lation. HE don't keep it for himself;
he ain't got fine houses in Frisco; he don't keep fast horses for show.
Like ez not the critter he did that job with--ef it was him--none of
you boys would have rid! And he takes all the risks himself; you ken bet
your life that every man with him was safe and away afore he turned his
back on you-uns."

"He certainly drops a little of his money at draw poker, Zeenie," said
Clinch, laughing. "He lost five thousand dollars to Sheriff Kelly last
week."

"Well, I don't hear of the sheriff huntin' him to give it back, nor do
I reckon Kelly handed it over to the Express it was taken from. I heard
YOU won suthin' from him a spell ago. I reckon you've been huntin' him
to find out whar you should return it." The laugh was clearly against
Clinch. He was about to make some rallying rejoinder when the young girl
suddenly interrupted him. "Ef you're wantin' to hunt somebody, why don't
you take higher game? Thar's that Jim Harkins: go for him, and I'll join
you."

"Harkins!" exclaimed Clinch and Hale simultaneously.

"Yes, Jim Harkins; do you know him?" she said, glancing from one to the
other.

"One of my friends do," said Clinch laughing; "but don't let that stop
you."

"And YOU--over there," continued Zenobia, bending her head and eyes
towards Hale.

"The fact is--I believe he was my banker," said Hale, with a smile. "I
don't know him personally."

"Then you'd better hunt him before he does you."

"What's HE done, Zeenie?" asked Rawlins, keenly enjoying the
discomfiture of the others.

"What?" She stopped, threw her long black braids over her shoulder,
clasped her knee with her hands, and rocking backwards and forwards,
sublimely unconscious of the apparition of a slim ankle and
half-dropped-off slipper from under her shortened gown, continued, "It
mightn't please HIM," she said slyly, nodding towards Hale.

"Pray don't mind me," said Hale, with unnecessary eagerness.

"Well," said Zenobia, "I reckon you all know Ned Falkner and the
Excelsior Ditch?"

"Yes, Falkner's the superintendent of it," said Rawlins. "And a square
man too. Thar ain't anything mean about him."

"Shake," said Zenobia, extending her hand. Rawlins shook the proffered
hand with eager spontaneousness, and the girl resumed: "He's about
ez good ez they make 'em--you bet. Well, you know Ned has put all his
money, and all his strength, and all his sabe, and--"

"His good looks," added Clinch mischievously.