of the automatic--his public meeting with two known enemies of
the Scotchman, during which he had been seen to give them money--his
target practice with the new revolver--the unhappy chance that had taken
him out to Seven-Mile Creek Camp the very day of the robbery--his casual
questions of the miners--even the finding of the body by him. All of
these dovetailed with the hypothesis that his partners in crime were to
escape and bear the blame, while he was to bring the body back to town
and assume innocence.

Paget was admitted to his cell later in the morning by Gopher Jones. He
shook hands with the prisoner. Jones retired.

"Tough luck, Gordon," the engineer said.

"What does Sheba think?" asked the young man quickly.

"We haven't told her you have been arrested. I heard it only a little
while ago."

"And Diane?"

"Yes, she knows."

"Well?" demanded Gordon brusquely.

Peter looked at him in questioning surprise. "Well, what?" He caught the
meaning of his friend. "Try not to be an ass, Gordon. Of course she
knows the charge is ridiculous."

The chip dropped from the young man's shoulder. "Good old Diane. I might
have known," he said with a new cheerfulness.

"I think you might have," agreed Peter dryly. "By the way, have you had
any breakfast?"

"No. I'm hungry, come to think of it."

"I'll have something sent in from the hotel."

"How's Macdonald?"

"He's alive--and while there's life there is hope."

"Any news of the murderers?" asked Gordon.

"Posses are combing the hills for them. They stole a packhorse from a
truck gardener up the valley. It seems they bought an outfit for a month
yesterday--said they were going prospecting."

They talked for a few minutes longer, mainly on the question of a lawyer
and the chances of getting out on bond. Peter left the prisoner in very
much better spirits than he had found him.

CHAPTER XVII

"GOD SAVE YOU KINDLY"

A nurse from the hospital had relieved Diane and Sheba at daybreak.
They slept until the middle of the afternoon, then under orders from the
doctor walked out to take the air. They were to divide the night watch
between them and he said that he wanted them fit for service. The fever
of the patient was subsiding. He slept a good deal, and in the intervals
between had been once or twice quite rational.

The thoughts of the cousins drew their steps toward the jail. Sheba
looked at Diane.

"Will they let us see him, do you think?"

"Pe