with them Burkhardt,
who had been found stunned and slightly injured, and two Mexican
bandits who had been captured. Those of the party of attackers yet
alive but seriously hurt were being treated at camp by Dr. Hosmer,
while the young engineers, armed and eager, were scouring the mountain
side for the few Mexicans who had got away.

It seemed a miracle that Burkhardt had escaped death, but the
explanation was found no doubt in the fact he had started from the
spot where the canisters fell and so at the moment of explosion was
outside the area of its full destruction. To Weir the matter went
deeper than that. Providence appeared to have saved him for
punishment, for the long term of imprisonment he deserved for his
crimes.

"I'd much rather have him alive than dead," Steele had remarked to
Madden, when the man was brought up from the canyon a prisoner.

The tremendous thunder-clap of sound from the camp had quickened the
return of the superintendent and his men, already reached and warned
by the doctor. More, it had startled even the drunken workmen so that
when some one shouted that the dam had been blown up the debauch came
to an immediate end, the house was deserted and the throng, incited by
curiosity and wonder, went staggering and running for camp.

The first of these had arrived and the rest were tailing behind for
half a mile when Weir and his companions set out for town, the
blinding headlights of the machines scattering on either side of the
road the approaching workmen. It was not likely many would go back to
the house when they were told at headquarters how narrowly destruction
of the works had been averted and how their spree had been a move in
the plot. Between shame at being-duped and drowsiness resulting from
drink they would, after a look at the hole blown in the earth at the
base of the dam, want to seek their bunk-houses.

As they sped towards town Weir and Madden rapidly made their plans,
for the sheriff having witnessed with his own eyes the enormity of the
plotters' guilt was all for quick action.

"These engineers of yours with us and the other men Meyers will bring
down can be thrown as a guard around the jail," he stated. "I'll swear
them all in as deputies. With Sorenson and Vorse locked up along with
Burkhardt--and I'll throw Lucerio, the county attorney, in with them
on the off chance he's an accomplice--there will be high feeling
running in San Mateo. As quick as I can make arrangeme