ACT. II.
Scene—Mining camp in Rocky Mountains. Cabin set to show interior. Door R. in 1. Rude cot near R. corner, and another in L.; stove with skillet against rear wall, L. C.; plank cupboard against side wall R.; window flat between stove and cot; rough pine table down C., with seats at either side, of sawed log; rough chair, rocks on table, gun on hooks, L.; overalls, etc., on floor and on nails; coffee pot, very dirty towel, etc., etc. Pay Streak discovered as curtain rises, sewing buttons on overalls, business of threading needle and tangling thread.
Pay S. That pesky thread is enough to rile ole Job, I reckon. It takes my pard to sew on buttons. He goes at it ’sif he’d been a tailor in his time. He’s the coolest cuss in camp anyway. Wy, when we struck it rich in the “Little Lucy” lode what did he do? Jump round an’ holler an’ say, “Boys, we’ve got it bigger’n an elephant?” Nary time; jest said, “I ’low if it holds out we’re pretty well heeled.” Didn’t seem to care whether it held out or not. Bet yer boots I care. I’ve been poor as a church mouse too long not to care. What did I do when I seen the assay went $500 to the ton? Wy, I jist slipped over to ole man Baker’s place an’ asked the Grouse if she’d like to hitch. I was afraid o’ that cuss from Tenderfoot Gulch, that Lonesome Mose. He’s struck it, too. What d’ye s’pose she said? “Pay Streak, what does she go to the ton?” “Five hundred, Mollie,” sez I, awful anxious, fur I didn’t know what Mose’s assay showed. An says the Grouse, “I’ll think about it, Jim.” Called me Jim instead o’ Pay Streak. I couldn’t stand that, an’ cust if I didn’t give her a smack ’at sounded like a giant cap bustin’. She didn’t git very mad, an’ then I knowed it was good as settled. (Pulls at thread and breaks it.) Cuss that thread! I reckon that’ll hold till Mollie takes charge o’ my traps. (Lawton raps at door, with cane, R.)
Pay S. Come in, stranger!
Law. Is this Vance & Rogers’ place?
Pay S. It is; step right in; there ain’t no call to rap at any miner’s door in the Rocky Mountains, but of course you don’t know that, bein’ a tenderfoot.
Law. Oh, yes, I know that a miner’s door is always open. Are you Rogers?
Pay S. Correct y’are! Squat. (Wipes off chair with towel.)
Law. This is just as good. (Seats himself on one of logs, Pay S. on the other.) Are you the man they call Pay Streak?
Pay S. That’s my sobriquet (sobrikwet), as the editor calls it. The boys called me Pay Streak because I’ve a way o’ askin’ how wide the pay streak is when they git to talkin’ about their claims. I al’ays look at the pay streak first. A man’s the same as a mine; when ye’ve seen the width of his pay streak, ye’ve got his measure.