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Stacy knew their exact value。 As Steptoe passed before the opening
of the tunnel he heard the cry of 〃Halt！
He looked up。 He saw Stacy not thirty yards before him with his
rifle at half…cock。 He saw Barker and Demorest； fully armed； rise
from behind their breastworks of rock along the ledge and thus
fully occupy the claim。 But he saw more。 He saw that his plot was
known。 Outlaw and desperado as he was； he saw that he had lost his
moral power in this actual possession； and that from that moment he
must be the aggressor。 He saw he was fighting no irresponsible
hirelings like his own； but men of position and importance； whose
loss would make a stir。 Against their rifles the few revolvers
that his men chanced to have slung to them were of little avail。
But he was not cowed； although his few followers stumbled together
at this momentary check； half angrily； half timorously like wolves
without a leader。 〃Bring up the other men and their guns；〃 he
whispered fiercely to the nearest。 Then he faced Stacy。
〃Who are YOU to stop peaceful miners going to work on their own
claim？〃 he said coarsely。 〃I'll tell you WHO； boys；〃 he added；
suddenly turning to his men with a hoarse laugh。 〃It ain't even
the bank！ It's only Jim Stacy； that the bank kicked out yesterday
to save itself；Jim Stacy and his broken…down pals。 And what's
the thief doing herein Marshall's tunnelthe only spot that
Marshall can claim？ We ain't no particular friends o' Marshall's；
though we're neighbors on the same claim； but we ain't going to see
Marshall ousted by tramps。 Are we； boys？〃
〃No； by G…d！〃 said his followers； dropping the pans and seizing
their picks and revolvers。 They understood the appeal to arms if
not to their reason。 For an instant the fight seemed imminent。
Then a voice from behind them said：
〃You needn't trouble yourselves about that！ I'M Marshall！ I sent
these gentlemen to occupy the claim until I came here with the
surveyor；〃 and two men stepped from a thicket of myrtle in the rear
of Steptoe and his followers。 The speaker； Marshall； was a thin；
slight； overworked； over…aged man； his companion； the surveyor； was
equally slight； but red…bearded； spectacled； and professional…
looking； with a long traveling…duster that made him appear even
clerical。 They were scarcely a physical addition to Stacy's party；
whatever might have been their moral and legal support。
But it was just this support that Steptoe strangely clung to in his
designs for the future； and a wild idea seized him。 The surveyor
was really the only disinterested witness between the two parties。
If Steptoe could confuse his mind before the actual fightingfrom
which he would； of course； escape as a non…combatantit would go
far afterwards to rehabilitate Steptoe's party。 〃Very well； then；〃
he said to Marshall； 〃I shall call this gentleman to witness that
we have been attacked here in peaceable possession of our part of
the claim by these armed strangers； and whether they are acting on
your order or not； their blood will be on your head。〃
〃Then I reckon；〃 said the surveyor； as he tore away his beard； wig；
spectacles； and mustache； and revealed the figure of Jack Hamlin；
〃that I'm about the last witness that Mr。 Steptoe…Horncastle ought
to call； and about the last witness that he ever WILL call！〃
But he had not calculated upon the desperation of Steptoe over the
failure of this last hope。 For there sprang up in the outlaw's
brain the same hideous idea that he voiced to his companions at the
Divide。 With a hoarse cry to his followers； he crashed his pickaxe
into the brain of Marshall； who stood near him； and sprang forward。
Three or four shots were exchanged。 Two of his men fell； a bullet
from Stacy's rifle pierced Steptoe's leg； and he dropped forward on
one knee。 He heard the steps of his reinforcements with their
weapons coming close behind him； and rolled aside on the sloping
ledge to let them pass。 But he rolled too far。 He felt himself
slipping down the mountain…side in the slimy shoot of the tunnel。
He made a desperate attempt to recover himself； but the treacherous
drift of the loose debris rolled with him； as if he were part of
its refuse； and； carrying him down； left him unconscious； but
otherwise uninjured； in the bushes of the second ledge five hundred
feet below。
When he recovered his senses the shouts and outcries above him had
ceased。 He knew he was safe。 The ledge could only be reached by a
circuitous route three miles away。 He knew； too； that if he could
only reach a point of outcrop a hundred yards away he could easily
descend to the stage road； down the gentle slope of the mountain
hidden in a growth of hazel…brush。 He bound up his wounded leg；
and dragged himself on his hands and knees laboriously to the
outcrop。 He did not look up； since his pick had crashed into
Marshall's brain he had but one blind thought before himto escape
at once！ That his revenge and compensation would come later he
never doubted。 He limped and crept； rolled and fell； from bush to
bush through the sloping thickets； until he saw the red road a few
feet below him。
If he only had a horse he could put miles between him and any
present pursuit！ Why should he not have one？ The road was
frequented by solitary horsemenminers and Mexicans。 He had his
revolver with him； what mattered the life of another man if he
escaped from the consequences of the one he had just taken？ He
heard the clatter of hoofs； two priests on mules rode slowly by； he
ground his teeth with disappointment。 But they had scarcely passed
before another and more rapid clatter came from their rear。 It was
a lad on horseback。 He started。 It was his own son！
He remembered in a flash how the boy had said he was coming to meet
the padre at the station on that day。 His first impulse was to
hide himself； his wound； and his defeat from the lad； but the blind
idea of escape was still paramount。 He leaned over the bank and
called to him。 The astonished lad cantered eagerly to his side。
〃Give me your horse； Eddy；〃 said the father； 〃I'm in bad luck； and
must get。〃
The boy glanced at his father's face； at his tattered garments and
bandaged leg； and read the whole story。 It was a familiar page to
him。 He paled first and then flushed； and then； with an odd
glitter in his eyes； said； 〃Take me with you； father。 Do！ You
always did before。 I'll bring you luck。〃
Desperation is superstitious。 Why not take him？ They had been
lucky before； and the two together might confound any description
of their identity to the pursuers。 〃Help me up； Eddy； and then get
up before me。〃
〃BEHIND； you mean；〃 said the boy； with a laugh； as he helped his
father into the saddle。
〃No；〃 said Steptoe harshly。 〃BEFORE me；do you hear？ And if
anything happens BEHIND you； don't look！ If I drop off； don't
stop！ Don't get down； but go on and leave me。 Do you u