at Canada City; that he had fled the State eastward across the Sierras;
yet that, owing to the vigilance of the police on the frontier, he had
failed to escape and was in hiding. But there were adverse reports of a
more sinister nature. It was said that others were implicated; that they
dared not bring him to justice; it was pointed out that there was more
concern among many who were not openly connected with the bank than
among its unfortunate depositors. Besides the inevitable downfall of
those who had invested their fortunes in it, there was distrust or
suspicion everywhere. Even Trixit's enemies were forced to admit the
saying that "Canada City was the bank, and the bank was Trixit."

Perhaps this had something to do with an excited meeting of the
directors of the New Mill, to whose discussions Dick Masterton, the
engineer, had been hurriedly summoned. When the president told him that
he had been selected to undertake the difficult and delicate mission
of discovering the whereabouts of Montagu Trixit, and, if possible,
procuring an interview with him, he was amazed. What had the New Mill,
which had always kept itself aloof from the bank and its methods, to
do with the disgraced manager? He was still more astonished when the
president added bluntly:--

"Trixit holds securities of ours for money advanced to the mill by
himself privately. They do not appear on the books, but if he chooses
to declare them as assets of the bank, it's a bad thing for us. If he
is bold enough to keep them, he may be willing to make some arrangement
with us to carry them on. If he has got away or committed suicide, as
some say, it's for you to find the whereabouts of the securities and get
them. He is said to have been last seen near the Summit. You understand
our position?"

Masterton did, with suppressed disgust. But he was young, and there was
the thrill of adventure in this. "I will go," he said quietly.

"We thought you would. You must take the up stage to-night. Come
again and get your final instructions. By the way, you might get some
information at Trixit's house. You--er--er--are acquainted with his
daughter, I think?"

"Which makes it quite impossible for me to seek her for such a purpose,"
said Masterton coldly.

A few hours later he was on the coach. As they cleared the outskirts of
the town, they passed two Chinamen plodding sturdily along in the dust
of the highway.

*****

Mr. Masterton started from a slight doze