Probably there was no one at the hotel who suspected Louis Wheeler of being a thief except Rodney and Mr. Pettigrew.
His action in starting a contribution for John O'Donnell helped to make him popular. He was establishing a reputation quite new to him, and it was this fact probably that made him less prudent than he would otherwise have been.
As the loss had been made up, the boarders at the Miners' Rest ceased to talk of it. But Jefferson and his young assistant did not forget it.
"I am sure Wheeler is the thief, but I don't know how to bring it home to him," said Jefferson one day, when alone with Rodney.
"You might search him."
"Yes, but what good would that do? It might be found that he had money, but one gold coin is like another and it would be impossible to identify it as the stolen property. If O'Donnell had lost anything else except money it would be different.
I wish he would come to my chamber."
"Perhaps he would if he thought you were a sound sleeper.""That is an idea. I think I can make use of it.".
That evening when Wheeler was present Mr. Pettigrew managed to turn the conversation to the subject of sleeping.
"I am a very sound sleeper," he said. "I remember when I was at home sleeping many a time through a severe thunder storm.""Don't you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night?"asked Rodney.
"Very seldom, if I am in good health."
"Its different with me," said another of the company. "A step on the floor or the opening of the door will wake me up at any time.""I am glad I am not so easily roused.""If I had a fish horn," said Rodney, laughing, "I should be tempted to come up in the night and give it a blast before your door.""That might wake me up," said Mr. Pettigrew. "I wouldn't advise you to try it or the other boarders might get up an indignation meeting."The same evening Jefferson Pettigrew took out a bag of gold and carelessly displayed it.
"Are you not afraid of being robbed, Mr. Pettigrew?" asked Rodney.
"Oh no. I never was robbed in my life."
"How much money have you there?"
"I don't know exactly. Perhaps six hundred dollars," said Pettigrew in an indifferent tone.
Among those who listened to this conversation with interest was Louis Wheeler. Rodney did not fail to see the covetous gleam of his eyes when the gold was displayed.
The fact was, that Wheeler was getting short of cash and at the time he took John O'Donnell's money--for he was the thief--he had but about twenty dollars left, and of this he contributed five to the relief of the man he had robbed.
His theft realized him two hundred dollars, but this would not last him long, as the expenses of living at the Miners' Rest were considerable. He was getting tired of Oreville, but wanted to secure some additional money before he left it. The problem was whom to make his second victim.
It would not have occurred to him to rob Jefferson Pettigrew, of whom he stood in wholesome fear, but for the admission that he was an unusually sound sleeper; even then he would have felt uncertain whether it would pay. But the display of the bag of money, and the statement that it contained six hundred dollars in gold proved a tempting bait.
"If I can capture that bag of gold," thought Wheeler, "I shall have enough money to set me up in some new place. There won't be much risk about it, for Pettigrew sleeps like a top. I will venture it."Jefferson Pettigrew's chamber was on the same floor as his own.
It was the third room from No. 17 which Mr. Wheeler occupied.
As a general thing the occupants of the Miners' Rest went to bed early. Mining is a fatiguing business, and those who follow it have little difficulty in dropping off to sleep. The only persons who were not engaged in this business were Louis Wheeler and Rodney Ropes. As a rule the hotel was closed at half past ten and before this all were in bed and sleeping soundly.
When Wheeler went to bed he said to himself, "This will probably be my last night in this tavern. I will go from here to Helena, and if things turn out right I may be able to make my stay there profitable. I shan't dare to stay here long after relieving Pettigrew of his bag of gold."Unlike Jefferson Pettigrew, Wheeler was a light sleeper. He had done nothing to induce fatigue, and had no difficulty in keeping awake till half past eleven. Then lighting a candle, he examined his watch, and ascertained the time.
"It will be safe enough now," he said to himself.
