r lake and back by sunset. The squaw will take care
of herself. She's used to being alone--besides, the spirits are with
her."

With the hope that it was not far, Wetherell yielded and set off down
the slope, following the bank of the stream. Soon the other lake could
be seen not far below them, and, slipping, sliding amid a cascade of
pebbles, the gold-seekers, now glowing with certainty of success,
plunged straight toward the pool. Two or three times this precipitous
method of descent led them into blind alleys from which they were
obliged to climb, but at last, just as the sun went behind the imperial
peak, they came out upon the shore of the little tarn which lay
shallowly over a perfectly flat floor of cream-colored sand.

"Here we are," called Kelley. "Now if your ghost proves a liar, Pogosa
must answer for it. Here is the rocky ridge on the east--"

"And here is trail," called Eugene, pointing to a faint line leading
straight into the pines.

Wetherell spurred his horse into this trail, and in less than five
minutes came upon the mine. It was not a shining thing to look at, so he
did not shout. It was merely a cavernous opening in a high ledge of dark
rock. On one side stood the sunken and decaying walls of a small log
hut. The roof had fallen in, and vines filled the interior. In front of
the door and all about, lumps of reddish, rusty-looking rock were
scattered. A big stone hollowed in the middle showed that it had been
used as a mortar for crushing the ore. The tunnel itself was irregular
in shape and almost high enough to admit a horse. It dipped slightly
from the threshold.

Tall Ed spoke first, in a tone of suppressed excitement. "Well, let's
see what she's like."

"I trust Pogosa. Up goes our poster," replied Wetherell.

"All right. You put up the sign while I examine this ore."

With his hatchet Wetherell set to work hewing a square face on a tree.
He was putting the first tack in his placard when Kelley walked over
toward him, and with exaggeratedly quiet voice said:

"Just look at that, will you?"

Wetherell took the lump of ore and thrilled to the sight. It needed no
expert to discern the free gold which lay in thin scales and sparkling
lumps all through the rock.

"I want to yell," said Kelley, and his voice trembled.

"Don't do it!" said Wetherell. "Let's hurry back to camp and move down
here. I won't feel safe till we do."

"I don't leave this place to-night, Andy. You and Eugene go