own money--might even get
old Eells to build it. Yes, I'm serious; I've got a new system--been
thinking it out, up in the hills--and just to show you how brainy I am
I'll make this demonstration for nothing. You don't need to bet me
anything, just acknowledge that I'm the king when it comes to the real
inside work; and before I get through I'll have Judson Eells belly up
and gasping for air like a fish. I'm going to trim him, the big fat
slob; I'm going to give him a lesson that'll learn him to lay off of me
for life; I'm going to make him so scared he'll step down into the
gutter when he meets me coming down the sidewalk. Well, laugh, doggone
it, but you watch my dust--I'm going to hang his hide on the fence!"

"That's what you told me before," she reminded him mischievously, "but
somehow it didn't work out."

"It'll work out this time," he retorted grimly. "A man has got to learn.
I'm just a kid, I know that, and I'm not much on book learning, but
don't you never say I can't _think_! Maybe I can't beat them crooks
when I play their own game, but this time _I deal the hand_! Do you
git me? We've switched the deal! And if I don't ring in a cold deck and
deal from the bottom it won't be because it's _wrong_. I'm out to
scalp 'em, see, and just to convince you we'll begin by building that
road. Your old man is wrong, he don't need no road and it won't do him
any good when he gets it; but just to make you happy and show you how
much I think of you, I'll do it--only you've got to stand pat! No Sunday
school stuff, see? We're going to fight this out with hay hooks, and
when I come back with his hair don't blame me if old Eells makes a roar.
I'm going to stick him, see; and I'm not going to stick him once--I'm
going to stick him three times, till he squeals like a pig, because
that's what he did to me! He cleaned me once on the Wunpost, and twice
on the Willie Meena, but before I get through with him he'll knock a
corner off the mountain every time he sees my dust. He'll be
_gone_, you understand--it'll be moving day for him--but I'll chase
him to the hottest stope in hell. I'm going to bust him, savvy, just to
learn these other dastards not to start any rough stuff with me. And now
the road, the road! We'll just get him to build it--I've got it all
framed up!"

He made a bluff to kiss her, then ran out and mounted his horse and went
rollicking off towards Blackwater. Wilhelmina brushed her cheek and
gazed angrily after h