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and　only　the　faint　outlines　of　the　house　he　had　just　quitted　were

visible。　　〃Is　that　you；　Spence？〃　he　said　tremulously。



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　voice；　and　a　figure　dimly　emerged　from　the

corner　of　the　corral。



〃Lay　low；　lay　low；　for　God's　sake；〃　said　Patterson；　hurriedly

throwing　himself　upon　the　apparition。　　〃The　sheriff　and　his　posse

are　in　there。〃



〃But　I　must　speak　to　you　a　moment；〃　said　the　figure。



〃Wait；〃　said　Patterson；　glancing　towards　the　building。　　Its　blank；

shutterless　windows　revealed　no　inner　light；　a　profound　silence

encompassed　it。　　〃Come　quick；〃　he　whispered。　　Letting　his　grasp

slip　down　to　the　unresisting　hand　of　the　stranger；　he　half…dragged；

half…led　him；　brushing　against　the　wall；　into　the　open　door　of　the

deserted　bar…room　he　had　just　quitted；　locked　the　inner　door；

poured　a　glass　of　whiskey　from　a　decanter；　gave　it　to　him；　and　then

watched　him　drain　it　at　a　single　draught。　　The　moon　came　out；　and；

falling　through　the　bare　windows　full　upon　the　stranger's　face；

revealed　the　artistic　but　slightly　disheveled　curls　and　moustache

of　the　fugitive；　Spencer　Tucker。



Whatever　may　have　been　the　real　influence　of　this　unfortunate　man

upon　his　fellows；　it　seemed　to　find　expression　in　a　singular

unanimity　of　criticism。　　Patterson　looked　at　him　with　a　half…

dismal；　half…welcoming　smile。　　〃Well；　you　are　a　h…ll　of　a　fellow；

ain't　you？〃



Spencer　Tucker　passed　his　hand　through　his　hair　and　lifted　it　from

his　forehead；　with　a　gesture　at　once　emotional　and　theatrical。　　〃I

am　a　man　with　a　price　on　me！〃　he　said　bitterly。　　〃Give　me　up　to　the

sheriff；　and　you'll　get　five　thousand　dollars。　　Help　me；　and　you'll

get　nothing。　　That's　my　dd　luck；　and　yours　too；　I　suppose。〃



〃I　reckon　you're　right　there；〃　said　Patterson　gloomily。　　〃But　I

thought　you　got　clean　away。　　Went　off　in　a　ship〃



〃Went　off　in　a　boat　to　a　ship；〃　interrupted　Tucker　savagely；　〃went

off　to　a　ship　that　had　all　my　things　on　boardeverything。　　The

cursed　boat　capsized　in　a　squall　just　off　the　Heads。　　The　ship；

dn　her；　sailed　away；　the　men　thinking　I　was　drowned；　likely；

and　that　they'd　make　a　good　thing　off　my　goods；　I　reckon。〃



〃But　the　girl；　Inez；　who　was　with　you；　didn't　she　make　a　row？〃



〃Quien　sabe？〃　returned　Tucker；　with　a　reckless　laugh。　　〃Well；　I

hung　on　like　grim　death　to　that　boat's　keel　until　one　of　those

Chinese　fishermen；　in　a　'dug…out；'　hauled　me　in　opposite　Saucelito。

I　chartered　him　and　his　dug…out　to　bring　me　down　here。〃



〃Why　here？〃　asked　Patterson；　with　a　certain　ostentatious　caution

that　ill…concealed　his　pensive　satisfaction。



〃You　may　well　ask；〃　returned　Tucker；　with　an　equal　ostentation　of

bitterness；　as　he　slightly　waved　his　companion　away。　　〃But　I

reckoned　I　could　trust　a　white　man　that　I'd　been　kind　to；　and　who

wouldn't　go　back　on　me。　　No；　no；　let　me　go！　　Hand　me　over　to　the

sheriff！〃



Patterson　had　suddenly　grasped　both　the　hands　of　the　picturesque

