“Faith,” said McGowan, sizing up the scout and his pards in the faint light, “I wasn’t expecting this.” “I told you,” laughed the scout, “that you would probably hear from us when you least expected to.” “You were right in that, Buffalo Bill. But why don’t you and your pards come down to the camp? I can make you comfortable there, and----” “It won’t do,” interrupted the scout. “We don’t want any of your men to know that we’re anywhere near the camp.” “Why is that?” “Because the bullion thieves are planning to get away with your clean-up to-morrow, and we can back-cap them to better advantage if they don’t know we’re anywhere around.” “What!” gasped McGowan. “You must be mistaken, Buffalo Bill.” “You’re going to have a mill clean-up to-morrow, aren’t you, McGowan?” “Yes. As soon as the night-shift knocks off work in the mill we’ll hang up the stamps and the day-shift will begin the clean-up.” “How long will it take?” “By two o’clock the amalgam ought to be ready for retorting, but it will probably be day after to-morrow before Jacobs gets the bullion refined and run into bars.” “What do you do with the amalgam?” “It is kept in the mill until it is ready for Jacobs; then it is taken over to the laboratory by the tanks and Jacobs gets to work on it.” “It will be taken to the laboratory about two o’clock?” “Yes.” “Who’s with Jacobs while he’s refining and running out the bullion?” “I am, usually, and so is Bernritter.” “You will be with him to-morrow?” “Yes.” “Armed?” “Of course. But why all this questioning?” “I want to collect information for our work to-morrow, that’s all. Shortly after two o’clock, McGowan, you may look for an attack on the laboratory.” McGowan started. “An attack? From whom?” “From a gang of stray Apaches led by a white scoundrel named Bascomb; and from Bernritter and Jacobs.” “An attack from Bernritter? You’re wide of your trail, Cody. Bernritter is loyalty itself. There’s not a dishonest hair in Bernritter’s head.” “You’re mistaken. Bernritter is a contemptible scoundrel.” “I’ll not believe it.” “He’ll prove it to you. Do as I say and you’ll see him caught red-handed to-morrow.” McGowan seemed dazed. For a moment he was silent. “Then Indians are mixed up in this?” he asked finally. “Yes. There are a dozen or more of them. They intend to swoop down on the Three-ply to-morrow afternoon, steal the amalgam from that clean-up, stand off any of your miners and millmen who show fight, and escape into Mexico.” “I’m willing to take your word about the intended robbery, but I can’t think that Bernritter has anything to do with it. Why, man, that fellow has worked for me five years. He’s--he’s engaged to marry my daughter, Annie, who is away visiting in ’Frisco. I can’t think he’d do me dirt like that!”