rthful. For a long time Allie could not sleep.

Next morning Durade called her. When she unlaced the canvas flaps, it
was to see the sun high and to hear the bustle of work all about her.

Durade brought her breakfast and gave her instructions. While he was
about in the daytime she might come out and do what she could to
amuse herself; but when he was absent or at night she must be in her
wagon-tent, laced in, and she was not to answer any call. She would
be guarded by Stitt, one of his men, a deaf mute, faithful to his
interests, and who had orders to handle her roughly should she disobey.
Allie would not have been inclined to mutiny, even without the fear and
abhorrence she felt of this ugly and deformed mute.

That day Durade caused to be erected tents, canopies, tables, benches,
and last a larger tent, into which the tables and benches were carried.
Fresno worked hard, as did all the men except Stitt, who had nothing to
do but watch Allie's wagon. Wearily the time passed for her. How many
days must she spend thus, watching idly, because there was nothing else
to do? Still, back in her consciousness there was a vague and growing
thought. Sooner or later Neale would appear in the flesh, as he now came
to her in her dreams.

That night Allie, peeping out, saw by the fire and torch-light a
multitude of men drawn to Durade's large tent. Mexicans, Negroes,
Irishmen--all kinds of men passed, loud and profane, careless and
reckless, quarrelsome and loquacious. Soon there arose in her ears the
long-forgotten but now familiar sounds of a gambling-hell in full blast.
The rolling rattle of the wheel, sharp, strident, and keen, intermingled
with the strange rich false clink of gold.

It needed only a few days and nights for Allie Lee to divine Durade's
retrogression. Before this he had been a gambler for the sake of
gambling, even a sportsman in his evil way; now he seemed possessed of
an unscrupulous intent, a strange, cold, devouring passion to get gold
and more gold--always more gold. Allie divined evidence of this, saw
it, heard it. The man had struck the descent, and he was all the more
dangerous for his lapse from his former standards, poor as they had
been.

Not a week had elapsed before the gambling-hell roared all night. Allie
got most of her sleep during the day. She tried to shut out what sound
she could, and tried to be deaf to the rest. But she had to hear the
angry brawls, pistol-shots, and shrill cries; yes,