record the papers."

"Where do I come in?"

"Easy. I'm coming to that. But answer me this: who would be your heir in
case you died?"

"Why--I don't know!"

"Have you any kin?"

"Not a soul!"

"Did you ever make a will?"

"I never thought of such a thing!"

"Well, I'll tell you. If you were to die your interest in this property
would go to Hooper."

"What makes you think so? I thought it would go to the state."

"I'm guessing," I acknowledged, "but I believe I'm guessing straight. A
lot of these old Arizona partnerships were made just that way. Life was
uncertain out here. I'll bet the old original partnership between your
father and Hooper provides that in case of the extinction of one line,
the other will inherit. It's a very common form of partnership in a new
country like this. You can see for yourself it's a sensible thing to
provide."

"You may be right," she commented. "Go on."

"You told me a while ago it was best to face any situation squarely. Now
brace up and face this. You said a while ago that Hooper would not dare
kill you. That is true for the moment. But there is no doubt in my mind
that he has intended from the first to kill you, because by that he
would get possession of the whole property."

"I cannot believe it!" she cried.

"Isn't the incentive enough? Think carefully, and answer honestly:
don't you think him capable of it?"

"Yes--I suppose so," she admitted, reluctantly, after a moment. She
gathered herself as after a shock. "Why hasn't he done so? Why has he
waited?"

I told her of the situation as it concerned Brower. While the
dissolution of partnership papers still existed and might still be
recorded, such a murder would be useless. For naturally the dissolution
abrogated the old partnership agreement. The girl's share of the
property would, at her demise intestate, go to the state. That is,
provided the new papers were ever recorded.

"Then I am safe until----?" she began.

"Until he negotiates or otherwise settles with Brower. Until he has
destroyed all evidence."

"Then everything seems to depend on this Brower," she said, knitting her
brows anxiously. "Where is he?"

I did not answer this last question. My eyes were riveted on the door
knob which was slowly, almost imperceptibly, turning. Cortinez continued
to breathe heavily in sleep outside. The intruder was evidently at great
pains not to awaken the guard. A fraction of an inch at a time the door
opened. A wi