ing eyes of the bandits. And it seemed to her
that a shadow hovered over them. The movements of Kells grew tense and
hurried. Beads of sweat stood out upon his brow. His hands were not
steady.

Soon larger bags were distributed to the bandits. That broke the
waiting, the watchfulness, but not the tense eagerness. The bandits were
now like leashed hounds. Blicky leaned before Kells and hit the table
with his fist.

"Boss, I've a kick comin'," he said.

"Come on with it," replied the leader.

"Ain't Gulden a-goin' to divide up thet big nugget?"

"He is if he's square."

A chorus of affirmatives from the bandits strengthened Kells's
statement. Gulden moved heavily and ponderously, and he pushed some of
his comrades aside to get nearer to Kells.

"Wasn't it my right to do a job by myself--when I wanted?" he demanded.

"No. I agreed to let you fight when you wanted. To kill a man when you
liked!... That was the agreement."

"What'd I kill a man for?"

No one answered that in words, but the answer was there, in dark faces.

"I know what I meant," continued Gulden. "And I'm going to keep this
nugget."

There was a moment's silence. It boded ill to the giant.

"So--he declares himself," said Blicky, hotly. "Boss, what you say
goes."

"Let him keep it," declared Kells, scornfully. "I'll win it from him and
divide it with the gang."

That was received with hoarse acclaims by all except Gulden. He glared
sullenly. Kells stood up and shook a long finger in the giant's face.

"I'll win your nugget," he shouted. "I'll beat you at any game.... I
call your hand.... Now if you've got any nerve!"

"Come on!" boomed the giant, and he threw his gold down upon the table
with a crash.

The bandits closed in around the table with sudden, hard violence, all
crowding for seats.

"I'm a-goin' to set in the game!" yelled Blicky.

"We'll all set in," declared Jesse Smith.

"Come on!" was Gulden's acquiescence.

"But we all can't play at once," protested Kells. "Let's make up two
games."

"Naw!"

"Some of you eat, then, while the others get cleaned out."

"Thet's it--cleaned out!" ejaculated Budd, meanly. "You seem to be sure,
Kells. An' I guess I'll keep shady of thet game."

"That's twice for you, Budd," flashed the bandit leader. "Beware of the
third time!"

"Hyar, fellers, cut the cards fer who sets in an' who sets out," called
Blicky, and he slapped a deck of cards upon the table.

With grim eagerness, as