again.

"Shut up!" said Ike. "Give him a chance."

"I think you'd better answer," said Sinclair quietly. "You've nothing
to hide, I suppose?"

"I haven't," said Carroll defiantly. "We did see them two walking
around, and we soon knew, too, that they didn't know any more than
ourselves about that mine. Thin we came away."

"Did you see their camp?"

"We did. We passed it by."

"Did you stop and speak to them?"

"No, we did not; for the good reason they weren't there."

"Did you examine the camp or touch anything?"

"Nivir a touch, so help me God!" said Carroll, with great earnestness.

"Then did you and Crawley come away together?"

"We did."

"Where did you camp that night?"

"Over the mountain beyant, forninst the Old Prospector's grave."

"And you came straight home next day?"

"We did, except for a luk at a couple of prospects we knew of."

"Oh! How long did that take you?"

"It tuk me about a day, and Crawley a little less, I'm thinkin'."

"How was that, Carroll?" enquired Sinclair.

"Well, he tuk one gulch and I tuk the other, and he got through before
me, and the next day we came home; and that's the truth of it, so help
me."

"Then you were never separated from each other except for that one day?"

"That's true." There was no mistaking the sincerity and honesty of
Carroll's manner.

"Any further questions to ask, gentlemen?"

"How long did you stop at Mr. Macgregor's camp when you was passing
by?" asked Ike.

"Don't be so blanked smart, Ike!" said Carroll, in savage scorn. "I'm
telling you that I didn't stop a fut. We saw their camp and their
ponies and we went sthraight past."

"Didn't stop to light your pipe or nothing?" enquired Ike.

"Blank your blank ugly mug!" roared Carroll, "do you mean to say,--"

"Oh, nothing," said Ike quietly. "Just wanted to know how long you
stopped?"

"And I am tellin' you we didn't sthop atall, atall, not a fut of us! We
didn't go near their camp within fifty yard."

"Not fifty yards, eh? Well, that's strange."

Carroll poured out a volley of oaths.

"You're sure about that fifty yards, Carroll?" asked Ike, in
insinuating tones.

"I didn't pace it, you blanked fool! but I'll swear it wasn't more than
thirty."

"You're dead sure about that thirty yards, Carroll?" persisted Ike.

"I am that, and if you want to say anything more come outside!" said
Carroll, glaring wildly at his interlocutor.

"Oh, thanks, I'm comfortable," said Ike mild