ed　to　go。　　He　threatened　to　have　somebody　sued　for　false　imprisonment　but　the　police　laughed　at　him。
  〃Better　not　try　it　on；　Malone；〃　said　one　officer。　　〃Remember；　your　picture　is　in　our　Rogues'　Gallery；〃　and　then　the　rascal　was　glad　enough　to　sneak　away。　　The　next　day　he　took　a　train　to　Baltimore；　where；　after　an　hour's　hunt；　he　found　Gaff　Caven。
  〃We　made　a　fine　mess　of　things；〃　he　said；　bitterly。　　〃A　fine　mess！〃
  〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Pat？〃　asked　Caven。
  〃Do　you　remember　the　mining　stocks　we　sold　to　Maurice　Vane？〃
  〃Certainly　I　do。〃
  〃Well；　he　has　got　'em　yet。〃
  〃All　right；　he　can　keep　them。　　We　have　his　money　too；〃　and　Gaff　Caven　chuckled。
  〃I'd　rather　have　the　shares。〃
  〃Eh？〃
  〃I　said　I'd　rather　have　the　shares；　Gaff。　　We　put　our　foot　into　it　when　we　sold　'em。〃
  〃Do　you　mean　to　say　the　shares　are　valuable？〃　demanded　Gaff　Caven。
  〃That's　the　size　of　it。〃
  〃Who　told　you　this？〃
  〃Nobody　told　me；　but　I　can　put　two　and　two　together　as　quick　as　anybody。〃
  〃Well；　explain。〃
  〃I　was　in　Philadelphia　when　I　ran　into　that　hotel　boy；　Joe　Bodley。〃
  〃What　of　that？〃
  〃He　had　me　arrested。　　Then　they　sent　for　Mr。　Maurice　Vane；　and　Vane　made　me　prove　that　the　shares　were　really　ours　when　we　sold　them　to　him。　　I　thought　I'd　go　clear　if　I　could　prove　that；　so　I　went　and　did　it。　　Then　Vane　said　he　wouldn't　prosecute　me；　for　the　shares　might　be　valuable　after　all。〃
  〃But　the　mine　is　abandoned。〃
  〃Maybe　it　is　and　maybe　it　isn't。　　I　guess　Mr。　Maurice　Vane　knows　what　he　is　doing；　and　we　were　fools　to　sell　out　to　him。〃
  〃If　that　mine　is　valuable　I'm　going　to　have　it！〃　cried　Gaff　Caven。　　〃He　can　have　his　money　back！〃　and　the　rascal　who　had　overreached　himself　began　to　pace　the　floor。
  〃Maybe　he　won't　take　his　money　back。〃
  〃Then　I'll　claim　the　mine　anyway；　Patand　you　must　help　me。〃
  〃What　can　you　do？〃
  〃Go　out　to　Montana；　just　as　soon　as　the　weather　is　fit；　and　relocate　the　mine。　　If　it's　any　good　we　can　find　some　fellows　to　help　us　hold　it　somehow。　　I'm　not　going　to　let　this　slip　into　Maurice　Vane's　hands　without　a　struggle。〃
  〃Talk　is　cheap；　but　it　takes　money　to　pay　for　railroad　tickets；〃　went　on　Malone。
  〃I've　got　the　dust；　Pat。〃
  〃Enough　to　fight　Vane　off　if　he　should　come　West？〃
  〃I　think　so。　　I　met　a　rich　fellow　last　week　and　I　got　a　loan　of　four　thousand　dollars。〃
  〃Without　security？〃　and　Malone　winked　suggestively。
  〃Exactly。　　Oh；　he　was　a　rich　find；〃　answered　Gaff　Caven；　and　gave　a　short　laugh。
  〃I'm　willing　to　go　anywhere。　　I'm　tired　of　things　here。　　It's　getting　too　warm　for　comfort。〃
  〃Then　let　us　start　West　next　weekafter　I　can　finish　up　a　little　business　here。〃
  〃I　am　willing。〃
  And　so　the　two　rascals　arranged　to　do　Maurice　Vane　out　of　what　had　become　his　lawful　property。
  CHAPTER　XXIII。
  THE　FIRE　AT　THE　HOTEL。
  On　the　day　following　the　scene　at　the　police　station　Maurice　Vane　stopped　at　the　Grandon　House　to　interview　our　hero。
  〃I　must　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　have　taken　in　this　matter；　Joe；〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　not　every　lad　who　would　put　himself　out　to　such　an　extent。〃
