"'Bout a fourth of her moths gone. Elnora must have been with the
Bird Woman and given them to her." Then he stood tense. His keen eyes
discovered the roll of bills hastily thrust back in the bottom of the
case. He snatched them up, shut off the light, relocked the case by
touch, and swiftly went down the trail. Every few seconds he paused
and listened intently. Just as he reached the road, a second figure
approached him.

"Is it you, Pete?" came the whispered question.

"Yes," said the first man.

"I was coming down to take a peep, when I saw your flash," he said. "I
heard the Bird Woman had been at the case to-day. Anything doing?"

"Not a thing," said Pete. "She just took away about a fourth of the
moths. Probably had the Comstock girl getting them for her. Heard they
were together. Likely she'll get the rest to-morrow. Ain't picking
gettin' bare these days?"

"Well, I should say so," said the second man, turning back in disgust.
"Coming home, now?"

"No, I am going down this way," answered Pete, for his eyes caught the
gleam from the window of the Comstock cabin, and he had a desire to
learn why Elnora's attic was lighted at that hour.

He slouched down the road, occasionally feeling the size of the roll he
had not taken time to count.