off tonight. I bin tellin' 'er Allie's better off, but she won't listen
to nobody. She's just bin pourin' 'em down all evenin'. What's that?" at
a loud banging on the doors. Some one opened them and Curly rode into
the place on the handsome horse he had bought that morning.

"Well, boys, I'm cleaned! Tried to copper the jack in Hangtown and the
whole $50,000 went. George, I'll be askin' for this place back, I
guess."

"This place belongs to me, Curly Gillmore."

"Who says so?"

'This old lady says so," covering him with his pistol.

Curly laughed, not too musically. "Well, boys, what am I bid for this
horse? I need a grubstake."

"Play you for him," said Faro Sam, laconically.

"Done," said Curly. A moment later he laughed once more and swung down
off the Spanish thoroughbred. "He's yours. Well, good-night, boys."

No one answered. He had, like Hadji the beggar, become in twenty-four
hours again a drifter.

Babe sneaked out after him. "Here, Curly," she slipped her hand into her
bosom and held out the octagonal slug. "When Bet an' I reached Allie
last night she was holdin' it in her little dead hand, an' there was
such a smile on her face! You gave her that happy smile. God bless you