s old Cameron comin' out here?" persisted Maverick, with an
expression of fear and hatred combined, visible in his countenance.

"Cameron!" exclaimed Haight, with a slight start, and wondering at
Maverick's appearance, "What do you know about him?"

"I know he owns these 'ere mines, damn him!" answered Maverick
doggedly.

"Do you! Well, that's enough, go along, you're not interested in
Cameron."

"Ain't I though!" said Maverick with a snarl and an oath, the hatred
and wrath increasing in his face; "Me'n him has got an old score to
settle yet. I only wisht he was a goin' ter be in them mines this
afternoon. When's he comin'?"

"I don't know," answered Haight shortly, "probably before very long
though."

"When you git word he's comin' I wan'ter know it, that's all," growled
Maverick.

"Well," said Haight, beginning to lose his temper, "when you see that
curtain raised, you may know he's coming, and pretty damned quick too;
now get out of the way, and attend to your business. Remember I've
told you to give the men warning."

"Yes," said Maverick, with a leer, "'specially the new superintendent,
you'd like me ter give 'im an extra warnin' I s'pose."

There was a corresponding leer on Haight's face, as he replied with a
peculiar grimace,

"You've had your orders; if you are particularly anxious to give
anybody an extra warning, go ahead!"

With a low, cruel laugh, Maverick withdrew, and a few moments later
was shuffling along in the direction of the mines intent upon the work
of destruction assigned to him, his face distorted with mingled fear
and rage, his usually dull eyes gleaming with the fires of revenge.

Haight hastened to the house to take a hurried dinner, and having
learned from Minty that Morton Rutherford had gone to the Y, he again
charged her to immediately report to him whatever she might learn, and
returned to the office to await further instructions from the
company.

To Houston, constantly on the alert for danger signals, Haight's
hurried and excited manner was the first indication of approaching
trouble. It was evident that the company had received some inkling of
impending danger, but of the extent of their information, or the
nature of their communications with Haight, he had no means of
ascertaining. Stating that he wished to see Morton Rutherford
immediately upon his return, and that he would be at the Yankee Boy,
near the entrance to the incline shaft, he hastened back to the mines