knew
Virginia too well to think she would fail him now. She was proud and
hot-headed, and she had fought him in the past; but, once she had given
her word, she would keep her promise or die.

As the sun rose higher he imagined her at the bank with the sheaf of
bills hidden in her bosom, and Blount's surprise and palavering when he
found he was caught and that his deep-laid plans had failed. He had
schemed to catch Wiley between the horns of a dilemma, and either jump
his mine when he went in to make the payment or force him to lose it by
default. But, almost by a miracle, Virginia had appeared at the very
moment when he was seeking a messenger; and by an even greater miracle,
they had composed all their difficulties just in time for him to send
her to town. It was like an act of Providence, an answer to prayer, if
people any longer prayed; and, more, even, than the money and the joy of
success, was the consciousness of Virginia's love. She had seemed so
hostile, so distant and unattainable; but the moment that he forgot her
and abandoned all hope she fluttered to his hand like a dove.

The noon hour came and went and as Wiley watched the 'phone it seemed to
him strangely silent. To be sure, few people called him, but--he
snatched the receiver from the hook. He had guessed it--the 'phone was
dead! He rattled the hook and listened impatiently, then he shouted and
listened again, and black fancies rose up in his brain. What was the
meaning of this? Had they cut the wire on him? And why? It really made
no difference! Virginia was there; he had heard it from the stage-driver
who had driven her in the day before--and yet, there must be a reason.
Perhaps it was an accident, for the line was old and neglected, but why
should it happen now? He hung up the receiver and reviewed it all
calmly. There were a hundred things which might happen to the line, for
it passed through rough country near Vegas; but the weather was fair and
there was no wind blowing to topple over the poles. No one used the line
but him--it had been connected up by Blount when he had first taken over
the mine--and yet the wire had been cut. But by whom? As he sat there
pondering he raised his eyes to the hill-top, and Stiff Neck George was
gone!

"The dastard!" cursed Wiley, leaping furiously to his feet and reaching
for his rifle, but though he scanned the line through his high-power
field-glasses there was not a man in sight. Wiley ran down to the shed
a