.

"I thank God nothing happened to you, child, and I hope you believe me
when I say it," he began in an uncertain voice.

"Oh, yes, sir, I do."

"Because the only thing that matters to me now is setting myself
straight with you and Mr. Nichols."

He paused in a difficulty of speech and then went on.

"He--Mr. Nichols has told you everything----?"

Beth wagged her head like a solemn child and then laid her other hand on
his.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for you," she said.

"You mustn't say that," he muttered. "I--I've done you a great
wrong--not trying to find out about Ben Cameron--not trying to find
_you_. But I've suffered for it, Miss----" And then eagerly----"You
don't mind my calling you Beth, do you?"

"No, Mr. McGuire."

"I ought to have told what happened. I ought to have tried to find out
if Ben Cameron had any kin. I did wrong. But I've paid for it. I've
never had a happy hour since I claimed that mine that didn't belong to
me. I've made a lot of money but what I did has been hanging over me for
years making an old man of me before my time----"

"Oh, please don't be unhappy any more----"

"Let me talk Miss--Beth. I've got to tell you. It'll make me feel a lot
easier." Beth smoothed his hand reassuringly and he clasped hers eagerly
as though in gratitude. "I never was much good when I was a lad, Beth,
and I never could get along even after I got married. It wasn't in me
somehow. I was pretty straight as young fellows go but nothing went
right for me. I was a failure. And then----"

He paused a moment with bent head but Beth didn't speak. It was all very
painful to her.

"Hawk Kennedy killed your father. But I was a crook too. I left Hawk
there without water to die. It was a horrible thing to do--even after
what he'd done to me. My God! Maybe I didn't suffer for that! I was glad
when I learned Hawk didn't die, even though I knew from that time that
he'd be hanging over me like a curse. He did for years and years. I knew
he'd turn up some day, I tried to forget, but I couldn't. The sight of
him was always with me."

"How terrible!" whispered Beth.

"But from that moment everything I did went well. Money came fast. I
wasn't a bad business man, but even a bad business man could have put
_that_ deal through. I sold out the mine. I've got the figures and I'm
going to show them to you, because they're yours to see. With the money
I made some good investments. That money made more money and more
besides.