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Updated: May 18, 2025
"That's twice for you, Budd," flashed the bandit leader. "Beware of the third time!" "Hyar, fellers, cut the cards fer who sets in an' who sets out," called Blicky, and he slapped a deck of cards upon the table. With grim eagerness, as if drawing lots against fate, the bandits bent over and drew cards. Budd, Braverman, and Beady Jones were the ones excluded from the game.
"You can't weigh it all on these scales," said Blicky. "That's sure," replied Kells. "We'll divide the small bags first.... Ten shares ten equal parts!... Spill out the bags. Blick. And hurry. Look how hungry Gulden looks!... Somebody cook your breakfast while we divide the gold." "Haw! Haw!" "Ho! Ho!" "Who wants to eat?"
They were a dark, grim group, with hard eyes and tight lips. Handy Oliver was speaking. "I tell you, Gulden swore he seen Creede on the road in the lamplight last night AFTER Jim Cleve got here." "Gulden must have been mistaken," declared Kells, impatiently. "He ain't the kind to make mistakes," replied Oliver. "Gul's seen Creede's ghost, thet's what," suggested Blicky, uneasily.
Gulden followed; next came Beady Jones; then the three bandits with the pack-horse and the other horses; Cleve and Joan, close together, filed in here; and last came Budd and Blicky. It was rough, slippery traveling and the riders spread out. Cleve, however, rode beside Joan. Once, at an opportune moment, he leaned toward her. "We'd better run for it at the first chance," he said, somberly.
Finally the cavalcade was ready; Jesse Smith gazed around upon the scene with the air of a general overlooking a vanquished enemy. "Whoever fust runs acrost this job will have blind staggers, don't you forgit thet!" "What's Kells goin' to figger?" asked Blicky, sharply. "Nothin' fer Kells! He wasn't in at the finish!" declared Budd. Blicky gazed darkly at him, but made no comment.
Kells was white and rapt. Plain to see he had won! Blicky was wild with rage. Jesse Smith sat darker, grimmer, but no longer cool. There was hate in the glance he fastened upon Kells as he bet. Beady Jones and Braverman showed an inflamed and impotent eagerness to take their turn. Budd sat in the game now, and his face wore a terrible look.
Presently men grouped round Kells. She heard whispers. They began to walk slowly, and she was pushed and led along. More men joined the group. Soon she and Kells and Jim were hemmed in a circle. Then she saw the huge form of Gulden, the towering Oliver, and Smith and Blicky, Beard, Jones, Williams, Budd, and others.
The place was getting packed with men. Kells's party encountered Blicky and Beady Jones together. They passed by as strangers. Then Joan saw Beard and Chick Williams arm in arm, strolling about, like roystering miners. Williams telegraphed a keen, fleeting glance at Kells, then went on, to be lost in the crowd.
There were consternation and bewilderment in his expression, but very little fear. "He was preachin' down there in a tent," said Blicky, "an I jest waltzed him up without explainin'." "Sir, I want to be married at once," declared Kells, peremptorily. "Certainly. I'm at your service," replied the preacher. "But I deplore the the manner in which I've been approached."
Still, among thousands of men, all wild and toiling and self-sufficient, hiding their identities, anything might be possible. After a few moments, however, Joan leaned to the improbability of the man being her uncle. Kells sat down before the table and Blicky stood beside him with the gold-scales. The other bandits lined up opposite. Jim Cleve stood to one side, watching, brooding.
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