Hugh Pendexter

“ Old Misery rested an elbow on the bar, yawned, and told Tobin:
“I said it, Tom, when Pretty Soon Jim came bleating to us about buying a rich claim for twenty-six hundred dollars. Don't you remember how I says to Jim, 'Son, they've shifted the cut on you. The low-grade skunk who took your poor little twenty-six hundred dollars is worth a million and knows pay dirt backwards. But he likes money so much he'd cheat his poor, old, blind grandpap to git the price of a chaw of terbaccer.' You remember me saying that, right to Jim's long face. ”

“ Then in a loud voice, and speaking in Spanish, he demanded:
“What does Manuel Garcia want up here, where only eagles live?”
“He rides for one who is the strongest eagle of all,” promptly replied Joaquin Murieta's lieutenant. “You are the man called Old Misery?”
“I am that man. What talk do you bring to me?”
“A talk about Ana Benites.”
“Open your talk. This is no place for Manuel Garcia to rest his horse.”
“A dog has whispered Ana Benites' name in Nevada City,” hissed the Mexican. “He said she is called 'Maria.' Nevada City says a girl called Maria lives in your mountain camp. ”

“ Tom Tobin, who had been gloomily considering his glass, edged up the bar a few feet. Old Misery instantly took the hint and shifted his position to keep close to him.
Tobin whispered: “They'll trail you.”
“I'll lose 'em at Nevada City to-night,” murmured Old Misery. “All they can do is to pile into Grass Holler, but they won't find nothing. Five of their best men have prospected the Holler up 'n' down 'n' across. It's a medicine-place. No one can find it. Need any nuggets?”
“Not if I have to dig 'em.”
“It ain't so awful hard if your will is strong. ”

“ Wishing Old Misery would overtake them, but fearing the mountain man was indulging in a spree, the young man's heart was heavy as he plodded along behind the girl. Their shadows grew longer and longer and stretched far up the slope ahead, and still the girl continued to lead the way. When she did halt and announced they would camp for the night Gilbert discovered they were in the ravine where the miners had overtaken him and Misery and near the spot where Reelfoot Williams had abandoned his purpose of holding them up. ”

“ Tobin spoke up and reminded:
“A parcel of men have been trailing us. They're curious-like to find out where Misery gits his nuggets. If we quit here before dark they'll trail us clear up to the hills.”
“Hell! Why did you have to show more nuggets?” snapped Mr. Peters. “You can't wait. Every minute is precious. Any minute may be the minute. I smelled trouble in that poker game last night. But I didn't think it was so close. Some one told Phelps the boy was in the gambling place. ”

“ You'll have the fight I owe you, and it'll be a humdinger. If you make it a fine point we'll have to have it now, I s'pose, but I'm telling you I can't git much fun out of it to-day.”
“Wait till you feel more like then,” grumbled Tobin. “I don't fight with no sick men, or cripples. Just now you 'pear to be the one that's heyoka. Let's have a snort of whisky and then plug along to Nevada City.”
“I was sort of hankering to lay round till Phelps gits tired of digging,” mused Misery. “I went to some bother to fix things. Must be 'bout time for him to be knocking off work. ”

“ Old Misery was impatient to be off, but Gilbert insisted they allow the girl to finish her sleep. The mountain man's reply was to walk to the cabin and rap smartly on the door. Then he pushed it open.
After a glance he turned and called out to Gilbert:
“Vamoosed through the winder. Knew she couldn't be in there sleeping with all them fat squirrels hooting over the roof. Can't make out what's got into her. Wonder if Tom Tobin is still at the bar with them fools from Grass Valley. He's a master hand with a bottle. Haven't yet thought of any one who could 'a' told Phelps about you?” ”

“ To the men who remained he announced:
“Mighty queer, but I got a few nuggets, just like what your million-dollar man bought from Jim Pipps. They're not much good to me and if you're hankering for liquor here's the price.” ”

“ I'm too precious to myself to be hurt in a fight with a man that owns nothing but a tame bear. I won't fight less it's with a man worth as much as I be. But inside of a few days you'll admit it's even Stephen. ”

