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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
sudden dominance that they all felt； 〃the man who forgets it will
have to reckon with me。 Now；〃 he continued； resuming his former
ironical manner； 〃now； what are the cold facts of the case？ The
Marshalls worked this claim ever since '49； and never got anything
out of it； then they dropped off or died out； leaving only one
brother； Tom Marshall； to work what was left of it。 Well； a few
days ago HE found indications of a big lead in the rock； and
instead of rushin' out and yellin' like an honest man； and callin'
in the boys to drink； he sneaks off to 'Frisco； and goes to the
bank to get 'em to take a hand in it。 Well； you know； when Jim
Stacy takes a hand in anything； IT'S BOTH HANDS； and the bank
wouldn't see it until he promised to guarantee possession of the
whole abandoned claim；'dips； spurs； and angles；'and let them
work the whole thing； which the dd fool DID； and the bank
agreed to send an expert down there to…morrow to report。 But while
he was away some one on our side； who was an expert also； got wind
of it； and made an examination all by himself； and found it was a
vein sure enough and a big thing； and some one else on our side
found out； too； all that Marshall had promised the bank and what
the bank had promised him。 Now； gentlemen； when the bank sends
down that expert to…morrow I expect that he will find YOU IN
POSSESSION of every part of the deserted claim except the spot
where Tom is still working。〃
〃And what good is that to us？〃 asked one of the men contemptuously。
〃Good？〃 repeated Steptoe harshly。 〃Well； if you're not as dd a
fool as Marshall； you'll see that if he has struck a lead or vein
it's bound to run across OUR CLAIMS； and what's to keep us from
sinking for it as long as Marshall hasn't worked the other claims
for years nor pre…empted them for this lead？〃
〃What'll keep him from pre…empting now？〃
〃Our possession。〃
〃But if he can prove that the brothers left their claims to him to
keep； he'll just send the sheriff and his posse down upon us；〃
persisted the first speaker。
〃It will take him three months to do that by law； and the sheriff
and his posse can't do it before as long as we're in peaceable
possession of it。 And by the time that expert and Marshall return
they'll find us in peaceful possession； unless we're such blasted
fools as to stay talking about it here！〃
〃But what's to prevent Marshall from getting a gang of his own to
drive us off？〃
〃Now your talkin' and not yelpin'；〃 said Steptoe； with slow
insolence。 〃Dd if I didn't begin to think you kalkilated I was
goin' to employ you as lawyers！ Nothing is to prevent him from
gettin' up HIS gang； and we hope he'll do it； for you see it puts
us both on the same level before the law； for we're both BREAKIN'
IT。 And we kalkilate that we're as good as any roughs they can
pick up at Heavy Tree。〃
〃I reckon！〃 〃Ye can count us in！〃 said half a dozen voices
eagerly。
〃But what's the job goin' to pay us？〃 persisted a Sydney man。 〃An'
arter we've beat off this other gang； are we going to scrub along
on grub wages until we're yanked out by process…sarvers three
months later？ If that's the ticket I'm not in it。 I aren't no
by quartz miner。〃
〃We ain't going to do no more MINING there than the bank；〃 said
Steptoe fiercely。 〃And the bank ain't going to wait no three
months for the end of the lawsuit。 They'll float the stock of that
mine for a couple of millions； and get out of it with a million
before a month。 And they'll have to buy us off to do that。 What
they'll pay will depend upon the lead； but we don't move off those
claims for less than five thousand dollars； which will be two
hundred and fifty dollars to each man。 But；〃 said Steptoe in a
lower but perfectly distinct voice； 〃if there should be a row；and
they BEGIN it；and in the scuffle Tom Marshall； their only
witness； should happen to get in the way of a revolver or have his
head caved in； there might be some difficulty in their holdin' ANY
OF THE MINE against honest； hardworking miners in possession。 You
hear me？〃
There was a breathless silence for the moment； and a slight
movement of the men in their chairs； but never in fear or protest。
Every one had heard the speaker distinctly； and every man
distinctly understood him。 Some of them were criminals； one or two
