its in your pockets," he said. "I'd
never get hungry with my pockets full of gold. But you might."

Joan rummaged around in Bate Wood's rude cupboard.

"These biscuits are as heavy as gold--and harder," she said.

Kells flashed a glance at her that held pride, admiration, and sadness.
"You are the gamest girl I ever knew! I wish I'd--But that's too
late!... Joan, if anything happens to me stick close to Cleve. I believe
you can trust him. Come on now."

Then he strode out of the cabin. Joan had almost to run to keep up
with him. There were no other men now in sight. She knew that Jim would
follow soon, because his gold-dust was hidden in the cavern back of
her room, and he would not need much time to get it. Nevertheless,
she anxiously looked back. She and Kells had gone perhaps a couple of
hundred yards before Jim appeared, and then he came on the run. At a
point about opposite the first tents he joined Kells.

"Jim, how about guns?" asked the bandit.

"I've got two," replied Cleve.

"Good! There's no telling--Jim, I'm afraid of the gang. They're crazy.
What do you think?"

"I don't know. It's a hard proposition."

"We'll get away, all right. Don't worry about that. But the gang will
never come together again." This singular man spoke with melancholy.
"Slow up a little now," he added. "We don't want to attract
attention.... But where is there any one to see us?... Jim, did I have
you figured right about the Creede job?"

"You sure did. I just lost my nerve."

"Well, no matter."

Then Kells appeared to forget that. He stalked on with keen glances
searching everywhere, until suddenly, when he saw round a bend of the
road, he halted with grating teeth. That road was empty all the way to
the other end of camp, but there surged a dark mob of men. Kells stalked
forward again. The Last Nugget appeared like an empty barn. How vacant
and significant the whole center of camp! Kells did not speak another
word.

Joan hurried on between Kells and Cleve. She was trying to fortify
herself to meet what lay at the end of the road. A strange, hoarse roar
of men and an upflinging of arms made her shudder. She kept her eyes
lowered and clung to the arms of her companions.

Finally they halted. She felt the crowd before she saw it. A motley
assemblage with what seemed craned necks and intent backs! They were all
looking forward and upward. But she forced her glance down.

Kells stood still. Jim's grip was hard upon her a