ading
around in this style for?"

"Don't ask me to explain now, there are too many around; after dinner
we will go down by ourselves, and I'll tell you the whole story. I may
want a little advice from you, as you're a mining expert yourself."

"Don't let any of these people out here know that," Van Dorn answered
quickly; "Mr. Winters has introduced me as an inventor of some mining
machinery that they use, just out here looking around for the pleasure
of it; you know I did invent an amalgamator that is being used to some
extent; but I'm not supposed to know anything about practical
mining."

Houston laughed; "How about the Englishman?" he asked.

"He's no fool," said Van Dorn quickly, "though he is playing verdant;
only comes out here to accommodate Mr. Winters, and so forth; that's
all right, but he accommodates Mr. Winters pretty often. He's a fine
expert and understands his business thoroughly, only I happen to be a
little more familiar with the ores in this locality, as I spent a good
many months out here in the mountains two years ago, experting mines;
not in this camp of course, but only a few miles from here. Mr.
Winters himself is sharp, and with Lindlay and myself out here, he's
not going to be very badly taken in."

"Good!" said Houston, "and now there is one thing more before we get
to the house. You remember Morton Rutherford?"

"Mort Rutherford, of old college days? well, I should say so; what
about him?"

"His brother is stopping here, you will see him at dinner."

"What!" interrupted Van Dorn, "little Ned? What under heaven is he
doing out here? Are you two fellows out here incognito making love to
rustic maidens? or what are you doing?"

"No, Ned is out here in his own name, you won't need be under any
restrictions with him, but what I want to say is this: Don't let him
know who I am, or that you used to know me, or that I know his
brother."

"Anything else I'm not to let him know?" queried Van Dorn, taking out
a small note book.

"No, put up your book, or Mr. Blaisdell will think I am giving you
pointers on the mine. But this is how it is; Rutherford met me on the
train coming out here, introduced himself to me, took a fancy to the
mountains, and decided to stay a few weeks. He thinks I am--what you
found me--the clerk for this company, and my home in Chicago. I am not
ready to explain matters to him yet, so just simply appear as if you
had never met me or heard of me till to-day."

"But