"Never do what?" inquired Bud roughly.
"I won't touch another drop of booze as long as I'm in Mexico!" cried Phil. "Not a drop!"
"And how about the girl?" continued Bud inexorably. "Her old man was out and tried to jump our mine to-day—how about her?"
"Well," faltered De Lancey, "I'll—she—"
"You know your promise!" reminded Bud.
"Yes; I know. But—oh, Bud, if you knew how loyal I've been to you—if you knew what offers I've resisted—the mine stands in my name, you know."
"Well?"
"Well, Aragon came around to me last week and said if I'd give him a half interest in it he'd—well, never mind—it was a great temptation. But did I fall for it? Not on your life! I know you, Bud, and I know you're honest—you'd stay by me to the last ditch, and I'll do the same by you. But I'm in love, Bud, and that would make a man forget his promise if he wasn't true as steel."
"Yes," commented Hooker dryly. "I don't reckon I can count on you much from now on. Here, take a look at this and see what you make of it." He drew the piece of ore that he had taken from Aragon from his pocket and held it up in the moonlight. "Well, feel of it, then," he said. "Shucks, you ought to know that piece of rock, Phil—it's the first one we found in our mine!"
"No!" exclaimed De Lancey, starting back. "Why—where'd you get it?"