"Don't say that, mamma, for my sake," exclaimed Tommy. She pressed her lips to his face and kissed him tenderly. "They call you the fool of the family," she replied. "But to me you were always bright and amiable." This conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Thompson, who held some papers in his hand, which he was examining with apparent interest. Suddenly he uttered a loud cry of rage. "A thousand curses!" he exclaimed. "This is bad luck!" "What is?" inquired his wife. "If we had only known who this fellow was he would not have got off so easily." "And who is he?" "Who? The famous detective Berghausen, and here in my hand is a warrant for the arrest of Smithers for robbing his employers in New York." Thompson bit his lips and frowned darkly, as if his mind was ill at ease. "I ought to kill Berghausen," he said, as if talking to himself. "It is the only way to play a safe game, but if I ride after him I may miss the silver, and not have a chance of such a stake again." Setting his broad-brimmed hat jauntily on one side of his head, he quitted the cavern. Tommy looked anxiously at his mother. "It is my opinion," he exclaimed, "that you would be better without either, of such men as Thompson or Smithers." "Remember, Tommy, that he is your father." "I know it, and cannot help feeling sorry for it. He is a bold, bad man, and although he says he will lead a good life in future, I am sure he'll never be anything but a thief, and a low one at that." The unhappy woman shook her head sadly. "I fear," she said, "that there is no rest for me this side of the grave. I must fulfill my destiny." Covering her face with her hands she wept bitterly. Tommy went outside and walked up and down in deep thought, for he was in the midst of plenty now, which seemed to make a man of him. He felt restless and excited. Coming events cast their shadows before, and he had that remarkable silent admonition that something of great importance was about to happen. He was roused from his meditation by his mother's voice. "Tommy!" she cried. "Well, mamma?" he replied. "Have you seen Alice?" "No." "She is not in the cave, and I notice that her hat and little cloak are missing. Where can she have gone?" Tommy reflected a moment. "I think I know, mamma," he said. "If you can guess, you are smarter than I am," she replied. "I remarked," continued Tommy, "that she listened with peculiar attention when she heard a man had gone to Silver City to arrest Mr. Smithers. He is her father, and she always had a great affection for him." "I am aware of that." "Then it is my opinion that she has gone to Silver City in order to put Mr. Smithers on his guard, and enable him to flee from the officers of justice." "It is possible, but what danger may she not encounter on the way! If she gets benighted the wolves will kill her. Poor child, she is unarmed, and I should break my heart if anything happened to her."