eneer of the surface. His condition returned to the subversive
terror which had assailed him when he was caught in the mountain
blizzard.

"Now, see you here, Victor," Jean concluded coldly, yet watching the
effect he had produced. "Ye owe us a deal more'n ye ken pay easy, but
I'm fixin' the reckonin' my way. We're goin', an' the boodle goes wi'
us. Savvee?" Davia watched her brother acutely. Nor could she help
noticing that the great man was listening while he spoke. "I 'lows
you'll git free o' this rope. I mean ye to--after awhiles. Ye'll keep
y'r monkey tricks till after we're clear o' here. Then ye'll do best to
go dead easy. Fer that crank's comin' right along, an', I 'lows, if I
was you I'd as lief lie here and rot, an' feed the gophers wi' my
carcass as run up agin him. I tell ye, pard, ther's a cuss hangin'
around wher' Nick Westley goes, an' I don't reckon it's like to work
itself out easy by a big sight."

Jean finished up with profound emphasis. Then he turned about and faced
his sister.

"Now, gal, we're goin'."

"Not while Victor's left here."

Jean stood quite still for a moment. Then his rage suddenly broke forth.

"Not while that skunk's left?" he cried, pointing scornfully at the
prostrate man. "Ye'd stop here fer him as has shamed ye; him as 'ud run
from ye this minit if he had the chance; him as 'ud rob ye too; him as
thinks as much to ye as a coyote. Slut y' are, but y' are my sister, an'
I say ye shall go wi' me."

He made a step towards her. Then he brought up to a halt as the long
blade of a knife gleamed before his eyes. But he only hesitated a
second. His great hand went out, and he caught the woman's wrist as she
was about to strike. The next instant he had wrenched the weapon from
her grasp and held her.

Now he thrust her out of the hut and secured the door. He believed that
what he had done was only right.

As they passed out into the bright spring daylight again a change seemed
to come over Davia. Her terror of Nick Westley returned as she noted the
alert attitude of her brother. She listened too, and held her breath to
intensify her hearing. But Jean did not relax his hold upon her till
they were once more within the store. Then he set her to assist in the
preparations for their flight. When all was ready, and they stood
outside the house while Jean secured the door, Davia made a final
appeal.

"Let me stop, Jean," she cried, while a sob broke from her. "I love him.
He's mine