asonable prospect that he might some day be restored to his
original ebony hue. Yet his spirit seemed broken, as if he had felt
the disgrace of the part he had been forced to play in the late
escapades of Antonio and his fellow-conspirators.

"It's what one might call the irony of fate that the man who caused
the death of Comanche should thus be forced to supply Comanche's place
with his own beloved Nero," commented the reporter, as the messenger
rode away.

"Yes. Things generally do even up in this world, if a body has
patience to wait a spell," answered Samson. "And though I've no love
for him, and wouldn't trust him across this plaza, without watchin', I
can't help pitying poor 'top-lofty,' and thinking he was more fool
than knave. The idee! Them plans and performances of his savor more of
the 'middle ages,' that I've heard about, than of these days. But it
just takes my breath away to think of what Sobrante will be, some
time, if that 'find' in the canyon turns out what we imagine. Why--but
there! No use talking. Wait and see. How long you think before you get
an answer back from the town, tellin' what your friend'll do?"

"Oh! I expect Marty will bring that answer. He's to wait an hour or
two, you know, and give a chance. If Cornell--that's the expert's
name--is in the city, he'll probably come himself by the evening
train. In that case, you and I might drive over to meet him."

"Wh-e-w!" ejaculated the ex-sailor, astonished. "You newspaper fellows
beat the world for hustling, don't you? So quick as that? H'm! If you
fly as much sail as that so sudden, looks like we'd reach port ahead
of time."

"When a thing's to be done--why, do it! If there's copper enough to
pay for mining, why--mine it," answered the other, coolly.

"Young man, mining costs money. Talkin' is cheap," retorted Samson,
sententiously.

"Of course. One must put in a little capital if one expects to get
results, in any business. The money will be found easily enough. Trust
me to see to that. Or my friends and me."

Already the journalist was as eager as possible on this new matter.
His brief rest had restored his overtaxed nerves, and he was more than
ready to push any enterprise that commended itself to his keen
judgment. Now, all depended upon the expert's arrival at the ranch. He
would then be taken in person to examine the discovered vein, and on
his opinion great affairs would depend. Yet Ninian felt that even if
Henry Cornell's opini