tell the truth when it would do
just as well. Now it did better, since it contributed to her own ironic
sense of amusement. Macdonald had once told her that Mrs. Selfridge made
him think of the saying, "Monkey sees, monkey does." The effervescent
little woman had never had an original idea in her life.

Most of those who had been at the dance slept late. They were oblivious
of the fact that the storm had quickened again into a howling gale.
Nor did they know the two bits of news that were passing up and down
the main street and being telephoned from house to house. One of the
items was that the stage for Katma had failed to reach the roadhouse at
Smith's Crossing. The message had come over the long-distance telephone
early in the morning. The keeper of the roadhouse added his private
fears that the stage, crawling up the divide as the blizzard swept down,
must have gone astray and its occupants perished. The second bit of news
was local. For the first time since Robert Milton had been cashier the
bank had failed to open on the dot. The snow had not been cleared from
the walk in front and no smoke was pouring from the chimney of the
building.

CHAPTER XXIV

MACDONALD FOLLOWS A CLUE

Macdonald was no sluggard. It was his habit not to let the pleasure of
the night before interfere with the business of the morning after. But
in the darkness he overslept and let the town waken before him. He was
roused by the sound of knocking on his door.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"It's me--Jones--Gopher Jones. Say, Mac, the bank ain't open and we
can't rouse Milton. Thought I'd come to you, seeing as you're president
of the shebang."

The mine-owner got up and began to dress. "Probably overslept, same as
I did."

"That's the point. We looked through the window of his bedroom and his
bed ain't been slept in."

In three minutes Macdonald joined the marshal and walked down with him
to the bank. He unlocked the front door and turned to the little crowd
that had gathered.

"Better wait here, boys. Gopher and I will go in. I expect everything is
all right, but we'll let you know about that as soon as we find out."

The bank president opened the door, let the officer enter, and followed
himself.

The sun had not yet risen and the blinds were down. Macdonald struck a
match and held it up. The wood burned and the flame flickered out.

"Bank's been robbed," he announced quietly.

"Looks like," agreed Jones. His voice was un