had already the stain of blood on their hands； but even the most
timid； who at other times might have shrunk from suggested
assassination； saw in the speaker's words only the fair removal of
a natural enemy。
〃All right； boys。 I'm ready to wade in at once。 Why ain't we on
the road now？ We might have been but for foolin' our time away on
that man Van Loo。〃
〃Van Loo！〃 repeated Hall eagerly；〃Van Loo！ Was he here？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Steptoe shortly； administering a kick under the table
to Hall； as he had no wish to revive the previous irritability of
his comrades。 〃He's gone； but；〃 turning to the others； 〃you'd have
had to wait for Mr。 Hall's arrival； anyhow。 And now you've got
your order you can start。 Go in two parties by different roads；
and meet on the other side of the hotel at Hymettus。 I'll be there
before you。 Pick up some shovels and drills as you go； remember
you're honest miners； but don't forget your shootin'…irons for all
that。 Now scatter。〃
It was well that they did； vacating the room more cheerfully and
sympathetically than they had entered it； or Hall's manifest
disturbance over Van Loo's visit would have been noticed。 When the
last man had disappeared Hall turned quickly to Steptoe。 〃Well；
what did he say？ Where has he gone？〃
〃Don't know；〃 said Steptoe； with uneasy curtness。 〃He was running
away with a womanwell； Mrs。 Barker； if you want to know；〃 he
added； with rising anger； 〃the wife of one of those cursed
partners。 Jack Hamlin was here； and was jockeying to stop him； and
interfered。 But what the devil has that job to do with our job？〃
He was losing his temper； everything seemed to turn upon this
infernal Van Loo！
〃He wasn't running away with Mrs。 Barker；〃 gasped Hall；〃it was
with her MONEY！ and the fear of being connected with the Wheat
Trust swindle which he organized； and with our money which I lent
him for the same purpose。 And he knows all about that job； for I
wanted to get him to go into it with us。 Your name and mine ain't
any too sweet…smelling for the bank； and we ought to have a
middleman who knows business to arrange with them。 The bank
daren't object to him； for they've employed him in even shadier
transactions than this when THEY didn't wish to appear。 I knew he
was in difficulties along with Mrs。 Barker's speculations； but I
never thought him up to this。 And；〃 he added； with sudden
desperation； 〃YOU trusted him； too。〃
In an instant Steptoe caught the frightened man by the shoulders
and was bearing him down on the table。 〃Are you a traitor； a liar；
or a besotted fool？〃 he said hoarsely。 〃Speak。 WHEN and WHERE did
I trust him？〃
〃You said in your noteI wastohelp him；〃 gasped Hall。
〃My note；〃 repeated Steptoe； releasing Hall with astonished eyes。
〃Yes；〃 said Hall； tremblingly searching in his vest pocket。 〃I
brought it with me。 It isn't much of a note； but there's your
signature plain enough。〃
He handed Steptoe a torn piece of paper folded in a three…cornered
shape。 Steptoe opened it。 He instantly recognized the paper on
which he had written his name and sent up to his wife at the
Boomville Hotel。 But； added to it； in apparently the same hand； in
smaller characters； were the words； 〃Help Van Loo all you can。〃
The blood rushed into his face。 But he quickly collected himself；
and said hurriedly； 〃All right； I had forgotten it。 Let the dd
sneak go。 We've got what's a thousand times better in this claim
at Marshall's； and it's well that he isn't in it to scoop the
lion's share。 Only we must not waste time getting there now。 You
go there first； and at once； and set those rascals to work。 I'll
follow you before Marshall comes up。 Get； I'll settle up here。〃
His face darkened once more as Hall hurried away； leaving him
alone。 He drew out the piece of paper from his pocket and stared
at it again。 Yes； it was the one he had sent to his wife。 How did
Van Loo get hold of it？ Was he at the hotel that night？ Had he
picked it up in the hall or passage when the servant dropped it？
When Hall handed him the paper and he first recognized it a
fiendish thought； followed by a spasm of more fiendish rage； had
sent the blood to his face。 But his crude common sense quickly
dismissed that suggestion of his wife's complicity with Van Loo。
But had she seen him passing through the hotel that night； and had
sought to draw from him some knowledge of his early