  〃I　wanted　to　see　justice　done；　Mr。　Vane；〃　answered　our　hero；　modestly。
  〃Things　have　taken　a　sudden　change　since　I　saw　you　last　summer；〃　went　on　Maurice　Vane。　　〃Perhaps　it　will　be　as　well　if　I　tell　my　whole　story。〃
  〃I'd　like　first　rate　to　hear　it。〃
  〃After　I　got　those　shares　of　stock　I　felt　that　I　had　been　swindled；　and　I　was　very　anxious　to　get　hold　of　the　rascals。　　But　as　time　went　on　and　I　could　not　locate　them　I　resolved　to　look　into　the　deal　a　little　more　minutely　and　see　if　there　was　any　chance　of　getting　my　money；　or　a　portion　of　it；　back。〃
  〃I　should　have　done　the　same。〃
  〃I　wrote　to　a　friend　out　West　and　he　put　me　in　communication　with　a　mining　expert　who　set　to　work　to　find　out　all　about　the　mine。　　The　expert　sent　me　word；　late　in　the　fall；　that　the　mine　was；　in　his　opinion；　located　on　a　vein　of　gold　well　worth　working。〃
  〃What　did　you　do　then？〃
  〃I　wanted　to　go　West　at　once　and　look　into　the　matter　personally；　but　an　aunt　died　and　I　had　to　settle　up　her　estate　and　see　to　the　care　of　her　two　children；　and　that　held　me　back。　Then　winter　came　on；　and　I　knew　I'd　have　to　let　matters　rest　until　spring。〃
  〃Are　you　going　out　there　in　the　spring？〃
  〃Yes；as　early　as　possible；　too。〃
  〃I　hope　you　find　the　mine　a　valuable　one；　Mr。　Vane。〃
  〃I　place　great　reliance　on　what　the　mining　expert　said；　for　he　is　known　as　a　man　who　makes　no　mistakes。〃
  〃Then；　if　the　mine　proves　of　value；　you'll　have　gotten　a　cheap　piece　of　property　after　all。〃
  〃Yes；　indeed。〃
  〃Won't　those　swindlers　be　mad　when　they　hear　of　this！〃
  〃Most　likely；　my　lad；　but　they　have　nobody　to　blame　but　themselves。　　I　bought　their　shares　in　good　faith；　while　they　sold　them　in　bad　faith。〃
  〃Is　your　title　perfectly　clear　now？〃
  〃Absolutely　so。〃
  〃Then　I　hope　the　mine　proves　to　be　worth　millions。〃
  〃Thank　you；　my　boy。〃
  〃I'd　like　to　own　a　mine　like　that　myself。〃
  〃Would　you？　　Well；　perhaps　you　will　some　day。〃
  〃It's　not　likely。　　A　hotel　boy　doesn't　earn　enough　to　buy　a　mine；〃　and　our　hero　laughed。
  〃If　I　find　the　mine　worth　working　and　open　up　for　business；　how　would　you　like　to　go　out　there　and　work　for　me？〃
  〃I'd　like　it　very　much；　Mr。　Vane。〃
  〃Very　well；　I'll　bear　that　in　mind；〃　answered　the　possessor　of　the　mining　shares。
  〃Why　don't　you　buy　up　the　rest　of　the　mining　shares　first？〃
  〃I　am　going　to　do　soif　I　can　locate　them。〃
  〃Perhaps　the　owners　will　sell　cheap。〃
  〃I　shall　explain　the　situation　and　make　a　fair　offer。　　I　do　not　believe　in　any　underhand　work；〃　was　the　ready　answer。
  〃Then　you　are　not　like　some　men　I　have　met；〃　said　Joe；　and　told　about　Ulmer　Montgomery　and　his　so…called　antiquities。
  〃That　man　will　never　amount　to　anything；　Joemark　my　words。　　He　will　always　be　a　hanger…on　as　we　call　them；　in　the　business　world。〃
  〃I　believe　you；　sir。〃
  〃Honesty　pays　in　the　long　run。　　A　rogue　may　make　something　at　the　start　but　sooner　or　later　he　will　find　himself　exposed。〃
  Maurice　Vane　remained　at　the　hotel　for　a　week　and　then　left　to　go　to　Chicago　on　business。　From　that　point　he　was　going　to　Montana　as　soon　as　the　weather　permitted。
