" added Morton Rutherford, "an electric storm, and, if I am not
mistaken, a very severe one."

"How strange!" exclaimed Leslie, in a low tone, to Lyle, "everything
is so hushed and still; it seems as if the elements, like ourselves,
were just waiting."

"I don't like it," Lyle answered, "it seems ominous," and she
shuddered visibly.

There was little breakfast eaten that morning, and the group of
friends adjourned to the porch on the pretext of watching the weather,
thereby attracting the attention of Haight, who still remained at the
table.

"What's in the wind now, I wonder," he soliloquized.

"There was some kind of excitement here last evening, and everybody
seems on the qui vive this morning. I guess I'd better look into
this," and calling Minty to him, he gave her a quarter, with his most
insinuating smile, saying in low tones:

"You find out to-day, if you can, whether there's anything unusual
going on among those folks out there, and let me know."

She pocketed the money with her customary giggle, as she responded,
nodding her head emphatically, "You jest betcher life I will."

Haight then departed for the mills, and Houston soon after left for
the mines, while an hour or two later Morton Rutherford, taking one of
the horses, rode leisurely in the direction of the Y, where he was to
await a telegram from Van Dorn, immediately upon the arrival of the
Eastern train at Silver City.

In due time the message came, in cipher:

"Party arrived all right; over on evening train."

To which Rutherford replied as follows:

"All quiet here. Will wire later if anything occurs."

Then starting on his return up the canyon, he urged his horse forward
with all possible speed, conscious that the most critical time was now
approaching, and fully decided regarding his course of action on
reaching the camp.

At the mines, Houston found everything progressing as usual, the work
going forward in the same unending, monotonous routine.

At the Silver City office of the mining company, however, the greatest
excitement was prevailing. Having been utterly unable to obtain any
clue as to the whereabouts or the intentions of Mr. Cameron, the
mining company, to guard against being taken wholly by surprise, had
devised a new scheme. Every morning had found Mr. Wilson seated on the
early train which left Silver City for the East at five A. M., and
which was sidetracked at a small station about ninety miles distant,
to giv