Tresler, since you insist on
knowing."

"I thank you, Miss Marbolt." The gentle tone at once dispelled the
girl's resentment. "You have suspicions which may prove to be right.
It was for this reason I asked you to discuss Jake. One thing more
and I'll have done. This Joe Nelson, he is very shrewd, he is in close
contact with you. How far is he to be trusted?"

"To any length; with your life, Mr. Tresler," the girl said with
enthusiasm. "Joe is nobody's enemy but his own, poor fellow. I am
ashamed to admit it, but I have long since realized that when things
bother me so that I cannot bear them all alone, it is Joe that I look
to for help. He is so kind. Oh, Mr. Tresler, you cannot understand the
gentleness, the sympathy of his honest old heart. I am very, very fond
of Joe."

The man abruptly moved from his stand at the side of the buckboard,
and looked along the trail in the direction of the ranch. His action
was partly to check an impulse which the girl's manner had roused in
him, and partly because his quick ears had caught the sound of some
one approaching. He was master of himself in a moment, however, and,
returning, smiled up into the serious eyes before him.

"Well, Joe shall help me," he said. "He shall help me as he has helped
you. If----" he broke off, listening. Then with great deliberation he
came close up to the buckboard. "Miss--Diane," he said, and the girl's
lids lowered before the earnestness of his gaze, "you shall
never--while I live--be the slave of Jake Harnach."

Nor had Tresler time to move away before a tall figure rounded the
bend of the trail. In the dusk he mistook the newcomer for Jake, then,
as he saw how slim he was, he realized his mistake.

The man came right up to the buckboard with swift, almost stealthy
strides. The dark olive of his complexion, the high cheek-bones, the
delicately chiseled, aquiline nose, the perfectly penciled eyebrows
surmounting the quick, keen, handsome black eyes; these things
combined with the lithe, sinuous grace of an admirably poised body
made him a figure of much attraction.

The man ignored Tresler, and addressed the girl in the buckboard in a
tone that made the former's blood boil.

"The boss, him raise hell. Him say, 'I mak' her wish she not been born
any more.' Him say, 'Go you, Anton, an' find her, an' you not leave
her but bring her back.' Ho, the boss, your father, he mad. Hah?" The
half-breed grinned, and displayed a flashing set of teeth. "