sn't yours."

Hawtrey made no reply. He could not meet her gaze, and when he turned
from her she looked back at the mortgage-broker.

"If you're gone before I come back there'll sure be trouble," she
informed him, and sped swiftly out of the room.

Hawtrey sat down limply in his chair, and Edmonds laughed in a jarring
manner. The game was up, but, after all, if he got his three thousand
dollars he could be satisfied, for one way or another he had already
extracted a great deal of money from Hawtrey.

"If I were you I'd marry that girl right away," Edmonds advised Hawtrey.
"You'd be safer if you had her to look after you."

Hawtrey let the jibe pass. For one thing, he felt that it was warranted,
and just then his anxiety was too strong for anger.

In the meanwhile, Sally had run out of the house to meet Hastings, who
had just handed his wife down from their wagon. The girl drew him a pace
or two aside.

"I'm worried about Gregory," she said; "he's in trouble--big trouble.
Somehow we have got to raise three thousand dollars. Edmonds is inside
with him."

Hastings did not seem surprised. "Ah!" he said, "I guess it's over that
mortgage of his. It would be awkward for you and Gregory if Edmonds took
the homestead and turned him out."

Sally's face grew white, but she met his gaze steadily.

"Oh," she replied, "that's not what I would mind the most."

Hastings reflected a moment or two. He thought that it was a very
difficult admission for the girl to make, and that she had made it
suggested that Hawtrey might become involved in more serious
difficulties. He had also a strong suspicion of what they were likely to
be.

"Sally," questioned Hastings quietly, "you are afraid of Edmonds making
him do something you would not like?"

Though she did not answer directly, he saw the shame in the girl's face,
and remembered that he was one of Wyllard's trustees.

"I must raise that money--now--and I don't know where to get more than
five hundred dollars from. I might manage that," she said.

"Well," answered Hastings, "you want me to lead you then, and I'm not
sure that I can. Still, if you'll wait a few minutes I'll see what I can
do."

Sally left him, and he turned to his wife, whose expression suggested
that she had overheard part of what was said and had guessed the rest.

"You mean to raise that money? After all, we are friends of his, and it
may save him from letting Edmonds get his grip upon the Range," she