h Kells's
requirements. This action left Gulden and his group to be dealt with.

"Gulden, are you still on the fence?" demanded Kells, coolly.

The giant strode stolidly forward to the table. As always before to
Joan, he seemed to be a ponderous hulk, slow, heavy, plodding, with a
mind to match.

"Kells, if we can agree I'll join," he said in his sonorous voice.

"You can bet you won't join unless we do agree," snapped Kells.
"But--see here, Gulden. Let's be friendly. The border is big enough for
both of us. I want you. I need you. Still, if we can't agree, let's not
split and be enemies. How about it?"

Another muttering among the men attested to the good sense and good will
of Kells's suggestion.

"Tell me what you're going to do--how you'll operate," replied Gulden.

Keils had difficulty in restraining his impatience and annoyance.

"What's that to you or any of you?" he queried. "You all know I'm the
man to think of things. That's been proved. First it takes brains. I'll
furnish them. Then it takes execution. You and Pearce and the gang will
furnish that. What more do you need to know?"

"How're you going to operate?" persisted Gulden.

Kells threw up both hands as if it was useless to argue or reason with
this desperado.

"All right, I'll tell you," he replied. "Listen.... I can't say what
definite plans I'll make till Jesse Smith reports, and then when I get
on the diggings. But here's a working basis. Now don't miss a word of
this, Gulden--nor any of you men. We'll pack our outfits down to this
gold strike. We'll build cabins on the outskirts of the town, and we
won't hang together. The gang will be spread out. Most of you must make
a bluff at digging gold. Be like other miners. Get in with cliques and
clans. Dig, drink, gamble like the rest of them. Beard will start a
gambling-place. Red Pearce will find some other kind of work. I'll buy
up claims--employ miners to work them. I'll disguise myself and get
in with the influential men and have a voice in matters. You'll all be
scouts. You'll come to my cabin at night to report. We'll not tackle
any little jobs. Miners going out with fifty or a hundred pounds of
gold--the wagons--the stage-coach--these we'll have timed to rights, and
whoever I detail on the job will hold them up. You must all keep sober,
if that's possible. You must all absolutely trust to my judgment. You
must all go masked while on a job. You must never speak a word that
might direct