ckleberries!"

The door flew open, Fayette rushed by as if he could not move half fast
enough. It seemed to Cleena he cleared the stairs with two bounds, and
an instant after she heard him hurrying into the cellar at the same
headlong pace.

"Hmm. I thought that'd fetch him," she chuckled. Then she suddenly
remembered that she had once heard the lad speak of using "giant
powder," or some such explosive in his work of the underground passage.
She had strictly forbidden this, and had carefully watched lest any
suspicious material might be brought upon the premises. She had even
persuaded Teamster John to examine the trench and the articles which
Fayette had placed there. He had found nothing wrong, and the pick and
the shovel had been so long disused that they had rusted. Of late Cleena
had let William Gladstone play down there in the soft dirt, while she
was busy at other things.

"Alanna, the day!"

Cleena followed her leader only a trifle less swiftly, and reached the
top of the cellar stairs just in time to receive a whirling object plump
in her arms. The object was the incipient statesman, and in a second
more the half-wit had also reached the kitchen floor and had shut the
door behind him.

"I'll teach him to interfere with my gold mine!"

CHAPTER XXIV.

FAIRACRES IS CLOSED.

"Oh, Mr. Metcalf, may I come in?"

The superintendent was alone in his office and admitted Amy at once.
"Such strange things have happened, I've not come to work to-day, but to
ask your help. My Uncle Frederic--"

"Sit down, child, you are breathless with haste. You needn't talk. I
have heard your news. Dr. Wise has sent me a message. I am expecting him
here immediately."

"Isn't it dreadful?"

"Very," answered the gentleman, and his grave face emphasized his words.
He knew Archibald Wingate better than anybody else could know him. He
was the rich man's confidential employee, from whom no weaknesses were
hid. He believed the mill owner to be vindictive, and he had heard his
often-expressed contempt for the "whole family of Kaye, so far as its
men are concerned." Of course, this had been some time ago; before
Fairacres had become Mr. Wingate's home. Since then his enmity toward
his relatives had seemed to slumber, it had even altered to a sort of
friendliness; yet Mr. Metcalf had no faith in the endurance of this
friendliness should any test be put upon it. The attack of the night
before had pointed suspicion very strong