-should have
been taken from her home, abducted, frightened or harassed, was the sin
unpardonable. For it he meant to exact a capital punishment. The law,
just then, meant to him nothing; only the primitive instinct of an
outraged man controlled his mind.

At the bar he paused. "Where's McTurpin, where's Gasket?" he demanded,
harshly.

The bartender observed him with suspicion and uneasiness. "Don't know.
Haven't seen 'em since they started out with you," he answered.

Stanley left the room without another word.

He struck across the Plaza, entering the Eldorado gambling house. There
he ordered a drink, gulped it, made, more quietly, a survey of the room.
He scanned the players carefully. Spear sat at one of the tables, toying
with a pile of chips and stroking his chin reflectively as he surveyed
three cards.

"Give me two. Hello, there, Adrian. Good Lord! what's up?"

"Have you seen McTurpin or his friend, Ned Gasket?" He tried to speak
quietly.

A miner at another table leaned forward. "Try the stalls, pard," he
whispered, while his left eyelid descended meaningly.

"Wait," cried Spear and laid his cards down hastily. But Adrian was
already on his way. At the rear were half a dozen small compartments
where visitors might drink in semi-privacy with women who frequented
the place.

Adrian made the round of them, flinging aside each curtain as he went.
Some greeted him with curses for intruding; some with invitations. But
he did not find the men he sought, until the last curtain was thrown
back. There sat Gasket and McTurpin opposite Ensenada Rose. She looked
up impudently as Adrian entered. Into the gambler's visage sprang a
quick surprise and fear. Instantly he blew out the lamp.

A pistol spoke savagely almost in Adrian's face. He staggered, clasping
one hand to his head. Something warm ran down his cheek and the side of
his neck. He felt giddy, stunned. But a dominant impulse jerked his own
revolver into position and he shot twice--as rapidly as he could operate
the weapon. The narrow space was chokingly filled with acrid vapor.
Somewhere a woman screamed; then came a rush of feet.

It seemed to Adrian he had stood for hours in a kind of stupor when a
light was brought. Gasket lay, his head bowed over on the table and an
arm flung forward. He was dead. On the floor was a lace mantilla.

Spear reached Adrian's side ahead of the others. "I heard him shoot
first," he said, so that all might hear him. "Are