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and interest to keep on； heave ahead。 Ef you rather have the
chance of getting the rest in cash； you'll let up on her。〃 〃You
don't suppose；〃 returned Mrs。 Patterson contemptuously； 〃that she's
got anything but what that man of hersPoindexterlets her have？〃
〃The sheriff says；〃 retorted Patterson surlily； 〃that she's
notified him that she claims the rancho as a gift from her husband
three years ago； and she's in POSSESSION now； and was so when the
execution was out。 It don't make no matter；〃 he added； with gloomy
philosophy； 〃who's got a full hand as long as WE ain't got the
cards to chip in。 I wouldn't 'a' minded it；〃 he continued
meditatively； 〃ef Spence Tucker had dropped a hint to me afore he
put out。〃 〃And I suppose；〃 said Mrs。 Patterson angrily； 〃you'd
have put out too？〃 〃I reckon；〃 said Patterson simply。
Twice or thrice during the evening he referred； more or less
directly； to this lack of confidence shown by his late debtor and
employer； and seemed to feel it more keenly than the loss of
property。 He confided his sentiments quite openly to the sheriff
in possession； over the whiskey and euchre with which these
gentlemen avoided the difficulties of their delicate relations。 He
brooded over it as he handed the keys of the shop to the sheriff
when they parted for the night； and was still thinking of it when
the house was closed； everybody gone to bed； and he was fetching a
fresh jug of water from the well。 The moon was at times obscured
by flying clouds； the avant…couriers of the regular evening shower。
He was stooping over the well； when he sprang suddenly to his feet
again。 〃Who's there？〃 he demanded sharply。
〃Hush！〃 said a voice so low and faint it might have been a whisper
of the wind in the palisades of the corral。 But； indistinct as it
was； it was the voice of the man he was thinking of as far away；
and it sent a thrill of alternate awe and pleasure through his
pulses。
He glanced quickly around。 The moon was hidden by a passing cloud；
and only the faint outlines of the house he had just quitted were
visible。 〃Is that you； Spence？〃 he said tremulously。
〃Yes；〃 replied the voice； and a figure dimly emerged from the
corner of the corral。
〃Lay low； lay low； for God's sake；〃 said Patterson； hurriedly
throwing himself upon the apparition。 〃The sheriff and his posse
are in there。〃
〃But I must speak to you a moment；〃 said the figure。
〃Wait；〃 said Patterson； glancing towards the building。 Its blank；
shutterless windows revealed no inner light； a profound silence
encompassed it。 〃Come quick；〃 he whispered。 Letting his grasp
slip down to the unresisting hand of the stranger； he half…dragged；
half…led him； brushing against the wall； into the open door of the
deserted bar…room he had just quitted； locked the inner door；
poured a glass of whiskey from a decanter； gave it to him； and then
watched him drain it at a single draught。 The moon came out； and；
falling through the bare windows full upon the stranger's face；
revealed the artistic but slightly disheveled curls and moustache
of the fugitive； Spencer Tucker。
Whatever may have been the real influence of this unfortunate man
upon his fellows； it seemed to find expression in a singular
unanimity of criticism。 Patterson looked at him with a half…
dismal； half…welcoming smile。 〃Well； you are a h…ll of a fellow；
ain't you？〃
Spencer Tucker passed his hand through his hair and lifted it from
his forehead； with a gesture at once emotional and theatrical。 〃I
am a man with a price on me！〃 he said bitterly。 〃Give me up to the
sheriff； and you'll get five thousand dollars。 Help me； and you'll
get nothing。 That's my dd luck； and yours too； I suppose。〃
〃I reckon you're right there；〃 said Patterson gloomily。 〃But I
thought you got clean away。 Went off in a ship〃
〃Went off in a boat to a ship；〃 interrupted Tucker savagely； 〃went
off to a ship that had all my things on boardeverything。 The
cursed boat capsized in a squall just off the Heads。 The ship；
dn her； sailed away； the men thinking I was drowned； likely；
and that they'd make a good thing off my goods； I reckon。〃
〃But the girl； Inez； who was with you； didn't she make a row？〃
〃Quien sabe？〃 returned Tucker； with a reckless laugh。 〃Well； I
hung on like grim death to that boat's keel until one of those
Chinese fishermen； in a 'dug…out；' hauled me in opposite Saucelito。
I chartered him and his dug…out to bring me down here。〃
〃Why here？〃 asked Patterson； with a certain ostentatious caution
that ill…concealed his pensive satisfaction。
〃You may well ask；〃 returned Tucker； with an equal ostentation of
bitterness； as he slightly waved his companion away。 〃But I
reckoned I could trust a white man that I'd been kind to； and who
wouldn't go back on me。 No； no； let me go！ Hand me over to the
sheriff！〃
Patterson had suddenly grasped both the hands of the picturesque
scamp before him； with an affection that for an instant almost
shamed the man who had ruined him。 But Tucker's egotism whispered
that this affection was only a recognition of his own superiority；
and felt flattered。 He was beginning to believe that he was really
the injured party。
〃What I HAVE and what I have HAD is yours； Spence；〃 returned
Patterson； with a sad and simple directness that made any further
discussion a gratuitous insult。 〃I only wanted to know what you
reckoned to do here。〃
〃I want to get over across the Coast Range to Monterey；〃 said
Tucker。 〃Once there； one of those coasting schooners will bring me
down to Acapulco； where the ship will put in。〃
Patterson remained silent for a moment。 〃There's a mustang in the
corral you can takeleastways； I shan't know that it's goneuntil
to…morrow afternoon。 In an hour from now；〃 he added； looking from
the window； 〃these clouds will settle down to business。 It will
rain； there will be light enough for you to find your way by the
regular trail over the mountain； but not enough for any one to know
you。 If you can't push through to…night； you can lie over at the
posada on the summit。 Them greasers that keep it won't know you；
and if they did they won't go back on you。 And if they did go back
on you； nobody would believe them。 It's mighty curious；〃 he added；
with gloomy philosophy； 〃but I reckon it's the reason why
Providence allows this kind of cattle to live among white men and
others made in his image。 Take a piece of pie； won't you？〃 He
continued； abandoning this abstract reflection and producing half a
flat pumpkin pie from the bar。 Spencer Tucker grasped the pie with
one hand and his friend's fingers with the other； and for a few
moments was silent from the hurried deglutition of viand and
sentiment。 〃YOU'RE a white man； Patterson； anyway；〃 he resumed。
〃I'll take your horse； and put it down in our account； at your own
figure。 As soon as this cursed thing is blown over； I'll be back
here