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instinct had impelled him to ascend the summit； and how another
step on that summit would have precipitated him into the canyon！
And howbut what if somebody else； Union Mills or the Judge； had
been the first discoverer？ Might they not have meanly kept the
secret from him； have selfishly helped themselves and done
〃What YOU are doing now。〃
The hot blood rushed to his cheek； as if a strange voice were at
his ear。 For a moment he could not believe that it came from his
own pale lips until he found himself speaking。 He rose to his
feet； tingling with shame； and began hurriedly to descend the
mountain。
He would go to them； tell them of his discovery； let them give him
his share； and leave them forever。 It was the only thing to be
done； strange that he had not thought of it at once。 Yet it was
hard； very hard and cruel to be forced to meet them again。 What
had he done to suffer this mortification？ For a moment he actually
hated this vulgar treasure that had forever buried under its gross
ponderability the light and careless past； and utterly crushed out
the poetry of their old； indolent； happy existence。
He was sure to find them waiting at the Cross Roads where the coach
came past。 It was three miles away； yet he could get there in time
if he hastened。 It was a wise and practical conclusion of his
evening's work； a lame and impotent conclusion to his evening's
indignation。 No matter。 They would perhaps at first think he had
come to weakly follow them； perhaps they would at first doubt his
story。 No matter。 He bit his lips to keep down the foolish rising
tears； but still went blindly forward。
He saw not the beautiful night； cradled in the dark hills； swathed
in luminous mists； and hushed in the awe of its own loveliness！
Here and there the moon had laid her calm face on lake and
overflow； and gone to sleep embracing them； until the whole plain
seemed to be lifted into infinite quiet。 Walking on as in a dream；
the black； impenetrable barriers of skirting thickets opened and
gave way to vague distances that it appeared impossible to reach；
dim vistas that seemed unapproachable。 Gradually he seemed himself
to become a part of the mysterious night。 He was becoming as
pulseless； as calm； as passionless。
What was that？ A shot in the direction of the cabin！ yet so faint；
so echoless； so ineffective in the vast silence； that he would have
thought it his fancy but for the strange instinctive jar upon his
sensitive nerves。 Was it an accident； or was it an intentional
signal to him？ He stopped； it was not repeated； the silence
reasserted itself； but this time with an ominous death…like
suggestion。 A sudden and terrible thought crossed his mind。 He
cast aside his pack and all encumbering weight； took a deep breath；
lowered his head and darted like a deer in the direction of the
challenge。
CHAPTER II
The exodus of the seceding partners of the Lone Star claim had been
scarcely an imposing one。 For the first five minutes after
quitting the cabin； the procession was straggling and vagabond。
Unwonted exertion had exaggerated the lameness of some； and
feebleness of moral purpose had predisposed the others to obtrusive
musical exhibition。 Union Mills limped and whistled with affected
abstraction； the Judge whistled and limped with affected
earnestness。 The Right Bower led the way with some show of
definite design； the Left Bower followed with his hands in his
pockets。 The two feebler natures； drawn together in unconscious
sympathy； looked vaguely at each other for support。
〃You see；〃 said the Judge； suddenly； as if triumphantly concluding
an argument； 〃there ain't anything better for a young fellow than
independence。 Nature； so to speak； points the way。 Look at the
animals。〃
〃There's a skunk hereabouts；〃 said Union Mills； who was supposed to
be gifted with aristocratically sensitive nostrils； 〃within ten
miles of this place； like as not crossing the Ridge。 It's always
my luck to happen out just at such times。 I don't see the
necessity anyhow of trapesing round the claim now； if we calculate
to leave it to…night。〃
Both men waited to observe if the suggestion was taken up by the
Right and Left Bower moodily plodding ahead。 No response
following； the Judge shamelessly abandoned his companion。
〃You wouldn't stand snoopin' round instead of lettin' the Old Man
get used to the idea alone？ No； I could see all along that he was
takin' it in； takin' it in； kindly but slowly； and I reckoned the
best thing for us to do was to git up and git until he'd got round
it。〃 The Judge's voice was slightly raised for the benefit of the
two before him。
〃Didn't he say；〃 remarked the Right Bower； stopping suddenly and
facing the others； 〃didn't he say that that new trader was goin' to
let him have some provisions anyway？〃
Union Mills turned appealingly to the Judge； that gentleman was
forced to reply； 〃Yes； I remember distinctly he said it。 It was
one of the things I was particular about on his account；〃 responded
the Judge； with the air of having arranged it all himself with the
new trader。 〃I remember I was easier in my mind about it。〃
〃But didn't he say；〃 queried the Left Bower； also stopping short；
〃suthin' about it's being contingent on our doing some work on the
race？〃
The Judge turned for support to Union Mills； who； however； under
the hollow pretense of preparing for a long conference； had
luxuriously seated himself on a stump。 The Judge sat down also；
and replied； hesitatingly； 〃Well； yes！ Us or him。〃
〃Us or him；〃 repeated the Right Bower； with gloomy irony。 〃And you
ain't quite clear in your mind； are you； if YOU haven't done the
work already？ You're just killing yourself with this spontaneous；
promiscuous； and premature overwork； that's what's the matter with
you。〃
〃I reckon I heard somebody say suthin' about it's being a
Chinaman's three…day job；〃 interpolated the Left Bower； with equal
irony； 〃but I ain't quite clear in my mind about that。〃
〃It'll be a sorter distraction for the Old Man；〃 said Union Mills；
feebly〃kinder take his mind off his loneliness。〃
Nobody taking the least notice of the remark； union Mills stretched
out his legs more comfortably and took out his pipe。 He had
scarcely done so when the Right Bower； wheeling suddenly； set off
in the direction of the creek。 The Left Bower； after a slight
pause； followed without a word。 The Judge； wisely conceiving it
better to join the stronger party； ran feebly after him； and left
Union Mills to bring up a weak and vacillating rear。
Their course； diverging from Lone Star Mountain； led them now
directly to the bend of the creek； the base of their old
ineffectual operations。 Here was the beginning of the famous tail…
race that skirted the new trader's claim； and then lost its way in
a swampy hollow。 It was choked with debris； a thin； yellow stream