Weston, too, looked, and as he did so his face underwent a marvellous transformation.  He tried to control himself, but in vain.  Rising suddenly to his feet, he paced rapidly up and down the room.  Once he stopped and fixed his eyes upon the picture.  At length he turned toward his visitor.

“It is true.  It is true,” he declared, almost fiercely.  “To your other reasons I could make some defence, but not to this.  I would not dare to do anything wrong for my dear dead wife’s sake.  Her memory is most precious.  Young man, you have hit me hard.”

He paused and looked again at the picture.  Then he sank down upon his chair, and buried his face in his hands.

Reynolds rose and was about to leave the room, when Weston lifted his head.

“Don’t go yet,” he ordered, endeavoring to control himself.  “I am somewhat unnerved this morning.  There is something more I wish to say to you.  It is years since I have talked to anyone as I have to you.  Sit down and tell me what you are going to do.”

“That remains with you, sir,” Reynolds replied, as he resumed his seat.

“With me!  It remains with me!  I do not understand.”

“Am I not your prisoner, sir?  It is not what I am going to do, but what you are going to do to me.”

“Ah, yes, quite true,” and Weston was silent for a few seconds.  “But suppose you are given your freedom, what then?” he asked.

“I should go at once in search of my old friend, Frontier Samson,” was the decided reply.  “He must be greatly concerned about my disappearance, and no doubt he is still seeking for me out in the hills.”

“And should you find him——?”

“We would at once visit the gold mine I discovered when I was lost.”

“What! did you discover gold?  Where?”

“On that last ridge before I reached the river,” Reynolds explained.  “I took shelter in a cave from a furious storm, and there found more gold than I ever expected to see in my whole life.  The walls of the cave are full of it, and it seems to be of the best quality.”

“Do you think you can find the place again?” Weston asked.

“I believe so,” and Reynolds briefly described the situation.

“I know it!  I know it!” Weston exclaimed.  “It is the highest peak on that ridge between here and the Tasan.  The side this way is very steep and rocky, is it not?”

“Yes, and the summit is bare.  It was there I had a desperate fight with an eagle, killed it, and carried off its eggs, which saved my life.  From the high point I caught the first glimpse of the river.”

“And suppose you find the gold, what then?” Weston asked.

“Oh, I shall take my share of it, of course.”

“And after that?”

“I am not altogether sure.  But there is one thing I should do before undertaking anything else.  In fact, I am almost pledged to it.  Harmon will never forgive me if I don’t.”