e people."

It was an unfortunate remark, and brought the biting answer that might
have been expected.

"I plead for no man, Tresler. Most certainly not for a Breed. I show
you where you are wrong. Your inexperience is lamentable, but you
cannot help it." He paused, but went on again almost at once. "Since I
cannot persuade you, go with your story to the sheriff. Let him judge
of your evidence, and if a man of Fyles's undoubted skill and
shrewdness acts upon it, I'll pay you one hundred dollars."

Tresler saw the force of the other's reply, but resented the tone,
while he still remained utterly unconvinced of Anton's innocence.
Perhaps the blind man realized his unnecessary harshness, for he
quickly veered round again to his low-voiced benignity. And Jake,
interested but silent, sat watching his master with an inscrutable
look in his bold eyes and a half smile on his hard face.

"No, Tresler," he said, "we can set all that part of it on one side.
You did quite right to come to me, though," he added hastily; "I thank
you heartily. From past experience we have learned that your
apparition means mischief. It means that a raiding expedition is
afoot. Maybe it was committed last night. I suppose," turning to Jake,
"you have not heard?"

"No." Jake shook his head.

"Well, we are forewarned, thanks to you, Tresler," the other went on
gravely. "And it shan't be my fault if we are not forearmed. We must
send a warning round to the nearest homesteads. I really don't know
what will happen if this goes on much longer."

"Why not take concerted action? Why not resort to what was recently
suggested--a vigilance party?" Tresler put in quickly.

The other shook his head and turned to Jake for support. But none was
forthcoming. Jake was watching that strong sightless face, gazing into
it with a look of bitter hatred and sinister intentness. This change
so astonished Tresler that he paid no attention to the rancher's
reply.

And at once Marbolt's peculiar instinct asserted itself. He faced from
one to the other with a perplexed frown, and as his red eyes fell
finally upon the foreman, that individual's whole expression was
instantly transformed to one of confusion. And Tresler could not help
calling to mind the schoolboy detected in some misdemeanor. At first
the confusion, then the attempt at bland innocence, followed by dogged
sullenness. It was evident that Jake's conscience blinded him to the
fact of the other's sightless