that is the case, why not have a cigar together, and discuss the matter?
What I am anxious to know at present is the inner meaning of the finger
in the box."

There was no objection to a cigar in the dining-room at this late hour,
and presently the two friends were discussing their Havanas together.
Venner began to speak at length.

"Perhaps it would be as well," he said, "to stick to the box business
first. You will remember, some three years ago, my writing you to the
effect that I was going to undertake a journey through Mexico. I don't
suppose I should have gone there at all, only I was attracted by the
notion of possible adventures in that country, among the hills where, at
one time, gold was found. There was no question whatever that gold in
large quantities used to be mined in the wild district where I had chosen
to take up my headquarters. Practical engineers say that the gold is
exhausted, but that did not deter me in the least.

"The first man who put the idea into my head was a half-caste Mexican,
who had an extraordinary grip on the history of his country, especially
as far as legends and traditions were concerned. He was a well-educated
man, and an exceedingly fascinating story-teller. It was he who first
gave me the history of what he called the Four Finger Mine. It appears
that this mine had been discovered some century or more ago by a
Frenchman, who had settled down in the country and married the daughter
of a native chief. The original founder of the mine was a curious sort of
man, and was evidently possessed of strong miserly tendencies. Most men
in his position would have gathered together a band of workers, and
simply exploited the mine for all it was worth. However, this man, Le
Fenu, did nothing of the kind. He kept his discovery an absolute secret,