ntendent took the seat to which he was invited. It was the
stool on which he sat when in the cabin before. It cost him a greater
effort than can be explained to defer to this defiant fellow, who a few
weeks or even days before would have cringed at his feet like a dog.

"That being the case," added Jack, between the puffs at his pipe, "why
you'll have to wait till they come back. That may be inside of five
minutes, and not for an hour; maybe," added Jack in the game
exasperating manner, "that nothing will be seen of 'em till daylight.
You see that since they have been cheated out of their work they have
plenty of time to loaf through the country."

"Any man who is too lazy to work can find time to turn his hand to
dishonest tricks," said the superintendent, meaning that the words
should not be misunderstood.

"Sometimes the tricks that you call dishonest pay better than working
for a superintendent who wants all the wages himself," was the impudent
reply of Jack Hansell.

"That is the excuse of the man who is bad at heart and who prefers
wrong to right. Our state prisons are full of that sort of people."

"Yes--and there are a good many people that ought to be in prison that
ain't there."

"I am sure no one is better qualified than you to speak on that matter."

"Except yourself."

It struck Harvey just then that he was doing an unworthy thing in
holding such a conversation with any man. If he had anything of the
kind to say, he ought to speak it openly. He now did so.

"There is not a particle of doubt, Jack Hansell, that you and your
brother and Hugh O'Hara are engaged in business that ought to place you
all behind the bars."

"If you think it safe to talk that way before Tom and Hugh you will now
have the chance."

"I will be glad to tell them to their faces what I have told you."

"All right; there they come."

Footsteps and voices in such low tones were heard outside that it was
clear the men brought important news with them. And such indeed proved
to be the case.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SEARCH BY HUGH AND TOM.

Never did one person do another a greater injustice than did Harvey
Bradley when he believed that either Hugh O'Hara or any one else had
aught to do with the absence of his little sister Dollie. No men had a
hand in the sad business, nor could any one have been led to harm a
hair of her head. Had Harvey asked for help, no one in the village
would have held back from doing all t