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like him； but generally that he alone was responsible for the
grocery man's defection。 It was put more concisely by Union Mills。
〃That comes of letting him go there！ It's just a fair provocation
to any man to have the Old Man sent to him。 They can't； sorter；
restrain themselves at him。 He's enough to spoil the credit of the
Rothschilds。〃
〃That's so；〃 chimed in the Judge。 〃And look at his prospecting。
Why； he was out two nights last week； all night； prospecting in the
moonlight for blind leads； just out of sheer foolishness。〃
〃It was quite enough for me；〃 broke in the Left Bower； 〃when the
other day； you remember when； he proposed to us white men to settle
down to plain ground sluicing； making 'grub' wages just like any
Chinaman。 It just showed his idea of the Lone Star claim。〃
〃Well； I never said it afore；〃 added Union Mills； 〃but when that
one of the Mattison boys came over here to examine the claim with
an eye to purchasin'； it was the Old Man that took the conceit out
of him。 He just as good as admitted that a lot of work had got to
be done afore any pay ore could be realized。 Never even asked him
over to the shanty here to jine us in a friendly game； just kept
him； so to speak； to himself。 And naturally the Mattisons didn't
see it。〃
A silence followed； broken only by the rain monotonously falling on
the roof； and occasionally through the broad adobe chimney； where
it provoked a retaliating hiss and splutter from the dying embers
of the hearth。 The Right Bower； with a sudden access of energy；
drew the empty barrel before him； and taking a pack of well…worn
cards from his pocket； began to make a 〃solitaire〃 upon the lid。
The others gazed at him with languid interest。
〃Makin' it for anythin'？〃 asked Mills。
The Right Bower nodded。
The Judge and Left Bower； who were partly lying in their respective
bunks； sat up to get a better view of the game。 Union Mills slowly
disengaged himself from the wall and leaned over the 〃solitaire〃
player。 The Right Bower turned the last card in a pause of almost
thrilling suspense； and clapped it down on the lid with fateful
emphasis。
〃It went！〃 said the Judge in a voice of hushed respect。 〃What did
you make it for？〃 he almost whispered。
〃To know if we'd make the break we talked about and vamose the
ranch。 It's the FIFTH time today；〃 continued the Right Bower in a
voice of gloomy significance。 〃And it went agin bad cards too。〃
〃I ain't superstitious；〃 said the Judge； with awe and fatuity
beaming from every line of his credulous face； 〃but it's flyin' in
the face of Providence to go agin such signs as that。〃
〃Make it again； to see if the Old Man must go；〃 suggested the Left
Bower。
The suggestion was received with favor； the three men gathering
breathlessly around the player。 Again the fateful cards were
shuffled deliberately； placed in their mysterious combination； with
the same ominous result。 Yet everybody seemed to breathe more
freely； as if relieved from some responsibility； the Judge
accepting this manifest expression of Providence with resigned
self…righteousness。
〃Yes； gentlemen；〃 resumed the Left Bower； serenely； as if a calm
legal decision had just been recorded； 〃we must not let any
foolishness or sentiment get mixed up with this thing； but look at
it like business men。 The only sensible move is to get up and get
out of the camp。〃
〃And the Old Man？〃 queried the Judge。
〃The Old Manhush！ he's coming。〃
The doorway was darkened by a slight lissome shadow。 It was the
absent partner； otherwise known as 〃the Old Man。〃 Need it be added
that he was a BOY of nineteen； with a slight down just clothing his
upper lip！
〃The creek is up over the ford； and I had to 'shin' up a willow on
the bank and swing myself across；〃 he said； with a quick； frank
laugh； 〃but all the same； boys； it's going to clear up in about an
hour； you bet。 It's breaking away over Bald Mountain； and there's
a sun flash on a bit of snow on Lone Peak。 Look！ you can see it
from here。 It's for all the world like Noah's dove just landed on
Mount Ararat。 It's a good omen。〃
From sheer force of habit the men had momentarily brightened up at
the Old Man's entrance。 But the unblushing exhibition of degrading
superstition shown in the last sentence recalled their just
severity。 They exchanged meaning glances。 Union Mills uttered
hopelessly to himself： 〃Hell's full of such omens。〃
Too occupied with his subject to notice this ominous reception； the
Old Man continued： 〃I reckon I struck a fresh lead in the new
grocery man at the Crossing。 He says he'll let the Judge have a
pair of boots on credit； but he can't send them over here； and
considering that the Judge has got to try them anyway； it don't
seem to be asking too much for the Judge to go over there。 He says
he'll give us a barrel of pork and a bag of flour if we'll give him
the right of using our tail…race and clean out the lower end of it。〃
〃It's the work of a Chinaman； and a four days' job；〃 broke in the
Left Bower。
〃It took one white man only two hours to clean out a third of it；〃
retorted the Old Man triumphantly； 〃for I pitched in at once with a
pick he let me have on credit； and did that amount of work this
morning； and told him the rest of you boys would finish it this
afternoon。〃
A slight gesture from the Right Bower checked an angry exclamation
from the Left。 The Old Man did not notice either； but； knitting
his smooth young brow in a paternally reflective fashion； went on：
〃You'll have to get a new pair of trousers； Mills； but as he
doesn't keep clothing； we'll have to get some canvas and cut you
out a pair。 I traded off the beans he let me have for some tobacco
for the Right Bower at the other shop； and got them to throw in a
new pack of cards。 These are about played out。 We'll be wanting
some brushwood for the fire； there's a heap in the hollow。 Who's
going to bring it in？ It's the Judge's turn； isn't it？ Why；
what's the matter with you all？〃
The restraint and evident uneasiness of his companions had at last
touched him。 He turned his frank young eyes upon them； they
glanced helplessly at each other。 Yet his first concern was for
them； his first instinct paternal and protecting。 He ran his eyes
quickly over them； they were all there and apparently in their
usual condition。 〃Anything wrong with the claim？〃 he suggested。
Without looking at him the Right Bower rose； leaned against the
open door with his hands behind him and his face towards the
landscape； and said； apparently to the distant prospect： 〃The
claim's played out； the partnership's played out； and the sooner we
skedaddle out of this the better。 If；〃 he added； turning to the
Old Man； 〃if YOU want to stay； if you want to do Chinaman's work at
Chinaman's wages； if you want to hang on to the charity of the
traders at the Crossing； you can do it； and