She stood up, her eyes were shining, her face radiant "Fergive me, but I reckoned you--was--petered--out?" "Petered out--_me_?" "Yas; I'm a silly, fullish woman." "No, you ain't. Petered out--_me_? Wal," he glanced at Leveson, "somebody _is_ petered out, but it ain't me. Did ye ever see a man scairt worse'n him? I scairt the wizard some; yas I did, but he could run: this feller can't crawl, I reckon. An' this yere Colt wan't loaded then, an' it ain't loaded--now. Look! What an appetite I hev! Who says supper? Now, mister," he addressed Leveson, "seein' as the starch is outer you, I'll give ye my arm as fur as the Paloma." "Leave me," gurgled Leveson. "I'm too good a Christian. In the state yer in it'd kill ye to meet somebody else ye've robbed. It's too risky." "Go, you scoundrel! Authority was returning to his voice; the old arrogance gleamed in his eyes. "Scoundrel--hay?" Uncle Jap's voice became savage. "You come along with me--quick an' quiet. This old Colt ain't loaded, but ef I hit you over the head with the butt of it, ye'll think it is. Come!" In silence the four of us marched up to the Paloma, and into the big hall where a dozen men were smoking. Uncle Jap addressed the clerk in a loud, clear voice. "Mr. Leveson," he said, "has just concluded a leetle deal with me. He's bought Sunny Bushes an' the lake of ile for two hundred and fifteen thousand and one hundred dollars. Here is his note. Put it in the safe for me till to-morrer." The chatter in the big room had ceased long before Uncle Jap had finished. More than one man present divined that something quite out of the ordinary had taken place. Leveson moistened his lips with his tongue. His chance had come. Had he chosen to repudiate the note, had he denounced Uncle Jap as obtaining at the pistol point what could be obtained in no other way, the law of the land would have released him from his bond. But Uncle Jap had read him aright: he was a coward. "Yes," he said. "I've bought Sunny Bushes." "An' dirt cheap, too," said Uncle Jap. He spoke to the clerk in his usual mild voice: "Can you give Mis' Panel an' me accommodation?" "Certainly, Mr. Panel. What sort of accommodation, sir?" Uncle Jap looked fondly at his wife. I doubt if she had ever crossed the threshold of the Paloma before. I could see her blinking at the marble columns, at the velvet pile rugs, and the innumerable electric lights just turned on. "What sorter accommodation?" repeated Uncle Jap. "Why, anything'd do fer me, but Mis' Panel is mighty particular. We'll take the bridal suit, if it ain't engaged." "Certainly; sitting-room, bedroom, and bathroom upon the first floor," said the clerk, striking a bell for the hall porter. "Come, Lily," said Uncle Jap. She raised her head, as if she were about to protest; then she smiled contentedly, and followed him out of the old life into the new. X WILKINS AND HIS DINAH