He did what he could. He raised his feeble voice, calling, shrilly: "Help! help!"
There seemed little chance of his cry being heard, but it is sometimes the unexpected that happens. When Gerald was very near the point of strangulation help came. The door flew open and two roughly dressed miners entered.
"What's up? What's all this?" exclaimed the two miners as they stepped into the room.
A glance about the cabin told the story.
"I declare if it isn't the chap that was down to Loche's," said one of the men.
"He's been robbing me," feebly whimpered the old man. "He's stolen my gold."
The faces of the two men became stern. In a mining settlement robbing is a capital crime, and a thief has but a short shrift and a speedy passage to another world.
When the two men entered, Ralph Nixon in alarm let go his hold on Gerald and rose to his feet. He saw that the tables were turned and that he was in danger.
"What were you doing with that boy?" demanded one of the miners.
"He struck me on the head, and I was teaching him a lesson."