ailing, and Lyle, who could with difficulty
restrain a smile, added to her embarrassment by inquiring in the
blandest tones:

"What is it, Araminta? do you wish to see me?"

At the mention of her name, Haight turned suddenly, just as the
blushing Miss Bixby was stammering out his name, and catching his eye,
she began nodding vigorously, to signify the importance of her
errand.

For once, Haight's punctilious suavity upon which he prided himself,
deserted him, and exclaiming, partly in anger, and partly as a blind,
"Confound it! what does the fool want of me?" he disappeared around
the house, while Lyle exchanged glances with Miss Gladden, and the
inoffensive young bookkeeper, recently imported from Silver City,
looked on in mute astonishment.

At the kitchen door, Haight found his agent and spy, her face shining
with delight that she at last had some news to impart.

"He's went in there to-night, Mr. Haight," she cried breathlessly, "I
seen him; I've watched him every night, but he's never went in till
to-night."

"You fool!" exclaimed Haight, angrily, "why couldn't you come around
and give me the tip on the quiet, instead of standing there grimacing
like an idiot, making a fool of yourself and me, too? Where are the
boys?"

Such a greeting was too much for Minty, after her faithfulness; her
anger was too great even for words, she was speechless and without
deigning even a look at Haight, she went into the house, and rushing
to her room, burst into a storm of tears, vowing then and there,
between her sobs, that she would tell Mr. Van Dorn every word that
Haight had said about him.

Meanwhile, Lyle, from her post of observation in the kitchen, saw
Haight call Jim Maverick out from among a group of miners who had
congregated for an evening's visit, and after a few words, Maverick
signaled to one of the miners, who, with his two companions, came over
and joined them. A few moments later the three started down the road,
and Lyle heard Haight's final instructions to them:

"Get onto what those fellows are about, if you have to stay till
morning, and if you want any help, send Jake back."

She knew the men; they were cruel and treacherous, and she was
confident that they were well armed, but they were at the same time,
cowards, and returning to Miss Gladden, she whispered:

"I shall try my little experiment to-night, and I do not believe there
will be any trouble."

It was quite dark when the men who had been