ting the advance
of, perhaps, half a dozen horsemen, and then came a challenge from the
night watchman's camp. There followed a short conversation in Spanish,
only a portion of which Nestor could understand. However, he learned
from what he did hear that the party just coming in had missed a guide,
and was seeking the easiest way to get to the top of the range.

After a short time the conversation suddenly changed into English, and
Nestor heard a soft voice ask:

"Are you going up?"

"In the morning," was the reply, in the voice of the night watchman.

"Why not go now and guide us?" came another question.

"Because we prefer to wait until morning," was the gruff reply.

"Have you seen any men going up?" was asked, then

"There are stragglers all about," was the ungracious reply. "We have
been disturbed by them before."

There was a short silence, then a shot and a struggle.

"Say," said, Shaw, "the newcomer is tying Felix and Scoby up, and the
miners have all taken to their heels. What do you think of that?"

"I think that our friend, the third man, needs a guide up the mountain,
and is not at all particular how he gets one. The Mexican seems to be
the one he wants."

"He's got his nerve," Frank grinned.

"That is only his pleasant little way," replied Nestor, with a quiet
smile. "He is a very arrogant fellow."

"If that is really the third man," Shaw said, presently, as the
soldiers came up the hill, Scoby and the Mexican being almost forced
along, "we've got 'em bunched. We've got the three men who were in the
Cameron suite that night all in a heap. Guess you can pick out your
man now. I reckon you did some thinking before you planned this trip
to Mexico, Ned."

"Don't forget that the United States secret service men had a hand in
the deal from the beginning," replied Nestor, modestly. "Within six
hours of the time I left the Cameron building I was talking with
Washington. The fact that the Mexican and the night watchman are also
here now is a lucky change, that is all. The trap was laid for this
diplomat. The others could have been found later on."

"Oh, you didn't do a thing, I guess," laughed Shaw as the two turned up
the acclivity, planning to keep some distance in advance of the party
behind. "Say, do you think this third man recognized Scoby as a person
he had seen in the Cameron building? What? That might be one reason
for marching the two off."

"I can't say," Nestor replied,