"Nothing about it. I made the stroke."
Deering grinned indulgently, and when Jackson shrugged, Jimmy's face got
red.
"If they're not satisfied, give them the lot; I don't dispute about
things like that," he said haughtily. "Write an acknowledgment for all I
owe and I'll sign the note."
Stannard wrote and tore the leaf from his note-book, but he now used a
fountain pen. Jimmy took the pen, signed the acknowledgment and went
off. When he had gone Deering looked at Stannard and laughed.
"Your touch is light, but if the boy begins to feel your hand he'll
kick. Anyhow, I'll take my wad."
Stannard gave him a roll of paper money and turned to Jackson.
"I'll take mine," said Jackson. "In the morning I pull out."
"You stated you meant to stop for a time."
"There's nothing in the game for me, and I don't see what Deering
expects to get," said Jackson in a languid voice. "I doubt if you'll
keep him long; the boys in his home section, on the coast, reckon he
puts up a square deal. Anyhow, you can't have my help."
Stannard gave him a searching glance and Deering straightened his big
body. Jackson's glance was quietly scornful.
"A hundred dollars is a useful sum, but my mark's higher, and I play
with men. Maybe I'll meet up with some rich tourists at the Banff
hotels," he resumed, and giving the others a careless nod, went off.
"A queer fellow, but sometimes his mood is nasty," said Deering. "I
felt I'd like to throw him over the rails."
"As a rule, his sort carry a gun," Stannard remarked.
Deering wiped some liquor from the table, picked up Jimmy's glass, which
was on the floor, and put away the cards.
"In the morning you had better give the China boy two dollars," he said
in a meaning voice, and when he went to the door Stannard put out the
light.