"Yes, a few times," replied the old gentleman, while the mining expert, an Englishman, with large blue eyes, full face and blond mustache, smiled quietly at Van Dorn and Houston, who were seated near each other; "I've been west once or twice a year for the last ten years." "Indeed!" said Mr. Rivers, with considerable surprise, while the younger Mr. Winters said with a laugh, "Oh, you couldn't keep father at home in New York, any more than you could one of these Indians out here; he's got to be roaming around all over the country continually. If he didn't drag me about with him everywhere, I wouldn't object." "You have been out in this country often, I suppose," said Mr. Blaisdell, addressing the expert, who replied coolly, with a very slight accent: "No, sir; I simply come out 'ere once in a w'ile, you know, just as an accommodation to Mr. Winters." "You live in New York, I suppose?" "No, sir; my 'ome is in London," he replied, with an air that seemed to indicate he did not care for any further conversation. "Blaisdell," said Mr. Rivers, "I thought you said something some time ago, about dinner; if the ride in the mountain air has given the rest of these gentlemen such an appetite as it has me, we would like to see that dinner materialize before very long." On the way to the boarding house, Van Dorn managed to walk with Houston, and exclaimed in a low tone: "Good heavens, Everard, what does this mean? What are you masquerading around in this style for?" "Don't ask me to explain now, there are too many around; after dinner we will go down by ourselves, and I'll tell you the whole story. I may want a little advice from you, as you're a mining expert yourself." "Don't let any of these people out here know that," Van Dorn answered quickly; "Mr. Winters has introduced me as an inventor of some mining machinery that they use, just out here looking around for the pleasure of it; you know I did invent an amalgamator that is being used to some extent; but I'm not supposed to know anything about practical mining." Houston laughed; "How about the Englishman?" he asked. "He's no fool," said Van Dorn quickly, "though he is playing verdant; only comes out here to accommodate Mr. Winters, and so forth; that's all right, but he accommodates Mr. Winters pretty often. He's a fine expert and understands his business thoroughly, only I happen to be a little more familiar with the ores in this locality, as I spent a good many months out here in the mountains two years ago, experting mines; not in this camp of course, but only a few miles from here. Mr. Winters himself is sharp, and with Lindlay and myself out here, he's not going to be very badly taken in." "Good!" said Houston, "and now there is one thing more before we get to the house. You remember Morton Rutherford?" "Mort Rutherford, of old college days? well, I should say so; what about him?" "His brother is stopping here, you will see him at dinner."