ement we are passing through out here!
More than I experienced in all my life in New York."

"The West is the place fer stirrin' times, lad." Jack Rasco turned to
his prostrate foe. "Wall, Stillwater, do yer think it war a trick now,
tellin' yer ter look behind yer?"

The rascal answered with a groan.

"My head is split in two!" he cried. "Who struck me? What, that boy?
I'll remember you, youngster, and some day----" He did not finish.

"I ain't done with yer yet, Stillwater," said Rasco. "You war goin' ter
shoot me. I reckon turn about is fair play, ain't it?"

"Would you--you shoot me--now?" faltered the card sharp. At the bottom
of his heart he was a coward.

"Why not?"

"I wasn't going to do it, Rasco--I was only--only scaring you."

"Thet's a whopper--made outer the hull cloth, Stillwater. Yer war going
ter shoot me--an' I'm a-goin' ter be jess as accommodatin'," and on the
sly Rasco winked at Dick who was much relieved to think the boomer did
not really intend to carry out his blood-thirsty design.

The face of Stillwater grew as white as a sheet and he trembled from
head to foot.

"Don't! don't you do it! Let me off, and I'll give you all the money I
have with me."

"It won't do, Stillwater."

"It's nearly a thousand dollars. Take every cent of it and let me go!"

The gambler fairly grovelled at Jack Rasco's feet. His horror of dying
was something fearful to contemplate.

"I'll give yer one chance, Stillwater," said Rasco, in deep disgust, and
at once the rascal's face took on a look of hope. "Yer ain't fit ter
die, an' thet's why I say it. Promise ter let me an' my friends alone in
the future."

"I promise."

"Promise ter give up cheatin' at cards. If yer don't, some day it will
be the death of yer."

"I'll never cheat again."

"All right, I'll take yer at yer word. Now come on down to the river."

"What for?"

"You hev got ter swim across to the other side whar yer belong. Decent
folks ain't a-goin' ter have yer over here."

Again Stillwater was much disturbed. But Jack Rasco was firm, and soon
the trio were down by the water's edge. Still pale, the gambler plunged
into the river and struck out for the opposite shore. It was a hard
battle against that current, but presently Rasco and Dick saw him wade
out at the other side. He shook his fist at them savagely, then
disappeared like a flash into the woods.

"He'll not keep any of his promises," said Dick.

"Keep 'em? Yer didn't expe