As Houston and Van Dorn disappeared around a turn in the road, the
figure of Haight emerged into the starlight from behind a large rock
where he had been concealed most of the time during their stay at the
cabin. Incidently he had seen them on their way to visit Jack, and the
lateness of the hour combined with the direction in which they were
going, aroused his curiosity to such a degree that he followed them at
a distance, and having seen them enter the cabin, his suspicious
nature was at once on the alert.
"I guess I'll find out what in the devil this means," he said to
himself, as he paused behind a rock at a little distance, determined
to ascertain what he could regarding their movements.
It was a long and wearisome watch; once or twice he ventured near the
cabin, to see whether by closer observation he could obtain any clue
to what might be going on within, but the closely shaded window gave
no sign, and beyond an occasional low murmuring of voices, nothing
disturbed the silence, except once a low, ominous growl from Rex, as
he caught sight of Haight's skulking figure from his station just
outside the door.
When at last the door opened, and Houston and Van Dorn stepped forth
into the calm night, the lynx-eyed watcher failed to detect anything
beyond a friendly leave-taking, after which the two walked homeward,
chatting in the most commonplace manner imaginable.
"By George!" he soliloquized, as he followed at a safe distance, "I
wonder if I haven't had my labor for my pains! But that did look
mighty queer anyhow, their going 'round to see the old chap, and I'll
wager there's something in it, too. I shouldn't wonder if that Van
Dorn is out here in the interest of that old party who was looking at
mines a while ago, and with Houston's help is going to get a few
pointers. Jack knows pretty well what is going on around here, and
may be a little money would make him talk. I'm going to keep watch of
some of these smart people, and I know of one or two that will help me
about it. If I can get hold of anything, I'll report it to Rivers;
Houston has pulled the wool over Blaisdell's eyes, but Rivers won't
have anybody monkeying round these mines, and if I can once put him on
the track, there'll be a few less of these swells about, and it will
be money in my pocket."
Late as it was when Houston and Van Dorn returned to the house, Miss
Gladden and Lyle had not retired. Houston had told Miss Gladden the
secret of his business there in the mining camp, and, true to Lyle's
prediction, he had found her, while quick to realize the dangers of
his position, yet able to assist him by her readiness to enter into
his feelings, her interest in his plans and her timely suggestions.
Once she had met Jack since learning Houston's secret, and in a few,
well-chosen words, had conveyed to him her knowledge of the fact that
he was giving her lover aid and protection in his work, and her
gratitude therefor.
She and Lyle were aware of the import of the visit to the cabin that
night, and they sat in the dusky shadows, looking out into the night,
alternately talking in low tones, and listening for the return of
Houston and his friend.
Miss Gladden was the first to catch the sound of her lover's voice, as
he and Van Dorn approached the house, and a moment later, they heard
the ringing laugh of the latter.
"They are evidently in good spirits," remarked Lyle, "their visit must
have been a satisfactory one."
"Mr. Van Dorn seems so jubilant they must have made some new
discoveries," said Miss Gladden, "he never seems so happy as when he
is ferreting out some fraud, or unearthing some dishonest scheme."
"There is material enough here to make his happiness complete for some
time," said Lyle rather bitterly, "I only wish every one of the guilty
parties could be brought to justice, but I doubt whether they ever
will be."
"Why?" exclaimed Miss Gladden in surprise, "do you think Mr. Houston
will fail after all?"
"No, not that necessarily," Lyle answered, "but even if he succeeds in
getting his evidence together, and his friends come out from the east,
I do not believe they will ever succeed in securing the ones who are
most guilty, who have planned and plotted the whole thing. Over and
over again, people whom they have wronged and defrauded have brought
suit against them, but to no purpose; they are continually involved in
litigation, but they always manage to evade the law in one way or
another, I do not claim to understand how."
"I would not think they could escape with all the evidence accumulating
against them now," said Miss Gladden thoughtfully.
"You wouldn't think so," replied Lyle, "but you don't know them. Who
is that?" she asked suddenly, catching sight in the dim light of a
figure approaching the house.
