in't aiming to mix with this whole blamed country, are you?"

The man in the chair sat up, his lean jaw set and his eyes gleaming.

"I've been called the scum o' the earth. I've been kicked out of her
house as a fellow not decent enough to mix with honest folks. Only
yesterday I got a letter from some of her people warning me to leave the
country while I was still alive. This Pesquiera is camping on my trail."

"Maybe he ain't. You've only guessed that."

"Guess nothing. It's a cinch."

"What you going to do about it?"

"Nothing."

"But if he lays for you."

"Good enough. Let him go to it. I'm going through with this thing. I'm
going to show them who's the best man. And when I've beat them to a
standstill I've got a revenge ready that will make Miss Valdes eat
humble pie proper. Yes, sir. I'm tied to this country till this thing's
settled."

"Then there ain't any use saying any more about it. You always was a
willful son-of-a-gun," testified his partner, with a grin. "And I reckon
I'll have to stay with you to pack you home after the greasers have shot
you up."

"Don't you ever think it, Steve," came back the cheerful retort. "I've
got a hunch this is my lucky game. I'm sitting in to win, old hoss."

"What's your first play, Dick?"

"I made it last week, within twenty minutes of the time I got back here.
Wired my lawyers to bring suit at once, and to push it for all it was
worth."

"You can't settle it by the courts inside of a year, or mebbe two."

"I ain't aiming to settle it by the courts. All I want is they should
know I've got them beat to a fare-ye-well in the courts. Their lawyers
will let them know that mighty early, just as soon as they look the
facts up. There ain't any manner of doubt about my legal claim. I guess
Miss Valdes knows that already, but I want her to know it good and sure.
Then I'll paddle my own canoe. The law's only a bluff to make my hand
better. I'm calling for that extra card for the looks of it, but my hand
is full up without it"

"What's in your hand, anyhow, outside of your legal right? Looks to me
they hold them all from ace down."

Dick laughed.

"You wait and see," he said.

CHAPTER VII

TWO MESSAGES

Because Dick had always lived a clean, outdoor life he rallied
magnificently from the relapse into which his indiscretion had thrown
him. For a few days Dr. Watson was worried by reason of the danger of
blood-poisoning, but the splendid vitality of his p