"I have my title deeds all right," he said. "I can show them to you if you like, but there is nothing conflicting about them, so far as I know." "You remember, sir," continued the judge, "that when I called upon you before, you were at some pains to convince me that Gerald Barker’s claim was in quite another valley to yours--a valley possessing the same strange geological features as that in which your mine is situated--although your little boy gave contrary evidence, much to your displeasure. Now, Mr. Field, I was with Barker when he staked his claim, and I have just returned from a visit to the ’Good Hope.’" "Well, what of that?" was the blunt rejoinder. "They are one and the self-same place," answered Judge Simmons gravely, casting a penetrating glance upon the man before him. "I never said they were not," snapped Mr. Field. "I only told you there were lots of cliffs of that formation about there. It was simply my boy’s rude way of contradicting that made me so angry with him." "There is no rock anywhere in the countryside similar to that which overlooks the Good Hope mine," broke in Mr. Pratt, speaking for the first time. "I find, moreover, that the land on which you, as reputed owner, pay taxes, is identical with the claim patented some ten years back by Gerald Barker. The Registrar’s books fail to record any transfer of the property. How did it happen to come into your possession?" "Barker sold it to me, if you want to know," answered Mr. Field, indignantly. "It is really intolerable to be cross-questioned in this fashion. If you were not a government official I would kick you out of the house for daring to insult me by your dastardly insinuations. You may examine the patent for yourself, if that will satisfy you, and also the transfer which Barker signed with his own hand, in which he gave up all his rights to me." "I should like to see them," was Mr. Pratt’s only reply. The millionaire hesitated for a moment and the colour fled from his cheeks, but recovering himself quickly he invited them to accompany him into the study, where he proceeded to unlock his safe and spread out some documents before them on the table. "There is no doubt that this is Barker’s patent," remarked Mr. Pratt. "Now for the transfer. I see we have here the signatures of two witnesses, Benjamin Green and Walter Long, as well as that of Gerald Barker. It is also signed by Caleb Denham, who describes himself as a Notary Public, and whose seal, according to custom, is appended here. Have you any idea where the witnesses are now?" "Benjamin Green is a rolling stone, always knocking about the world," was the reply, "and old Walter or Wattie, as he was called, is dead." Mr. Pratt glanced across at Judge Simmons. "This transfer is dated the day after that on which Barker was drowned," he said quietly. "How do you know so exactly when that took place?" questioned Mr. Field.