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goin' to trust their money to be 'jockeyed' with in that style。
Nobody but a man with a swelled head like Stacy would have even
dared to try it on。 And now； by G…d！ he's got to pay for it。〃
The harsh； exultant tone of the speaker showed that he had quite
forgotten Van Loo and Hamlin in his superior hatred of the
millionaire； and both men noticed it。 Van Loo edged still nearer
to the door； as Steptoe continued； 〃Ever since he made that big
strike on Heavy Tree five years ago； the country hasn't been big
enough to hold him。 But mark my words； gentlemen； the time ain't
far off when he'll find a two…foot ditch again and a pick and grub
wages room enough and to spare for him and his kind of cattle。〃
〃You're not drinking；〃 said Jack Hamlin cheerfully。
Steptoe turned towards the bar； and then started。 〃Where's Van
Loo？〃 he demanded of Jack sharply。
Jack jerked his thumb over his shoulder。 〃Gone to hurry up his
girl； I reckon。 I calculate he ain't got much time to fool away
here。〃
Steptoe glanced suspiciously at Jack。 But at the same moment they
were all startledeven Jack himselfat the apparition of Mrs。
Barker passing hurriedly along the veranda before the windows in
the direction of the still waiting buggy。 〃Dn it！〃 said Steptoe
in a fierce whisper to the man next him。 〃Tell her not THEREat
the back door！〃 But before the messenger reached the door there
was a sudden rattle of wheels； and with one accord all except
Hamlin rushed to the veranda； only to see Mrs。 Barker driving
rapidly away alone。 Steptoe turned back into the room； but Jack
also had disappeared。
For in the confusion created at the sight of Mrs。 Barker； he had
slipped to the back door and found； as he suspected； only one
horse； and that with a side…saddle on。 His intuitions were right。
Van Loo； when he disappeared from the saloon； had instantly fled；
taking the other horse and abandoning the woman to her fate。 Jack
as instantly leaped upon the remaining saddle and dashed after him。
Presently he caught a glimpse of the fugitive in the distance；
heard the half…angry； half…ironical shouts of the crowd at the back
door； and as he reached the hilltop saw； with a mingling of
satisfaction and perplexity； Mrs。 Barker on the other road； still
driving frantically in the direction of the railroad station。 At
which Mr。 Hamlin halted； threw away his encumbering saddle； and；
good rider that he was； remounted the horse； barebacked but for his
blanket…pad； and thrusting his knees in the loose girths； again
dashed forwards；with such good results that； as Van Loo galloped
up to the stagecoach office； at the next station； and was about to
enter the waiting coach for Marysville； the soft hand of Mr。 Hamlin
was laid on his shoulder。
〃I told you；〃 said Jack blandly； 〃that I had plenty of time。 I
would have been here BEFORE and even overtaken you； only you had
the better horse and the only saddle。〃
Van Loo recoiled。 But he was now desperate and reckless。
Beckoning Jack out of earshot of the other passengers； he said with
tightened lips； 〃Why do you follow me？ What is your purpose in
coming here？〃
〃I thought；〃 said Hamlin dryly； 〃that I was to have the pleasure of
getting satisfaction from you for the insult you gave me。〃
〃Well； and if I apologize for it； what then？〃 he said quickly。
Hamlin looked at him quietly。 〃Well； I think I also said something
about the lady being the wife of a friend of mine。〃
〃And I have left her BEHIND。 Her husband can take her back without
disgrace； for no one knows of her flight but you and me。 Do you
think your shooting me will save her？ It will spread the scandal
far and wide。 For I warn you； that as I have apologized for what
you choose to call my personal insult； unless you murder me in cold
blood without witness； I shall let them know the REASON of your
quarrel。 And I can tell you more： if you only succeed in STOPPING
me here； and make me lose my chance of getting away； the scandal to
your friend will be greater still。〃
Mr。 Hamlin looked at Van Loo curiously。 There was a certain amount
of conviction in what he said。 He had never met this kind of
creature before。 He had surpassed even Hamlin's first intuition of
his character。 He amused and interested him。 But Mr。 Hamlin was
also a man of the world； and knew that Van Loo's reasoning might be
good。 He put his hands in his pockets； and said gravely； 〃What IS
