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Theof the ore Verinder ca keep to himself the cause of his exultation Kil trip, and none of the ladies except Moya was yet up He was especially eager to tell his news to her, because she had always been such an open defender of the highgrader She gave hi very promptly, for she was anxious to knohat had occurred

"Has some distant connection passed away and left you a fortune, Mr Verinder? Or have you old ood guesser, Miss Dwight I found a gold ht Wonder if you could think where"

Her heart beat faster "You're so pleased about it I fancy the quartz must have been sacked up for you ready for the smelter," she said carelessly

Verinder flashed a quick look at her "Eh, what? How's that?"

Moya opened her lips to confess what she had done, but the arrival of a waiter delayed this Before he had left, Lady Farquhar entered and the girl's chance was teht that we've found another gold mine, Lady Farquhar--and of all places in the world located in the bed of a wagon"

"In the bed of a wagon! How could that be?"

"Fact, 'pon rade ore too, we fancy; but we'll know more about that e hear from the assayer"

The matron intercepted the look of triu toward Miss Dwight She did not understand what he was talking about, but she saw that Moya did

"If you'd tell us just what happened we'd be able to congratulate youher anxiety

"Jove, I wish I could--like to tell you the whole story We pulled off a ripping surprise on one of your friends But--the deuce of it is I'ao at this, that the fellow had to s a big dose of his own medicine"

Moya pushed one more question hos and his pocketbook But I fancy one highgrader has learned that Dobyans Verinder knows his way about a bit, you know"

The subject filled Moya's thoughts all day Had Kil? Or had his opponents proved too shrewd for him? From what Verinder had told her she surmised that Jack had tried to reach the railroad with his ore and been intercepted But why had he not changed his plans after her talk with him? Surely he was not the kind of man to walk like a lamb into a trap baited for him