suppose they'll believe it quicker if it's in writing," said Sautee
bravely.

Rathburn finished writing, folded the paper, and placed it in the
left-hand pocket of his coat. He carefully put away the pencil. His
next act caused Sautee real concern.

Using a drill which was there for the purpose, evidently, Rathburn
broke open a box of dynamite caps and a box of dynamite. A single coil
of fuse was lying on a box. He quickly affixed the cap to a stick of
the dynamite and crimped on a two-foot length of fuse. Then he moved
the opened box of dynamite to the doorway and struck the stick with
cap and fuse attached into it.

"There," he said, evidently greatly satisfied with his work. "That
fuse will burn about two minutes----" He paused. "That's too long," he
concluded.

Perspiration again stood out on Sautee's forehead as he watched
Rathburn cut off a foot of the fuse.

"That's better," said Rathburn with a queer smile. "That'll burn about
a minute. Time enough."

Sautee stared in horrified fascination at the foot of fuse which stuck
straight out from the box of dynamite in the doorway. "What--what are
you going to do?" he gasped out.

"Listen, Sautee," said Rathburn coolly. "When that stick of powder
explodes it'll set off the box an' the other boxes, an' instead of a
powder house here there'll be a big hole in the side of the
mountain."

"Man--man--you're not going to do--_that_!" Sautee's words came in a
hoarse whisper.

"I reckon that's what I'm goin' to have to do," said Rathburn as he
bent over the form on the floor of the powder house.

The boy's eyes were open and were staring into Rathburn's.

Rathburn lifted him to his feet, where he stood unsteadily. Again the
gun was in Rathburn's hand.

"This party is goin' to leave us," he said to the frightened mine
manager. "I'm goin' to step just outside for a minute. It's your
chance to make a break, Sautee; but if you try it I'll send a bullet
into that cap. Maybe you heard somewhere that I can shoot tolerably
well," he concluded in his drawl.

Sautee gripped the sides of the boxes piled behind him.

Rathburn led the boy outside and said quickly: "Just what is this man
Carlisle to you?"

A look of fear, remorse, dejection--all commingled and pleading--came
into the dark eyes that looked up into his.

Rathburn didn't wait for a verbal answer.

"Your horse is just up the trail a piece," he said hurriedly. "Get up
there--go up behind the powder house,