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your friends to hear。〃
Hamlin took his hands out of his pockets； turned on his heel； and
said； 〃Come with me。〃
〃But I must go by that coach now；〃 said Van Loo desperately； 〃or
I've told you what would happen。〃
〃Come with me；〃 said Jack coolly。 〃If I'm satisfied with what you
tell me； I'll put you down at the next station an hour before that
coach gets there。〃
〃You swear it？〃 said Van Loo hesitatingly。
〃I've SAID it；〃 returned Jack。 〃Come！〃 and Van Loo followed Mr。
Hamlin into the station hotel。
CHAPTER VI。
The abrupt disappearance of Jack Hamlin and the strange lady and
gentleman visitor was scarcely noticed by the other guests of the
Divide House； and beyond the circle of Steptoe and his friends； who
were a distinct party and strangers to the town； there was no
excitement。 Indeed； the hotel proprietor might have confounded
them together； and； perhaps； Van Loo was not far wrong in his
belief that their identity had not been suspected。 Nor were
Steptoe's followers very much concerned in an episode in which they
had taken part only at the suggestion of their leader； and which
had terminated so tamely。 That they would have liked a 〃row；〃 in
which Jack Hamlin would have been incidentally forced to disgorge
his winnings； there was no doubt； but that their interference was
asked solely to gratify some personal spite of Steptoe's against
Van Loo was equally plain to them。 There was some grumbling and
outspoken criticism of his methods。
This was later made more obvious by the arrival of another guest
for whom Steptoe and his party were evidently waiting。 He was a
short； stout man； whose heavy red beard was trimmed a little more
carefully than when he was first known to Steptoe as Alky Hall； the
drunkard of Heavy Tree Hill。 His dress； too； exhibited a marked
improvement in quality and style； although still characterized in
the waist and chest by the unbuttoned freedom of portly and
slovenly middle age。 Civilization had restricted his potations or
limited them to certain festivals known as 〃sprees；〃 and his face
was less puffy and sodden。 But with the accession of sobriety he
had lost his good humor； and had the irritability and intolerance
of virtuous restraint。
〃Ye needn't ladle out any of your forty…rod whiskey to me；〃 he said
querulously to Steptoe； as he filed out with the rest of the party
through the bar…room into the adjacent apartment。 〃I want to keep
my head level till our business is over； and I reckon it wouldn't
hurt you and your gang to do the same。 They're less likely to
blab； and there are few doors that whiskey won't unlock；〃 he added；
as Steptoe turned the key in the door after the party had entered。
The room had evidently been used for meetings of directors or
political caucuses； and was roughly furnished with notched and
whittled armchairs and a single long deal table； on which were ink
and pens。 The men sat down around it with a half…embarrassed；
half…contemptuous attitude of formality； their bent brows and
isolated looks showing little community of sentiment and scarcely
an attempt to veil that individual selfishness that was prominent。
Still less was there any essay of companionship or sympathy in the
manner of Steptoe as he suddenly rapped on the table with his
knuckles。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； with a certain deliberation of utterance； as
if he enjoyed his own coarse directness； 〃I reckon you all have a
sort of general idea what you were picked up for； or you wouldn't
be here。 But you may or may not know that for the present you are
honest； hard…working miners；the backbone of the State of
Californy；and that you have formed yourselves into a company
called the 'Blue Jay；' and you've settled yourselves on the Bar
below Heavy Tree Hill； on a deserted claim of the Marshall
Brothers； not half a mile from where the big strike was made five
years ago。 That's what you ARE； gentlemen； that's what you'll
continue TO BE until the job's finished； and；〃 he added； with a
sudden dominance that they all felt； 〃the man who forgets it will
have to reckon with me。 Now；〃 he continued； resuming his former
ironical manner； 〃now； what are the cold facts of the case？ The
Marshalls worked this claim ever since '49； and never got anything
out of it； then they dropped off or died out； leaving only one
brother； Tom Marshall； to work what was left of it。 Well； a few
days ago HE found indications of a big lead in the rock； and
instead of rushin' out and yellin' like an honest man； and callin'
in the boys to drink； he sneaks off to 'Frisco； and goes to the
bank to get 'em to take a hand in it。 Well； you know； when Jim
Stacy takes a hand in anything； IT'S BOTH HANDS； and the bank
wouldn't see it until he promised to guarantee possession of the
whole abandoned claim；'dips； spurs； and angles；'and let them
work the whole thing； which the dd fool DID； and the bank
agreed to send an expert down there to…morrow to report。 But while
he was away some one on our side； who was an expert also； got wind
of it； and made an examination all by himself； and found it was a
vein sure enough and a big thing； and some one else on our side
found out； too； all that Marshall had promised the bank and what
the bank had promised him。 Now； gentlemen； when the bank sends
down that expert to…morrow I expect that he will find YOU IN
POSSESSION of every part of the deserted claim except the spot
where Tom is still working。〃
〃And what good is that to us？〃 asked one of the men contemptuously。
〃Good？〃 repeated Steptoe harshly。 〃Well； if you're not as dd a
fool as Marshall； you'll see that if he has struck a lead or vein
it's bound to run across OUR CLAIMS； and what's to keep us from
sinking for it as long as Marshall hasn't worked the other claims
for years nor pre…empted them for this lead？〃
〃What'll keep him from pre…empting now？〃
〃Our possession。〃
〃But if he can prove that the brothers left their claims to him to
keep； he'll just send the sheriff and his posse down upon us；〃
persisted the first speaker。
〃It will take him three months to do that by law； and the sheriff
and his posse can't do it before as long as we're in peaceable
possession of it。 And by the time that expert and Marshall return
they'll find us in peaceful possession； unless we're such blasted
fools as to stay talking about it here！〃
〃But what's to prevent Marshall from getting a gang of his own to
drive us off？〃
〃Now your talkin' and not yelpin'；〃 said Steptoe； with slow
insolence。 〃Dd if I didn't begin to think you kalkilated I was
goin' to employ you as lawyers！ Nothing is to prevent him from
gettin' up HIS gang； and we hope he'll do it； for you see it puts
us both on the same level before the law； for we're both BREAKIN'
IT。 And we kalkilate that we're as good as any roughs they can
pick up at Heavy Tree。〃
〃I reckon！〃 〃Ye can count us in！〃 said half a dozen