ere not for such as he, and
if she crowded him too far he had an answer to her reproaches which
would effectually reduce her to silence. But Billy knew that answer, and
the reason for the gleam which played like heat-lightning in his eyes,
and she hastened to stave off disaster.

"Oh, mother!" she protested, "now please don't talk seriously to him or
he'll confess to almost anything. He told me a lot of stuff and I was
dreadfully worried about it, but I found out he only did it to tease me.
And besides, you know yourself that Mr. Eells did take advantage of us
and trick us out of our mine--and if it hadn't been for that we could
have built the road ourselves without being beholden to anybody."

"But Billy, child!" she chided, "just think what you're saying. Is it
any excuse that others are dishonest? Well, I must say I'm surprised!"

"Oh, you're surprised, are you?" spoke up Wunpost, rising ponderously to
his feet. "Well, if you don't like my style, just say so."

He reached for his hat and stood waiting for the answer, but Mrs.
Campbell avoided the issue.

"It is not for us to judge our neighbors--the Bible says: Judge not,
lest ye be judged--but I'm sorry, Mr. Calhoun, that you think so poorly
of us as to boast of the deception you practised. He's no friend of us,
this Judson Eells, but surely you cannot think it was aught but
dishonest to sell him a salted mine. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,
and because he took your property is no excuse for committing a crime."

"A _crime_!" repeated Wunpost, and turned to look at Billy, who
hung her head regretfully. "Did you hear that?" he asked. "She says I'm
a criminal! Well, I won't bother you folks any more. But before I go,
Mrs. Campbell, I might as well tell you that these criminals sometimes
come in danged handy. Suppose I'd buried that ore in Happy Canyon, for
instance, or over the summit in Hanaupah--where would the Campbell
family be for a road? They wouldn't have one, _would_ they? And
this here Providence that you talk about would be distributing its
rewards to others. But there's too many good people for the rewards to
go around--that's why some of us get out and rustle. No, you want to be
thankful that a criminal came along and took a flyer at being Providence
himself; otherwise you'd be stuck with your mine on your hands--because
I gave you that road, myself."

He started for the door and Mrs. Campbell let him go, for the revelation
had left her thunders