the public good demands his presence and his testimony he will
appear on Monday."

"He ought to be here," said Sinclair, and his tone almost conveyed a
reproof.

"He'll come if he's wanted, I guess," drawled out Ike, quick to take
his friend's part.

"Well, then let us proceed. Let us get the facts first," said Sinclair.
"Stanton, we would like to hear what you have to say."

"Well," said The Kid, "there is not much that I have to tell, but I
shall begin at the beginning and give you all I know." Stanton's air of
boyish carelessness had quite disappeared, his voice took a deeper tone
than usual, his manner was grave and stern.

"It was six days ago that I happened to call at the Old Prospector's
house."

"To see the preacher, I guess," interrupted Ike gravely, winking at
Macnamara, who responded with a hearty "Ha! ha! Of course!"

"Quit that, Ike," said Sinclair sternly. "We have got business on hand."

"As I was saying," continued the Kid; with heightened colour, "I called
at the Old Prospector's house and found Miss Mowbray in a state of
great anxiety in regard to Mr. Macgregor. She told me how the doctor
had come to see Mr. Macgregor about a week before, in great excitement,
and had informed him that Carroll and Crawley had set off for the
mountains two days before, and how, upon hearing that, Mr. Macgregor
and Perault had hastily followed, having with them about a week's
provisions."

"What reason did Miss Mowbray assign for this?" enquired Sinclair.

"Well, I suppose it's no secret, now," said The Kid, with some
hesitation. "The Old Prospector, you know, before his death had made a
very rich find, but died without staking his claim. The secret of its
location he entrusted to Mr. Macgregor and the doctor. The doctor, in a
fit of drunkenness, gave the secret away to Carroll and Crawley, who,
leaving him incapable from drink, set off at once to stake the claim."

"Hold on, Mr. Stanton," said Sinclair. "We must be careful. How do you
know their purpose in setting off for the mountains?"

"Well, I think--"

"But," interrupted Sinclair, "we must have statements of fact only."

"Dat's so!" cried Perault excitedly. "Dem feller try to get de Ole Boss
show dat mine, for sure. Crawley he's try to mak de Ole Boss tell. I
hear heem, me. Dem feller want dat mine bad."

"All right, Perault," said Sinclair quietly. "That doesn't prove they
went to stake that claim. Go on, Stanton."

"Well," continued The Kid, "