noon
wore on heavily, and the goad of suspense hounded them sorely, but
there was nothing to do but wait. It would be a fool's trip, as
Gardiner said, to go hunting unless they were assured of game.

But at last the Harrises' team and buggy milled by. When it had
secured a good lead the two horsemen emerged from their covering and
took a cross road to Gardiner's ranch.

"We better eat," said Gardiner, and busied himself with starting a
fire. "Of course, the cook's out. Fishing, I guess," he continued, as
he noticed that Travers' fishing rod was gone from the wall. "Perhaps
it's just as well. He might be asking questions."

Riles ate his meal in haste and silence. He was taciturn, moody, and
excitable, and made no response to Gardiner's attempts to open
conversation upon trivial subjects.

"Upon my soul," said Gardiner at last, "you don't seem any more than
enthusiastic. One would think you were going to a funeral, instead of
a--a division of profits."

"Perhaps I am," said Riles sourly. "We'll know better when we get
back."

"Well, if you feel that way about it, you better stay at home," said
Gardiner, with pointed candidness. "If ten thousand dollars is no
good to you perhaps I can use your share in my own business,"

"That wouldn't let me out," protested Riles. "You've got me mixed up
in it now, and if things go wrong I'm in for it, but if things go
right you're willin' t' take all the money."

"Things won't go wrong," Gardiner assured him. "They can't.
Everything is planned to a fraction, but if we see there's going to
be a hitch--why, the owner of the mine'll fail to turn up, and we'll
all come back to town, and no one a bit the wiser."

Gardiner arose and took a bottle from a cupboard. He poured a big
glass and set it before Riles. "Drink that, and the world will look
more to your liking," he said.

Riles responded to the liquor, and presently the two were in animated
discussion of their plans. Riles was eager to know the details, of
which he had been kept in complete ignorance, but Gardiner would
disclose nothing until they were on the road. "Jim may come in any
minute," he explained, "and Jim might hear enough to make him
curious. And it's just a little too soon to excite his curiosity."

"That reminds me," Gardiner continued. "Jim has a very neat little
revolver here somewhere. I think I'll borrow it. We might see ionic
game, as Allan says."

A search disclosed revolver and cartridges in Travers'