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careless； easy attitude he had assumed toward Flip； at least the
quick…witted girl noticed it； and wondered if he was angry。 It was
quite true that ever since his eye had fallen upon another of his
own sex； its glance had been less frank and careless。 Certain
traits of possible impatience； which might develop into man…
slaying； were coming to the fore。 Yet a word or a gesture of
Flip's was sufficient to change that manner； and when； with the
fretful assistance of her father； she had prepared a somewhat
sketchy and primitive repast； he questioned the old man about
diamond…making。 The eye of Dad kindled。
〃I want ter know how ye knew I was making diamonds；〃 he asked； with
a certain bashful pettishness not unlike his daughter's。
〃Heard it in 'Frisco；〃 replied Lance； with glib mendacity； glancing
at the girl。
〃I reckon they're gettin' sort of skeert down therethem
jewelers；〃 chuckled Dad； 〃yet it's in nater that their figgers will
have to come down。 It's only a question of the price of charcoal。
I suppose they didn't tell you how I made the discovery？〃
Lance would have stopped the old man's narrative by saying that he
knew the story； but he wished to see how far Flip lent herself to
her father's delusion。
〃Ye see； one night about two years ago I had a pit o' charcoal
burning out there； and tho' it had been a smouldering and a smoking
and a blazing for nigh unto a month； somehow it didn't charcoal
worth a cent。 And yet； dog my skin； but the heat o' that er pit
was suthin hidyus and frightful； ye couldn't stand within a hundred
yards of it； and they could feel it on the stage road three miles
over yon； t'other side the mountain。 There was nights when me and
Flip had to take our blankets up the ravine and camp out all night；
and the back of this yer hut shriveled up like that bacon。 It was
about as nigh on to hell as any sample ye kin get here。 Now； mebbe
you think I built that air fire？ Mebbe you'll allow the heat was
just the nat'ral burning of that pit？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Lance； trying to see Flip's eyes； which were
resolutely averted。
〃Thet's whar you'd be lyin'！ That yar heat kem out of the bowels
of the yearth；kem up like out of a chimbley or a blast； and kep
up that yar fire。 And when she cools down a month after； and I got
to strip her； there was a hole in the yearth； and a spring o'
bilin'； scaldin' water pourin' out of it ez big as your waist。 And
right in the middle of it was this yer。〃 He rose with the instinct
of a skillful raconteur； and whisked from under his bunk a chamois
leather bag； which he emptied on the table before them。 It
contained a small fragment of native rock crystal； half…fused upon
a petrified bit of pine。 It was so glaringly truthful； so really
what it purported to be； that the most unscientific woodman or
pioneer would have understood it at a glance。 Lance raised his
mirthful eyes to Flip。
〃It was cooled suddint；stunted by the water；〃 said the girl；
eagerly。 She stopped； and as abruptly turned away her eyes and her
reddened face。
〃That's it； that's just it；〃 continued the old man。 〃Thar's Flip；
thar； knows it； she ain't no fool！〃 Lance did not speak； but
turned a hard； unsympathizing look upon the old man； and rose
almost roughly。 The old man clutched his coat。 〃That's it； ye
see。 The carbon's just turning to di'mens。 And stunted。 And why？
'Cos the heat wasn't kep up long enough。 Mebbe yer think I stopped
thar？ That ain't me。 Thar's a pit out yar in the woods ez hez
been burning six months； it hain't； in course； got the advantages
o' the old one； for it's nat'ral heat。 But I'm keeping that heat
up。 I've got a hole where I kin watch it every four hours。 When
the time comes； I'm thar！ Don't you see？ That's me！ that's David
Fairley；that's the old man；you bet！〃
〃That's so；〃 said Lance； curtly。 〃And now； Mr。 Fairley； if you'll
hand me over a coat or a jacket till I can get past these fogs on
the Monterey road； I won't keep you from your diamond pit。〃 He
threw down a handful of silver on the table。
〃Ther's a deerskin jacket yer；〃 said the old man； 〃that one o' them
vaqueros left for the price of a bottle of whiskey。〃
〃I reckon it wouldn't suit the stranger；〃 said Flip； dubiously
producing a much…worn； slashed； and braided vaquero's jacket。 But
it did suit Lance； who found it warm； and also had suddenly found a
certain satisfaction in opposing Flip。 When he had put it on； and
nodded coldly to the old man； and carelessly to Flip； he walked to
the door。
〃If you're going to take the Monterey road； I can show you a short
cut to it；〃 said Flip； with a certain kind of shy civility。
The paternal Fairley groaned。 〃That's it； let the chickens and the
ranch go to thunder； as long as there's a stranger to trapse round
with； go on！〃
Lance would have made some savage reply； but Flip interrupted。
〃You know yourself； Dad； it's a blind trail； and as that 'ere
constable that kem out here hunting French Pete； couldn't find it；
and had to go round by the canyon； like ez not the stranger would
lose his way； and have to come back！〃 This dangerous prospect
silenced the old man； and Flip and Lance stepped into the road
together。 They walked on for some moments without speaking。
Suddenly Lance turned upon his companion。
〃You didn't swallow all that rot about the diamond； did you？〃 he
asked； crossly。
Flip ran a little ahead； as if to avoid a reply。
〃You don't mean to say that's the sort of hog wash the old man
serves out to you regularly？〃 continued Lance； becoming more slangy
in his ill temper。
〃I don't know that it's any consarn o' yours what I think；〃 replied
Flip； hopping from boulder to boulder； as they crossed the bed of a
dry watercourse。
〃And I suppose you've piloted round and dry…nussed every tramp and
dead beat you've met since you came here；〃 continued Lance； with
unmistakable ill humor。 〃How many have you helped over this road？〃
〃It's a year since there was a Chinaman chased by some Irishmen
from the Crossing into the brush about yer； and he was too afeered
to come out； and nigh most starved to death in thar。 I had to drag
him out and start him on the mountain； for you couldn't get him
back to the road。 He was the last one but YOU。〃
〃Do you reckon it's the right thing for a girl like you to run
about with trash of this kind； and mix herself up with all sorts of
rough and bad company？〃 said Lance。
Flip stopped short。 〃Look！ if you're goin' to talk like Dad； I'll
go back。〃
The ridiculousness of such a resemblance struck him more keenly
than a consciousness of his own ingratitude。 He hastened to assure
Flip that he was joking。 When he had made his peace they fell into
talk again； Lance becoming unselfish enough to inquire into one or
two facts concerning her life which did not immediately affect him。
Her mother had died on the plains when she was a