shook heartily. "Oh! do ye know Tom? He's a rare lump of a b'y, is
Tom. We've seen great times together on the plains and on the hills.
It's all gone now. It's tame as a garden since the buffalo went; they've
made it another world, b'y."

"Come along, Kelly, and we'll have it out at my office."

As the three went out into the street they confronted a close-packed
throng. The word had passed along that the marshal was being "done," and
now, singularly silent, the miners waited the opening of the door.

The marshal called from the doorstep: "It's all right. Don't block the
street. Break away, boys, break away." The crowd opened to let them
pass, fixing curious eyes upon Mose.

As the three men crossed the street the woman in the carriage came
driving slowly along. Kelly and the marshal saluted gallantly, but Mose
did not even bow.

She leaned from her carriage and called:

"What's that I hear, marshal, about your getting shot?"

"All a mistake, Madam. I thought I recognized this young man and was
politely ordering him out of town when he pulled his gun and nailed me
to the cross."

The woman turned a smiling face toward Mose. "He must be a wonder.
Introduce me, please."

"Certain sure! This is Mrs. Raimon, Mose; 'Princess Raimon,' this is my
friend, Mose Harding, otherwise known as 'Black Mose.'"

"Black Mose!" she cried; "are _you_ that terrible man?"

She reached out her little gloved hand, and as Mose took it her eyes
searched his face. "I think we are going to be friends." Her voice was
affectedly musical as she added: "Come and see me, won't you?"

She did not wait for his reply, but drove on with a sudden assumption of
reserve which became her very well.

The three men walked on in silence. At last, with a curious look at
Kelly, the marshal said, "Young man, you're in luck. Anything you want
in town is yours now. How about it, Kelly?"

"That's the thrue word of it."

"What do you mean?" asked Mose.

"Just this--what the princess asks for she generally gets. She's taken a
fancy to you, and if you're keen as I think you are, you'll call on her
without much delay."

"Who is she? How does she happen to be here?"

"She came out here with her husband--and stays for love of men and
mines, I reckon. Anyhow, she always has a man hangin' on, and has
managed to secure some of the best mines in the camp. She works 'em,
too. She's a pretty high roller, as they call 'em back in the States,
but she helps th