Vaniman understood.

He turned on his heel and walked out of Britt’s office.

In the street the young man met Prophet Elias, who was adventuring abroad under his big umbrella.  Vaniman was in a mood to poke ruthless facts against his aches.  “Prophet, you ought to know whether any of the folks in this town believe that I’m innocent.  Are there any?”

Elias, ever since he had flung to the cashier the sage advice about keeping his eye peeled, had used texts rarely in his infrequent talks with Vaniman.

“Oh yes, there are a few,” he said, with matter-of-fact indifference.  “But they didn’t lose money by the bank failure.”

“What do you think about me?”

The Prophet cocked his eyebrow. “’Can a man take fire into his bosom, and his clothing not be burned?’ Britt, the bank, the girl!  Three hot torches, young sir!  Very hot torches!” He walked on.  Then he turned and came back and patted Vaniman’s arm.  “You didn’t keep your eye peeled!  The young are thoughtless.  But four good old eyes will be serving you while you’re—­away!  Mine and Brother Usial’s.”

“Thank you!” said the young man, and he went on his way.  He was reflecting on that text the Prophet had enunciated.

Might it not apply as well to Tasper Britt?

CHAPTER XVIII

A PERSISTENT BELIEF

Vaniman was indicted; he was tried; he was convicted; he was sentenced to serve seven years in the state prison.  He refused to allow Squire Hexter to appeal the case.  He had no taste for further struggle against the circumstantial evidence that was reinforced by perjury.  His consciousness of protesting innocence was subjugated by the morose determination to accept the unjust punishment.

The general opinion was that he was a very refractory young man because he would not disclose the hiding place of the gold.

Even the warden of the prison had some remarks to make on that subject.  The chaplain urged Vaniman to clear his conscience and do what he could to aid the distressed inhabitants of a bankrupt town.  This conspiracy of persistent belief in his guilt put a raw edge on his mental suffering.

His only source of solace was the weekly letter from Vona.  Her fortitude seemed to be unaffected; her loyalty heartened him.  And after a time hope intervened and comforted him; although Vaniman had only a few friends on the job for him in Egypt, he reflected that Tasper Britt had plenty of enemies who would operate constantly and for the indirect benefit of Britt’s especial victim.  The young man felt that accident might disclose the truth at any time.  But every little while he went through a period of acute torture; he had a wild desire to break out of his prison, to be on the ground in Egypt, to go at the job of unmasking Britt as only a man vitally interested in the task could go at it!