"Why, Lord bless you, son. You're the greenest thing this side of Omyha. A capper touched him on the shoulder, a capper bent that there card, a capper tolled you all on with a dollar or two, and another capper fed the come-ons to his table. Aye, she's a purty piece. Where'd you meet up with her?" "With her?" I gasped. "Yes, yes. The woman; the main steerer. That purty piece who damn nigh lost you your life as well as losin' you your money." "You mean the lady with the blue eyes, in black?" "Yes, the golden hair. Lady! Oh, pshaw! Where'd she hook you? At the door?" "You shall not speak of her in that fashion, sir," I answered. "We were together on the train from Omaha. She has been kindness itself. The only part she has played to-night, as far as I can see, was to chaperon me here in the Big Tent; and whatever small winnings I had made, for amusement, was due to her and the skill of an acquaintance named Jim." "Jim Daily, yep. O' course. And she befriended you. Why, d'you suppose?" "Perhaps because I was of some assistance to her on the way out West. I had a little setto with Mr. Daily, when he annoyed her while he was drunk. But sobered up, he seemed to wish to make amends." "Oh, Lord!" My friend's mouth gaped. "Amends? Yep. That's his nature. Might call it mendin' his pocket and his lip. And you don't yet savvy that your 'lady' 's Montoyo's wife--his woman, anyhow?" "Montoyo? Who's Montoyo?" "The monte thrower. That same spieler who trimmed us," he rapped impatiently. The light that broke upon me dazed. My heart pounded. I must have looked what I felt: a fool. "No," I stammered in my thin small voice of the hotel. "I imagined--I had reason to suspect that she might be married. But I didn't know to whom." "Married? Wall, mebbe. Anyhow, she's bound to Montoyo. He's a breed, some Spanish, some white, like as not some Injun. A devil, and as slick as they make 'em. She's a power too white for him, herself, but he uses her and some day he'll kill her. You're not the fust gudgeon she's hooked, to feed to him. Why, she's known all back down the line. They two have been followin' end o' track from North Platte, along with Hell on Wheels. Had a layout in Omyha, and in Denver. They're not the only double-harness outfit hyar, either. You can meet a friendly woman any time, but this one got hold you fust." I writhed to the words. "And that fellow Jim?" I asked. "He's jest a common roper. He alluz wins, to encourage suckers like you. 'Tisn't his money he plays with; he's on commish. Beginnin' to understand, ain't you?" "But the bent card?" I insisted. "That is the mystery. It was the queen. What became of the queen?"