mining. He wouldn't know the real stuff from 'fool's gold.' No doubt
that's what they've found."

The talk now became general and continued for some time. Several
thought it worth while to go and see what the new discovery was like,
but others scoffed at the idea. They also discussed the disappearance
of Frontier Samson, and even hinted that perhaps his partner knew more
than he was willing to tell. Curly suggested that he should be brought
before them and questioned. This met with considerable favor, although
no one seemed inclined to take upon himself such a responsibility. It
was late when the men at length left the store, and took themselves off
to their various cabins. Curly and his band went together, and for the
rest of the night they communed and plotted in a lonely shack some
distance up the creek.

With no idea that he was the centre of such interest, Reynolds slept
soundly in his own little tent, for he was tired after his experiences
in the hills. It was late when he awoke in the morning, and after he
had eaten his frugal breakfast, he went over to the roadhouse for a
supply of tobacco. Shorty was the only one present, for most of the
miners were busy up the creek. Curly and his companions were still
asleep after their night's vigil, and evidently would not show
themselves for several hours. Shorty tried to learn from Reynolds
something about the gold he had discovered, and also asked about
Frontier Samson. But so little information did he gain, that he was
much annoyed and became suspicious as well.

Reynolds went back to his tent, filled and lighted his pipe, and
brought forth the two letters he had received, and read them again.
They interested him, for they contained scraps of news of the outside
world. But they were mostly filled with the editor's expressions of
regret that Reynolds was wasting his time in the north, when he might
be off on the great quest which was so near his heart.

"I hope you will return soon," he wrote, "and begin the search for
Henry Redmond. Only yesterday I received what I consider a clue as to
his whereabouts. I met a man who has been overseas, and telling him
about Redmond, he informed me that he believed he knew where he was.
He said that while in Switzerland he came across an old man and his
daughter. The girl was about eighteen or nineteen years of age, and
that corresponds with the age of the child Redmond took with him, for
she was only three or fo