e's that queer. See,
he's jest gone right into his shack. Ther's suthin' doin', sure."

"And didn't you ask her what it was all about?" asked Tresler,
catching something of the other's manner.

"Wal, no. That is, I guess I mentioned it like, but Miss Dianny wus
that flustrated an' kind o' angry she jest went right up to her room,
an' I thought best to git around hyar."

Tresler was thinking hard; and while he thought he stood watching the
door where they had both seen Jake disappear. It occurred to him to go
and seek Diane for himself. Poor girl, she would surely tell him if
there were anything wrong. After all, he had the right to know. Then
he thought of Anton.

"Was Anton----?"

He had turned to Joe, but his remark was cut short. Jake's door
suddenly opened and the foreman came hurriedly out. Joe caught his
companion by the arm, and they both looked after the giant as he
strode away toward the barn. And they simultaneously became aware of
something unsteady in his gait. Joe was the first to draw attention to
it.

"Say, he's bin drinkin'," he whispered, in an awed manner.

Tresler nodded. This was something quite new. Jake, with all his
faults, was not usually given to drink. On the contrary, he was a
particularly sober man.

Tresler swiftly made up his mind. "I'm going to see what's up, Joe,"
he said. "Do you see? He's making for Marbolt's stable."

It was almost dusk. The men had settled down to their evening's
occupations. Tresler and Joe were standing alone in the shadow of the
bunkhouse wall. The lamp was lit within the building, and the glow
from the window, which was quite near them, darkened the prospect
still further. However, Tresler still could see the foreman, an
indistinct shadow in the growing darkness.

Leaving his companion without further remark he hurried after the
disappearing man and took up his position near the barn, whence he
could both see and hear what might be going forward.

Jake reached the door of the stable and knocked on it in a forceful
and peremptory manner.

CHAPTER XX

BY THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP

Impelled by curiosity and nervous anticipation Tresler did not long
remain in the shelter of the barn. It was too dark to see distinctly
all that way off, so he closed up on the object of his watch. He
intended to miss nothing of what was happening, so he crept out into
the open, quite careless of the chances of being discovered at his
undignified occupation.

And