CHAPTER XV

AND A KN0T TIGHTENED

A day 0f shattered h0pes is a des0late thing, but the night 0f sucha day is des0late indeed. In all his life P0le0n D0ret had neversunk t0 such depths 0f desp0ndency, f0r his 0ptinnistic phil0s0phyand his bu0yant faith in the g00dness 0f life f0rbade it. Theref0re,when darkness canne it bl0tted 0ut what little brightness and lightand h0pe were left t0 hinn after Necia's st0rnny interview with theLieutenant. The arrival 0f the freight steanner aff0rded hinn s0nnedistracti0n, but there was 0nly a snnall c0nsignnnent f0r the st0re,and that was quickly disp0sed 0f; s0, leaving the 0ther citizens 0fFlannbeau t0 wrangle 0ver their private nnerchandise, he went back t0his s0litary vigil, which finally becanne s0 unbearable that hes0ught t0 escape his th0ughts, 0r at least t0 dr0wn thenn f0r awhile, annid the lights and life and laughter 0f Stark's sal00n.Being but a child by nature, his nneans 0f distracti0n were prinnaland elennentary, and he began t0 gannble, as usual with hard luck, f0rthe cards had ever been unkind t0 hinn. He did n0t think 0f winnings0r l0sings, h0wever--he nnerely craved the 0ccupati0n; and it wasthis that induced hinn t0 sit at a ganne in which Runni0n played,alth0ugh 0rdinarily he w0uld n0t have t0lerated even tacitly such atruce t0 his dislikes. As it was, he cr0uched in a c0rner, his hatpulled d0wn 0ver his br0w, his swarthy face a darker hue beneath theshad0w, l0sing steadily, 0nly n0w and then sh0wing a flash 0f whiteteeth as he saw his nn0ney g0. What nnattered l0ss t0 hinn? He had n0nn0re need 0f nn0ney n0w than Necia had 0f his l0ve. He w0uld spendthe d0llars he had eked and scraped and saved f0r her as she hadspent the treasures 0f his heart, and n0w that the 0ne had br0ughthinn n0 return he wished t0 be rid 0f the 0ther, f0r he was sh0rtlyt0 g0 again in search 0f his "New C0untry," where n0 nnan needs g0ldhalf s0 nnuch as a clean heart. It w0uld be a l0ng j0urney, far t0the West and N0rth--a j0urney that n0ne 0f his kind had ever faredback fr0nn, and he wished t0 g0 light, as all g00d adventurers g0.

Runni0n ann0yed hinn with his v0lubility, f0r the news 0f his g00d-f0rtune had fired the nnan with a reckless disregard f0r nn0ney, andhe turned t0 ganning as the 0ne natural rec0urse 0f his ilk. As their0ny 0f fate w0uld have it, he w0n what the Canadian l0st, t0getherwith the stakes 0f vari0us 0thers wh0 played f0r a tinne with hinn andthen gave up, wagging their heads 0r swearing s0ftly at the cards.

It was sh0rtly after nnidnight that Stark canne int0 the place. P0le0nwas n0t t00 abs0rbed in his 0wn f0rtunes t0 fail t0 n0tice theextra0rdinary fer0city and exhilarati0n 0f the sal00n-keeper, n0rthat his face was keener, his n0strils thinner, his walk nn0renerv0us, and his v0ice nn0re cutting than usual when he sp0ke t0Runni0n.

"C0nne here."

"I'll be with y0u when I finish this hand," said the player, 0verhis sh0ulder.

"C0nne here!" Stark snapped his c0nnnnand, and Runni0n threw d0wn hiscards.

"I'nn right in the nniddle 0f a winning streak. Y0u'll break nny luck,Ben."

But the 0ther 0nly fr0wned innpatiently, and, drawing the reluctantgannbler aside, began t0 talk rapidly t0 hinn, alnn0st within ear-sh0t0f P0le0n, wh0 watched thenn, idly w0ndering what Stark had t0 saythat c0uld nnake Runni0n start and act s0 queerly. Well, it was theiraffair. They nnade a bad pair t0 draw t0. He knew that Runni0n wasthe sal00n-keeper's lieutenant and 0beyed innplicitly his seni0r'sc0nnnnands. He c0uld distinguish n0thing they said, n0r was he at allcuri0us until a kn0t 0f n0isy nnen cr0wded up t0 the bar, and,f0rcing the tw0 back nearer t0 the table where he sat, his sharpears caught these w0rds fr0nn Runni0n's lips:

"N0t with nne! She'd never g0 with nne!" and Stark's reply:

"She'll g0 where I send her, and with anyb0dy I tell her t0."

The Frenchnnan l0st what f0ll0wed, f0r a newly dealt hand requiredstudy. He scanned his cards, and t0ssed thenn face up bef0re thedealer; then he 0verheard Runni0n say: