“Mr. Griggs,” went on Hiram McCormick, “these young men have come here--one of them with everything to lose and nothing to gain by blocking the sale of the mine--and told us a most remarkable story of guile and duplicity. I may say, however, that neither I nor my associates are surprised. We have already had cause to suspect the colonel of double-dealing. Two experts were sent by us to examine the ‘Pauper’s Dream.’ In matters of this sort, it is best not to place all your faith in one man. Levitt went to the mine, made himself known to the colonel, and examined the prospect under his supervision. Perhaps it is not to be wondered at that the colonel bought him. But the second expert reached the mine in laborer’s clothes, and was hired by the colonel to ‘salt’ the breast of the ‘Pauper’s Dream’ tunnel. I have that man’s report here in my pocket. It only arrived to-day, but my friends of this projected syndicate have all read it. For this reason we feared we might have trouble with the colonel, and so we smuggled the policeman into the telephone booth. “Colonel Billings,” and McCormick turned and leveled a hard look at the Arizona man, “your rascally game would not have succeeded, even had these lads not come here and told us of your knavery. We had you spotted. From now on you will be blacklisted in this town, and you will try in vain to float any other mining proposition on New York capital. Mr. Griggs was deceived in you, and he and his partner have our sympathy, and have not lost a particle of our good will; but as for you, if you are not out of the city within twenty-four hours we shall try and see just how much responsibility the law can put upon you for this day’s events. There is the door; close it from the outside.” The colonel got up. Calmly he drew a canvas bag from his pocket, and deliberately placed his gold bars within it; then, holding the bag in one hand, he allowed the other to dart toward his hip--a move young King had seen before. “Look out for him!” warned Matt. The officer grabbed a revolver out of the colonel’s hand in just the nick of time. There was a brief struggle, but the colonel got the worst of it. “I’ll play even with that cub of a Matt King,” the colonel was heard to breathe, “if it’s the last thing I ever do.” “Take him out, officer,” said Hiram McCormick, in undisguised contempt, “and, of course, you’ll confiscate the weapon. This is not Arizona.” None too gently the policeman hustled Colonel Billings out of the door. Hardly had they left when McGlory staggered, tossed his hands, and fell heavily into Matt’s arms. Instantly there was a flurry of excitement in the office, Griggs, McCormick, and the others all hurrying forward to be of what assistance they could. CHAPTER XVI. LOST--A FORTUNE.