r, and became convinced that here was his
opportunity for acquiring a fortune.

From experts in whom he placed confidence he received such good
accounts of a certain mineral tract located on Keweenaw Point, where
mines of fabulous richness were already opened, that he purchased it,
and persuaded Richard Peveril's father to become associated with him
in a scheme for its development.

When the crash came, and their golden dreams were dispelled by a rude
awakening, he had sunk his own modest fortune, together with half of
Peveril's, in a barren mine, and the blow was so heavy as to partially
deprive him of his reason. He imagined himself to be the object of a
conspiracy, headed by his partner, to obtain entire control of the
mine, which he also imagined to be immensely valuable.

For the purpose of protecting the interests that he fancied to be
thus endangered, Ralph Darrell disappeared from his home, made his
way to the scene of his wrecked hopes, and took up a solitary abode
in the deserted mining village. Although he was now a desperate man,
and also one so crazed by misfortune that he believed every rock
taken from the Copper Princess to be rich in metal, he retained much
of the business shrewdness gained by years of experience. At the same
time, he had become sly, suspicious of his fellows, and absolutely
non-communicative. He had conceived the idea of holding on to the
mine, and at the same time spreading reports of its worthlessness
until the term of contract had expired, when he hoped that, in default
of other claims, the entire property would fall into his hands. Then
he would proclaim its true value and reap his long-delayed reward.

So he lived alone in the comfortable house that had been built for the
manager of the mine, held no intercourse with his widely scattered
neighbors, discouraged all attempts on the part of outsiders to learn
anything concerning him, rejoiced when he heard his mine spoken of as
"Darrell's Folly," and devoted himself to keeping its valuable plant
in repair, against the time when he should be free to use it for his
own sole benefit.

In looking about for some method of acquiring means with which to
reopen and work the mine when it should be wholly his, he ran across
a crew of Canadian fishermen, who were also smugglers in a small way,
and, joining them, soon developed their unlawful trade into a
flourishing business.

Having discovered a deep cavern opening on the lake and extend