scamp　before　him；　with　an　affection　that　for　an　instant　almost

shamed　the　man　who　had　ruined　him。　　But　Tucker's　egotism　whispered

that　this　affection　was　only　a　recognition　of　his　own　superiority；

and　felt　flattered。　　He　was　beginning　to　believe　that　he　was　really

the　injured　party。



〃What　I　HAVE　and　what　I　have　HAD　is　yours；　Spence；〃　returned

Patterson；　with　a　sad　and　simple　directness　that　made　any　further

discussion　a　gratuitous　insult。　　〃I　only　wanted　to　know　what　you

reckoned　to　do　here。〃



〃I　want　to　get　over　across　the　Coast　Range　to　Monterey；〃　said

Tucker。　　〃Once　there；　one　of　those　coasting　schooners　will　bring　me

down　to　Acapulco；　where　the　ship　will　put　in。〃



Patterson　remained　silent　for　a　moment。　　〃There's　a　mustang　in　the

corral　you　can　takeleastways；　I　shan't　know　that　it's　goneuntil

to…morrow　afternoon。　　In　an　hour　from　now；〃　he　added；　looking　from

the　window；　〃these　clouds　will　settle　down　to　business。　　It　will

rain；　there　will　be　light　enough　for　you　to　find　your　way　by　the

regular　trail　over　the　mountain；　but　not　enough　for　any　one　to　know

you。　　If　you　can't　push　through　to…night；　you　can　lie　over　at　the

posada　on　the　summit。　　Them　greasers　that　keep　it　won't　know　you；

and　if　they　did　they　won't　go　back　on　you。　　And　if　they　did　go　back

on　you；　nobody　would　believe　them。　　It's　mighty　curious；〃　he　added；

with　gloomy　philosophy；　〃but　I　reckon　it's　the　reason　why

Providence　allows　this　kind　of　cattle　to　live　among　white　men　and

others　made　in　his　image。　　Take　a　piece　of　pie；　won't　you？〃　　He

continued；　abandoning　this　abstract　reflection　and　producing　half　a

flat　pumpkin　pie　from　the　bar。　　Spencer　Tucker　grasped　the　pie　with

one　hand　and　his　friend's　fingers　with　the　other；　and　for　a　few

moments　was　silent　from　the　hurried　deglutition　of　viand　and

sentiment。　　〃YOU'RE　a　white　man；　Patterson；　anyway；〃　he　resumed。

〃I'll　take　your　horse；　and　put　it　down　in　our　account；　at　your　own

figure。　　As　soon　as　this　cursed　thing　is　blown　over；　I'll　be　back

here　and　see　you　through；　you　bet。　　I　don't　desert　my　friends；

however　rough　things　go　with　me。〃



〃I　see　you　don't；〃　returned　Patterson；　with　an　unconscious　and

serious　simplicity　that　had　the　effect　of　the　most　exquisite　irony。

〃I　was　only　just　saying　to　the　sheriff　that　if　there　was　anything　I

could　have　done　for　you；　you　wouldn't　have　cut　away　without　letting

me　know。〃　　Tucker　glanced　uneasily　at　Patterson；　who　continued；　〃Ye

ain't　wanting　anything　else？〃　　Then　observing　that　his　former

friend　and　patron　was　roughly　but　newly　clothed；　and　betrayed　no

trace　of　his　last　escapade；　he　added；　〃I　see　you've　got　a　fresh

harness。〃



〃That　dd　Chinaman　bought　me　these　at　the　landing；　they're　not

much　in　style　or　fit；〃　he　continued；　trying　to　get　a　moonlight　view

of　himself　in　the　mirror　behind　the　bar；　〃but　that　don't　matter

here。〃　　He　filled　another　glass　of　spirits；　jauntily　settled

himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　added；　〃I　don't　suppose　there　are

