ide--and I saw him."

"You saw him--?" A hundred voices shouted the question at once.

"Yes." Then Maurice Rodaine nodded straight toward Robert Fairchild.
"The light was good, and I got a straight look at him. He was that
fellow's partner--a Cornishman they call Harry!"

CHAPTER X

"I don't believe it!" Anita Richmond exclaimed with conviction and
clutched at Fairchild's arm. "I don't believe it!"

"I can't!" Robert answered. Then he turned to the accuser. "How could
it be possible for Harry to be down here robbing a dance hall when he
's out working the mine?"

"Working the mine?" This time it was the sheriff. "What's the
necessity for a day and night shift?"

The question was pertinent--and Fairchild knew it. But he did not
hesitate.

"I know it sounds peculiar--but it's the truth. We agreed upon it
yesterday afternoon."

"At whose suggestion?"

"I 'm not sure--but I think it was mine."

"Young fellow," the sheriff had approached him now, "you 'd better be
certain about that. It looks to me like that might be a pretty good
excuse to give when a man can't produce an alibi. Anyway, the
identification seems pretty complete. Everybody in this room heard
that man talk with a Cousin Jack accent. And Mr. Rodaine says that he
saw his face. That seems conclusive."

"If Mr. Rodaine's word counts for anything."

The sheriff looked at him sharply.

"Evidently you have n't been around here long." Then he turned to the
crowd. "I want a couple of good men to go along with me as deputies."

"I have a right to go." Fairchild had stepped forward.

"Certainly. But not as a deputy. Who wants to volunteer?"

Half a dozen men came forward, and from them the sheriff chose two.
Fairchild turned to say good-by to Anita. In vain. Already Maurice
Rodaine had escorted her, apparently against her will, to a far end of
the dance hall, and there was quarreling with her. Fairchild hurried
to join the sheriff and his two deputies, just starting out of the
dance hall. Five minutes later they were in a motor car, chugging up
Kentucky Gulch.

The trip was made silently. There was nothing for Fairchild to say; he
had told all he knew. Slowly, the motor car fighting against the
grade, the trip was accomplished. Then the four men leaped from the
machine at the last rise before the tunnel was reached and three of
them went forward afoot toward where a slight gleam of light came from
the mouth of the