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Innocent blood had been shed, court property destroyed. McNamara had them where he wanted them at last. They were at bay. The unwounded prisoners were taken to the boundaries of the Midas and released with such warnings as the imagination of Dextry could conjure up; then Glenister assembled his men, speaking to them plainly. "Boys, this is no victory.
He'll work them as hard and as long as he can, and Heaven only knows what will become of the money. He must have big men behind him in order to fix a United States judge this way. Maybe he has the 'Frisco courts corrupted, too." "If he has, I'm goin' to kill him," said Dextry. "I've worked like a dog all my life, and now that I've struck pay I don't aim to lose it.
"Come away quick," she panted, and they led her into a near-by store, where she sank upon a seat and trembled until Dextry brought her a glass of whiskey. "Here, Miss," he said. "Pretty tough go for a 'cheechako. I'm afraid you ain't gettin' enamoured of this here country a whole lot." For half an hour he talked to her, in his whimsical way, of foreign things, till she was quieted.
Dextry inquired when he had finished. "Of course. Didn't the detective warn me to-day?" Dextry shook his head. "It don't seem like the game is that far along yet. The time is coming when we'll go to the mat with them people, but they've got the aige on us now, so what could they gain by putting you away? I don't believe it's them, but whoever it is, you'd better be careful or you'll be got."
"Am I game?" Glenister's nostrils dilated and his voice rose a tone. "Am I game? I'm with you till the big cash-in, and Lord have mercy on any man that blocks our game to-night." "We'll need another hand to help us," said Dextry. "Who can we get?"
In the short time since meeting them, the girl had grown to like Dextry, with his blunt chivalry and boyish, whimsical philosophy, but she avoided Glenister, feeling a shrinking, hidden terror of him, ever since her eavesdropping of the previous night. At the memory of that scene she grew hot, then cold hot with anger, icy at the sinister power and sureness which had vibrated in his voice.
"No, no," said the old man. "She ain't that kind she's too fine, too delicate too pretty." "That's just it too pretty! Too pretty to be alone or anything except what she is." Dextry growled sourly. "This country has plumb ruined you, boy. You think they're all alike an' I don't know but they are all but this girl. Seems like she's different, somehow but I can't tell."
Strange to say, Dextry, the fire-eater, had assumed an Oriental patience quite foreign to his peppery disposition, and spent much of his time in the hills prospecting. On this day, as the clouds broke, about noon, close down on the angry horizon a drift of smoke appeared, shortly resolving itself into a steamer.
"I've had a right smart experience in that line," said Dextry, "but I never done it by proxy. What's your plan?" "She will stay here to-night," said Glenister quickly. "You and I will go below. Nobody will see her." "I can't let you do that," she objected. "Isn't there some place where I can hide?" But they reassured her and left.
There was a loft overhead, he remembered, hopefully, then realized that the pursuers would search there first of all. "I told you he was a hard fighter," said Dextry, as the quick footsteps grew louder. "He ain't no fool neither. 'Stead of our bein' caught in the mountains, I reckon we'll shoot it out here. We should have cached that gold somewhere."
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