y.

"No," said the former, returning to the subject with an affectation of
naive directness. "I don't like Alton, and I figure he don't like me.
Nothing wrong with the man that I know of, but I'm not fond of anybody
who gets in my way, and Alton of Somasco has taken out timber rights
all over the valley where we're running the Tyee. He got in with his
claim a day or two ahead of me."

"A capable man?" said Deringham quietly.

"Oh, yes," said the other. "He's capable, so far as he sees, but the
trouble is he doesn't see quite far enough. Now, there's not room
enough for two men with notions round about Somasco, and a one-horse
rancher can't fight men with money, so Alton's got hold of a good deal
bigger contract than he can carry through. Anyway, now I've told you
what I think of your relation, you can if you feel like that let right
go of me."

Deringham smiled a little. "This," he said, "is the best whisky I have
tasted in Canada."

Hallam laughed. "Well," he said, "I'm glad I met you, especially as
you'll no doubt stop here a little, and size up the mineral resources
of the country. There's lots of information lying round that should be
useful to you. Anyway, you made a big mistake when you took up the
Peveril. Dropped a good many dollars that time, didn't you?"

Deringham's face grew a trifle grim. "As you probably know just what
the mistake cost us there is no use in me denying it," said he.

"Well," said Hallam sympathetically, "one can't always come out on top,
and if you're stopping down at Vancouver I may be of some use to you,
and you to me. If you'll come up to-morrow I'll show you the Tyee, and
I've something better still up the valley."

"I'm sorry," said Deringham indifferently; "I'm going through to
Somasco!"

Hallam glanced at him steadily. "Of course you are," said he. "Well,
I've told you nothing Alton doesn't know, and I've letters to answer.
You'll excuse me?"

Deringham rose with him, and strolling along the verandah together they
stopped a moment at the door, close by where Alice Deringham sat at an
open window. It was growing dark now, but the last of the afterglow
was flung down into their faces by the snow, and it seemed to the girl
that the resemblance between them had grown stronger. Her father's
appeared a trifle less refined in its chiselling than it had been, and
there was a look which did not please her in his eyes. It suggested
cupidity and cunning in place of