erly.

"Scum of the earth come for the metal whose existence I have kept secret
ever since I came here. I fought very hard to keep the gold unknown,
but my efforts have been in vain. You see for yourself the result of
the discovery;" and then, as I saw his lowering brow and anxious face,
he exclaimed--

"Yes, the rich finds are made known, and we do not know the extent of
the mischief yet."

He glanced at me again sharply, and I knew I looked very conscious; but
it was not on account of the stubborn suspicion he persisted in feeling
about me, but because I was excited about Gunson, for I was asking
myself what I ought to do with respect to a man who in his rough way had
done so much for me, and the answer came at once just as if something
had whispered to me--

"Never mind about what people think if your intentions are good and
true. Warn the poor fellow before it is too late. Go!"

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

WE MAKE UP OUR MINDS.

Mr John gave me a troubled look, for in his simple earnest way he was
hurt at seeing the strained situation, and, as he told me afterwards,
there was great excuse for his brother-in-law, as matters did look black
against me, sufficient to make Mr Raydon feel that I had acted a very
unworthy part.

I stood there alone, and otherwise quite unnoticed for a few minutes,
while Mr Raydon gave his people some quick, sharp orders, and then
walked into his quarters with Mr John.

"What shall I do?" I thought. "If I go and ask him to let me run and
warn Mr Gunson, he will think I want to join him, and that this is only
an excuse. I can't go down on my knees and vow and protest again that I
kept my word. Some one told Gunson, of course. Could it have been
Esau, and is he playing unfairly?"

I did not like to think it of him, and I was just trying to drive the
thoughts away, when he came out of the strangers' quarters, where I had
seen him go with Mrs Dean.

"Well, it's all over," he said. "I thought we was going to have some
rare fun."

"Esau!" I cried, aghast. "What, with men being shot!"

"Yes; why not, if they tried to shoot us? But, I say, they'll come back
again; see if they don't, to help themselves to all there is here."

I shook my head.

"No," I said; "they've been too much scared as it is."

"Not they. Of course they run when they saw the rifles. I shouldn't
wonder if we have a really big fight like you've read of in books."

"You are talking nonsense," I sai