him want to seize him by the throat and choke
the words ere they were uttered.

"My poor old Jake!" he said, with infinite pity. "Poor old Jake!" he
repeated, addressing the dead man sorrowfully. "I wish now I'd taken
your advice about that rascal and got rid of him. And to think that
you should be the man on whom he was to wreak his treachery. I wonder
how it came about. It must have been that rough temper of yours.
Tresler," he cried, pointing to the still form on the bed, "there lies
the truest, the only friend I ever had. That man has stood by me when
all others left me. Yes, we've fought side by side in the Indian days;
ay, and further back still. I remember when he would have defended me
with his life; poor Jake! I suppose he had his faults, the same as
most of us have. Yes, and I wager his temper took him foul of Anton.
Poor old Jake! I suppose we shall never know the truth of this." He
paused. Then he cried fiercely, "Damn it! Men, every one of you, I'll
give a thousand dollars to the one who brings Anton back, dead or
alive. Dead from preference, then he won't escape us. A thousand
dollars. Now, who?"

But Tresler could stand it no longer. "Don't trouble, Mr. Marbolt," he
said icily. "It is no use your offering rewards. The man who has gone
after Anton will find him. And you can rest satisfied he'll take
nothing from you on that score. You may not know Arizona; I do."

"You are confident," the other retorted, resentful at once.

"I have reason to be," came the decided answer.

Marbolt shook his close-cropped head. His resentment had gone from his
manner again. He had few moods which he was unable to control at will.
That was how it seemed to Tresler.

"I hope truly it may be as you say. But I must still doubt. However,"
he went on, in a lighter tone, "in the meantime there is work to be
done. The doctor must be summoned. Send some one for doctor and
sheriff first thing to-morrow morning, Tresler. It is no use worrying
them to-night. The sheriff has his night work to do, and wouldn't
thank us for routing him out now. Besides, nothing can be done until
daylight! And the doctor is only needed to certify. Poor old Jake!"

He turned away with something very like a sigh. Half-way to the door
he paused.

"Tresler, you take charge of things to-night. Have this door locked.
And," he added, with redoubled earnestness, "are you sure Arizona will
hunt that man down?"

"Perfectly."

Tresler smiled grimly. He f