e. I don't want to be mixed up in any wholesale murders. The
guns are altogether--they're----"

"Stop!" cried Jack in a great voice. "He's right," he said, turning to
the others. "Let the guns be till morning. Let every man turn in. Are
you with me, Shand?"

"Sure!" he muttered.

"Me, too," added Husky from the bed, somewhat unnecessarily. "I need
sleep."

The storm blew over. Joe went to his corner, muttering. Jack and Shand
lay down between him and Sam. Sam fell asleep calmly. By and by Husky
began to snore. The others lay feigning sleep, each ready to spring up
at the slightest move from one of his fellows.

Shortly after dawn they arose simultaneously from their wretched beds
with muttered curses. They looked at each other blackly. In the
uncompromising light of morning all were alike weary, sore, and
dispirited.

"Hell!" muttered Big Jack, the wisest and the most outspoken of the
three. "This can't go on. Inside a week we'll all be loony or under
the ground!"

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" snarled Joe.

"It's no good our fighting over her," said Big Jack. "She'll take the
one she wants, anyway. You never can tell about women. Soon as she
comes to-day I'll offer myself to her straight out and stand by her
answer."

"Do you think you'll be let do all the talking?" asked Joe. "Eh,
Shand?"

"Every man is at liberty to speak for himself," replied Jack. "Every
man here is welcome to hear what I say to her."

"Jack is right," growled Shand. "I agree."

"Well, how about the order?" demanded Joe. "Who'll speak first?"

"Last word is supposed to be best," said Jack. "We'll give that to
you," he added scornfully. "If she's got the sense I credit her with
I'm not afraid of you."

"Fat chance you have! Twice her age!" snarled Joe.

"I take my chance," returned Big Jack calmly. "Already I feel better
since I thought of putting it up to her. Whichever man she chooses can
draw his share out of the concern, and go on with her. Husky speaks
first, me second, Shand third, and Joe last--or we can match for
chances."

"I'm satisfied," said Shand with a sidelong look at Jack. It appeared
as if these two felt that the other was the only one to be feared.

Joe, suspicious of both, refused to commit himself.

"He's got to be satisfied," declared Big Jack indifferently.

Bela arrived with the sun and peeped in the window. Seeing them up and
dressed, she came around to the door. In the meantime Husky ha