Even a child could have strung these incidents into a chain of evidence which pointed toward danger.  Obviously the danger was not directly hers, but then it must be directed at some one near to her.  Her father?  No, he was more apt to be the mainspring of their action.  Lord Nick?  There was nothing to gain by attacking him.  Who was left?  Donnegan!

As the realization came upon her it took her breath away for a moment.  Donnegan was the man.  At breakfast everyone had been talking about him.  Lebrun had remarked that he had a face for the cards—­emotionless.  Joe Rix had commented upon his speed of hand, and the Pedlar had complimented the little man on his dress.

But at lunch not a word was spoken about Donnegan even after she had dexterously introduced the subject twice.  Why the sudden silence?  Between morning and noon Donnegan must have grievously offended them.

Fear for his sake stimulated her; but above and beyond this, indeed, there was a mighty feminine curiosity.  She smelled the secret; it reeked through the house, and she was devoured by eagerness to know.  She handpicked Lord Nick’s gang in the hope of finding a weakness among them; some weakness upon which she could play in one of them and draw out what they were all concealing.  The Pedlar was as unapproachable as a crag on a mountaintop.  Masters was wise as an outlaw broncho.  Lester was probably not even in the confidence of the others because since the affair with Landis his nerve had been shattered to bits and the others secretly despised him for being beaten by the youngster at the draw.  There remained, therefore, only Joe Rix.

But Joe Rix was a fox of the first quality.  He lied with the smoothness of silk.  He could show a dozen colors in as many moments.  Come to the windward of Joe Rix?  It was a delicate business!  But since there was nothing else to do, she fixed her mind upon it, working out this puzzle.  Joe Rix wished to destroy Donnegan for reasons that were evidently connected with the mines.  And she must step into his confidence to discover his plans.  How should it be done?  And there was a vital need for speed, for they might be within a step of executing whatever mischief it was that they were planning.

She went down from her room; they were there still, only Joe Rix was not with them.  She went to the apartment where he and the other three of Nick’s gang slept and rapped at the door.  He maintained his smile when he saw her, but there was an uncertain quiver of his eyebrows that told her much.  Plainly he was ill at ease.  Suspicious?  Ay, there were always clouds of suspicion drifting over the red, round face of Joe Rix.  She put a tremor of excitement and trouble in her voice.

“Come into my room, Joe, where we won’t be interrupted.”

He followed her without a word, and since she led the way she was able to relax her expression for a necessary moment.  When she closed the door behind him and faced Joe again she was once more ready to step into her part.  She did not ask him to sit down.  She remained for a moment with her hand on the knob and searched the face of Joe Rix eagerly.