“Listen!” Warner shouted to him. “There must have been a rock slide. Help us get out of here!”
“And why should I do that?” the motel owner asked in the same mocking tone. “You won’t make any trouble where you are now!”
“Have you lost your senses?” Warner stormed.
“Quite the contrary,” Walz rejoined, plainly enjoying his triumph. “You’ve both been a pain in my neck ever since I set eyes on you. Now you get what you deserve.”
“What’s the idea blocking the exit?” Warner demanded. “What’s your game?”
“My game? Only a little device to gain time. It was your bad luck that you stumbled onto the vein.”
“The vein—” Warner started to explode, then held his tongue.
“Oh, I saw you sneak into the mine after the old man went away,” Walz rattled on.
“You’ve been down here yourself?”
“I have,” the motel owner admitted. His voice carried plainly to the pair below, for he was close to the opening between the rocks. “I found the gold ore, and I have samples now in my pack.”