heep of his own, but he won't hear to it. That's what
makes me mad at Elam. It's all along of that fool notion that will some
day be the death of him like I told you."

"But what is that fool notion?" asked Ben, as Uncle Ezra paused to light
his pipe with a brand from the fire.

"Wait till I tell you. You see, Elam's history, so far as I know
anything about it, begins with that treasure train that was lost up the
country years ago. An army paymaster started for Grayson with three
government wagons, a guard of twelve soldiers, and thirty thousand
dollars that was to be paid to the garrison at that place. Report says
and always did say that there was one private wagon with the train, and
Elam Storm he sticks to it that that there wagon was his father's. I
don't dispute that part of his history, but I do dispute all the rest,
for it won't hold water. He allows that there was a nugget into that
there wagon, and that it was worth eight thousand dollars; and that's
right where the history of Elam begins.

"Well, sir, none of them men that went out with them wagons was ever
seen or heard of after they left Martin's. When the time came for them
to show up at Grayson and they didn't do it, scouting parties were sent
out to look for them, and I was with the party that found the wreck of
one of the wagons. And there's where I found Elam; but not a live man or
critter or a cent of money did we discover."

"What do you suppose became of them?" enquired Ben.

"Carried off by the robbers that jumped down on the train," replied
Uncle Ezra. "But whether they was Injuns or white men aint known for
certain to this day. There wasn't nothing except hoof-prints and a few
dried spots of blood to show where the attack was made on the train; but
there was a dim trail leading from it, and by following that trail
through the chaparral and down a rocky canyon that was hemmed in on all
sides by mountains we found the wrecked wagon I spoke of. When one of
the axles broke and let the wagon down so that it could not be hauled
any further, the robbers took every blessed thing out of it and went on,
and we never did catch up with them--everything, I say, except Elam. He
was no doubt left in the wagon for dead, for when we came up he was just
alive and that was all. He hadn't been hurt at all. He was scared and
starved almost to the bounds of endurance, but with such care as we
rough men could give him, and being naturally tough and strong, he
manag