o longer audible.

Mascola had killed her father and Richard Gregory. His son had gone to
bring the Italian to justice. But what could five men do on the island
against the hordes of Bandrist and Mascola? Who were the mysterious
strangers who had accompanied them from Legonia? The questions crowded
close upon one another as they raced through her brain. Then her mind
surrendered to a single thought,--a thought which warmed her heart and
took possession of her being.

"You'll know now that I love you."

She whispered the words softly through lips which were still warm with
the memory of Gregory's kiss. Hope surged into her heart. God was good.
Breathing a prayer for the safety of the man she loved, she caught up
her rifle and sat down to wait.

* * * * *

The men from the launch landed silently on the beach and hid the skiff
among the rocks. Then they followed the Mexican up the trail. Crawling
through the brush, they halted at length at their guide's direction.

"From the top of the hill," he whispered, "the devil speaks."

Billings caught the Mexican by the arm.

"Come," he said. "Lead the way and the devil will speak no longer."

When the sheep-herder's shack loomed across their path, Slade commanded
a halt. Then he gave orders to surround the building. As the men drew
near the cabin the door opened suddenly and a man stepped out. Before he
could close the door, Slade and Hawkins were upon him. Gregory and
Billings darted for the open doorway as the light disappeared from
within. From the fog-shrouded cabin came the sound of muffled blows, the
quick breathing of men, the rasp of feet upon the creaking floor. A
choking cry died away into silence. Silence broken after a moment by a
sharp click. Then another. Slade relighted the lamp and turned to
examine the two white-faced men who lay handcuffed on the floor.

"Look like 'snowbirds,'" he said. "The two of them haven't the strength
of one healthy cat."

Passing the men over to Billings with instructions to search them, he
walked to the radio switch-board and examined it carefully.

"They've got a regular set just the same," he said half-admiringly.
"They could reach Encinitas with this one all right."

Seating himself on a stool by the board he placed his hand on the key.

"I'm going to try to get the _Bennington_," he said.

Billings nodded. "She ought to be close along shore by now," he
answered. "If they left when they