ld in Simmons' astute, practised hands. The latter's
rascality was patent, but Simmons could not have been successful unabetted
by his own blind negligence. The catastrophe that had overtaken him
rankled in his most vulnerable spot--his self-esteem.

He suffered inarticulately, an indistinguishable shape in the soft, summer
gloom; about his feet, in the lush grass, the greenish-gold sparks of the
fireflies quivered; above the deep rift of the valley the stars were like
polished silver coins.

Vaguely, and then more strongly, out of a chaos of vain, sick regrets, his
combativeness, his deep-lying, indomitable determination, asserted
itself--he would not fall like an over ripe apple into Simmons'
complacent, waiting grasp. But to get, without resources, two hundred and
fifty dollars by Saturday, was a preposterous task. Outside his, Clare's,
home, he had nothing to sell; and to sell that now, he realized with a
spoken oath, would be to throw it away--the vultures, Hollidew and Co.,
would have heard of his necessity, and regulate their action, the local
supply of available currency, accordingly.

There was no possible way of earning such a sum in four days; there was
little more chance, he realized sardonically, of stealing it.... Sometimes
large sums of money were won in a night's gambling in the lumber and
mining towns over the West Virginia line. But, for that, he would require
capital; he would have his wages to-morrow; however, if he gambled with
that and lost, Clare and himself would face immediate, irredeemable ruin.
He dismissed that consideration from the range of possibilities. But it
returned, hovered on the border of his thoughts--he might risk a part of
his capital, say thirty dollars. If he lost that they would be little
worse off than they were at present; while if he won ... he might easily
win.

He mentally arranged the details, assuring himself, the while, that he was
only toying with the idea.--He would pay the customary substitute to
drive the stage to Stenton, and cross Cheap Mountain on foot; by dark he
would be in Sprucesap, play that night, and return the following day,
Friday.

With an effort he still put the scheme from his thoughts; but, while he
kept it in abeyance, nothing further occurred to him. That gave him a
possible reprieve; all else offered sure disaster. He rose, and walked
slowly toward his home, revolving, testing, the various aspects of the
trip to Sprucesap; at once deciding u