pronounced type. This man, however, was really a very shrewd fellow,
well educated, not only in book learning, but in the ways of the world,
and seeing that Desmond had resolved to take a desperate chance, the
tramp volunteered to land him a winner; he succeeded in so doing. The
champion of the walking match carried his money to his mother, the tramp
went upon an extended spree and spent his share. Afterward the tramp and
Desmond Dare started on the road together. The girl had been placed with
Mrs. Dare on the farm, and the man and boy proceeded West afoot,
determined to locate a gold mine. The former discovered each day some
new quality, and held forth to Desmond that some day he would make a
very startling revelation. The youth had no idea as to the character of
the revelation, but knowing that the tramp, named Brooks, was a very
remarkable man, he anticipated a very startling denouement. After many
very strange and exciting adventures Brooks, the tramp, and Desmond Dare
arrived in the Rockies, and in due time started in to find their gold
mine. The previous history of these two remarkable characters can be
read in Nos. 90 and 91 of "OLD SLEUTH'S OWN."

At the time we introduce the tramp and Desmond Dare to our readers in
this narrative, they had been knocking around the mountains in search of
their mine and had met with failures on every side, and at length one
night they camped in the gulch as described in our opening paragraphs,
and Brooks spoke the words with which we open our narrative.

They were sitting beside their fire; both were partly attired as hunters
and mountaineers, and both were well armed. Brooks, who had practically
been a bloat had lived a temperate life, had enjoyed plenty of exercise
in the open air, and had experienced to a certain extent a return of his
original physical strength and vigor. At the time the whilom tramp made
the disconsolate remark quoted, Desmond asked:

"What do you propose to do--give it up?"

"I don't know just what to do, lad."

"We've scraped together a little gold dust; possibly we may have money
enough to engage in some legitimate business, and what we can't get by
the discovery of a mine, we may acquire in time in speculation. You are
shrewd and level-headed."

"That would be a good scheme for you, lad, but not for me. I am too far
advanced in life to earn money by slow labor now. What I propose is that
you go back, take all the gold we have, and enter into trade;