lifetime.
Nothing in the man's appearance or manner evinces guilt, yet I believe
him guilty. I must. Not to, is to strain probability to the point of
breakage. But how to reach him is a problem and one of no ordinary
nature. Years ago, when I was but little older than Sweetwater, I had
just such a conviction concerning a certain man against whom I had even
less to work on than we have here. A murder had been committed by an
envenomed spring contained in a toy puzzle. I worked upon the conscience
of the suspect in that case, by bringing constantly before his eyes
a facsimile of that spring. It met him in the folded napkin which he
opened at his restaurant dinner. He stumbled upon it in the street,
and found it lying amongst his papers at home. I gave him no relief and
finally he succumbed. He had been almost driven mad by remorse. But this
man has no conscience. If he is not innocent as the day, he's as hard as
unquarried marble. He might be confronted with reminders of his crime
at every turn without weakening or showing by loss of appetite or
interrupted sleep any effect upon his nerves. That's my opinion of
the gentleman. He is either that, or a man of uncommon force and
self-restraint."

"I'm inclined to believe him the latter."

"And so give the whole matter the go-by?"

"Possibly."

"It will be a terrible disappointment to Sweetwater."

"That's nothing."

"And to me."

"That's different. I'm disposed to consider you, Gryce--after all these
years."

"Thank you; I have done the state some service."

"What do you want? You say the mine is unworkable."

"Yes, in a day, or in a week, possibly in a month. But persistence and
a protean adaptability to meet his moods might accomplish something.
I don't say will, I only say might. If Sweetwater had the job, with
unlimited time in which to carry out any plan he may have, or even for
a change of plans to suit a changed idea, success might be his, and both
time, effort and outlay justified."

"The outlay? I am thinking of the outlay."

"Mr. Challoner will see to that. I have his word that no reasonable
amount will daunt him."

"But this Brotherson is suspicious. He has an inventor's secret to hide,
if none other. We can't saddle him with a guy of Sweetwater's appearance
and abnormal loquaciousness."

"Not readily, I own. But time will bring counsel. Are you willing to
help the boy, to help me and possibly yourself by this venture in the
dark? The Departmen