"It looks like Haight," said Miss Gladden, "but why is he creeping
along so cautiously?"
"I believe he has been following Mr. Houston," said Lyle, quickly,
"wait a minute, keep perfectly quiet, so he will think every one is
asleep up stairs," and in an instant, she was going swiftly and
noiselessly down the stairs. The door at the foot of the stairs was
partially open, and Lyle could hear Haight, as, after opening the
outside door very carefully, he stepped lightly toward the room
occupied by Houston and Van Dorn; here he paused and listened, but
evidently hearing nothing, he cautiously made his way across to the
room of Mr. and Mrs. Maverick, the door of which was ajar.
"Jim!" he whispered, "Jim, wake up!"
"Who's that? What d'ye want?" came the response in a surly tone.
"Sh! don't make any noise," he whispered, "it's Haight; get up and
come out on the porch, but be quiet about it; I want to have a talk
with you."
A muttered assent was given, and Haight tip-toed softly out to the
porch, and sat down.
Lyle crept up-stairs again to Miss Gladden.
"Don't be frightened," she said, "but I believe Haight must have seen
or heard something;" and she hastily told what she had overheard.
"Now," said she in conclusion, "the window on the porch is open, and
as soon as they are both outside, I will go there and listen. Even if
I cannot hear all that is said I will probably catch enough to learn
what is going on. You wait for me and keep perfectly quiet."
A few moments later, Maverick shuffled out on the porch and sat down
beside Haight with a growl.
"Damned pretty time, I sh'd think, to talk! What in hell do you
want?"
"Well, you were long enough getting out here," said Haight, in his
smoothest tones, all unaware of a figure that had glided to the open
window behind him, and now knelt within six feet of him. "Now quit
your growling, for you and I are good friends, Jim, and I want your
advice. Jim," he continued in a lower tone, "what would you think two
fellows like Houston and Van Dorn would want with that old chap,
Jack?"
"Huh?" said Maverick, rather stupidly, "what are ye drivin' at?"
"Wake up! you're half asleep, Jim! Your two dandy boarders here only
just came home about twenty minutes ago; they've been for the last
three or four hours down there in Jack's cabin, with the windows all
shut tight and curtains down, and still as death. What do you suppose
that means?"
"Damned if I know," was the laconic response.
"Now, Jim, don't be so uncommunicative; there may be something in this
for you and me if we just put our heads together, 'two heads are
better than one,' you know, so set your thinking machine to work and
grind out some ideas."
"Well," said Maverick, slowly, "I dun'no what that Houston, damn him,
would be runnin' 'round after Jack for, unless he wanted to get some
p'inters on the mines some way."
"That's it, go ahead!" said Haight.
"Houston," continued Maverick, with an oath and applying a vile
epithet, "is too all-fired smart to notice anybody, and Jack's
another, so they'd be likely to hitch."
"That's right," said Haight, "now what object would he be likely to
have in getting information from Jack?"
"I dun'no," said the other, "unless mebbe he's paid by somebody on the
outside."
"Well," said Haight, "I guess we've got about the same idea of it;
it's my opinion he is paid by somebody, and that somebody is Van Dorn,
or whoever's backing him. I don't put much stock in this machinery
business of his; he don't act like a fellow that needs to go peddling
machines about the country, and I notice he don't seem in any great
rush about putting it up, now he's got here; he ain't one of the kind
that has to rustle for a living, like you and me. I think he's just
out here getting pointers on the mines for that old fellow that was
here a while ago, and he's probably paying Houston a good, round sum
for helping him along, and now they've got Jack roped in on the
deal."
"Well," said Maverick savagely, "if that's their game, I guess 'twill
be dead easy stoppin' it any time we're a mind to; these 'ere mines is
awfully unsafe places for a tenderfoot to be prowlin' 'round in," and
he laughed a cruel laugh, very familiar to the listener at the
window.
