but Jiminy! you oughter have seed them gals grip and heave on it, and
then hev to give it up! You see they didn't know anything about the
paci--(hic) the speshif--" He stopped with great dignity, and added with
painful precision, "the specific gravity of gold."

"Dry up!" said Steptoe roughly. Then turning to Stacy he said abruptly,
"But where's the rest of it? You've got more than that."

"We sent it to Boomville this morning. You see we've sold out our claim
to a company who take it up to-morrow, and put up a mill and stamps.
In fact, it's under their charge now. They've got a gang of men on the
claim already."

"And what mout ye hev got for it, if it's a fair question?" said
Steptoe, with a forced smile.

Stacy smiled also. "I don't know that it's a business question," he
said.

"Five hundred thousand dollars," said Demorest abruptly from the
doorway, "and a treble interest."

The eyes of the two men met. There was no mistaking the dull fire of
envy in Steptoe's glance, but Demorest received it with a certain cold
curiosity, and turned away as the sound of arriving voices came from
without.

"Five hundred thousand's a big figger," said Steptoe, with a coarse
laugh, "and I don't wonder it makes you feel so d----d sassy. But it WAS
a fair question."