ly, as he, sat lack in his
chair. "Hope you are the same."

"That will do, Carroll," said Sinclair. "I am sure we all feel much
obliged to you for your straightforward answers. If we want you again
we'll send for you."

"And I'll come," said Carroll, with another oath, passing out of the
room.

"Now," said Sinclair, "we'll have Crawley."

In a few moments Crawley came in, smiling and self-confident, with
plenty of nerve, an abundance of wit, and a most ingenuous manner. He
met the chairman's questions with ready assurance and corroborated the
story told by Carroll. He would frankly acknowledge that he had heard
about the Lost River. Indeed, he had been more or less interested in it
for some years and, though he did not take much stock in the doctor's
word, still he declared that his own interests and the interests of
Miss Mowbray, and indeed of all concerned, demanded that the thing was
worth looking into. They visited the locality indicated by the doctor;
they spent a week in exploration, but could find no trace of such a
valuable mine as the doctor had described; and they had come away not
very much disappointed; they had hardly expected any other result. They
had seen Mr. Macgregor's camp, but they had not approached it; they
passed by at some distance, leaving everything undisturbed.

"You camped that night near the Old Prospector's grave?" asked Sinclair.

"Yes."

"The next day you set off for home?"

"Exactly."

"You and Carroll were always together?"

"Certainly."

"You came home by the same trail and without any other explorations?"

Here Crawley hesitated a moment. "Well, yes, except that we ran up a
gulch to look at some rocks."

"Oh! Did you find anything?"

"Well, we think so," said Crawley pleasantly.

"You went both together up the gulch? You were never separated?"

"We went together, yes."

"Any further questions, gentlemen?"

For a time there was no response, then Ike came slowly forward to the
table and stood by Crawley's side.

"You did not go near that cache?"

"No," said Crawley firmly.

"Are you mighty sure about that? Better be sure."

"I am positive we did not go within twenty or thirty yards," said
Crawley defiantly.

"All right, Crawley," drawled Ike, "better have a pipe now." And as he
spoke he threw down a tobacco pouch on the table.

Crawley turned pale, gripped at the table to stead himself, gazed at
the pouch lying before him for a few moments and then enqui