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mines。〃
〃It ARE the mines； and these yere are the miners；〃 said the first
speaker gravely。 〃Permit me to interdoose 'em。 This yere's Shasta Jim；
this yere's Shotcard Billy； this is Nasty Bob； and this Slumgullion Dick。
This yere's the Dook o' Chatham Street； the Livin' Skeleton； and me！〃
〃May we ask； fair young sir；〃 said the Living Skeleton； who； however；
seemed in fairly robust condition； 〃whence came ye on the wings of the
morning； and whose Marble Halls ye hev left desolate？〃
〃I came across the plains； and got into Stockton two days ago on Mr。
Peyton's train；〃 said Clarence； indignantly； seeing no reason now to
conceal anything。 〃I came to Sacramento to find my cousin； who isn't
living there any more。 I don't see anything funny in THAT！ I came
here to the mines to dig goldbecause…because Mr。 Silsbee； the man who
was to bring me here and might have found my cousin for me； was killed
by Indians。〃
〃Hold up； sonny。 Let me help ye；〃 said the first speaker； rising to his
feet。 〃YOU didn't get killed by Injins because you got lost out of a train
with Silsbee's infant darter。 Peyton picked you up while you was takin'
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care of her； and two days arter you kem up to the broken…down Silsbee
wagons； with all the folks lyin' there slartered。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Clarence； breathlessly with astonishment。
〃And；〃 continued the man； putting his hand gravely to his head as if to
assist his memory； 〃when you was all alone on the plains with that little
child you saw one of those redskins； as near to you as I be； watchin' the
train； and you didn't breathe or move while he was there？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Clarence eagerly。
〃And you was shot at by Peyton； he thinkin' you was an Injun in the
mesquite grass？ And you once shot a buffalo that had been pitched with
you down a gullyall by yourself？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence； crimson with wonder and pleasure。 〃You know
me； then？〃
〃Well； ye…e…es；〃 said the man gravely； parting his mustache with his
fingers。 〃You see； YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE。〃
〃Before！ Me？〃 repeated the astounded Clarence。
〃Yes； before。 Last night。 You was taller then； and hadn't cut your
hair。 You cursed a good deal more than you do now。 You drank a man's
share of whiskey； and you borrowed fifty dollars to get to Sacramento with。
I reckon you haven't got it about you now； eh？〃
Clarence's brain reeled in utter confusion and hopeless terror。
Was he going crazy； or had these cruel men learned his story from his
faithless friends； and this was a part of the plot？ He staggered forward；
but the men had risen and quickly encircled him； as if to prevent his
escape。 In vague and helpless desperation he gasped
〃What place is this？〃
〃Folks call it Deadman's Gulch。〃
Deadman's Gulch！ A flash of intelligence lit up the boy's blind
confusion。 Deadman's Gulch！ Could it have been Jim Hooker who had
really run away； and had taken his name？ He turned half… imploringly to
the first speaker。
〃Wasn't he older than me； and bigger？ Didn't he have a smooth；
round face and little eyes？ Didn't he talk hoarse？ Didn't he〃 He
stopped hopelessly。
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〃Yes； oh； he wasn't a bit like you；〃 said the man musingly。 〃Ye see；
that's the h…ll of it！ You're altogether TOO MANY and TOO VARIOUS
fur this camp。〃
〃I don't know who's been here before； or what they have said；〃 said
Clarence desperately； yet even in that desperation retaining the dogged
loyalty to his old playmate； which was part of his nature。 〃I don't know；
and I don't carethere！ I'm Clarence Brant of Kentucky； I started in
Silsbee's train from St。 Jo； and I'm going to the mines； and you can't stop
me！〃
The man who had first spoken started； looked keenly at Clarence； and
then turned to the others。 The gentleman known as the living skeleton
had obtruded his huge bulk in front of the boy； and； gazing at him； said
reflectively； 〃Darned if it don't look like one of Brant's pupssure！〃
〃Air ye any relation to Kernel Hamilton Brant of Looeyville？〃 asked
the first speaker。
Again that old question！ Poor Clarence hesitated； despairingly。 Was
he to go through the same cross…examination he had undergone with the
Peytons？ 〃Yes；〃 he said doggedly； 〃I ambut he's dead； and you know
it。〃
〃Deadof course。〃 〃Sartin。〃 〃He's dead。〃 〃The Kernel's planted；〃
said the men in chorus。
〃Well； yes；〃 reflected the Living Skeleton ostentatiously； as one who
spoke from experience。 〃Ham Brant's about as bony now as they make
'em。〃
〃You bet！ About the dustiest； deadest corpse you kin turn out；〃
corroborated Slumgullion Dick； nodding his head gloomily to the others；
〃in point o' fack； es a corpse； about the last one I should keer to go huntin'
fur。〃
〃The Kernel's tech 'ud be cold and clammy；〃 concluded the Duke of
Chatham Street； who had not yet spoken； 〃sure。 But what did yer
mammy say about it？ Is she gettin' married agin？ Did SHE send ye
here？〃
It seemed to Clarence that the Duke of Chatham Street here received a
kick from his companions； but the boy repeated doggedly
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〃I came to Sacramento to find my cousin； Jackson Brant； but he wasn't
there。〃
〃Jackson Brant！〃 echoed the first speaker； glancing at the others。 〃Did
your mother say he was your cousin？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence wearily。 〃Good…by。〃
〃Hullo； sonny； where are you going？〃
〃To dig gold；〃 said the boy。 〃And you know you can't prevent me； if
it isn't on your claim。 I know the law。〃 He had heard Mr。 Peyton
discuss it at Stockton； and he fancied that the men； who were whispering
among themselves； looked kinder than before； and as if they were no
longer 〃acting〃 to him。 The first speaker laid his hand on his shoulder；
and said； 〃All right； come with me； and I'll show you where to dig。〃
〃Who are you？〃 said Clarence。 〃You called yourself only 'me。'〃
〃Well； you can call me FlynnTom Flynn。〃
〃And you'll show me where I can digmyself？〃
〃I will。〃
〃Do you know；〃 said Clarence timidly； yet with a half…conscious smile；
〃that II kinder bring luck？〃
The man looked down upon him； and said gravely； but； as it struck
Clarence； with a new kind of gravity； 〃I believe you。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence eagerly； as they walked along together； 〃I brought
luck to a man in Sacramento the other day。〃 And he related with great
earnestness his experience in the gambling saloon。 Not content with that…
…the sealed fountains of his childish deep being broken up by some
mysterious sympathyhe spoke of his hospitable exploit with the
passengers at the wayside bar； of the finding of his Fortunatus purse and
his deposit at the bank。 Whether that characteristic old…fashioned
reticence which had been such an important factor for good or ill in his
future had suddenly deserted him； or whether some extraordinary
prepossession in his companion had affected him； he did not know； but by
the time the pair had reached the hillside Flynn was in possession of all the
boy's history。 On one point only was his reserve unshaken。 Conscious
although he was of Jim Hooker's duplicity； he affected to treat it as a
comrade's joke。
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They halted at last in the middle of an apparently fertile hillside。
Clarence shifted his shovel from his shoulders； unslung his pan； and
looked at Flynn。 〃Dig anywhere here； where you like；〃 said his
com