“ The other explained to the mountain men:
“Reckon there's no need of me going with him. One man can carry a knife without help.”
“Sure he can if one can lose a knife,” heartily agreed Tobin. “But it's a mighty fine show of brotherly love when a man'll drop his business and help hunt for a knife.”
“But it was a simon-pure buckhorn-handled knife with a 'W' scratched on it,” reminded Misery. “And that's different.”
The spy hastily said:
“Time I was hurrying along. Got to meet a man in a rush.” ”

“ As they set out for the four-mile walk three of the saloon group and two Phelps men suddenly discovered they had business in that direction. Before they were quit of the Valley they noticed a new man among their trailers. He had none of the dried, white mud of the local prospector on his boots and clothing, nor did his hands suggest an acquaintance with pick or shovel. He was with the Grass Valley citizens and yet was not of them. Old Misery felt uneasy for the first time since leaving his foot-hills camp. The stranger must be a representative of the Vigilance Committee. ”

“ Kill me. Kill every one,” called out the mountain man's voice. “I've hoofed it faster'n Fremont's lost outfit did, trying to overtake you two. Heave the knife and nail me.”
“Old Misery! Good!” cried Gilbert, at last becoming coherent. Then, ashamed of his first emotions, he endeavored to appear composed, and added, “Where's Tobin?”
The mountain man emerged from the darkness and grinned at the erect, alert figure of the girl.
“Tobin's skeered of me. Knows I'm going to lick him some day. Stayed behind. Maria, either use that weepin or put it up. And s'pose you tell me 'bout knifing Ching-i-ling. ”

“ I'm a animal-prospector.
“When I bag some panther kittens they're just so many ounces of dust. Turned an old bald eagle loose that I'd been offered fifty dollars for in Nevada City. Worth a hundred if sold at the bay.” ”

“ The horseman now was in full view, his horse making rather hard work of the path to the bench. He waved a big black hat, and the sun turned the brim of it into a circle of fire.
“Mexican. Got buttons of silver strung 'round his hat. Well, I'm always ready to listen to a talk.” ”

“ He's told the woman.
“If word gets to the men from the bay— Why, they may know it even now! They may be on their way to your camp. You can't wait till dark, Misery. See here: this is how we will play the hand. Tobin is to go down-stairs and order a big dinner for the three of us. He'll talk loud. Then he'll go to the bar and order three drinks and say we'll be right down. The Grass Valley men will keep close to him.” ”

“ She's going to marry Phelps.”
Without a word the girl turned and ran swiftly to the deserted cabin and closed the rickety door after her.
Old Misery idly fed some sticks to the coals and mused: “Beats all hell how many queer notions can be crammed into one white woman's head. Never can guess what that child will do next. Younker, know of any one in Grass Valley who'd be likely to know you was in the El Dorado?”
Gilbert wrinkled his brows and pondered over the question. Old Misery was the only one in Grass Valley who had knowledge of that episode except himself, and, of course, the girl Maria. ”

“ If there had been any risk Old Misery would never have permitted him to go down to the Valley. And yet he was uneasy.
She interrupted his musing by rising and saying:
“We mus' be going on. We mus' camp high up. This is too near Nevada City.”
And she replaced the knife, deftly arranged her hair and started on ahead.
Gilbert pulled up the picket pin and led the mule. She seemed to be in haste and often glanced over her shoulder, looking beyond him and down the rough way. He called after her to learn if she had eaten.
Her reply was:
“Faster! faster! Something tells me there is ver' much danger.” ”

“ Sent a friend to the bar and he reports Tobin is on duty and drinking with the Grass Valley men and acting very drunk. Now go, and don't bring the youngster down this way again. If it was anything except helping Murieta—”
“He's going plumb over the Sierra if it bu'sts up my camp. Took care of me last night like I was a baby. Tell Tom he won't lose anything by letting our fight wait— Little runt thinks I bit him a-purpose!”
Mr. Peters peered up and down the hall and then escorted Misery to the back-stairs and down to the kitchen.
“The help are backing my game. Not one will blab. ”