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Now the Deputy made ready to receive it; but instead it landed once more in Sonora's hands amidst cheers of "Come on, Sonora! Whoopee! Whoop!" "Sh-sh-sh, boys!" warned the Deputy as Sonora was about to send the book on another expedition through the air; "here comes the noo scholar from Watson's." An ominous hush fell upon the room.
But Sonora's fancied advantage over the others was of short duration, for the next instant Nick, stepping quickly forward with a drink, handed it to the Girl with the words: "Regards of Blonde Harry." Again Sonora experienced a feeling akin to jealousy at what he termed Blonde Harry's impudence.
"Boys, boys," said the Girl in a reproving voice, which silenced them almost instantly; then, beckoning to Sid to approach, she went on in her most gentle tones: "I was jest gittin' to you, Sid, as I promised. You can stay." Looking like a whipped dog The Sidney Duck advanced warily towards her. Sonora's brow grew thunderous. "What, here among gentlemen?"
Then occurred one of those terpsichorean performances which never failed to shock old Sonora's sense of the fitness of things.
She did not stop now to dissipate the tears which she saw rolling down Sonora's face, as was her wont when any of the boys were grieved or distressed, but fairly flew out of the cabin, calling half-frantically, half-ecstatically: "Dick! Dick! You're free! You're free! You're free . . .!" The minutes passed and still the miners did not move.
Turning to him quickly, he inquired: "Say, my friend, don't you drink?" But no insult had been intended by Sonora's omission; it was merely most inconsiderate on his part of the feelings of others; and, therefore, there was a note of apology in the voice that presently said: "Oh, yes, Mr. Ashby, I'm with you all right."
But now he reached over Sonora's shoulder and put some coins on the table in front of the dealer. "Give Billy Jackrabbit fer two dolla' Mexican chip," he demanded in a guttural voice. The Sidney Duck did as requested. While he was shuffling the cards for a new deal, the players beat time with their feet to the music that floated in from the dance-hall.
A flush of pleasure at Handsome's evident discomfiture spread over Sonora's countenance, and comical, indeed, to the Girl, was the majestic air he took on when he ordered recklessly: "Oh, crack the egg I'll stand for it."
Rance gave to the words a peculiar accent and inflection, but this caused the prisoner to look even more composed and calm than before; he returned crisply: "I think so." "So this is the gentleman the Girl loves?" Sonora's face wore a cruel grin as he stood with arms folded leering at the prisoner. The biting humour of the thought appealed to Rance, and he smiled grimly to himself.
"But you, Trin, I'm sorry you ain't got nothin'," she added, with a sad, little smile. "So long!" hollered The Pony Express at that moment; whereupon, Ashby rushed over to the door and called after him: "Pony Express, I want you!" Satisfied that his command had been heard he retraced his footsteps and found Handsome peering eagerly over Sonora's shoulder.