open where their words would not be overheard. He reported that he was
quietly working for information of Weir's father among the older
Mexicans who would be likely to remember him, but proceeding
cautiously so that no one would suspect his purpose. He represented
himself to them as undertaking to write a history of San Mateo County;
he must depend upon them for data of early days; it would be a fine
book bound in leather, in which their names and possibly their
pictures would appear;--which never failed to flatter the parties with
whom he talked. And the lawyer laughed with amusement as he related
the success of his method.

"I have already seen some thirty or forty people, a few of whom
recalled your father, but no more. But this afternoon," he continued,
"I discovered a woman who worked at the Weir ranch house." Martinez
perceived the engineer's attention quicken. "She said the Weirs had a
little boy of four years of age, perhaps five. You, Mr. Weir, of
course. They suddenly paid and discharged her one day, packed a trunk
and drove hurriedly off; and the next morning Sorenson took possession
of the ranch and she went home. They drove off in a great haste--there
was no railroad anywhere near here then--and that was the last she
ever saw or heard of them."

"Yes."

"One thing more there was: she said there was a story that went around
for awhile afterwards that Weir and another had lost their ranches and
cattle gambling. For that reason Weir left the country; and for that
reason, too, the other man, Dent, by name, committed suicide in
Vorse's saloon where they had gambled. She said Saurez, an old man
living with his son up a little creek, would know about that, for he
used to clean out Vorse's bar-room in those days."

Steele Weir grasped Martinez's shoulder in a quick grip.

"He did! Get everything he knows out of him," he commanded.

"Leave it to me, Mr. Weir. I understand how to wheedle facts out of
these old fellows."

But it was doubtful if the engineer heard his words. He had dropped
his hand, stood opening and shutting his fingers, while on his face
grew the hard implacable look that always whetted the attorney's
curiosity.

Weir walked up on the hillside when Martinez had ridden away and there
sat down on a rock. It was a rift, though but a faint rift, that this
news made in the blank dark wall he had to confront; and he wished to
think. Proof as well as knowledge of what had happened in his father'