“Well,” said Foster thoughtfully, “I don’t see why the other fellow brought him provisions he didn’t need.”

“Maybe something happened since he brought the basket,” Pete suggested.

Foster pondered.  It was possible that something had happened at the hotel after Telford’s visit that had altered the accomplices’ plans, or made it easier for Daly to get away; but, if this were so, Telford must have gone back to the mine.  He might have done so, but Foster thought Daly had perhaps not taken his confederate altogether into his confidence and had changed his plans without warning him.  Foster could not tell what chance the fellow had of stealing away, but as he had left the basket and only taken some biscuits, it looked as if he did not expect to go very far on foot.

“We’ll get out and try to find which way he’s gone,” he said.

It was a relief to reach the open air, and they carefully studied the sloppy snow.  Foster knew something about tracking elk and moose, and Pete had a poacher’s skill, but the rapid thaw had blurred the footprints they found.  On the whole, however, Pete imagined that Telford had returned to the mine since his visit on the previous evening.

Then they searched about the foot of the rocks and presently found marks that showed where somebody had climbed.  Getting up, they followed the marks to a beaten trail that ran along the hillside from the town to a neighboring mine.  There was nothing to be learned here and Foster went back dejectedly to the hotel.  Dinner was being served when he arrived, but he did not see Walters and felt annoyed when Telford stopped him as he was coming out.

“I haven’t seen you since last night and thought we might have had a game,” he said.  “Where have you been all morning?”

“I didn’t come here to play pool,” Foster replied.  “There was something I had to see about.”

“Then I hope you found business pretty good,” Telford remarked with a quiet smile that Foster found disturbing.

He thought the fellow would see him if he went to the clerk’s office, and beckoning the bell-boy into a passage gave him a coin.

“Do you know if the lame gentleman with the dark hair is out?” he asked,

“He’s certainly out.  Left on the Montreal express this morning.”

“You’re quite sure of that?”

“Yep,” said the lad.  “I put his baggage in the transfer wagon for the depot.”

Foster went to the rotunda and sat down to smoke.  He felt savage, for there was no doubt that he had muddled things.  Daly had again escaped him, but he thought he saw what Walters’ visit meant.  Three of the gang had met to make some plot, which might threaten Lawrence, whom they no doubt thought dangerous.  It was ominous that Walters had gone east.  Daly was obviously afraid of arrest, but the others seemed to think themselves safe and Telford was stopping at the hotel, although it looked as if he were being watched.  Foster wondered whether the fellow suspected this.