"So the La Rosita Mining Company is about to be revived, is it?
Eastern capital becoming interested. I've heard rumours of that for a
week past. What's the idea? struck anything?"

Lacy, a long, rangy fellow, with a heavy moustache, and a scar over one
eye, partially concealed by his hat brim, grinned at the others as
though at a good joke.

"No, nuthin' particular as yet," he answered; "but you hev', an' I
reckon thet's just about as good. Tryin' ter keep it dark, wasn't yer?
Never even thought we'd caught on."

"Oh, yes, I did; you flatter yourselves. I caught one of your
stool-pigeons up the gulch yesterday, and more than ten days ago Moore
and Edson made a trip into my tunnel while I happened to be away; they
forgot to hide their trail. I knew what you were up to, and you can
all of you look for a fight."

"When your partner gets out here, I suppose," sneered Lacy.

"He'll be here."

"Oh, will he? Well, he's a hell of a while coming. You wired him a
month ago, and yer've written him twice since. Oh, I've got the cases
on you, all right, Westcott. I know you haven't got a cent left to go
on with, and nowhere to get eny except through him." He laughed.
"Ain't that right? Well, then, yer chances look mighty slim ter me
just at present, ol'-timer. However, there's no fight on yet; will yer
behave yerself, an' let this man Beaton alone if I hand yer back yer
gun?"