laimed. "What in the world is he doing here!"

But Glen made no reply. Her eyes were fixed upon the prisoner, and her
face was very white, as she turned slightly, as if about to flee into
the house. In another minute Curly was near, and a most wretched
figure he presented. His clothes were torn and his face dirty and
bleeding. He had apparently received severe treatment at the hands of
his captors. He walked with a shambling and unsteady gait, with his
eyes fixed upon the ground. But as he came to where Glen and Reynolds
were standing, he suddenly lifted his head, and seeing the two, he
stopped dead in his tracks. For an instant he stared as if he had not
seen aright. Then his face became contorted with a mingled expression
of surprise and hatred. He strained at his bonds in a desperate effort
to free himself, but he was immediately checked by his Indian
guardians, who caught him by the arms, and hustled him along. He
struggled violently for a few seconds, pouring forth at the same time a
stream of blood-curdling oaths, abuse and vile words, which caused Glen
to put her hands to her ears, and flee hurriedly into the house, while
Reynolds slowly followed.

CHAPTER XV

JIM WESTON

Glen's mind was greatly agitated as she made her way slowly homeward.
Curly's presence was the cause of this, as she feared that her father
would be so angry with the villain that it would make it hard for
Reynolds. He might imagine that the two were in league with each
other, as they were both from Big Draw. She despised Curly, knowing
what a vile loathsome creature he was, and she had a very fair idea why
he had ventured across the Golden Crest. Had he not avowed his
affection for her at the dance, and had told her that he would run any
risk to meet her again? How glad she had been that night when Sconda
came for her, and she could free herself from her unwelcome and
insistent suitor. And Curly was now a prisoner at Glen West! She
shuddered as she recalled the look on his face when he saw her and
Reynolds together. And his language! She could not get the terrible
words out of her mind. The meaning of some she did not know, never
having heard them before, but she fully realised that they must be very
bad, or else Curly would not have used them in his rage. And should he
now escape, there was no telling what his revengeful spirit might lead
him to do, either to herself, or to him who was now beginning to mean
so m