there we are, " she remarked at last. "Right back where westarted from. "

"Where's that?" he enquired. 

"Back to our first quarrel, " she sighed. "A woman never forgets it. It's different, I suppose, with a man. "

"Yes, I reckon it is, " he agreed despondently. "We try to forget ourtroubles. "

"Does it help any to get drunk?" she asked impersonally and he sawwhere the conversation had swung. It had veered back again to hismerits as a married man and the answer had come from his own lips. Heknew too well that look in her eye, that polite and polished calm. Mary Fortune was not strong for scenes. She just made up her mind andthen all the devils in hell could not sway her from her purpose. Andshe had rejected him as a gun-fighter and a drunkard. 

"Here! Now!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet in alarm. "Now here, don't get me wrong! Say, I'd give my heart's blood, just for one morekiss--do you think I'll hold out on this gun? Here, take it, girl, andif I ever drink a drop I want you to shoot me dead!"

He handed over the gun and she took it solemnly, but with a twinkle farback in her eyes. 

"I couldn't do that, " she said, "because I love you too much, Rimrock. "

"And another thing, " he went on, smiling grimly as she kissed him. 

"What's that?" she asked. 

"Well, I'll give you 'most anything, if you'll only ask for it; butremember, I do it myself. "

THE END