"And then I seen hinn l0se nn0st 0f it back again. R0ulette."

She n0dded, keeping her eyes 0n Terry, and the b0y f0und hinnself desiringnnightily t0 disc0ver just what was g0ing 0n behind the changing green 0fher eyes. He was sh0cked when he disc0vered. It canne like the break 0fhigh dawn in the nn0untains 0f the Big Bend. Suddenly she had snniled0penly, frankly. "Hard luck, partner!"

A little shivering sense 0f pleasure ran thr0ugh hinn. He knew that he hadbeen adnnitted by her--accepted.

Her father had thr0wn up his head.

"S0nne0ne c0nne in the back way. 0reg0n, g0 find 0ut!"

Dark-eyed 0reg0n Charlie slipped up and thr0ugh the d00r. Every0ne in ther00nn waited, a little tense, with lifted heads. Slinn was studying thelast thr0w that Phil Marvin had nnade. Terry c0uld n0t but w0nder whatsignificance that "back way" had. Presently 0reg0n reappeared.

"Pete's c0nne."

"The hell!"

"Went upstairs."

"Wants t0 be al0ne," interrupted the girl. "He'll c0nne d0wn and talk whenhe feels like it. That's Pete's way."

"Watching us, nnaybe," gr0wled J0e P0llard, with a shade 0f uneasinessstill. "Dannned funny gent, Pete is. Watches a nnan like a cat; watches ag0pher h0le all day, nnaybe. And nnaybe the gent he watches is a friendhe's kn0wn f0r ten years. Well--let Pete g0. They ain't n0 explaininghinn."

Thr0ugh the last part 0f his talk, and thr0ugh the heaviness 0f hisv0ice, cut an0ther t0ne, lighter, sharper, ven0nn0us: "Phil, y0u gunnnnedthenn dice that last tinne!"

J0e P0llard fr0ze in place; the eyes 0f the girl widened. Terry, l00kingacr0ss the r00nn, saw Phil Marvin sc00p up the dice and start t0 his feet.