od many things going on that they
are not supposed to know about, and that they wouldn't be very likely
to get onto, either, some of 'em, even if they were right on the
ground. Some of those ducks are pretty green, and fellows like
Blaisdell or Rivers can make them believe most anything. If Blaisdell
was half as smart as he makes some of those eastern fellows think he
is, he would have been a rich man before this."

"Why," said Houston, in surprise, "Blaisdell is quite well off, isn't
he?"

Morgan's only answer was a significant shake of the head.

"What!" exclaimed Houston in astonishment.

"Really, he is not worth a dollar," answered Morgan, "every nickle's
worth of property that he ever had, that he hasn't lost outright, has
been put into the hands of his wife, or his sons, or somebody or
other, heaven knows who, I don't, nor nobody else."

"Well, I am surprised," said Houston, "he seems shrewd and sharp in
business matters, and I supposed he was a rich man. He must have made
considerable money, what has become of it?"

Morgan shrugged his shoulders; "Have you seen old Rivers yet?" he
inquired.

"The secretary? No, I've never met him."

"Well," continued Morgan, "you probably will, in a day or two, he'll
be likely to come up with the eastern party; and when you've seen him,
you've seen the biggest rascal, and at the same time the slickest duck
there is on this side of the divide, and I doubt if there's any on the
other side can beat him. Old Blaisdell's pretty smooth, but he ain't a
circumstance to Rivers. Rivers will rob you of your last dollar, and
make you think he's your best friend all the time. Oh, he's a lulu,
and no mistake!"

Further conversation was prevented by the entrance of Mr. Blaisdell,
with a fine lot of ore samples with their assay values attached, which
he arranged on his desk, his thin lips drawn back meanwhile in his
accustomed self-satisfied smile. When this was done, he turned to the
young men.

"Well," he began, with a low chuckle of delight, "I've got word my
party is coming all right. Haight just got a telegram from Rivers,
that Winters had wired him that he and his son and the expert would be
in Silver City, on to-morrow's train, so I will have to go back to the
city to-night, to be in readiness to meet them. Let me see, this is
Wednesday, they arrive Thursday; Morgan, set the men to work on that
mine Friday morning; we will be up here in the course of the forenoon,
you see th