horses dead on a transport in the Atlantic
ocean, and a man dead under the cottonwoods in Arizona, did not appear
to have any definite physical relation to each other, unless of course
the loss of the horses had proven too much of a shock to Mr. Singleton
and upset his nerves to the extent that moody depression had developed
into temporary dementia. His own gun had been the evident agent of
death.

One of the Mexicans recalled that Singleton had discharged an American
foreman in anger, and that the man had been in a rage about it, and
assaulted Mr. Conrad, whereupon Conrad was recalled, and acknowledged
the assault with evident intent to kill. Yes, he heard the man Rhodes
had threatened Singleton with a nastier accident than his attempt on
Conrad. No, he had not heard it personally, as he was unconscious
when the threat was made.

"It wasn't a threat!" interrupted Billie, "it was something different,
a warning."

"A warning of what?"

Billie was about to quote Kit's opinion concerning Singleton's ranch
force, when she was halted by a strange thing--for Billie; it was
merely the mild steady gaze of the quiet gentleman of the peaceful
league of the neutrals. There was a slight lifting of his brows as she
spoke of a warning; and then a slight suggestion of a smile--it might
have been a perfectly natural incredulous smile, but Billie felt that
it was not. The yellowish brown eyes narrowed until only the pupils
were visible, and warm though the day was, Billie felt a swift chill
over her, and her words were cautious.

"I can't say, I don't know, but Kit Rhodes had no grudge against Papa
Phil. He seemed in some way to be sorry for him."

She noted that Conrad's gaze was on the face of Mr. James instead of
on her.

"Sorry for him?"

"Y-yes, sort of. He tried to explain why, but Papa would not listen,
and would not make any engagement with him. Sent his money by Captain
Pike and wouldn't see him. But Kit Rhodes did not make a threat, he
did not!"

Her last denial was directly at Conrad, who merely shrugged his
shoulders as if to dispose of that awkward phase of the matter.

"It was told me so, but the Mexican men might not have understood the
words of Rhodes--he was in a rage--and it may be he did not mean so
much as he said."

"But he didn't say it!" insisted Billie.

"Very good, he did not, and it is a mistake of mine," agreed Conrad
politely. "For quite awhile I was unconscious after his assault,
naturally