oo became incidental. The
savings and scrimpings from the cold nights of all his years were ripe to
be squandered. El-Soo stood at six thousand. He made it seven thousand.
And then, in thousand-dollar bids, as fast as they could be uttered, her
price went up. At fourteen thousand the two men stopped for breath.

Then the unexpected happened. A still heavier club was swung. In the
pause that ensued, the gambler, who had scented a speculation and formed
a syndicate with several of his fellows, bid sixteen thousand dollars.

"Seventeen thousand," Porportuk said weakly.

"Eighteen thousand," said the king.

Porportuk gathered his strength. "Twenty thousand."

The syndicate dropped out. The Eldorado king raised a thousand, and
Porportuk raised back; and as they bid, Akoon turned from one to the
other, half menacingly, half curiously, as though to see what manner of
man it was that he would have to kill. When the king prepared to make
his next bid, Akoon having pressed closer, the king first loosed the
revolver at his hip, then said:

"Twenty-three thousand."

"Twenty-four thousand," said Porportuk. He grinned viciously, for the
certitude of his bidding had at last shaken the king. The latter moved
over close to El-Soo. He studied her carefully for a long while.

"And five hundred," he said at last.

"Twenty-five thousand," came Porportuk's raise.

The king looked for a long space, and shook his head. He looked again,
and said reluctantly, "And five hundred."

"Twenty-six thousand," Porportuk snapped.

The king shook his head and refused to meet Tommy's pleading eye. In the
meantime Akoon had edged close to Porportuk. El-Soo's quick eye noted
this, and, while Tommy wrestled with the Eldorado king for another bid,
she bent, and spoke in a low voice in the ear of a slave. And while
Tommy's "Going--going--going--" dominated the air, the slave went up to
Akoon and spoke in a low voice in his ear. Akoon made no sign that he
had heard, though El-Soo watched him anxiously.

"Gone!" Tommy's voice rang out. "To Porportuk, for twenty-six thousand
dollars."

Porportuk glanced uneasily at Akoon. All eyes were centred upon Akoon,
but he did nothing.

"Let the scales be brought," said El-Soo.

"I shall make payment at my house," said Porportuk.

"Let the scales be brought," El-Soo repeated. "Payment shall be made
here where all can see."

So the gold scales were brought from the trading post, while