,
he--had Mr. Eells ever done you any harm?"

"Well, not yet, kid--that is, I didn't know it--but believe me, his
intentions were good. The time hadn't come, that's all."

"He was your friend, then," contended Billy, "because Dusty Rhodes
said----"

"Dusty Rhodes!" bellowed Wunpost and then he paused. "Go on, let's get
this off your chest."

"Well, he said," continued Billy, "that Mr. Eells gave you everything
and that you lived off his grubstake for two years; so I don't think it
was right, when you finally found a mine----"

"Say, listen," broke in Wunpost leaning over and tapping her on the knee
while he fixed her with intolerant eyes, "who's your friend, now--Dusty
Rhodes or me?"

"Why--you are," faltered Billy, "but I don't see----"

"All right then," pronounced Wunpost, "if I'm your friend, _stay with
me_. Don't tell me what Dusty Rhodes said!"

"That's all right," she defended, "didn't I make him apologize? But I'm
_your_ friend, too, and I don't think it was right----"

"Right!" thundered Wunpost, "where do you get this 'right' stuff? Have
you lived up this canyon all your life? Well, you wait until tomorrow,
when the rush is on, and I'll show you how much _right_ there is in
mining! You come down to the mine and I'll show you a bunch of mugs that
would rob you of your claim like _that_! I'm going to be there,
myself, and I'm going to borrow that pistol that you stuck in my ribs
the other night; and the first yap that touches a corner or crosses my
line I'll make him hard to catch. And then will come the promoters, with
their diamonds and certified checks, and they'll offer you millions and
millions; but you stay with me, kid, if they offer you the sub-treasury,
because they'll clean you if you ever sign up. Don't sign nothing,
see--and don't promise anything, either; and I'll tell you about
_me_, I'll do anything for a friend--but that's as far as I go.
They ain't no right and wrong, as far as I'm concerned. I'm like a
danged Injun, I'll keep my word to a friend no matter how the cards
fall; but if that friend turns against me I'll scalp him like
_that_, and hang his hide on the fence! So now you know right where
you'll find me!"

"Well, all right," retorted Billy, whose Scotch blood was up, "and I'll
tell you right where you'll find _me_. I'll stay with my friends
whether they're right or wrong, but I'll never do anything dishonest.
And if you don't like that you can take back your claim because--