e to the mystery!

He lifted the ring toward the insufficient gas jet to make out the
initials inside, and copied them down in his note-book.

"Take good care of that. It is valuable," he said as he handed it back
to her.

"Mebbe I better give it to you," she half hesitated.

"You've taken pretty good care of it so far," he said. "I guess you've a
better right to it than I. Only don't let anybody know you've got it.
Now, I've been making inquiries, and I've found out a few things, but
I've about come to the conclusion that I can't do much without seeing
the lady. Do you suppose she would see me? Is she very far away?"

"When do you want to go?" asked Jane.

"At once," he answered decidedly. "There's no time to waste if she is
really in danger, as you think."

Jane's eyes glittered with satisfaction.

"There's a train at ten-thirty. You'll get there in the morning. I've
written it all down here on a paper so you can't make any mistakes. I've
written her a letter so she'll understand and tell you everythin'. I'll
wire Ma, too, so she'll let you see her. Ma might not size you up
right."

Reyburn wondered at the way he accepted his orders from this coolly
impudent girl, but he liked her in spite of himself.

In a few minutes more he was out in the street again, hurrying to his
own apartment, where he put together a few necessities in a bag and went
to the train.

CHAPTER XII

IT was one of those little ironies of fate that are spoken about so
much, that when Warren Reyburn alighted from the train in Tinsdale
Abijah Gage should be supporting one corner of the station, and
contributing a quid now and then to the accumulations of the week
scattered all about his feet.

He spotted the stranger at once and turned his cunning little eyes upon
him, making it obvious that he was bulging with information. It was,
therefore, quite natural, when Reyburn paused to take his bearings, that
Bi should speak up and inquire if he was looking for some one. Reyburn
shook his head and passed on, but Bi was not to be headed off so easily
as that. He shuffled after him:

"Say!" he said, pointing to a shackley horse and buckboard that stood
near, belonging to a pal over at the freight house. "Ef you want a lift
I'll take you along."

"Thank you, no," said Reyburn, smiling; "I'm not going far."

"Say!" said Bi again as he saw his quarry about to disappear. "You name
ain't Bains, is it?"

"No!" said Reyburn, quite anno