an. He said some folks
wanted to buy out the mine and consolidate it with another mine close
by."

"And then you came here and bought the stock of Malone?" queried Joe.

"Yes. Caven made me promise to give him half the profits and I agreed.
I came here, and as you know, Malone, or Ball, or whatever his name is,
pretended to be very sick and in need of money. He set his price, and I
came back with the cash and took the mining stock. I was to meet Caven,
alias Anderson, the next day and go to the broker with him, but Caven
did not appear. Then I grew suspicious and went to see the broker alone.
The man was gone and the office locked up. After that I asked some other
brokers about the stock, and they told me it was not worth five cents on
the dollar."

"Isn't there any such mine at all?" asked Joe.

"Oh, yes, there is such a mine, but it was abandoned two years ago,
after ten thousand dollars had been sunk in it. They said it paid so
little that it was not worth considering."

"That is certainly too bad for you," said Joe. "And you can't find any
trace of Caven or Malone?"

"No, both of the rascals have disappeared completely. I tried to trace
Caven and his broker friend in Philadelphia but it was of no use. More
than likely they have gone to some place thousands of miles away."

"Yes, and probably this Ball, or Malone, has joined them," put in Andrew
Mallison. "Mr. Vane, I am exceedingly sorry for you."

"I am sorry for myself, but I deserve my loss, for being such a fool,"
went on the victim.

"Have you notified the police?" asked Joe.

"Oh, yes, and I have hired a private detective to do what he can, too.
But I am afraid my money is gone for good."

"You might go and reopen the mine, Mr. Vane."

"Thank you, but I have lost enough already, without throwing good money
after bad, as the saying is."

"It may be that that detective will find the swindlers, sooner or
later."

"Such a thing is, of course, possible, but I am not over sanguine."

"I am afraid your money is gone for good," broke in Andrew Mallison. "I
wish I could help you, but I don't see how I can."

The matter was talked over for a good hour, and all three visited the
room Malone had occupied, which had been vacant ever since. But a hunt
around revealed nothing of value, and they returned to the office.

"I can do nothing more for you, Mr. Vane," said Andrew Mallison.

"I wish I could do something," said Joe. Something about Maurice Vane