d swate, I never see them at all."

"That's so, Ross," chorused the crowd again, to whom the whole
proceeding was delightfully farcical.

"Then I can tell you, gentlemen," said the Doctor, stiffly, "that they
were in Monterey last night, that they did not return on that trail this
morning, and that they must have passed here at daybreak."

With these words, which the Doctor regretted as soon as delivered, the
party rode away.

Mr. Roscommon resumed his service and counter wiping. But late that
night, when the bar was closed and the last loiterer was summarily
ejected, Mr. Roscommon, in the conjugal privacy of his chamber, produced
a legal-looking paper. "Read it, Maggie, darlint, for it's meself never
had the larning nor the parts."

Mistress Roscommon took the paper:

"Shure, it's law papers, making over some property to yis. O Moike! ye
havn't been spekilating!"

"Whist! and fwhotz that durty gray paper wid the sales and flourishes?"

"Faix, it bothers me intoirely. Shure it oin't in English."

"Whist! Maggie, it's a Spanish grant!"

"A Spanish grant? O Moike, and what did ye giv for it?"

Mr. Roscommon laid his finger beside his nose and said softly,
"Whishky!"

PART II.--IN THE COURTS

CHAPTER VI

HOW A GRANT WAS GOT FOR IT

While the Blue Mass Company, with more zeal than discretion, were
actively pursuing Pedro and Wiles over the road to Tres Pinos, Senors
Miguel and Manuel were comfortably seated in a fonda at Monterey,
smoking cigarritos and discussing their late discovery. But they were
in no better mood than their late companions, and it appeared from their
conversation that in an evil moment they had sold out their interest
in the alleged silver mine to Wiles and Pedro for a few hundred
dollars,--succumbing to what they were assured would be an active
opposition on the part of the Americanos. The astute reader will easily
understand that the accomplished Mr. Wiles did not inform them of its
value as a quicksilver mine, although he was obliged to impart his
secret to Pedro as a necessary accomplice and reckless coadjutor. That
Pedro felt no qualms of conscience in thus betraying his two comrades
may be inferred from his recent direct and sincere treatment of Concho,
and that he would, if occasion offered or policy made it expedient, as
calmly obliterate Mr. Wiles, that gentleman himself never for a moment
doubted.

"If we had waited but a little he would have given more,--this