wered him gravely. "That's a mighty rare
occurrence."

"And two-bits apiece!" almost wailed poor Gettysburg, diving back into
the cabin, "and only them four in the shack!"

That was also the day that Bostwick came out upon the scene. He came
with his prospectors, all the party somewhat disillusionized as to all
that fabled gold upon the Indian reservation.

Some word of the wealth of the "Laughing Water" claim had come to
Searle early in the week. He did not visit the cabin or the owners of
the cove. For fifteen minutes, however, he sat upon his horse and
scanned the place in silence. Then out of his newly-acquired knowledge
of the boundaries of the reservation the hounds of his mind jumped up a
half-mad plan. His cold eyes glittered as he looked across to where
Van and his partners were toiling. His lips were compressed in a smile.

He rode to Goldite hurriedly and sought out his friend McCoppet. When
the two were presently closeted together where their privacy was
assured, a conspiracy, diabolically insidious, was about to have its
birth.

CHAPTER XV

HATCHING A PLOT

"You're back pretty pronto," drawled the gambler, by way of an opening
remark. "Found something too big to keep hidden?"

"That reservation is a false alarm, as Billy and the others will tell
you," answered Bostwick, referring to McCoppet's chosen prospectors.
"The rush will prove a farce."

"You've decided sudden, ain't you?" asked McCoppet. "There's a good
big deck there to stack."

"We've wasted time and money till to-day." Bostwick rose from his
chair, put one foot upon it, and leaned towards the gambler as one
assuming a position of equality, if not of something more. "Look here,
McCoppet, you asked me the day I arrived what sort of a game I'd come
to play. I ask you now if you are prepared to play something
big--and--well, let us say, a trifle risky?"

"Don't insult my calling," answered the gambler. "I call. Lay your
cards on the table."

Bostwick sat down and leaned across the soiled green baize.

"You probably know as much as I do about the 'Laughing Water'
claim--its richness--its owners--and where it's located."

McCoppet nodded, narrowing his eyes.

"A good dog could smell their luck from here."

"But do you know where it lies--their claim?" insisted Bostwick
significantly. "That's the point I'm making at present."

"It's just this side of the reservation, from what I hear," replied the
gambler, "b