Though Tom Reade plainly understood the mood of the men, he mounted a barrel, holding up both hands as a sign for silence.
"Now, men," he began, "you all know that the pay train is due here this afternoon.

You are all eager to get your money--for what?
It is a strange fact that gold is the carrion that draws all of the vultures.

A few minutes ago you saw one of the vultures here, preparing to get his supposed share of your money away from you.

Does Jim Duff care a hang about any of you?
Do any of you care anything whatever for Jim Duff?
Then why should you be so eager to get into one of his tents and let him take your money away from you?
"It is true that, once in a while, a solitary player gets a few dollars away from a gambler.

Yet, in the end, the gambler has every dollar of the crowd that patronizes him.