For a moment, Miss Gladden stood in silent admiration, watching this man whose life seemed wrapped in so much mystery, while he replied to some laughing questions of Lyle's. He was, even now, a splendid specimen of manhood, although his shoulders were slightly stooped, and silver threads gleamed here and there in the black hair and beard, making him look older than his years. He had a face of remarkable beauty also,--with fine, clear-cut features,--though browned with exposure, and bearing the lines that only the fingers of sorrow can trace. His face did not resemble Houston's in the least, but something in his manner reminded Miss Gladden of her lover, and she watched him with a sort of fascination. As she and Lyle walked homeward together, the latter asked: "What do you think now of my friend, Miss Gladden?" And Miss Gladden replied thoughtfully, "I think, my dear, that he is one of earth's heroes." CHAPTER XXI. The ten days which Houston was to spend at Silver City had expired, and his work there was completed. He had followed much the same plan as in the office at the camp, doing the work of the company by day, and pursuing his own investigations at night. Mr. Blaisdell had at first objected to his working evenings, telling him the company had no wish to make a slave of him, but upon Houston's representing that it was an absolute necessity in order to accomplish the needed work within a given time, he allowed him to have his own way. He had been able to get together much additional proof regarding the fraudulent transactions of the company, even ascertaining in what direction much of the revenue due the New York company had gone. He was present when the company received the brief but pointed letter from Mr. Winters, in which he stated that the property shown them had not been what they were looking for, and that they had found something more satisfactory in another direction. "Well, Blaisdell," said Mr. Rivers, in his quick, incisive way, "I'm not in the least surprised." "Not surprised!" echoed Mr. Blaisdell, "Why not? I confess I'm surprised and disappointed." "It's just what I expected," again chirped Mr. Rivers, "just what I told you all along." "I knew you said you were rather suspicious just in the direction where I felt the surest of them." "Just so," said Mr. Rivers, "I said all along, 'those fish won't bite worth a nickel.'" "Well," said Mr. Blaisdell, with a heavy sigh, "all we can do is to try again." "And next time, I'd advise you to have a little more bait, or else don't tackle so big a fish." It was Houston's last evening in Silver City, and he sat in the hotel lobby reading letters which had just come from his uncle and Van Dorn, under cover from the Chicago firm, as usual. Mr. Cameron was delighted to have met Van Dorn and the Englishman, and had engaged both men to remain in New York, awaiting word from Houston, when he should be ready.