But," said Steptoe in a lower but perfectly distinct voice, "if there should be a row,--and they BEGIN it,--and in the scuffle Tom Marshall, their only witness, should happen to get in the way of a revolver or have his head caved in, there might be some difficulty in their holdin' ANY OF THE MINE against honest, hardworking miners in possession.

You hear me ?" There was a breathless silence for the moment, and a slight movement of the men in their chairs, but never in fear or protest.

Every one had heard the speaker distinctly, and every man distinctly understood him.
Some of them were criminals, one or two had already the stain of blood on their hands; but even the most timid, who at other times might have shrunk from suggested assassination, saw in the speaker's words only the fair removal of a natural enemy.
"All right, boys.

I'm ready to wade in at once.

Why ain't we on the road now?
We might have been but for foolin' our time away on that man Van Loo." "Van Loo!" repeated Hall eagerly,--"Van Loo! Was he here ?" "Yes," said Steptoe shortly, administering a kick under the table to Hall, as he had no wish to revive the previous irritability of his comrades.