d to speak, but his throat restricted until he clutched it
with his fingers, and his lips were white and hard.

"I did not believe that what he said was true," the voice went on,
coming as from depths of desolation and misery, and with dead levels
dulled by grief beyond emotion. "I have believed in my father! I
thought there must be some mistake. I demanded of your partner that
he lay off his own shift, and bring me here where we might listen. Oh,
it was true--it was true!"

She suddenly turned and caught the steel handle of a candlestick in
her hand, and tore its long steel point from the crevice.

"But I've found the way," she said. "I've found the way. You must come
with me--now! Right now, I say. We shall have this over with, and
then--and then--I shall go away from here; for always!"

"Not that," Dick said, holding his hands toward her. "Not that, Joan!
What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to my father. He, too, must be spared. He must give it
back. It must never be known. I must save him disgrace. It must be
done to-night--now!"

She started down the drift toward the cage, walking determinedly, and
Dick's lips opened again to beg her to come back; but Bill's hand was
on his shoulder, and his grave and kindly voice in his ear.

"Go with her, boy. She's right. It's the only way. Have it over with
to-night. If you don't you'll break her heart, as well as your own."

They followed her to the cage, and the big miner gave the hoisting
bell. The cage floated upward, and into the pale twilight. Heedless of
anything around, they walked across the yard, and turned into the
roadway leading down the gulch.

"Will you come?" she asked, turning toward Bill.

"No," he said slowly. "I'm not needed. Besides, I couldn't stand
another blow to-day!"

It was the only reference he ever made to it, but it went through Dick
with more pain than he had administered. Almost sullenly he followed
her down the road, wordless, bewildered, and despairing. Unable to
spare her, unable to shield her, unable to comfort her, and unable to
be other than true to his benefactor, he plodded after her into the
deeper shadows of the lower gulch, across the log bridge spanning the
brawling mountain stream, and up into the Rattler camp. Her steps
never faltered as she advanced straight to the office door, and
stepped inside.

The bookkeepers were gone, and the inner door ajar. She threw it open,
walked in, and closed it after Dick, who susta