levating his voice.

"All right, Paul, my boy!" came in a cheery voice from the elder of the
Winthrops, as he dashed up on his faithful mare. "What's wanted?"

"The horses have been stolen!"

"Phew!" It was a low and significant whistle that Allen Winthrop
emitted, and the pleasant look on his fine features gave way to one of
deep concern.

"Stolen!" he said at last. "When? By whom?"

"We don't know," replied Paul. "We just got back from the river a few
minutes ago and found the barn door broken open and both horses gone."

"And no clew?"

"We found this."

Allen Winthrop caught up the silver cross quickly and gazed at it for
the fraction of a minute. Then he muttered something under his breath.

"Did you ever see this cross before?" asked Paul.

"No, but I have heard father tell of it," was the answer. "It is the
cross the old Sol Davids gang used to wear. Do you see those letters--D
A F G? They stand for 'Dare All For Gold.' That was the gang's motto,
and they never hesitated to carry it out."

"Then we were right in thinking that the horse thieves might be some
left-overs from the old gang," observed Paul.

"Yes they are most likely of the same old crowd," said Allen. "The
hanging of old Sol did not drive them out of this district."

"But what of the initials S. M.?" asked Chet. "I never heard of any
horse thief that those would fit."

"We'll find out about that when we run the thieves down," said Allen.
"You say you discovered the robbery but a short while since?"

"Less than a quarter of an hour ago."

"Have you been up to the house?"

"I went for my gun," began Chet. "I wonder if it were possible----" he
commenced, and then meeting his older brother's eyes stopped short. Not
one of the trio said more just then. All made a wild dash from the barn
to the house. They burst into the living room of the latter like a
cyclone.

"It looks all right," began Paul.

"But it isn't all right," burst out Chet. "See the side window has been
forced open!"

Allen said nothing, having passed into one of the sleeping rooms. He
began to rummage around the apartment, into the closet and the trunks.

"By gracious!" he burst out presently.

"What's up?" questioned his two brothers in a breath.

"It's gone!"

"Gone?"

"Yes, every dollar is gone!" groaned Allen.

He referred to three bags which had contained silver and gold to the
amount of seven hundred dollars--the Winthrop savings for several years.