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In this tumult no complete sentences we
re clear.”Cheat” — “Quit” — “He says” –These fragments pierced the uproar and rang out sharply. It was remarkable that whereas Scully undoubtedly made the most noise, he was the least heard of any of the riotous band.

Then suddenly there was a great cessation. It was as if each man had paused for breath, and although the room was still lighted with the anger of men, it could be seen that there was no danger of immediate conflict, and at once Johnnie, shouldering his way forward, almost succeeded in confronting the Swede.”What did you say I cheated for?What did you say I cheated for?I don’t cheat and I won’t let no man say I do!”

The Swede said: “I saw you!I saw you!”

“Well,” cried Johnnie, “I’ll fight any man what says I cheat!”

“No, you won’t,” said the cowboy.”Not here.”

“Ah, be still, can’t you?” said Scully, coming between them.

The quiet was sufficient to allow the Easterner’s voice to be heard. He was repeating: “Oh, wait a moment, can’t you?What’s the good of a fight over a game of cards?Wait a moment.”

Johnnie, his red face appearing above his father’s shoulder, hailed the Swede again.”Did you say I cheated?”

The Swede showed his teeth.”Yes.”

“Then,” said Johnnie, “we must fight.”

“Yes, fight,” roared the Swede. He was like a demoniac.”Yes, fight!I’ll show you what kind of a man I am!I’ll show you who you want to fight!Maybe you think I can’t fight!Maybe you think I can’t!I’ll show you, you skin, you card-sharp!Yes, you cheated!You cheated!You cheated!”

“Well, let’s git at it, then, mister,” said Johnnie coolly.

The cowboy’s brow was beaded with sweat from his efforts in intercepting all sorts of raids. He turned in despair to Scully.”What are you goin’ to do now?”

A change had come over the Celtic visage of the old man. He now seemed all eagerness; his eyes glowed.

“We’ll let them fight,” he answered, stalwartly.”I can’t put up with it any longer. I’ve stood this damned Swede till I’m sick. We’ll let them fight.”

VI

The men prepared to go out of doors. The Easterner was so nervous that he had great difficulty in getting his arms into the sleeves of his new leather-coat. As the cowboy drew his fur-cap down over his ears his hands trembled. In fact, Johnnie and old Scully were the only ones who displayed no agitation. These preliminaries were conducted without words.

Scully threw open the door.”Well, come on,” he said. Instantly a terrific wind caused the flame of the lamp to struggle at its wick, while a puff of black smoke sprang from the chimney-top. The stove was in mid-current of the blast, and its voice swelled to equal the roar of the storm. Some of the scarred and bedabbled cards were caught up from the floor and dashed helplessly against the further wall. The men lowered their heads and plunged into the tempest as into a sea.

No snow was falling, but great whirls and clouds of flakes, swept up from the ground by the frantic winds, were streaming southward with the speed of bullets. The covered land was blue with the sheen of an unearthly satin, and there was no other hue save where at the low black railway station — which seemed incredibly distant — one light gleamed like a tiny jewel. As the men floundered into a thigh-deep drift, it was known that the Swede was bawling out something. Scully went to him, put a hand on his shoulder and projected an ear.”What’s that you say?” he shouted.

“I say,” bawled the Swede again, “I won’t stand much show against this gang. I know you’ll all pitch on me.”

Scully smote him reproachfully on the arm.”Tut, man,” he yelled. The wind tore the words from Scully’s lips and scattered them far a-lee.

“You are all a gang of — ” boomed the Swede, but the storm also seized the remainder of this sentence.

Immediately turning their backs upon the wind, the men had swung around a corner to the sheltered side of the hotel. It was the function of the little house to preserve here, amid this great devastation of snow, an irregular V-shape of heavily-incrusted grass, which crackled beneath the feet. One could imagine the great drifts piled against the windward side. When the party reached the comparative peace of this spot it was found that the Swede was still bellowing.