Joan returned to consciousness with a sense of vague and unlocalized
pain which she thought was that old, familiar pang of grief. But
once fully awakened, as if by a sharp twinge, she became aware that
the pain was some kind of muscular throb in her shoulder. The
instant she was fully sure of this the strange feeling ceased. Then
she lay wide-eyed in the darkness, waiting and wondering.
Suddenly the slight sharp twing was repeated. It seemed to come from
outside her flesh. She shivered a little, thinking it might be a
centipede. When she reached for her shoulder her hand came in
contact with a slender stick that had been thrust through a crack
between the boards. Jim was trying to rouse her. This had been his
method on several occasions when she had fallen asleep after waiting
long for him.
Joan got up to the window, dizzy and sick with the resurging memory
of Jim's return to Kells with that gold-belt.
Jim rose out of the shadow and felt for her, clasped her close. Joan
had none of the old thrill; her hands slid loosely round his; and
every second the weight inwardly grew heavier.
"Joan! I had a time waking you," whispered Jim, and then he kissed
her. "Why, you're as cold as ice."
"Jim--I--I must have fainted," she replied.
"What for?" "I was peeping into Kells's cabin, when you--you--"
"Poor kid!" he interrupted, tenderly. "You've had so much to bear! ...
Joan, I fooled Kells. Oh, I was slick! ... He ordered me out on
a job--to kill a miner! Fancy that! And what do you think? I know
Creede well. He's a good fellow. I traded my big nugget for his
gold-belt!"
"You TRADED--you--didn't--kill him!" faltered Joan.
"Hear the child talk!" exclaimed Cleve, with a low laugh.
Joan suddenly clung to him with all her might, quivering in a silent
joy. It had not occurred to Jim what she might have thought.
"Listen," he went on. "I traded my nugget. It was worth a great deal
more than Creede's gold-belt. He knew this. He didn't want to trade.
But I coaxed him. I persuaded him to leave camp--to walk out on the
road to Bannack. To meet the stage somewhere and go on to Bannack,
and stay a few days. He sure was curious. But I kept my secret. ...
Then I came back here, gave the belt to Kells, told him I had
followed Creede in the dark, had killed him and slid him into a deep
hole in the creek. ... Kells and Pearce--none of them paid any
attention to my story. I had the gold-belt. That was enough. Gold
talks--fills the ears of these bandits. ... I have my share of
Creede's gold-dust in my pocket. Isn't that funny? Alas for my--YOUR
big nugget! But we've got to play the game. Besides, I've sacks and
cans of gold hidden away. Joan, what'll we do with it all? You're my
wife now. And, oh! If we can only get away with it you'll be rich!"