“Wal, there ain’t no good tryin’ to guess. We’ll know what we know when Natachee and Hugh comes back with her—But, say, Doc——“
The old prospector hesitated, and his gaze roamed about the room.
Saint Jimmy swallowed a lump in his throat.
“What, Thad?”
“Where—why—“ the gnarled fingers plucked at the bedding nervously, and the faded blue eyes at last met the eyes of the younger man with such pathetic fear that Saint Jimmy’s eyes filled.
“Why ain’t my Pardner Bob here? Where is he? He didn’t go with the Injun an’ the boy?”
“No, Thad, Bob did not go with Hugh and Natachee.”
The old prospector put out his trembling hand as if to cling to Saint Jimmy, and Doctor Burton caught it in both his own.
“They—they didn’t get my pardner—Bob ain’t cashed in?”
Saint Jimmy bowed his head.