ss of a sham to cover the whiskey
running.

Slade's quarters in a half-detached group of stone rooms were somewhat
incongruously furnished. A rather handsome but sad-eyed young Indian
woman in a dirty blue wrapper covertly "dished up" a noon meal for her
master and Lennon on the fly-covered table.

The greasy warmed-over chile con carne, the half-cooked tortillas and
the muddy coffee accounted for Slade's praises of Elsie as a cook. The
Indian girl slunk and cowered under his curses. Whenever she passed him
she cringed as if expectant of a blow. Lennon was doubly relieved when
Slade's impatience to be off on the search for the lost lode hurried him
out into the clean open air.

The horses had been fed and watered and were waiting near the spring,
beside a young peach tree. Slade paused to bellow guttural commands at a
Navaho sheepherder who was driving a small flock down the valley.

Lennon hastened ahead toward the spring, eager to seize his opportunity.
He had only to secure his rifle, leap on Slade's big thoroughbred, and
race away down the back trail. The American horse could easily outrun
the Indian ponies. Once beyond rifle range of the pueblo his escape
would be certain.

The horses were soon only a few steps away. Lennon nerved himself for
the dash. From behind a scraggly bunch of scrub that appeared too thin
to screen even a coyote rose all four of Slade's personal retainers.
Though they were as stolid and silent as wooden Indians, each had his
rifle in hand. Lennon thought he caught a glitter of suspicion in their
covert glances.

Bitter as was his disappointment, he was quick to make the best of the
situation. A sharp command and jerk of his thumb toward Slade led them
to believe he had come for them at the order of their master.

Slade hailed the tenderfoot with bluff cordiality when the mounted party
loped up the slope to him.

"Gitting het up, huh? You act like an old-timer on a gold stampede.
Never before knew a prospector to go loco over copper."

"You should bear in mind I am an engineer, not a prospector," replied
Lennon. "If I am successful over this copper project and it proves to be
as large as I have been led to expect, I shall have won a place well up
in my profession."

Slade grunted contemptuously and spurred his horse into a gallop. Within
a mile he turned off trail to cut across country. Beyond the first
mesas, which were a part of the trader-cowman's cattle range, came a
jumbled