the earth. There was much
running and confusion on the hillside. On the mountain-road, Mr. Jack
Hamlin had reined up his horse, and was standing upright on the seat of
his buggy. And the two objects of this absorbing attention approached
each other.

"York's got the sun," "Scott'll line him on that tree," "He's waitin'
to draw his fire," came from the cart; and then it was silent. But
above this human breathlessness the river rushed and sang, and the
wind rustled the tree-tops with an indifference that seemed obtrusive.
Colonel Starbottle felt it, and in a moment of sublime preoccupation,
without looking around, waved his cane behind him, warningly to all
nature, and said, "Shu!"

The men were now within a few feet of each other. A hen ran across the
road before one of them. A feathery seed-vessel, wafted from a wayside
tree, fell at the feet of the other. And, unheeding this irony of
nature, the two opponents came nearer, erect and rigid, looked in each
other's eyes, and--passed!

Colonel Starbottle had to be lifted from the cart. "This yer camp is
played out," he said, gloomily, as he affected to be supported into
the Magnolia. With what further expression he might have indicated his
feelings it was impossible to say, for at that moment Scott joined the
group. "Did you speak to me?" he asked of the Colonel, dropping his
hand, as if with accidental familiarity, on that gentleman's shoulder.
The Colonel, recognizing some occult quality in the touch, and some
unknown quantity in the glance of his questioner, contented himself by
replying, "No, sir," with dignity. A few rods away, York's conduct
was as characteristic and peculiar. "You had a mighty fine chance; why
didn't you plump him?" said Jack Hamlin, as York drew near the buggy.
"Because I hate him," was the reply, heard only by Jack. Contrary
to popular belief, this reply was not hissed between the lips of the
speaker, but was said in an ordinary tone. But Jack Hamlin, who was an
observer of mankind, noticed that the speaker's hands were cold, and
his lips dry, as he helped him into the buggy, and accepted the seeming
paradox with a smile.

When Sandy Bar became convinced that the quarrel between York and Scott
could not be settled after the usual local methods, it gave no further
concern thereto. But presently it was rumored that the "Amity Claim" was
in litigation, and that its possession would be expensively disputed by
each of the partners. As it was well