men faced each other. "Well, what does it all mean?" said Demorest
gravely.

"It means, old man," said Stacy suddenly, "that if we hadn't had nigger
luck, the same blind luck that sent us that strike, you and I and that
Barker over there would have been swirling in that smoke up to the
sky about two hours ago!" He stopped and added in a lower, but earnest
voice, "Look here, Phil! When I went out to fetch water this morning I
smelt something queer. I went round to the back of the cabin and found
a hole dug under the floor, and piled against the corner wall a lot of
brush-wood and a can of kerosene. Some of the kerosene had been already
poured on the brush. Everything was ready to light, and only my coming
out an hour earlier had frightened the devils away. The idea was to set
the place on fire, suffocate us in the smoke of the kerosene poured into
the hole, and then to rush in and grab the treasure. It was a systematic
plan!"

"No!" said Demorest quietly.

"No?" repeated Stacy. "I told you I saw the whole thing and took away
the kerosene, which I hid, and after you had gone used it to fire the
cabin with, to see if the ones I suspected would gather to watch their
work."

"It was no part of their FIRST plan"' said Demorest, "which was only
robbery. Listen!" He hurriedly recounted his experience of the preceding
night to the astonished Stacy. "No, the fire was an afterthought and
revenge," he added sternly.

"But you say you cut the robber in the hand; there would be no