“They worship Lord Nick partly because he is a genius of crime and partly because he understands how to guide them so that they may rob and even kill with impunity.  His peculiarity is his ability to keep within the bounds of the law.  If he commits a robbery he always first establishes marvelous alibis and throws the blame toward someone else; if it is the case of a killing, it is always the other man who is the aggressor.  He has been before a jury half a dozen times, but the devil knows the law and pleads his own case with a tongue that twists the hearts out of the stupid jurors.  You see?  No common man.  And this is the leader of the group of which Lester is one of the most debased members.  He had no sooner been shot than Lord Nick himself appeared.  He had his followers with him.  He saw Jack Landis, threatened him with death, and made Jack swear that he would hand over half of the profits of the mines to the gang—­of which, I suppose, Lester gets his due proportion.  At the same time, Lord Nick attempted to persuade Jack that I, his adopted father, you might say, was really in the wrong, and that I had stolen the claims from this wretched Lester!”

He waved this disgusting accusation into a mist and laughed with hateful softness.

“The result is this:  Jack Landis draws a vast revenue from the mines.  Half of it he turns over to Lord Nick, and Lord Nick in return gives him absolute freedom and backing in the camp, where he is, and probably will continue the dominant factor.  As for the other half, Landis spends it on this woman with whom he has become infatuated.  And not a penny comes through to me!”

Colonel Macon leaned back in his chair and his eyes became fixed upon a great distance.  He smiled, and the blood turned cold in the veins of Donnegan.

“Of course this adventuress, this Nelly Lebrun, plays hand in glove with Lord Nick and his troupe; unquestionably she shares her spoils, so that nine-tenths of the revenue from the mines is really flowing back through the hands of Lord Nick and Jack Landis has become a silly figurehead.  He struts about the streets of The Corner as a great mine owner, and with the power of Lord Nick behind him, not one of the people of the gambling houses and dance halls dares cross him.  So that Jack has come to consider himself a great man.  Is it clear?”

Donnegan had not yet drawn his gaze entirely back from the distance.

“This is the possible solution,” went on the colonel.  “Jack Landis must be drawn away from the influence of this Nelly Lebrun.  He must be brought back to us and shown his folly both as regards the adventuress and Lord Nick; for so long as Nelly has a hold on him, just so long Lord Nick will have his hand in Jack’s pocket.  You see how beautifully their plans and their work dovetail?  How, therefore, am I to draw him from Nelly?  There is only one way:  send my daughter to the camp—­send Lou to The Corner and let one glimpse of her beauty turn the shabby prettiness of this woman to a shadow!  Lou is my last hope!”