e in a
strange, fascinated way.

"'What's he in for,' I whispered to Gardiner.

"'Murdered his partner in a mining camp. Got caught in the act. He don't
know it yet, but he's condemned to be shot next Friday--to-morrow. Poor
devil, he's half crazy, anyhow.'

"As I got up to go, the old man made a sharp hiss, and as I turned to
look at him, he beckoned with his finger. I took a step or two nearer,
and he asked, in an audible whisper:

"'Mr. Hogg, don't you know me?'

"I looked at him long and critically, and then said:

"'No; I never saw you before.'

"'Yes; that's so,' said he; 'but I have seen you, many times. You
remember the Black Prince robbery?'

"'Yes, indeed; then you are Sanson?'

"'No; Rokesby.'

"'Rokesby! My God, man, where's Rachel?'

"'I thought so,' he muttered. 'Well, she's in England, but I'm here.'

"'What part of England?'

"'Sit down on that box, Mr. Hogg, and I will tell you something.'

"'Is she married?' I asked eagerly.

"'No, lad, she ain't, and what's more, she won't be till she marries
you, so be easy there.'

"Just here a pompous Mexican official strode in, stepped up in front of
the old man and read something in Spanish.

"'What in hell did he say?' asked the prisoner of Gardiner.

"'Something about sentence, pardner.'

"'Well, it's time they was doing something; did he say when it was?'

"'To-morrow.'

"'Good enough; I'm dead sick o' this.'

"'Can't I do anything for you, Mr. Rokesby--for Rachel's sake?'

"'No--yes, you can, too, young man; you can grant me a pardon for a
worse crime nor murder, if you will--for--for Rachel's sake."

"'It's granted then.'

"'Good! that gives me heart. Now, Mr. Hogg, to business, it was me that
robbed the Black Prince mine. I took every last cent there was, and I
used you and Rachel to do the work for me and take the blame if caught.
Sanson was honest enough, I fired the mill myself.

"'It was me that sent Rachel to you; I admired your face, as you rode by
the claim every day on your engine. I knew you had nerve. If you and
Rachel hadn't fallen in love with one another, I'd 'a lost though; but I
won.

"'Well, I took the money I got for the claim and sent Rachel back to her
mother's sister, in England. You may not know, but she is not my
daughter; she thinks she is, though. Her parents died when she was
small, and I provided for her. I'm her half-uncle. I got avaricious in
my old age, and went into a number of questionable s