all alone. And I
could n't stand by and let you do that. So 'ere I am!"

"But the expense, the long trip across the ocean, the--"

"'Ere I am!" said Harry again. "Ain't that enough?"

They had reached the veranda now, to stand talking for a moment, then
to go within, where Mother Howard awaited, eyes glowing, in the parlor.
Harry flung out both arms.

"And I still love you!" he boomed, as he caught the gray-haired,
laughing woman in his arms. "Even if you did run me off and would n't
go back to Cornwall!"

Red-faced, she pushed him away and slapped his cheek playfully; it was
like the tap of a light breeze against granite. Then Harry turned.

"'Ave you looked at the mine?"

The question brought back to Fairchild the happenings of the morning
and the memory of the man who had trailed him. He told his story,
while Mother Howard listened, her arms crossed, her head bobbing, and
while Harry, his big grin still on his lips, took in the details with
avidity. Then for a moment a monstrous hand scrambled vaguely about in
the region of the Cornishman's face, grasping a hair of that radiating
mustache now and then and pulling hard at it, at last to drop,--and the
grin faded.

"Le 's go up there," he said quietly.

This time the trip to Kentucky gulch was made by skirting town; soon
they were on the rough, narrow roadway leading into the mountains.
Both were silent for the most part, and the expression on Harry's face
told that he was living again the days of the past, days when men were
making those pock-marks in the hills, when the prospector and his pack
jack could be seen on every trail, and when float ore in a gulley meant
riches waiting somewhere above. A long time they walked, at last to
stop in the shelter of the rocks where Fairchild had shadowed his
pursuer, and to glance carefully ahead. No one was in sight. Harry
jabbed out a big finger.

"That's it," he announced, "straight a'ead!"

They went on, Fairchild with a gripping at his throat that would not
down. This had been the hope of his father--and here his father had
met--what? He swerved quickly and stopped, facing the bigger man.

"Harry," came sharply, "I know that I may be violating an unspoken
promise to my father. But I simply can't stand it any longer. What
happened here?"

"We were mining--for silver."

"I don't mean that--there was some sort of tragedy."

Harry chuckled,--in concealment, Fairchild thought, of something he did