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I'll prove that I can." Rouletta started for the gambling- room and the two men followed. Best spoke to his partner in a low voice: "Say, Ben, if she can make a half-way bluff at it she'll be a big card. Think of the play she'll get." But Miller was dubious. "She's nothing but a kid," he protested. "A dealer has got to have experience, and, besides, she ain't the kind that belongs in a dump.
"Joe McCaskey or Frank," Rouletta answered with positiveness. 'Poleon started. Through the gloom he stared incredulously at the speaker. "I'm sure of it, now that I've had time to think," the girl declared. "That's why I ran for you. Now listen! I promised not to tell this, but I must. Courteau confessed to his wife that he and the McCaskeys trumped up that charge against Pierce.
The walk was a silent one, for Rouletta was in a state bordering upon collapse; gradually she regained control of herself and stumbled along beside him. "They're three to one," she said, finally. "Oh, 'Poleon! They'll swear it on him. The Police are strict; they'll give him five years. I heard the colonel say so." "Dere's been good deal of short-weighin', but " Doret shook his head.
What is she to you?" "She ain't not'in' to me. But I seen you plenty tams an' you ain't no good." Rouletta spoke intelligibly for the first time: "I've no place to go no place to sleep. I'm very tired." "There you've got it," the girl's self-appointed protector grinned. "Well, I happen to have room for her in my tent."
Of course, there was no pay out there on that mountain- crest, but hard work, honest poverty, an end of these demoralizing surroundings were bound to affect Pierce only for the better. Rouletta blessed the name of Hilda Courteau, who had made this possible, and of 'Poleon Doret, too 'Poleon of the great heart, who loved her so sincerely, so unselfishly.
He had traveled far and swiftly on this young man's affairs; he had slept but little; and now a great fatigue mastered him. Oddly enough, too, that fierce, consuming desire to see Rouletta which had hourly gnawed at him was gone; all at once he felt that she was quite the last person he wished to face.
Even before she had come within sound of Lucky's voice the cause of the general excitement was made known to her. It came in the form of an exclamation, a word or two snatched out of the air. "Courteau!" "Dead!" "Shot back street body just found!" Fiercely Rouletta fought her way through the press, an unvoiced question trembling upon her lips. Broad turned at her first touch.
"Do you think ?" Rouletta turned her white face toward the cashier's cage. "More 'n likely. He was bitter he made a lot of cracks around the Barracks. The first thing the Police said when we notified 'em was, 'Where's Phillips? We didn't know the boy was out until that very minute or we'd 'a' done different. We'd 'a' left the Count in the drift and run Phillips down and framed an alibi.
Rouletta laid a cold hand upon the shivering, distracted creature before her. Sternly she said: "I believe you know who committed that murder. You act as if you did." "I'm a g-good guesser, but I can keep my mouth shut. I know when I'm well off. That's more than the Count knew." "And you probably know something about his robbery, too. I mean that gold-sack "
He motioned to the tiny little office which was curtained off from general view. Rouletta declined with a smile. "I really want work as a dealer. That's the only thing I can do well. I came here first because you have a good reputation." "Kirby's kid don't have to deal nothing. She's good for any kind of a stake on his name." "Dad would be glad to hear that. He was a great man. He ran straight."
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