kled.

"I'd rather have the shares."

"Eh?"

"I said I'd rather have the shares, Gaff. We put our foot into it when
we sold 'em."

"Do you mean to say the shares are valuable?" demanded Gaff Caven.

"That's the size of it."

"Who told you this?"

"Nobody told me, but I can put two and two together as quick as
anybody."

"Well, explain."

"I was in Philadelphia when I ran into that hotel boy, Joe Bodley."

"What of that?"

"He had me arrested. Then they sent for Mr. Maurice Vane, and Vane made
me prove that the shares were really ours when we sold them to him. I
thought I'd go clear if I could prove that, so I went and did it. Then
Vane said he wouldn't prosecute me, for the shares might be valuable
after all."

"But the mine is abandoned."

"Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. I guess Mr. Maurice Vane knows what he
is doing, and we were fools to sell out to him."

"If that mine is valuable I'm going to have it!" cried Gaff Caven. "He
can have his money back!" and the rascal who had overreached himself
began to pace the floor.

"Maybe he won't take his money back."

"Then I'll claim the mine anyway, Pat--and you must help me."

"What can you do?"

"Go out to Montana, just as soon as the weather is fit, and relocate
the mine. If it's any good we can find some fellows to help us hold
it somehow. I'm not going to let this slip into Maurice Vane's hands
without a struggle."

"Talk is cheap, but it takes money to pay for railroad tickets," went on
Malone.

"I've got the dust, Pat."

"Enough to fight Vane off if he should come West?"

"I think so. I met a rich fellow last week and I got a loan of four
thousand dollars."

"Without security?" and Malone winked suggestively.

"Exactly. Oh, he was a rich find," answered Gaff Caven, and gave a short
laugh.

"I'm willing to go anywhere. I'm tired of things here. It's getting too
warm for comfort."

"Then let us start West next week--after I can finish up a little
business here."

"I am willing."

And so the two rascals arranged to do Maurice Vane out of what had
become his lawful property.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE FIRE AT THE HOTEL.

On the day following the scene at the police station Maurice Vane
stopped at the Grandon House to interview our hero.

"I must thank you for the interest you have taken in this matter, Joe,"
said he. "It is not every lad who would put himself out to such an
extent."

"I wanted to see justice done, Mr. Va