  After　that　several　weeks　slipped　by　without　anything　unusual　happening。　　During　those　days　Joe　fell　in　again　with　Felix　Gussing。
  〃We　are　going　to　move　to　Riverside；〃　said　the　dude；　if　such　he　may　still　be　called；　although　he　was　a　good　business　man。　　〃I　have　rented　a　house　therethe　old　Martin　placeand　if　you　ever　come　to　the　town　you　must　visit　us。〃
  〃Thank　you；　I　will；〃　answered　our　hero。
  〃My　wife　thinks　a　great　deal　of　you　and　you　must　stop　at　the　house　during　your　stay　at　Riverside；〃　went　on　Felix　Gussing。
  A　change　came　for　Joe　much　quicker　than　was　anticipated。　　One　night；　late　in　the　winter；　he　was　just　preparing　to　retire；　when　he　smelt　smoke。　　He　ran　out　of　his　room　and　to　an　air　shaft　and　saw　the　smoke　coming　up　thickly。
  〃The　hotel　must　be　on　fire！〃　he　thought。　〃If　it　is；　I'll　have　to　notify　the　management！〃
  He　jumped　rather　than　ran　down　the　several　stairways　to　the　hotel　office。　　Here　he　told　the　proprietor　and　the　cashier。　　An　examination　was　made　and　the　fire　was　located　in　the　laundry。
  〃Go　and　awaken　all　the　guests；〃　said　Mr。　Drew；　and　Joe　ran　off　to　do　as　bidden。　　Other　boys　did　the　same；　and　before　long　the　guests　were　hurrying　through　the　hallways　and　down　the　elevators　and　stairs。
  By　this　time　the　smoke　was　coming　thickly；　and　presently　a　sheet　of　flame　burst　through　at　the　rear　of　the　hotel。　　The　fire　alarm　had　been　given　and　several　engines　and　a　hook…and…ladder　company　dashed　on　the　scene。
  〃Are　your　guests　all　out？〃　demanded　a　police　officer。
  〃I　believe　so；〃　answered　Mr。　Drew。
  〃I'm　going　to　take　a　look　around；〃　said　Joe；　and　darted　upstairs　once　more。
  He　visited　room　after　room；　only　to　find　them　empty。　　From　the　rear　of　the　hotel　came　the　crackling　of　flames　and　down　in　the　street　the　fire　engines　were　pounding　away；　sending　their　streams　of　water　into　the　structure。
  On　the　third　floor　of　the　building　our　hero　came　across　an　old　lady　who　was　rather　queer　in　her　mind。　　The　lady　was　also　lame　and　walked　with　great　difficulty。
  〃Oh；　Joseph！　what　is　the　trouble？〃　she　cried。
  〃The　hotel　is　on　fire；　Mrs。　Dalley。　　Come；　let　me　help　you　out。〃
  〃On　fire！　Oh；　I　must　save　my　canary！〃　And　the　old　lady　started　back　for　her　room。
  〃You　haven't　got　time；　Mrs。　Dalley。　　Come　with　me。〃
  〃I　cannot　let　my　dear　Dick　perish！〃　answered　the　old　lady；　firmly。
  Joe　looked　along　the　hall　and　saw　that　the　flames　were　moving　swiftly　toward　the　room　the　old　lady　had　occupied。　　To　enter　the　apartment　would　be　highly　dangerous。
  〃You　simply　can't　go　after　the　bird；　madam；〃　he　said。　　〃Come　with　me！〃
  〃My　bird！　my　bird！〃　screamed　Mrs。　Dalley；　and　tried　to　run；　or　rather　hobble；　towards　her　room；　despite　the　smoke　that　was　now　rolling　over　her　head。
  〃You　must　come　with　me！〃　exclaimed　Joe；　and　drew　her　back。　　She　tried　to　struggle　and　then；　without　warning；　fainted　in　his　arms。
  The　burden　was　a　heavy　one；　but　our　hero　did　not　shirk　the　task　before　him。　　He　half　dragged　and　half　carried　the　unconscious　lady　to　the　nearest　staircase　and　almost　fell　to　the　bottom。
  The　smoke　on　the　se