He laughed, went to the piano and his fingers began to explore the
keys. The others sat motionless. Elsie's eyes were fixed, not on
Clark but on Belding, and in them was an unanswered question. The
music was not anything she knew but the chords were compelling and she
perceived in them that which this strange personality could not or did
not put into words--his hopes, his courage, his inflexible will and the
deep note of his power. Suddenly she recognized in him a lonely man.
Her heart went out and her eyes filled with tears. Presently he looked
over his shoulder.

"The gods are good to me to-day."

"Yes?" Her voice was very uncertain.

"I've found something for which I've been looking for years past."

Belding's brows furrowed. There was that in Clark's manner which
baffled him. Elsie seemed more than ever dainty and desirable in this
unusual setting. Had Clark seen this too?

"I'm so glad." The girl's eyes were very soft.

The two went home rather silently. Elsie seemed to be in a dream, and
Belding had no words for that which now worked poisonously in his
brain, but just so often as he yielded to the sharp pang of jealousy
just so often did his faith in his chief rise in protest.

The engineer had seen Clark in many moods and under many circumstances.
There were times when only the driving force of the man had pulled
things through, and he was transformed into an agency that worked its
invincible will. There was another thing. So far as Belding knew,
Clark had no links, sentimental or otherwise, with the rest of the
world. No whisper had come from outside regarding his past, and it was
only when he himself talked that any light was thrown upon his former
years. He seemed, in consequence, to be enviably free and ready for
anything. Unfettered by tradition or association, he was a pendulum,
balanced to swing potently in either direction. And what darkened
Belding's horizon was the thought that Clark, at any moment, might
swing toward Elsie Worden.

Two miles away, Fisette was at home with his children. He was tired
but in no way worn out, and in his pocket was one single piece of ore
kept as a souvenir. Clark's check lay safely deposited in the bank and
the halfbreed's teeth gleamed when he thought of the mortgage. It was
only a thousand dollars. Therese, four years and three days old, was
on his knee. They were all very happy, though only Fisette knew
exactly why. With eyes half clo