a monster! You have parted us, but it is not sufficient; you
want his life."

She suddenly bent over and seized her father's hand, where it rested
upon Tresler's heart, and dragged it away.

"Take your hand off him; don't touch him!" she cried in a frenzy. "You
are not----"

But she got no further. The lean, sinewy hand had closed over hers,
and held them both as in a vice; and the pressure made her cry out.

"Listen!" he said fiercely. He, too, was standing now, and his tall
figure dwarfed hers. "He is to be moved out of here. I will have Jake
to see to it in the morning. And you shall know what it is to thwart
me if you dare to interfere."

He abruptly released her hands and turned away; but he shot round
again as he heard her reply.

"I shall nurse him," she said.

"You will not."

The girl laughed hysterically. The scene had been too much for her,
and she was on the verge of breaking down.

"We shall see," she cried after him, as he passed out of the room.

The whole ranch was astir when Arizona returned with Doc. Osler. Nor
did they come alone. Fyles had met them on the trail. He had just
returned from a fruitless pursuit of the raiders. He had personally
endeavored to track Red Mask, but the rustler had evaded him in the
thick bush that lined the river; and his men had been equally
unsuccessful with the rest of the band. The hills had been their goal,
and they had made it through the excellence of their horses. Although
the pursuers were well mounted their horses were heavier, and lost
ground hopelessly in the midst of the broken land of the foot-hills.

Jake was closeted with the rancher at the coming of the doctor and his
companions; but their confabulation was brought to an abrupt
termination at once.

The doctor went to the wounded man, who still remained unconscious,
while Fyles joined the rancher and his foreman in a discussion of the
night's doings. And while these things were going on Arizona and Joe
shared the hospitality of the lean-to.

The meeting in the rancher's den had not proceeded far when a summons
from up-stairs cut it short. Diane brought a message from the doctor
asking her father and the sheriff to join him. Marbolt displayed
unusual alacrity, and Fyles followed him as he tapped his way up to
the sick-room. Here the stick was abandoned, and he was led to his
seat by his daughter. Diane was pale, but alert and determined; while
her father wore a gentle look of the utmost conce