"Broke by the Black Pearl and then shot by her dog! That's a nice
finish. I can shoot some myself, but I ain't in your class, Flick, and
you know it. I guess not. I prefer my own route." He looked toward the
cabin, where it seemed to him that Pearl or her shadow wavered a moment
in the doorway. "Here's dying to you, honey," and before either man
could stop him he lifted his pistol and shot himself through the heart.
* * * * *
In the meantime certain events of more importance than the passing of
Hanson, to those involved, were taking place in Mrs. Nitschkan's cabin.
As soon as Gallito had left the mine and taken his way up to Seagreave's
Jose also had departed from his cell by way of the ravine and had
hastened to the abode of Mrs. Nitschkan, where he and Mrs. Thomas were
soon absorbed in the composition of various appetizing dishes, for with
the connivance of the two women Jose hoped that evening again to
subjugate Gallito with the spell of his cookery, and win back the
indulgence he had been steadily losing.
The afternoon, then, was passing most pleasantly for both Mrs. Thomas
and himself when suddenly the door was flung open and Mrs. Nitschkan,
who had been fishing in a creek further down the hill, came dashing in.
"Jose," she cried, "the Sheriff and his boys is all out after you again.
There's nobody else they'd want up this way. They couldn't keep under
cover all the way, for they had to cross the bridge, and I happened to
see 'em then.
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