There was silence for a time. Mrs. von Minden, eyes still closed, seemed to be concentrating. Suddenly Charley leaned forward to say a little huskily, "But why are you going back to him, Mrs. von Minden?"
"I have a message for him from the Yogis."
"I know him pretty well," Charley went on, carefully, "and he's been very kind to me. But he's never mentioned you. He's quick and queer, he's been alone so much, and very quick with his gun."
"He won't touch me," answered Mrs. von Minden. "He's afraid of me, the German bully."
"Tut, madam, tut!" exclaimed Gustav. "Germans no more mistreat their vomen than other peoples."
Madam opened her eyes. "Tell that to some one who hasn't been married to one."
"There are brutes in all nations," said Ernest. "You certainly have had more than your share of trouble."
"Hah!" the gaunt face in the rocking chair was scornful, "I merely told you my ranching experience. I've mined with Otto, too, and prospected and herded sheep and cattle and run a boarding house."
"Mrs. von Minden, you can't be very comfortable in this rough camp," pleaded Charley. "Do come up to my comfortable house. I'd love to have a woman visitor."
"You're very kind, my child, but I must stay here. I've been so ordered."
"We'd better be starting back, Charley," suggested Dick. "Felicia is getting sounder asleep every minute."
And so the party ended.
The erection of the engine house went on briskly. Before even Roger's impatience could have demanded it, the sheet iron roof was on and Schmidt began to putter with the doors and windows. The completed building was not unpicturesque. The dull yellow-gray walls were topped by a roof of red corrugated iron, with deeply projecting eaves.
Roger had bought the sheet iron from Dick, who had used considerable of this material in the buildings round his turquoise mine. Ernest and Gustav toiled up to the mine one morning and at night returned with a good supply of the sheet iron. Roger made a concrete base for the engine, at one end of the building. Gustav made two doors, one for either end, by nailing the corrugated iron onto a wooden frame. A work bench and shelves erected by Ernest completed the work on the engine house except for the hanging of the doors.
The three workmen were pleased with their job and sat contemplating it in great contentment, one evening after supper.
"The engine should be here next month," said Roger.
"That is to be of your design?" asked Gustav.
Roger nodded. "The Dean of our old college is getting it made for us. He began work on it as soon as we closed the deal with Austin. If he doesn't hustle we'll be ready for it before he is. We'll begin work on the absorber, to-morrow."