r thirty-six hours.

Haight had been exceedingly angry on learning from Maverick, early in
the morning, of the failure of the men to report anything definite
concerning the movements of those whom they had been sent out to
watch. He had accomplished nothing, and was uncertain what course next
to pursue, and he too, decided to remain quiet for the present. He
continued to watch Houston and Van Dorn, his ugly suspicions only half
concealed by the smiling exterior which he tried to assume. He had
hastened to make peace with Minty, as he feared the results which
might follow should his plottings become known to Houston, not
dreaming that the latter had woven such a web around, not the mining
company alone, but including also its principal employes, that in
remaining where he was, a fate far worse than his fears awaited him.

During the day, Miss Gladden and Lyle busied themselves with
preparations for the expected guests. A room on the ground floor,
adjoining and connecting with the one occupied by Houston and Van
Dorn, and with a view of the lake and cascades, was put in readiness;
and books, sketches and bric-a-brac contributed by Houston and Miss
Gladden, and tastefully arranged by Lyle, relieved the blank walls and
plain furniture, and made the place look quite attractive.

Houston was jubilant over the information acquired by their expedition
of the previous night; nothing out of the usual course occurred that
day, and returning earlier from his customary visit to the mines than
he had done of late, the remainder of the evening was devoted to music
and song.

After Miss Gladden and Lyle had gone up-stairs, they sat for some time
talking over the events of the last few days, and anticipating the
coming of Rutherford and his brother on the morrow. Many were Miss
Gladden's surmises regarding the stranger, and Lyle then learned for
the first time that he was an intimate friend of Houston's.

"Everard tells me that though Ned is a pleasant fellow and good
hearted, yet he is not in the least like his brother. He says Morton,
as he always calls him, is a most perfect gentleman in every sense of
the word, and a scholar of rare intellectual attainments, fond of
scientific research, and a brilliant writer."

"I judged from his picture that the two brothers were very unlike,"
said Lyle, "and from your description he will be in many respects a
new specimen to come under my limited observation; I will have to make
a study of