"No, naturally! You overlooked the fact that a woman can jump claims, too. That is a recorded copy of my re-location of the Old Juan claim, at twelve-fifty-one, on January first. Your drunken Ike Bray came along at one-thirty and tacked his notice over mine. And now I must thank you, gentlemen, both of you, for your kind efforts in my behalf. By spending your money on this expensive lawsuit you have proved my title to the Tecolote Mine." She sat down, smiling, and as Stoddard looked again at the paper his drawn face went suddenly white. He laid it down and with startled eyes glanced fearfully at those two. Would they stand together? Did she realize her advantage? Could he buy her off--and for how much? A hundred swift questions flashed through his mind, and then Rimrock reached over for the notice. He gazed at it quietly and then, looking at Mary, he gave way to a cynical smile. "Could you hear through a wall?" he enquired enigmatically, and Stoddard snapped his fingers in vexation. "Ah, I see," he observed, "not so deaf as you seem. Well, Miss Fortune, may I see you alone?" "You may not!" she answered. "I might show you some pity, though you don't deserve it; so, knowing Mr. Jones as I do, I will leave the decision to him." She glanced at Rimrock with a quick, radiant smile that revealed more than she knew of her heart; but his face had suddenly gone grim. "Take him out and kill him," he advised vindictively. "That's all the advice I'll give." "No, I don't believe in that," she answered sweetly, "but perhaps our decision can wait." "Well, you needn't wait for me," replied Rimrock ungraciously, "because I'm through, for good and all. The first man that gives me a check for my stock----" Whitney Stoddard reached swiftly for his checkbook and pen, but she stopped him with a warning look. "No, there'll be nothing like that," she answered firmly. "But I moved once that we declare a dividend." "Second the motion," murmured Stoddard resignedly; and Rimrock, too, voted: "Ay!" Then he rose up sullenly and gazed at them both with a savage, insulting glare. "You can keep your old mine," he said to Mary. "I'm going to beat it to Mexico!" He started for the door and they looked after him, startled, but at the doorway he stopped and turned back. "Where do I get that check?" he asked and after a silence Mary answered: "From Mr. Lockhart." "Good!" he muttered and closed the door quietly, whereat Stoddard began instantly to talk. He might have talked a long time, or only a few moments; and then Mary began to hear. "What's that?" she asked and Stoddard repeated what he considered a very generous offer.