your little game？〃
Van Loo had been seized with another inspiration of desperation。
Steptoe had been partly responsible for this situation。 Van Loo
knew that Jack and Steptoe were not friends。 He had certain
secrets of Steptoe's that might be of importance to Jack。 Why
should he not try to make friends with this powerful free…lance and
half…outlaw？
〃It's a game；〃 he said significantly； 〃that might be of interest to
your friends to hear。〃
Hamlin took his hands out of his pockets； turned on his heel； and
said； 〃Come with me。〃
〃But I must go by that coach now；〃 said Van Loo desperately； 〃or
I've told you what would happen。〃
〃Come with me；〃 said Jack coolly。 〃If I'm satisfied with what you
tell me； I'll put you down at the next station an hour before that
coach gets there。〃
〃You swear it？〃 said Van Loo hesitatingly。
〃I've SAID it；〃 returned Jack。 〃Come！〃 and Van Loo followed Mr。
Hamlin into the station hotel。
CHAPTER VI。
The abrupt disappearance of Jack Hamlin and the strange lady and
gentleman visitor was scarcely noticed by the other guests of the
Divide House； and beyond the circle of Steptoe and his friends； who
were a distinct party and strangers to the town； there was no
excitement。 Indeed； the hotel proprietor might have confounded
them together； and； perhaps； Van Loo was not far wrong in his
belief that their identity had not been suspected。 Nor were
Steptoe's followers very much concerned in an episode in which they
had taken part only at the suggestion of their leader； and which
had terminated so tamely。 That they would have liked a 〃row；〃 in
which Jack Hamlin would have been incidentally forced to disgorge
his winnings； there was no doubt； but that their interference was
asked solely to gratify some personal spite of Steptoe's against
Van Loo was equally plain to them。 There was some grumbling and
outspoken criticism of his methods。
This was later made more obvious by the arrival of another guest
for whom Steptoe and his party were evidently waiting。 He was a
short； stout man； whose heavy red beard was trimmed a little more
carefully than when he was first known to Steptoe as Alky Hall； the
drunkard of Heavy Tree Hill。 His dress； too； exhibited a marked
improvement in quality and style； although still characterized in
the waist and chest by the unbuttoned freedom of portly and
slovenly middle age。 Civilization had restricted his potations or
limited them to certain festivals known as 〃sprees；〃 and his face
was less puffy and sodden。 But with the accession of sobriety he
had lost his good humor； and had the irritability and intolerance
of virtuous restraint。
〃Ye needn't ladle out any of your forty…rod whiskey to me；〃 he said
querulously to Steptoe； as he filed out with the rest of the party
through the bar…room into the adjacent apartment。 〃I want to keep
my head level till our business is over； and I reckon it wouldn't
hurt you and your gang to do the same。 They're less likely to
blab； and there are few doors that whiskey won't unlock；〃 he added；
as Steptoe turned the key in the door after the party had entered。
The room had evidently been used for meetings of directors or
political caucuses； and was roughly furnished with notched and
whittled armchairs and a single long deal table； on which were ink
and pens。 The men sat down around it with a half…embarrassed；
half…contemptuous attitude of formality； their bent brows and
isolated looks showing little community of sentiment and scarcely
an attempt to veil that individual selfishness that was prominent。
Still less was there any essay of companionship or sympathy in the
manner of Steptoe as he suddenly rapped on the table with his
knuckles。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； with a certain deliberation of utterance； as
if he enjoyed his own coarse directness； 〃I reckon you all have a
sort of general idea what you were picked up for； or you wouldn't
be here。 But you may or may not know that for the present you are
honest； hard…working miners；the backbone of the State of
Californy；and that you have formed yourselves into a company
called the 'Blue Jay；' and you've settled yourselves on the Bar
below Heavy Tree Hill； on a deserted claim of the Marshall
Brothers； not half a mile from where the big strike was made five
years ago。 That's what you ARE； gentlemen； that's what you'll
continue TO BE until the job's finished； and；〃 he added； with a
s