The Valley of Gold

was a uniquely composite plant, comprising department store, café, bar, club, all under the solitary genius of the rotund and active Swale. He combined the offices of

y with sanguine light-heartedness. Louie Swale was universally liked, as are all good fellows whom careless Nature throws in

gh chairs and a round table covered with a green baize cloth. A well-thumbed pack on the centre of the table was the only purposeful article visible. There were two doors, both provided with heavy bars on the inside. One opened into the outshed; the other into the bar. This door was locally renowned as The Green Baize Door,

ack Butte. Suddenly there arose a stamping and shouting. The stakeholder had cli

between Rob McClure and Ned Pullar. Whatever the result, I appeal to the winners and losers to take their medicine. I want the word

sed signi

Ned, with a grin.

re. "My gang is no bunch

out the stakes I want you to choose two rank outsiders from this crowd who shall go into the Square Ro

ffected and the three men went

Snoopy Bill Baird. Grinning insolently into his f

?" said he. "Ye did not consa

ar, placed his hand deter

pered. "Ned's given hi

uick snatch at his breast pocket he drew out a bunch

hamrocks?" said he, with an exasperating l

" was the quick response. "They're to be

incident stimulated an emulation in the crowd, and by the time But

oint. For a month past these two gangs have been hammering away to roll up a big total, and I want to tell you the

nner was too slow for

! Cough up the tota

" came an ap

sixty, found the equivalent in weight of wheat. The total is therefore stated in terms of wheat. This was agreed upon by

partisans lifted a shout of elation. Above th

l. But ye'll hev till open yer mug wider

e tension a boisterous

ence, "the Valley Outfit have rolled up the huge total of

urphy's deep bass roar, the Valley Outfit let go. As the

b McClure's gang. Th

raise the shout

t none of it. You doped one of my men o

were framing a repl

r as my knowledge goes, the Valley Gang has run this thing as str

pplause greet

res have been verified and are open to the public. The Valley Outfit are the undispu

f the room McClure and his men held angry concourse. Suddenly they pushed

set up the drinks for the house

y the bully. The Valley Outfit made no move to accept the p

a chance like this again, for next fall will find The Qu'Appelle Champions capering about the finest mill on the Pellawa plains. You look, Rob, almost mad enough to fight. Very well. I have given Jack Butte my word to keep quiet. The Valley Outfit is go

m with eyes that streamed a liquid hate. For all his rage McClu

hand on the knob he waited for his men to pass out before him. With surprising promptitude

d yer engine buckin'. Begobs, I cud put the howl gang uv ye

llowed by a flying flask

eye. "We'll hang around outside for ten minutes or so. If

hey urged him to go back

me out we'll sail in. I think I've something better than even a

his men knew it not, Ned was intensely relieved. He could scarcely understand. The fact was McClure apprised the situation exactly notwithstanding his rage. He was no coward; nor was

-shot he addressed them in a sudden

We've out-milled him for a month and gathered in the wager and we've handed him a mighty hard punch by forcing him and his gang to funk. We are now going to pull off a little stunt that will be remembered for man

s request to leave the village. Eleven o'clock found them wa