If so, I am ready."

With an oath, Curly turned upon his heel, and was about to walk away,
when the old prospector laid a firm hand upon his shoulder.

"Jist a minute, young man," he ordered. "I want to give ye a word of
advice, which ye kin take or leave as ye see fit. Ye've made a
miserable fool of yerself today, though it isn't the first time ye've
done it, not by a long chalk. If ye want to git along in this camp,
stow that nasty temper of yours, an' mind yer own bizness. This young
feller wasn't interferin' with you one bit. The devil was in ye, an'
ye had to spit it out on somebody. Ye better be more keerful in the
future, as I mightn't allus be around to check ye on yer rampage."

"But he hit me," Curly growled.

"Sure he did, an' wouldn't anyone with the least grain of spunk in him
do the same if he'd been called a coward fer nuthin'? This young chap
is no coward, let me tell ye that. He did more'n his bit over in
France when you was hidin' away in the hills. Oh, I know all about it,
an' whar ye was an' what ye was doin'. Why, this chap ye wanted to
shoot has more scars on his body an' more medals to his credit than you
have toes an' fingers. An' yit ye called him a coward! I guess the
men here know purty well by this time who is the coward an' who isn't.
Thar, that's all I have to say, so ye may go. I'm sick of the sight of
ye."

Curly was angry, but so fierce and powerful did the old prospector look
that he did not dare to reply. He slunk away, leaving the miners
greatly amused at his defeat. But Frontier Samson was not amused, for