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dweller whose friendship they could depend on, if needed.

They had not yet learned that Kie Wicks could not be depended on for
friendship or loyalty to anyone. He was a suspicious man, always
believing the worst of people, and when The Merriweather Girls showed
an interest in Lost Canyon, old Indian relics, and even the pleasure of
finding arrowheads, Kie Wicks was certain that they had heard of the
treasure of Lost Canyon and were going to hunt for it.

And Kie Wicks considered that to be his own special mission in life.
He believed implicitly in the old legend that there was a treasure
buried in the canyon, and all of his spare time was used up in a search
that had continued for ten years. Twice he had formed a company to
locate the treasure, he had spent all the money subscribed and had
failed. Still his faith held that he would eventually find it.

Maude usually tended the store and Kie spent days at a time drifting
around the canyons and hoping that he would stumble upon a clue that
would reveal the hidden gold.

He watched the girls ascend the steep hill, gazed after them until they
disappeared over the summit, then shook his fist toward the place where
they had been.

"Let them take care not to cross me. I can only stand just so much,"
he muttered.

Kie turned slowly away, mounted his horse and rode down the canyon
toward Cayuga.

Ahead of him was a great hole in the rock, an undertaking of his dated
some years before and financed by his friends. He frowned at the
tunnel dug into the bank, then his frown became a scowl and a ferocious
one, for a man was standing there studying the workings, so intent on
it that he did not hear the approach of the rider.

"What you doing there?" roared Kie Wicks. And as the man turned he
recognized the little professor whom he had met at Judge Breckenridge's
ranch the previous day. Kie laughed to himself. Here was one man he
need never fear. Inefficiency and irresponsibility were stamped upon
ever line of the little man's figure.

"He's childish and perhaps a bit off," thought the mountaineer. He
turned to the professor. "That's a mining claim belonging to me. It
has promise of wealth in it. You're not by any chance looking for some
likely claims, are you?"

"No," replied the professor truthfully. "I've come out here to hunt
for Indian relics."

Kie eyed the professor distrustfully. To himself he said: "That's a
likely story! Indian relics! What