," he said. "There's
no getting over the laws of this country."

Seaforth expected an outbreak, and heard a growl from his comrades, who
commenced to close in behind him, but Alton only closed one hand a
little.

"Where's the man who brought you here?" he said.

"Gone out," said the other, "to record the claim. Now we don't want
any unpleasantness, but the mine is ours, and there are enough of us to
keep it, you see. Come in and have some supper, and take it
reasonably."

Alton looked at him for a space out of half-closed eyes, and the man
appeared to grow uneasy.

"You condemned jumper! These are honest men," he said, pointing to
those who followed him. "We'll go back and camp up yonder, boys."

It was close on midnight when Seaforth crept up to Alton, who lay
huddled against a cedar in the smoke of the fire. His face showed
drawn and puckered in the flickering light.

"Don't take it too hard, Harry," he said.

Alton smothered a groan. "I'm feeling very mean tonight," he said.
"Lord, what a mess I've made of everything. Every ranch in Somasco
mortgaged to the last rod, the new mill not finished, roads half made,
and not another dollar to be had in the city. And there's not a man or
woman who believed in me but I've dragged them down."

"I think," said Seaforth, "they believe in you still. You did all that
any man could have done, Harry."

"No," said Alton. "I stayed down in Vancouver when I should have been
here. That can never be quite wiped out--but what could I do?"

Seaforth laid his hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Don't worry too
much about what is done with, but look forward. You'll find your
friends behind you yet."

Alton shook off his grasp. "My friends! I've done them harm enough,
but you are right. This thing isn't finished yet."

Seaforth smiled a little. "That is a good deal better, Harry. One
wins at the last round now and then."

Alton looked at him steadily. "You don't understand. All that was
worth winning has gone already--but Hallam must fight."

Seaforth saw the smouldering fire in the half-closed eyes, and the
instinctive closing of the lean, hard fingers, and went back to his
lair in the wet undergrowth contented. Hallam had won hitherto, but he
knew his comrade, and the struggle was not over yet.

CHAPTER XXX

SEAFORTH'S REINSTATEMENT

There is on the road between Vancouver and New Westminster a strip of
primeval bush. Beyond it the Fraser mea