any　girls　around；　anyway。〃



〃'Cept　your　wife；　she　was　down　here　this　afternoon；〃　said　Patterson

meditatively。



Mr。　Tucker　paused　with　the　pie　in　his　hand。　　〃Ah；　yes！〃　　He　essayed

a　reckless　laugh；　but　that　evident　simulation　failed　before

Patterson's　melancholy。　　With　an　assumption　of　falling　in　with　his

friend's　manner；　rather　than　from　any　personal　anxiety；　he

continued；　〃Well？〃



〃That　man　Poindexter　was　down　here　with　her。　　Put　her　in　the

hacienda　to　hold　possession　afore　the　news　came　out。〃



〃Impossible！〃　said　Tucker；　rising　hastily。　　〃It　don't　belongthat

is〃　he　hesitated。



〃Yer　thinking　the　creditors　'll　get　it；　mebbe；〃　returned　Patterson；

gazing　at　the　floor。　　〃Not　as　long　as　she's　in　it；　no　sir！　　Whether

it's　really　hers；　or　she's　only　keeping　house　for　Poindexter；　she's

a　fixture；　you　bet。　　They're　a　team　when　they　pull　together；　they

are！〃



The　smile　slowly　faded　from　Tucker's　face；　that　now　looked　quite

rigid　in　the　moonlight。　　He　put　down　his　glass　and　walked　to　the

window　as　Patterson　gloomily　continued；　〃But　that's　nothing　to　you。

You've　got　ahead　of　'em　both；　and　had　your　revenge　by　going　off

with　the　gal。　　That's　what　I　said　all　along。　　When　folks

especially　women　folkswondered　how　you　could　leave　a　woman　like

your　wife；　and　go　off　with　a　scallawag　like　that　gal；　I　allers　said

they'd　find　out　there　was　a　reason。　　And　when　your　wife　came

flaunting　down　here　with　Poindexter　before　she'd　quite　got　quit　of

you；　I　reckon　they　began　to　see　the　whole　little　game。　　No　sir！　　I

knew　it　wasn't　on　account　of　the　gal！　　Why；　when　you　came　here　to…

night　and　told　me　quite　nat'ral…like　and　easy　how　she　went　off　in

the　ship；　and　then　calmly　ate　your　pie　and　drank　your　whiskey　after

it；　I　knew　you　didn't　care　for　her。　　There's　my　hand；　Spence；

you're　a　trump；　even　if　you　are　a　little　looney；　eh？　　Why；　what's

up？〃



Shallow　and　selfish　as　Tucker　was；　Patterson's　words　seemed　like　a

revelation　that　shocked　him　as　profoundly　as　it　might　have　shocked

a　nobler　nature。　　The　simple　vanity　and　selfishness　that　made　him

unable　to　conceive　any　higher　reason　for　his　wife's　loyalty　than

his　own　personal　popularity　and　success；　now　that　he　no　longer

possessed　that　eclat；　made　him　equally　capable　of　the　lowest

suspicions。　　He　was　a　dishonored　fugitive；　broken　in　fortune　and

reputationwhy　should　she　not　desert　him！　　He　had　been　unfaithful

to　her　from　wildness；　from　caprice；　from　the　effect　of　those

fascinating　qualities；　it　seemed　to　him　natural　that　she　should　be

disloyal　from　more　deliberate　motives；　and　he　hugged　himself　with

that　belief。　　Yet　there　was　enough　doubt；　enough　of　haunting

suspicion　that　he　had　lost　or　alienated　a　powerful　affection；　to

make　him　thoroughly　miserable。　　He　returned　his　friend's　grasp

convulsively　and　buried　his　face　upon　his　shoulder。　　But　he　was　not

above　feeling　a　certain　exultation　in　the　effect　of　his　misery　upon

the　dog…like；　unreasoning　affection　of　Patterson；　nor　could　he

entirely　refrain　from　sligh