“That’s so,” chuckled Joe. “They’ve found something all right. I reckon Steve and Andy can’t be fooled when it comes to ‘color.’ They certainly have made a ten-strike. Steve shouted down to me that the slip had uncovered the mother lode. Of course, they are claiming everything in sight. Got their claims staked out, and if it’s really a sure-enough find I expect there will be a small stampede to that side of the canyon. There’s gold all through those cliffs. This is a gold country. Some day they’ll find out how to work the Topaz Desert as a paying proposition. The wash from these headlands and the canyon sides has been carried out into the desert by the Runaway for a couple of million years—more or less.” “Anyway,” said Nell, her eyes sparkling, “the old-timers are going to be rich at last? How fine!” “It may only be a pocket—or a broken lead. But I wish ’em both millionaires. Me, I’ll stick to the Great Hope a while longer.” He looked at Betty. “I am a great feller for sticking to a thing.” Betty blushed and looked away. Hunt said thoughtfully: “If the slide has only caused Siebert and McCann to be friends again, it has brought about something good—something very good indeed.” “Well, you talk to Judson about that. His stock is pretty near ruined. And see Tolley. He’s almost weeping. And Colorado Brown. To say nothing of Cholo Sam, who has lost his hotel.” The girls again looked at each other. There was the same thought in their minds. What had become of Dick Beckworth if the hotel had collapsed? Of course there had been plenty of time for him to have escaped from the building before it went down. None of the structures had fallen much before daybreak. Yet thought of him continued to trouble the girls. Joe Hurley got Betty off to one side. There was no work being done at any of the mines, so the owner of the Great Hope had nothing to do at this hour. Having been at work all night it might be supposed that he would need sleep; but when he looked on Betty Hunt his gaze was anything but somnolent. “There’s a whole lot been happening in a few short hours, Betty,” he said to the parson’s sister. “It come on us so quick and it happened so fast that it put out of my head for the time being something I had to say to you.” “Something—Nothing you shouldn’t say, Joe?” she stammered, looking at him with pleading eyes. “I get you, Betty,” said the mining man. “I get you—sure. You are warning me off the grass. I don’t blame you. You think I am kind of dense, I expect——” “Oh, never that, Joe,” she murmured. “You are kind and thoughtful only.” “I hope you will believe so,” said Joe bluntly, “when I tell you I know what your trouble is—and I know there ain’t no chance for me now. But I am going to be your friend just as you said I could.” “Oh! Joe, do you know?” “I got wind of a story Dick Beckworth’s been telling—about your being already married. It’s so, isn’t it?” Betty, her face working pitifully, nodded.