"Well what d'ye want?" snarled Chatwourth irritably. "By cripes, I'll
kill the first man that comes a step nearer. I won't stand no
monkey-business from nobody."

"Oh, sure, sure," soothed Bunker, "we know you're the goods--nerviest
gun-man, I believe, I ever saw. But here's the proposition, you ain't
here for your health, you must figure on making a winning somehow. Well,
if your title's good you've got a good mine, but if it ain't you're out
of luck. Now I sold this claim for five hundred dollars to Mr. Russell,
that you met a while ago; and we think it belongs to him yet. I gave him
a clear title and he's done his work, so----"

"Your title was no good!" contradicted Chatwourth from his rock pile,
"you hadn't done your work for years. I've located this claim and the
man don't live----"

"That's all right!" spoke up Denver, "but I located it before you did. I
didn't _buy_ this claim. I paid for a quit-claim and then relocated
it myself--and my papers are on record in Moroni."

"Who called you in on this?" burst out Chatwourth abusively, rising up
with his gun poised to shoot. "Now you git, dam' your heart, and if you
say another word----"

"You don't dare to shoot me!" answered Denver in a passion, standing
firm as the crowd surged back. "I'm unarmed, and you don't dare to shoot
me!"

"Here, here!" exclaimed Bunker grabbing hastily at Denver's arm but
Denver struck him roughly aside.

"Never mind, now," he said, "just get those folks away--I don't want any
of my friends to get hurt. But I'll tell you right now, either I throw
that man out or he'll have to shoot me down in cold blood."

He backed away panting and the miners ran for cover, but Bunker Hill
held his ground.

"No, now listen, Denver," he admonished gently, "you don't know what
you're doing. This man will kill you, as sure as hell."

"He will not!" cried Denver grabbing up a heavy stone and advancing on
the barricade, "I'm destined to be killed by my dearest friend--that's
what old Mother Trigedgo told me! But this bastard ain't my friend and
never was----"

He paused, for Chatwourth's gun came down and pointed straight at his
heart.

"Stand back!" he shrilled and Denver leapt forward, hurling the rock
with all his strength. Then he plunged through the smoke, swinging his
arms out to clutch, and as he crashed through the barrier he stumbled
over something that he turned back and pounced on like a cat. It was
Chatwourth, but his body was lim