k. You understand?"

"Perfectly. We will try, but it's getting to be rather a dangerous business
of late. Since Mandeville's horse was stolen, the men have taken it into
their heads to defend their property. Only a few nights ago, two of our men
went over with the intention of taking Thompson's fine bay; but he was on
hand, and shot one of them through the arm; and they were glad to get off
without the horse."

"Indeed! that's bad news, for we must make a raise somehow. I don't want
the captain to come back and find we have done nothing in his absence."

"Well, we will do the best we can; but it is about time we were leaving
this part of the country, at least for awhile. I don't think we can effect
much, and we run great risks of being detected."

"Do you think suspicion rests on any of our members?"

"Well I can't say as to that. People are beginning to suspect everybody
they don't know, and some that they do. If a man hasn't any particular
occupation, he is pretty certain to be suspected of getting his living by
dishonest means."

"We must get away from here. I will be ready to look out some other
location within the next fortnight. In the meantime, do the best you can,
and all that you can; but be very cautious. Remember to-morrow."

"We will be there, be assured."

With this the villains departed.

Eveline continued to weep for some length of time and then, arousing
herself, she summoned all the courage of which she was master, and braced
herself to meet the fate in store for her, be it what it might.

In passing through the room, her eye fell upon a strip of paper, which lay
in such a position as to indicate that it had been brushed from a table
which was sometimes used by Duffel to write upon. She listlessly took it up
and glanced over it, when her eye caught a few lines penciled upon it.
Seating herself, she examined the writing more closely, and in a moment
became interested. On the paper were some characters, the meaning of which
she could not comprehend, though she recognized them in a moment, as being
the same in form and character as those on the letter which had fallen into
her father's hand, purporting to be from some one to Hadley, as related in
the former part of this story, and in connection with these were clearly
traced the following words:

"And then Bill and Dick! They are first rate fellows in their way, and have
been very serviceable to me; but I don't think it is best to have too many