'black ivory.' She did not understand."

"Just so--ah, here is the wagon."

Fyles rose leisurely to his feet. And Money drove up.

"The best of news, sheriff," the latter cried at once. "Captured the
lot. Some of the boys are badly damaged, but we've got 'em all."

"Well, we'll get back with this," the officer replied quietly.

The dead man was lifted into the wagon, and, in a few minutes, the
little party was on its way back to the ranch.

CHAPTER XXIII

A RETURN TO THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES

The affairs of the ranch were taken in hand by Fyles. Everything was
temporarily under his control, and an admirable administrator he
proved. Nor could Tresler help thinking how much better he seemed
suited by such pastoral surroundings than by the atmosphere of his
proper calling. But this appointment only lasted a week. Then the
authorities drafted a man to relieve him for the more urgent business
of the investigation into the death of the rancher and his foreman,
and the trial of the half-breed raiders captured at Widow Dangley's.

Diane, acting on Tresler's advice, had taken up her abode with Mrs.
Doc. Osler in Forks, which good, comfortable, kind, gossipy old woman
insisted on treating her as a bereaved and ailing child, who must be
comforted and ministered to, and incidentally dosed with tonics. As a
matter of fact, Diane, though greatly shocked at the manner and
conditions of her father's death, and the discovery that he was so
terrible an outlaw, was suffering in no sense the bereavement of the
death of a parent. She was heartily glad to get away from her old
home, that had held so much unhappiness and misery for her. Later on,
when Tresler sent her word that it was imperative for him to go into
Whitewater with Fyles, that he had been summoned there as a witness,
she was still more glad that she had left it. Thanks to the influence
and consideration of Fyles, she had been spared the ordeal of the
trial in Whitewater. She had given her sworn testimony at the
preliminary inquiry on the ranch, and this had been put in as evidence
at the higher court.

And so it was nearly a month before Tresler was free to return to
Forks. And during that time he had been kept very busy. What with the
ranch affairs, and matters of his own concerns, he had no time for
anything but brief and infrequent little notes of loving encouragement
to the waiting girl. But these messages tended otherwise than might
have been expec