Now to open the door. It was heavy and the lock was strong. There seemed no way except to use the key. That key undoubtedly the superintendent had. Just then Nelson Hawk came in sight. He had been afraid the secret room would be found. "Well, gentlemen," he said, uneasily, "you seem to have gone astray. What brought you here?" "Give me the key of that door!" said Burdoch, sternly. "I have no key." "Give me that key!" "I tell you I have none," and the superintendent started to go away. Instantly Burdoch had him by the throat. "Now search his pockets, McKee." "You will repent this outrage," said Nelson Hawk, in a choking voice. "I will risk that." From his pockets a bunch of keys was taken by McKee, and one of them was found to fit the door. Burdoch inserted it in the lock, and in a moment the door swung back, revealing Gerald, who gladly stepped outside. "You scoundrel!" said Burdoch, shaking his fist in the superintendent's face. "Now tell your story, Gerald." Gerald did so. "What have you to say for yourself, Hawk?" demanded Burdoch. "It must have been a mistake," whined the superintendent. "You will hear from us again. Now, Gerald, we will go out." "Now," said Burdoch, "do you know what I have decided to do?" "No." "I shall go back with you to Campville, make Mr. Nixon an offer for his share in the mine, come back and force Hawk out. I mean to control it and manage it myself. You shall introduce me to Tom Nixon." "I will with pleasure." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXXIV A DEED OF GIFT WITHIN two weeks Joshua Burdoch had bought Mr. Nixon's share of the mine at Ransom for forty thousand dollars. Mr. Hawk's share he secured for thirty thousand. He then made a formal proposal to Gerald to go to work for him as assistant manager. But to this Mr. Nixon demurred. "I can't spare Gerald, Mr. Burdoch," he said. "But, Mr. Nixon, think of the boy's interests. I am willing to pay him a salary of a hundred dollars a month." "And I," said the old man, "will give him outright ten thousand dollars—one-fourth of the sum you have paid me for my interest in the mine." "Give me your hand, Mr. Nixon," said Burdoch, "I can't go ahead of that. He is a good boy, and he deserves his good fortune." Gerald was overwhelmed by his liberality. "How can I thank you, Mr. Nixon," he said, "for your generosity?" "It isn't generosity. It's only justice. But for you I doubt if I should be living to-day. You have taught me how to live. And now let me tell you something. I have sent on to Mr. Nugent the amount I took from his firm many years ago. He refused to accept interest, but wrote that I might make up to you whatever it amounted to. It amounts to more than the ten thousand dollars I have given you, but that I will account for later." "I cannot realize my good fortune, Mr. Nixon. You and Mr. Nugent have been very kind to me."