en no time to I stage I it from any other point
since the row with Duff started."

"It's a puzzle," admitted Mr. Ellsworth.

"It is, but it won't be for long," Reade declared confidently. "There
are ways of finding out how that dynamite got into Paloma, there must be
ways of finding out who caused it to be brought in."

Then, suddenly, Tom's eyes grew wider open and brighter.

"Mr. Ellsworth, I believe that dynamite was brought in before the
trouble opened."

"But who would have wished to bring dynamite here until the trouble
started?"

"Anyone might be interested in doing it who wanted to see trouble
start."

"I'm afraid I don't follow you, Reade," observed the general manager,
frowning slightly.

"There were others who wanted the job of blocking the Man-killer," Tom
went on earnestly. "They wanted a lot more money for the job than we
thought was necessary. I don't want to accuse anyone, but I am just a
trifle suspicious that the concern of Chicago contractors--"

"The Colthwaite people!" broke in Mr. Ellsworth.

"Yes; if they were bad people, and ugly business rivals--"

"How would the Colthwaite people be able to foresee that you were going
to have a fight with Jim Duff?" interposed Mr. Ellsworth.

"I'm going after the answer, if there is one. I hope to be able to tell
you the answer one of these days."

Tom and Harry made two trips each, in different directions, to make sure
that the watch men were awake and alert. It was nearly eleven o'clock
when the general manager and his engineers turned in for a night's
rest--"subject to the approval of Jim Duff," as Tom dryly stated it.

No more interruptions followed during the night, however. At daylight
the watchmen sought their tents and the day force began to stir soon
after.

After the steam whistle bad blown the breakfast call, Reade slipped away
from his friends to inspect the laborers at the meal.

"There are some of your men absent, Mr. Mendoza," Tom murmured to the
Mexican foreman.

"Yes, Senor. Some of my men slipped away in the night."

"Went off to Paloma, eh?"

Mendoza shrugged his shoulders.

"Gambling, drinking--both," nodded Tom.

"Undoubtedly, Senor."

"Get the names of your absent Mexicans, and report to me with them."

Reade then went to the other foremen, with the same orders.

Before Tom had seated himself at his own meal, with Harry and Mr.
Ellsworth, the foremen appeared, lists in their hands. Tom rapidly ran
his finger