gainst the green wall-shingles of the piazza. It seemed that it
needed this glance to steady her nerves. Edgerton was forgotten. She
reached out her hand. And then, perplexed at the necklace being
suddenly withdrawn, she looked up. She caught a glimpse of Gledware's
face, and her blood turned cold.

That face was frozen in horror. At the turning of the boatman's head,
he had instantly recognized under the huge-brimmed hat, the face of his
enemy as if brought back from the grave.

There was a moment's tense silence, filled with mystery for her, with
indescribable agony for him, with simple waiting for the Indian.
Annabel turned to discover the cause of Gledware's terror, but she saw
no malice, no threat, in the boatman's eyes.

Gledware ceased breathing, then his form quivered with a sudden inrush
of breath as of a man emerging from diving. His eyes rolled in his
head as he turned about scanning the shore, glaring at Edgerton's
distant boat. Why had he come unarmed? How could he have put faith in
Red Kimball's assurances? He tortured his brain for some gleam of hope.

"This is all I have," he shrieked, as if the Indian's foot was already
upon his neck. "This is all I have." He flung the necklace into the
water. "It was a lie about the California ranch--it's a lie about all
my property--I've got nothing, Annabel! I sold the last bit to get you
the necklace, but I shouldn't have done that. Now it's gone. I have
nothing!"

The Indian rose slowly. The oars slipped down and floated away in the
flashing stream of the sun's rays.

Annabel, realizing that the Indian, despite his impassive countenance,
threatened some horrible catastrophe, started up with a scream.
Edgerton had already turned toward them; alarmed at sound of Gledware's
terror. He bent to the oars, comprehending only that Annabel was in
danger.

"Edgerton!" she shrieked blindly. "Edgerton! Edgerton! Edgerton!"

Gledware crouched at her feet, crying beseechingly, "I swear I have
nothing--nothing! I sold everything--gave it away--left it--nothing in
all the world! I'm willing to beg, to starve--I don't want to own
anything--I only want to live--to live.... My God! TO LIVE..."

Red Feather did not utter a word. But with the stealthy lightness and
litheness of a panther, he stepped over the seat and moved toward
Gledware.

Then Gledware, pushed to the last extremity, despairing of the
interposition of some miraculous chance, was forc