loyalty
to his comrades he could not allow the woman he loved to suffer with
the guilty. He knew her pride and that the blow would crush her, but
again through all his pity for her a gust of rage shook him, and he
ground the soft cedar-twigs viciously beneath his heel. He could not
face the thought of the woman's humiliation. Everything must go, his
pride, his faith, his vengeance, before that came about, and he stopped
in his restless pacing and leaned against a pine as the conflicting
emotions gave place to a quiet resolution. At last he could see the
stars between the great branches high above him, and shivered a little
as a chilly breeze sighed across the silent bush. Something in its
stillness reacted upon him, and the last trace of his passion melted
away. If he did wrong he alone would be responsible, and at least his
enemy's daughter should not suffer.

Walking very slowly he went back to the hotel, and found Horton
writing. He glanced at Alton curiously and then answered the unasked
question.

"Yes," he said; "he's out on the trail now, and one would kind of
wonder where it was taking him. Where have you been all this time,
Harry?"

"How long have I been?" said Alton.

"Two hours, anyway. Well, you needn't tell me if you don't want to,
but it's quite easy to see that something is worrying you."

Alton concealed his astonishment. "I've had things to think about,"
said he. "Wasn't there a paper you took from Damer?"

"Oh, yes," and Horton flung him several crumpled sheets across.
"Nothing much to be made of that. It has been given him to send cipher
telegrams with."

Alton glanced at the paper with apparently vague curiosity, but his
brain was busy and he had a good memory.

"I think I'd let the folks in Vancouver have it," he said with a yawn.
"Now I want a few hours' rest, because we're going back at sun up to
restake the claim."

Horton looked thoughtful. "I'm not quite sure you could hold it. It
hasn't been declared open."

Alton laughed a little. "Well, I think I can," he said. "Damer hadn't
got his patent, anyway, and it's scarcely likely that the man who sent
him will protest against me."

Then he slowly strolled away, but once the door closed behind him moved
with quick resolute steps to his room. There he sat busy with pen and
paper for several minutes, and then descending softly found Okanagan in
the store.

"Get your horse as quietly as you can, and ride in to the rail