The Border Legion

"No. I agreed to let you fight when you wanted. To kill a man when

you liked! ... That was the agreement."

"What'd I kill a man for?"

No one answered that in words, but the answer was there, in dark

faces.

"I know what I meant," continued Gulden. "And I'm going to keep this

nugget."

There was a moment's silence. It boded ill to the giant.

"So--he declares himself," said Blicky, hotly. "Boss, what you say

goes."

"Let him keep it," declared Kells, scornfully. "I'll win it from him

and divide it with the gang."

That was received with hoarse acclaims by all except Gulden. He

glared sullenly. Kells stood up and shook a long finger in the

giant's face.

"I'll win your nugget," he shouted. "I'll beat you at any game. ...

I call your hand. ... Now if you've got any nerve!"

"Come on!" boomed the giant, and he threw his gold down upon the

table with a crash.

The bandits closed in around the table with sudden, hard violence,

all crowding for seats.

"I'm a-goin' to set in the game!" yelled Blicky.

"We'll all set in," declared Jesse Smith.

"Come on!" was Gulden's acquiescence.

"But we all can't play at once," protested Kells. "Let's make up two

games."

"Naw!"

"Some of you eat, then, while the others get cleaned out."

"Thet's it--cleaned out!" ejaculated Budd, meanly. "You seem to be

sure, Kells. An' I guess I'll keep shady of thet game."

"That's twice for you, Budd," flashed the bandit leader. "Beware of

the third time!"

"Hyar, fellers, cut the cards fer who sets in an' who sets out,"

called Blicky, and he slapped a deck of cards upon the table.

With grim eagerness, as if drawing lots against fate, the bandits

bent over and drew cards. Budd, Braverman, and Beady Jones were the

ones excluded from the game.

"Beady, you fellows unpack those horses and turn them loose. And

bring the stuff inside," said Kells.

Budd showed a surly disregard, but the other two bandits got up

willingly and went out.

Then the game began, with only Cleve standing, looking on. The

bandits were mostly silent; they moved their hands, and occasionally

bent forward. It was every man against his neighbor. Gulden seemed

implacably indifferent and played like a machine. Blicky sat eager

and excited, under a spell. Jesse Smith was a slow, cool, shrewed

gambler. Bossert and Pike, two ruffians almost unknown to Joan,

appeared carried away by their opportunity. And Kells began to wear

that strange, rapt, weak expression that gambling gave him.