“But—but how was it taken?” gulped McGowan.
The scout took from under his coat two sets of copper wires. From each set of wires dangled flat pieces of copper.
“You see these contrivances?” the scout asked, striking a match to afford McGowan a better view of the wires and the dangling pieces of copper. “Bernritter strung those in the battery-boxes, and the copper pieces captured all your best gold before it ever reached the mill-plates. At the proper time the wires were removed from the boxes, replaced with others, and the amalgam cleaned from the copper pieces at Bernritter’s leisure, or at Jacobs’. The stolen amalgam was then conveyed to that old shaft and stored away until it could be marketed. I found those wires,” the scout added, “under the pile of amalgam balls, in the deserted shaft.”
McGowan was thunderstruck at the case made out by Buffalo Bill. Then, as he realized how audaciously he had been robbed, his anger began to mount.
“By thunder,” he cried, smiting his hands fiercely together, “I’ll have the scalps of the men who did this, no matter who they are! Buffalo Bill, you have done great work! In one night you have unraveled a mystery that has bothered the life out of me for two weeks. I’ll remember you for this.”
“You’ll have to thank my two pards, Nick Nomad and Little Cayuse,” said the scout, “for what has been accomplished. They have done the bulk of the work so far. But,” he broke off abruptly, pointing to the glimmer of dawn in the east, “morning is coming, and Nomad, the baron, and I must get into that powder-house. Cayuse,” and the scout turned to the boy, “you will take charge of the horses. We can’t take them into the camp, for Bernritter or Jacobs would see them, and suspect something. Keep them out here in the hills. We’ll help you carry the amalgam to the camp, McGowan,” he finished, facing the mine-owner, “and when you get it there, see that you stow it away where Bernritter won’t see it.”
The amalgam was put back into the war-bags. The scout took one sack of rations from his horse, told Cayuse to use the other sack for himself, and then the scout, Nomad, and the baron climbed the hill with McGowan and descended into the still quiet camp.
Buffalo Bill’s plans had been cleverly laid. If nothing went wrong with them, there would be hot times at the Three-ply during the day to come.