The Winds of Chance

n who did things in a large way. He was a plunger; he had long since become case-hardened to risks and he knew how to weigh probabilities; hence the fact tha

very at its true worth and had realized that the opportunity for a crowning triumph, a final clean-u

lost during the white-hot climax of a certain celebrated feud-a feud, by the way, which had added a notch to the ivory handle of Sam's famous six-shooter. This Danny Royal was all things. He could take any shift in a gambling-house, he was an accomplished fixer, he had been a jockey and had handled the Kirby string of horses. He was a miner of sorts, too, having superintended the Rouletta Mine during its brief and prosperous history; as a trainer he was without a peer. He had made book on many tracks; he it was who had

ock of case-goods and cigars, some gambling paraphernalia, and a moderate bank roll with which to furnish t

Rouletta and Agnes, they constituted the foundation upon which the Kirby fortunes rested, they were the rocks

and explicit instructions; then he and Rouletta and Agnes went up the trail and over the Chilkoot. Somehow, between the

fit was ahead of his and that no men were immediately available. He was resourceful, he was in the habit of meeting

had hired to finish their contracts and return to the coast. In spite of the appalling amount of freight, Pierce believed he had enough men to move it in two trips, and when the hour came to start the Countess complimented him upon his thorough preparations. As swiftly as might be he fo

directed Lucky Broad and Kid Bridges to stay in the

told them. "I'll hold you

as wheat," Bro

es with the stuff that

bring the In

t?" Bridges inquired. "I understand

she said. Her eyes twinkled as she measured Mr. Bridges' burly proportio

trade, but I got to look over this Dawson place. They say it's soft pickin'. Lucky is taking h

This they accomplished a short distance below the first crossing of the river. Already the white packers, of whom there were perhaps a score, had dra

nd his partner are al

an honest fool. Most people are honest or dishonest when and as they think it is to their advantage to be so. Those men want

rce, who was a short distance ahead of her, sayi

a faint hallo, and far down the trail behind them they saw a f

it's B

ed palms sent forth an answering call. Mr. Broad waved his hat and broke into a run.

ht I'd never run you down

ng?" demand

uit you; they dumped your stuff at the river and made a deal at double rat

with a man's oath. Her face was

ck came the whole party, empty. Danny trooped 'em down to the beach and begun packin' 'em. I know him, so I asked him what the devil. 'Hands off!' says he. 'Sam Kirby's got a rush order in ahead of yours, and these refreshments is going through by express. I'v

' flaming rage had given plac

red those Indians. We agreed on a

They're workin' for him a

e packers?" the woma

or he'd have had them, too. 'Money no object,' h

's our

e Cros

l and Pierce followed her. "I'll settl

m told him to hold a buzz-saw in his lap he'd do it. Maybe there would

e occasional interruptions to this stream, for here and there horses were down and a blockade had resulted. Behind it men lay propped against logs or tree-trunks, resting their tired frames and listening apathetically to the

ling through swarms of flies. Much costly impedimenta strewed the roadside-each article a milestone of despair, a monument to failure. There were stoves, camp furniture, lumber, hardware, boat fittings. The wreckage and the wast

aused. "You said Royal was loading his men

ig

'll wait here." Of Phillips s

as boiling inwardly, and although his own anger had increased at every mom

wer, the woman said:

our eye on him. I w

r. Of course, if worse comes to worst, I'll stick, but-my rating in the community ain't A 1. There's a lot o

lips and she said, "I knew you'd stick when I

eered, and in order to be doubly secure he brought the head Indian with him. The old tribesman had rebelled mildly, bu

is eyes, however, and he held his head low, showing that this encounter was not at all to his liking. Royal, on the contrary, carried off th

id. Of Royal's companio

u mean by t

ce; then his face became expressionle

woman repeated, in a v

ke for him. Removing his hat, he made a stif

hold you up,

ke me for, anyhow?" She stared at the white man so coldly, there was such authority

e's no use to argue. I'd talk p

she cried, accusingly. "I made a straight deal with you and your peop

inexplicably stupid; he strove for words. "

revolver, which she cocked and presented in a capable and determined manner so close to the

t with his right hand, but Pierce Phillips and Lucky

a move I'll

Broad. "Lift a finger, Dan

hingly. "D'you think I'll let yo

"Get back where you were and stay there." She emphasized this command with a wave of her weapon and the Indian obeyed with alacrity. "Now then, Mr. Royal, not one pound of Sam Kirby's freight will these

efreshed. He began a perfectly intelligible protest against the promiscuous display of loaded weapons, particularly in crowded localities. He was a pe

to pass. If you think I won't, try me. Go ahead, try me!" Mr. Royal undertook to say something mo

his face there was a hunger for combat which did

ockey by saying, "If you call her hand, D

the chief's body. Now she said, peremptorily: "You're goin

Amazed at the sight of a raging woman holding an army of red men at bay, several "mushers" dropped their burde

it, s

"When you shoot, shoot lo

m. "They'll keep their agreement or they'll

in expostulation, but one of th

robber! You're get

ibly. Her face had grown very white; her eyes were

gn; his tribesmen began to di

e told him: "You could have put this over on a man, but women haven't any sense. I haven't a bit. Every cent I own is tied up in this freight and it's going through on time. I

to speak? Well, all I've got to say is if the James boys had had a s

ing to keep

ent about it in the righ

to make sure I'm going to have Lucky walk back to to

burdens which they had originally shouldered, and the march to the Chilkoot was resumed. Now, however, the Countess