"Just before you made that strike," finished the clubman significantly. "Hang you!" cried the Colonel angrily. "What do you ask?" "Eighteen." "Too much. Give you ten." McAllister started for the door. At that instant a telegraph-boy entered and handed the President a flimsy yellow paper. "Give you twelve," added the Colonel, casting his eye rapidly over the telegram. "Can't do business on that basis." "Well, you've got us cornered. I'll break the record. I'll give you fifteen." McAllister hesitated. "All right," said he rather reluctantly. "Cash down?" "Of course," replied the Colonel. "I'll wait here for you. You might as well look at this now." And he showed the clubman the paper. STAFFORD, ARIZONA. _Struck very rich ore on the foot-wall. Recent assays show eight per cent. copper, carrying five dollars in gold to the ton. Try and locate Murphy's stock._ "You see," added the Colonel, "I've got to get it, if it busts me!" "Well, you shall have it in half an hour," replied McAllister. Out in the corridor Herbert wanted to know exactly what had happened, and laughed heartily when McAllister described the interview. Oh, that old Van Vorst was a sly dog! He'd steal the gold out of your teeth if you gave him the chance. Carrying five dollars in gold to the ton! That was even better than his brother had advised him. Well, the next thing was to capture Murphy's stock. On their way to the Astor House to see the sick engineer, McAllister stopped at the Chemical National Bank, on the pretext of procuring the money to pay for the stock, and there called up Police Headquarters. Conville presently came to the wire, and it was arranged between them that the detective should communicate with Tomlinson and bring him at once to the New York Life Building. There they would await the return of McAllister and follow him to the offices of the mining company. McAllister then rejoined Mr. Herbert in the cab and drove at once to the hotel. The polite clerk informed the strangers that Mr. Murphy was bad, very bad, and that they would have to secure permission from the trained nurse before they could visit him. They might, however, go upstairs and inquire for themselves. Mr. Murphy's room proved to be at the extreme end of a musty corridor, in which the pungent odor of iodoform and antiseptics, noticeable even at the elevator, gave evidence of his lamentable condition. A soft knock brought an immediate response from a muscular male nurse, who was at last persuaded to allow them to interview his patient on the express condition that their call should be limited to a few moments' duration only. Inside, the smell of medicine became overpowering. McAllister could discern by the dim light a figure lying upon a bed in the far corner shrouded in bandages, and moaning with pain. Near at hand stood a table covered with liniment and bottles.