I was paying scant attention to the fellow's tirade. Could there be smuggling going on from this mine? It all seemed to be conducted openly enough. If the production record were being falsified I felt that this dissatisfied mine commander was not aware of it. He showed me the smelter, where the quicksilver condensed in the coils and ran with its small luminous silver streams into the vats. He was called away momentarily by one of his men, leaving me standing there. I was alone; no one seemed in sight, or within hearing. In the shadow of the condensers I drew out my transmitter and called Hanley. I got him within a minute. "Chief!" "Yes, Phil. I hoped you'd call me. Didn't want to chance it, raising you when you might not be alone." I told him swiftly what I had done; where I was now. And Hanley said, with equal briskness: "I've an important fact. Just had Markes on secret wave-length. He tells me that Spawn has been saving up his quicksilver for six months past. He's got several hundred thousand dollar-standards' worth of it in ingots there right now." "Here at the mine?" "Yes. Got them all radiuminized, ready for the highest priced markets. Markes says he is scheduled to turn them over to the government checkers to-morrow. The Nareda government takes its share to-morrow; then Spawn exports the rest." I heard a footstep. "Off, Chief! I'll call you later!" I clicked off summarily. The little grid was under my shirt when the mine commander rejoined me. * * * * * For another half hour or to I hovered about the smelter house. A treasure of quicksilver ingots here? I mentioned it casually to my companion. He shot me a sharp glance. "Spawn has told you that?" "I heard it." "His business. We do not talk of that. Never can I tell what Spawn will choose to take offense at." We rambled upon other subjects. Later, he said, "We work not at night. But Spawn, he is here often at night, with his friend, the Senor Perona." That caught my attention. "I met Perona this morning," I said quickly. "Is he a partner of Spawn's?" "If he is so, I never was told it. But much he is here--at night." "Why at night?" The fellow really knew nothing. Or if he did, he was diplomatic enough not to jeopardize his post by babbling of it to me. He said: "Perona is Spawn's friend. Why not? His daughter to marry: that will make him a son-in-law." He laughed. "An old fool, but not such a fool either. Spawn is rich." "His daughter. Has he a daughter?" "The little Jetta. You haven't seen her? Well, that is not strange. Spawn keeps her very hidden. A mystery about it: all Nareda talks, but no one knows; and Spawn does not like questions." Spawn abruptly joined us! He came from the black shadows of the lurid smelter room. Had he heard us discussing Jetta? I wondered. CHAPTER V _Mysterious Meeting_ "Ah, Grant--have you enjoyed yourself?" He dismissed his subordinate. "I was detained. Sorry."