atched the missionary until his
tall figure was out of sight. Then with a low chuckle he moved towards
the light shining through the window from the candle which Keith in his
hurry had forgotten to extinguish. Drawing near he peered cautiously
into the room, but could observe no one within. To be surer, he
knocked, and, receiving no response, opened the door and entered.

"Ha, ha," he muttered half aloud, as he glanced swiftly around the
room. "Snug place this. Nice books there. But you'll learn something
soon, my hearty, not found in those pages. Now a place for these."

As he spoke he drew from beneath his coat a heavy poke of gold, and
also an empty one, on which appeared the two letters, "K. R."
Presently his eye caught sight of the chest.

"That looks good; a most likely place, so in you go."

Lifting the cover, which was not locked, he beheld the picture lying in
full view.

"Hello! what in h-- is this? A picture, and a woman's! It's too dark
here to see clearly. I must have more light. Ah, now I see," and he
held the candle close down to the chest. "Well, well, I didn't know it
had gone that far, but it only makes bigger game for me. Down
underneath is the place for these, snug away in that corner, beneath
this stuff. There, that's good."

No sense of shame or pity struck the villain's heart, as he gave one
more swift glance at the sweet face before him ere he slammed down the
cover. Then locking the chest he was about to put the key into his
pocket.

"No, that won't do," he thought. "The stove's the best place for you.
There, down among the coals and ashes, away out of sight."

He then started to leave the building, and had almost reached the door,
when his eye fell upon a picture standing upon the rough deal table.
He stopped and went back. The photograph was that of a sweet-faced
woman and two lovely children, a boy and a girl.

Pritchen looked at them curiously for an instant. "Long time since
I've seen you, Nellie. I expect you don't look so young and fresh now,
and the kids must be well grown up. Here's to the d-- breed, with all
their saintly, pious ways. I'm done with you all--all except one, by
God, and he'll soon be finished."

Seizing the picture in his hand, he tore it to pieces, threw the
fragments into the stove, and, turning, left the building.

CHAPTER XVI

THE MINERS' MEETING

Of all criminals in the unwritten code of mining camps in the early
days in t