naturally take place.  Miners thronged in from fifty miles around, and nothing but a special mule express saved the camp from the horror of Pentecost’s bar being inadequate to the demand.  Between “straight bets” and “hedging” most of the gold dust in camp had been “put up,” for a bet is the only California backing of an opinion.  As the men did not seem to seek each other, the boys had ample time to “grind things down to a pint,” as the camp concisely expressed it, and the matter had given excuse for a dozen minor fights, when order was suddenly restored one afternoon by the entrance of Billy and his neighbors, just as the Judge and his neighbors were finishing a drink.

The boys immediately and silently formed a ring, on the outer edge of which were massed all the men who had been outside, and who came pouring in like flies before a shower.  No one squatted or hugged the wall, for it was understood that these two men fought only with knives, so the spectators were in a state of abject safety.

The Judge, after settling for the drinks, turned, and saw for the first time his enemy.

“Hello, Billy!” said he, pleasantly; “let’s take a drink first.”

Billy, who was a red-haired man, with a snapping-turtle mouth, but not a vicious-looking man for all that, briefly replied, “All right,” and these two determined enemies clinked their glasses with the unconcern of mere social drinkers.

But, after this, they proceeded promptly to business; the Judge, who was rather slow on his guard, was the owner of a badly cut arm within three minutes by the bar-keeper’s watch, but not until he had given Billy, who was parrying a thrust, an ugly gash in his left temple.

There was a busy hum during the adjustment of bets on “first blood,” and the combatants very considerately refrained from doing serious injury during this temporary distraction; but within five minutes more they had exchanged chest wounds, but too slight to be dangerous.

Betting became furious—­each man fought so splendidly, that the boys were wild with delight and enthusiasm.  Bets were roared back and forth, and when Pentecost, by virtue of his universally conceded authority, commanded silence, there was a great deal of finger-telegraphy across the circle, and head-shaking in return.

Such exquisite carving had never before been seen at Hanney’s—­that was freely admitted by all.  Men pitied absent miners all over the State, and wondered why this delightful lingering, long-drawn-out system of slaughter was not more popular than the brief and commonplace method of the revolver.  The Webfoot rapturously and softly quoted the good Doctor Watt’s: 

  “My willing soul would stay
    In such a place as this,
  And—­”

when suddenly his cup of bliss was clashed to the ground, for Billy, stumbling, fell upon his own knife, and received a severe cut in the abdomen.