Ysleta lived on sensations, and it was a dainty morsel, when the news of Elijah's connection with Mellin became known. Yet it had no malice toward Elijah, it simply welcomed him as one of themselves and this was what cut. He could no longer conceal from himself that he had fallen. The news of course reached Uncle Sid and Winston. Winston was shocked, yet after the first effects had passed away, he recognized the fact, that after all, he was not surprised. Absorbed in his field duties, he had put from him for the time his feeling that Elijah was not wholly to be trusted, that for all his vaunted beliefs, he yet lacked the subtle sense of honor that would keep him true to himself and to his fellows. Winston did not know, nor did Uncle Sid, of the darker stain that was on Elijah's soul. "Perhaps it ain't as bad as it looks," the old seaman remarked when he had broken the news to Winston. "Perhaps not," Winston replied, "but I have been in pretty close touch with Elijah since he has been in California, and I know he's sailed close to the wind, mighty close," he added decisively. Uncle Sid looked thoughtful. "Where'd he get money to start with?" Winston waited a long time before replying. He was turning over in his mind the best thing to be done. He felt that he could trust the old man. "You remember the Pacific failure?" "I reckon I do, young man. I have cause to. I lost fifteen dollars and sixty-five cents in that failure." Winston smiled at Uncle Sid's earnestness. "The Las Cruces lost more than that. An even fifty thousand. At least our books show that." Uncle Sid started. He looked at Winston with wide-open eyes, every line of his wrinkled face drawn tense. "I declare, Ralph, if I ever thought the Lord would lead 'Lige quite so far as that!" "I guess, Uncle Sid, that you and I think alike about the Almighty's share in this transaction. If this isn't the devil's work, I don't know the gentleman." Uncle Sid made no immediate reply. A little later they entered the Las Cruces office. Helen looked up as the door opened. A frank cordial smile illumined her face as she recognized her callers. "Hello, Ralph! It's about time you came in. If you'd waited much longer, I'd have asked for a letter of introduction." She turned to Uncle Sid with the same cordial smile. "Well Captain, I see you aren't dry-docked yet." "No. My seams ain't started yet. What water there is in these parts is just as wet as any." "Oh we've got plenty of water here and we're going to have more."