ore money and he went
perforce to the only man who could give it. It would be a fight, for
L. W. was stubborn; but Rimrock was stubborn himself.

"L. W.," he said, when he found the banker in his private office in the
rear, "you used to be white and I want you to listen before you spit
out what you've got in your craw. You may have a grievance, and I
don't deny it; but remember, I've got one, too. No, it isn't about my
mine--I wouldn't sell you one share in it for your whole little
jim-crow bank. I've done my first work and I've recorded my claims,
and I'll offer them--somewhere's else. All you know is gold and before
we go any further, just run your eyes over that."

He dumped the contents of his bag on the polished desk and L. W.
blinked as he looked. It was picked gold quartz of the richest kind,
with jewelry specimens on top, and as L. W. ran his hand through it his
tight mouth relaxed from its bulldog grip on the cigar.

"Where'd you get it?" he grunted and Rimrock's eyes flashed as he
answered shortly:

"My mine."

"How much more you got?"

L. W. asked it suspiciously, but the gold-gleam had gone to his heart.

"About two tons of the best, scattered around on the different dumps,
and a whole scad more that will ship. I knew you wouldn't lend on
anything but gold-ore and I need money to pay off my Mexicans. I've
got to save some ore bags to sack that picked rock in, and hire
freighters to haul it in. Then there's the freight and the milling and
with one thing and another I need about two thousand dollars."

"Oh! Two thousand dollars. Seems to me," observed L. W., "I've heard
that sum mentioned before."

"You have, dad-burn ye, and this time I want it. What's the matter,
ain't that ore good for it all?"

"It is, if you've got it, but I've come to the point where I don't
place absolute confidence in your word."

"Oh, the hell you have!" said Rimrock sarcastically, "that sounds like
some lawyer talk. You might've learned it from Apex McBain when you
was associated with him in a deal. I won't say _what_ deal, but,
refreshing your memory now, ain't my word as good as yours?"

He gazed intently at the hard-visaged L. W. whose face slowly turned
brick red.

"Now to get down to business," went on Rimrock quietly, "I tell you
that ore is there. If you'll loan me the money to haul in that rock
I'll pay you back from my check. And I'll give you my note at one per
cent. a month, compounded mont