"Well, what'che want?"

"Send word down to the boys to come up. They're laid off fer a while,
an' their pay's ready for 'em."

"Lay 'em off! Who says so?"

"Lacy, of course; hustle them out now--them's the orders."

"Well, that beats hell!" But the lantern vanished as he went grumbling
back to his engine.

They came up, talking excitedly among themselves, stumbled down the
rough path, and filed into the open door of the lighted office. There
were twenty of them, according to Westcott's count, and the interview
within must have been satisfactory as they departed quietly enough,
disappearing down the trail toward Haskell. Moore remained outside,
apparently checking the fellows off as they passed, and when the last
one vanished again hailed the shaft-house:

"What's the matter with you, Tom? Why don't you close down and come
and get your stuff?"

"You want me too?"

"Sure--we're here waitin' fer yer."

Westcott clung to his hiding-place, but greatly relieved in mind. This
unexpected action had postponed his struggle and left him free to plan
for defence. For the first time almost his brain grasped the full
significance of this movement, its direct connection with the
disappearance of Frederick Cavendish, and the presence of Stella
Donovan. Enright had suggested and urged the closing down of the mine
temporarily to avoid unnecessary publicity--to throw Westcott off the
trail. His argument must have been a powerful one to thus influence
Lacy--nothing less than a pledge of money could cause the latter to
forego immediate profit.

Undoubtedly the lawyer had convinced the man of the certainty of their
gaining possession of the Cavendish fortune, and had offered him a
goodly share for his assistance. Then the plan was at a head--if
Cavendish was not dead he was safely in their hands, where his death
could be easily accomplished, if other means failed.

This was to be Lacy's part of the bargain, and he was already too
deeply involved in the hellish conspiracy to withdraw. Enright, with
his lawyer-astuteness, had seen to that--had even got this Western
gambler securely into his grip and put on the screws. The miner,
realising now the full situation, or, at least, imagining that he did,
smiled grimly and waited in his covert on the hillside for the
conspirators to make their next move. He dare not approach the cabin
any closer, or permit his presence to become known, for Moore was kept
outside the door