were on the sky-line to the
southeast.

"I've done as you needed. I've arranged everything with the--hangman.
You're going to touch those pleasant dollars. What more are you asking
me?"

"What more? Yes, you've done these things because I've driven you to
them. You? You'd rather see me sitting around here starving, a worn
wreck of a woman, than lend a willing hand to bettering our lot. Oh,
yes, you've done these things, and--I hate you for the way you've done
them."

The man sat up. He shifted his position so that he could gaze up at
the splendid creature standing over him.

"You don't hate me worse than I hate myself, Effie," he said with an
exasperating lack of emotion. "Say, you feel like kicking me. You
feel like treating me like a surly cur. Well, I guess you're welcome.
I don't guess there's a thing you can do that way can hurt me worse
than you've done already." Then he smiled. And his smile was more
maddening to the woman than his words. "Don't worry a thing. You're
going to get your dollars if there's anything I can do to help you, and
when you've got 'em--why, if the merciful God we've both been brought
up to believe in is all we believe Him, I shan't be around to watch you
dirtying your hands with them."

Then with a swift, alert movement he raised a warning hand.

"H'sh!"

For some seconds they remained listening. Far away to the southeast a
low murmuring note came over the low hills. The girl remained with
eyes straining to pierce the starlit monotone. The man rose slowly
from his seat. Finally he turned about and faced her, and his eyes
smiled into hers.

"The hanging bee," he said.

CHAPTER VI

THE RAIDERS RAIDED

It was the gap where the screen of bush broke off, leaving the barren
shoulder overlooking the valley. It was where the hard-beaten,
converging cattle-paths hurled themselves over the brink to the wide
depths below.

The stillness that prevailed was unbroken by a single night sound.
Even the insect life seemed wrapped in a deep hush of somnolence. As
yet the night scavengers had not emerged from their hidings to bay the
silvery radiance of a moonlit night. The deep hush beneath the myriad
of eyes of night was as beautiful as it was treacherous, for it only
cloaked hot, stirring passions ready in a moment to break out into
warring chaos.

Crouching low under the shelter of the screening bush three figures
huddled closely. They were peering across th