to him. Twice had the
Mexican won; once George, taking in the two-hundred dollar bet.
George's face was flushed; he had won four hundred dollars at one throw
since the Mexican's two hundred had come to him with Drennen's. George
had never played dice like this and the madness of it got into his slow
blood and stood glaring out of his eyes.

"Two hundred fifty," offered Drennen briefly. He shoved the last of
his pile out on the table. George covered it quickly, his big, square
fingers shaking.

Garcia smiled at them both, then transferred his smile to his own
money. In two throws he had won three hundred dollars, in one he had
lost two hundred. He seemed to hesitate a moment; then he saw
Ernestine Dumont standing upon a deserted card table, her cheeks rosy
with excitement, and the sight of her decided him. He sighed, raked
his money from the table to his pocket and got to his feet, moving
gracefully through the crowd with many, "_Dispensame, senor_," and went
to Ernestine's side. Kootanie George did not mark his going. For it
was Kootanie George's throw and two hundred and fifty dollars were to
be won . . . or lost.

George turned out the cubes and a ripping oath followed them. He had
thrown a pair of deuces. His big fist came down upon the table with a
crash. Drennen stared at him a brief moment while the cup was raised
in his hand, contempt unveiled in his eyes. Then he rolled out the
dice. Something akin to a sob burst from Kootanie George's lips.
Drennen had turned out a "stiff," no pair at all.

"It's mine!" cried George, his great body half thrown across the table
as he tossed out both arms to sweep in his winnings. "Mine, by God!"

Ernestine was clapping her hands, her eyes dancing with joy even while
they were shot through with malice. Drennen's glance went to her, came
back to Kootanie George to rest upon him sneeringly. Then he laughed,
that ugly laugh which few men had heard and those few had remembered.

"Gold!" jeered Drennen. "It's a little pinch of gold, and you go crazy
over it! You are a fool."

"It's mine!" cried George again. He had won only a little over six
hundred dollars and he could have afforded to have lost as much. But
he was in the grip of the passion of the game.

"You've got about a thousand dollars there," said Drennen eyeing the
jumble of coins in front of the big Canadian. He jerked the old canvas
bag out of his pocket and let it fall heavily to the table.