"That's so," assented Haight, "I think we'd better keep close watch of
these fellows, and if they get too fresh, just have 'em laid out with
a sandbag or two."
"Better'n that," said Maverick, "to take 'em some time in the mines;
folks like them are likely to get dizzy and fall some times, or get in
the way of the ore buckets and be knocked silly."
"Well, I'll tell you what I want you to do; I'll keep watch, and if I
know of their going down to the cabin again, I want you to put some
men on to watch out for them; we'll investigate and find out what is
going on. Put on what men you please, and have them report to me, and
we'll find out what this means, and make our plans accordingly."
"That there's a damned ticklish place to get any of the men to go late
at night," said Maverick reflectively.
"Why so?"
"That place is harnted, ye know, by the man on the spotted horse."
"Oh, nonsense!" ejaculated Haight.
"It's a fact though; he rides up and down there once in a while, and I
wouldn't want ter see him myself."
"Oh, hang your ghost!" said Haight, impatiently, "tell your men if
they see it to shoot it."
"That wouldn't do no good," responded Maverick doggedly, "It's the
sight of it brings bad luck, and sometimes death. There was a fellow
here two years ago, he seen it one night, and the next day he was
killed in the mines; they said the ghost had called him."
"Well," said Haight, rising, "It would be well if your ghost would
only call Houston and Van Dorn some night; but I want you to do as I
say, anyway."
Lyle, who had caught nearly every word of this conversation, now rose
quickly and retreated to the kitchen, knowing she would there be safe
from detection, and could also judge of their movements. Nothing
further was said, however; Haight went stealthily up-stairs to his
room, and Maverick, after cursing to himself a few moments, was soon
snoring profoundly, and Lyle then returned to Miss Gladden's room. She
felt a sickening sensation as she repeated the conversation to her
friend, and realized all that it meant. Miss Gladden was inexpressibly
shocked:
"Lyle, my dear child, is it possible that they would go to such
extreme limits as that. I had thought that he would be in danger of
some assault in the dark, or something of that kind, but to trap him
in the mines! I never dreamed of anything so cowardly, so dastardly!
He will be in constant danger in the performance of his daily round of
duties."
"Dear Leslie," said Lyle,--for thus Miss Gladden had of late requested
her to address her,--"I have told you, you did not realize what a
place this is, and the worst of all is, that it is my father who is
planning this, after all the kindness which you and Mr. Houston have
shown me! What must you think of us?"
"Of you, my dear child? I love you and trust you the same as ever,"
exclaimed Miss Gladden impulsively, "he is no father of yours!"
Lyle, in her grief, did not notice the import of Miss Gladden's words,
but she exclaimed passionately:
"I will never call that man father again as long as I live, and if it
ever comes to that, I will shoot him, rather than let him injure Mr.
Houston." Then, a moment later, she added more calmly:
"I must not allow myself to become excited, I must think and plan. Do
you know, I was so glad that they have not, as yet, found the real
clue to what is going on, and do not even suspect the truth, and they
must not be allowed even to surmise it; as long as they do not, Mr.
Houston is comparatively safe, and they must not be allowed to watch
him, or get any clue to his movements."
"But how can you prevent it, dear? You know the country and the people
so much better than I, that you can plan and direct far better than I
can; you command, dear Lyle, and you will find me ready to obey,
afraid of nothing, not death itself, if I can only help him and save
him from his enemies."
"You had better write a note to him to-night, to give him quietly in
the morning, as you may not have an opportunity for a long talk with
him so early, and tell him what I have told you. Then he can probably
make arrangements with Jack by writing, so that he will not need to go
to the cabin again at present; or, if necessary, I can go for him."
"But what will they do about their intended examination of the mines?
They will surely be watched then."
"All they can do is to make their plans as quietly and secretly as
possible, and then go prepared for the worst, but I think I can help
them there; I have a scheme of my own, something that occurred to me
while listening to their conversation, which I will tell you later."
The note was written, and it was nearly daylight, when the two at last
retired, to rest possibly, but not to sleep.