Virginia sank on the bed truly the picture of despair. “Oh, Megsy, what shall I do?” she said, “but first I’ll read you the message. ‘Dear sister. I find the ore to be of excellent quality; the best I do believe that has been found in these parts for many years. Pat Mahoy and I must go at once to Douglas and record the location papers. Send one of the cow-boys to stay in the hut on Second Peak until we return. Tell him that he is to report to me if he sees anyone lurking about the property. “‘Hastily, Malcolm.’” Virginia looked up woefully. “If only I had been able to read the message before I told Slim to join Rusty in the north! That is fully two hours ago and by this time he is far out of reach. However, he might have gone by the way of the Dartly Ranch, and, if he did, I am sure that Mrs. Dartly would have insisted upon his remaining there for the noon meal. I’ll call up and inquire.” Skipping to the telephone in the living-room, Virginia was soon talking with her nearest neighbor four miles away. “Slim isn’t here now,” that good woman replied. “He did stop some time ago and I asked him to stay to lunch but he said he had some business to talk over with old Mr. Dodd up at Double Cross Ranch and that he would get some frijoles there. If it’s very important Virginia, I could send my boy over to the Dodds, but it would be several hours before he could make the round trip. It’s a pity now that they haven’t a ’phone.” “No, indeed, don’t send Jack. I’ll just have to manage some way without Slim. Thank you, Mrs. Dartly.” Margaret was standing near, eagerly waiting for Virginia to finish the telephone conversation. The western girl rose with a determined expression in her eyes as she said: “Megsy, there is only one thing left to do, and I’m going to do it.” “What is it?” the eastern girl asked. “It is that I must go myself and stay in the log cabin on Second Peak until my brother returns from recording the location papers in Douglas. He will have started already, believing that I will at once obey his instructions and send one of the cow-boys to watch the property, and since it is as much to my interest as his to have it protected, I must go.” Margaret’s eyes were wide with amazement. “Why, Virginia,” she exclaimed, “do you mean that you, a mere girl, would go and stay alone all night in an old log hut on that desolate mountain?” Virginia nodded. “Well, then, I’m going with you.” Margaret’s tone sounded as determined as her friend’s. “But I couldn’t allow you to go, dear,” Virginia protested. “You aren’t used to the loneliness of the mountains as I am. I love it. Then night noises do not frighten me in the least and there is very seldom a wild animal prowling about that is not more afraid of me than I am of it.”