cal all day and all the night. But. thank
heaven, I'm here to warn you in time! You mustn't go. You mustn't go!"

"Who is it?"

He had drawn his chair closer: he had taken her hands, and she noted
that his own were icy cold, but steady as a rock. Their pressure soothed
her infinitely.

"Joe Rix, the Pedlar, Harry Masters. They'll be at the shack at ten
o'clock, but not I!"

"Murder, but a very clumsy scheme. Three men leave town and commit a
murder and then expect to go undetected? Not even in the mountain
desert!"

"But you don't understand, you don't understand! They're wise as foxes.
They'll take no risk. They don't even leave town together or travel by
the same routes. Harry Masters starts first. He rides out at eight
o'clock in the morning and takes the north trail. He rides down the
gulch and winds out of it and strikes for the shack at the ford. At half
past eight the Pedlar starts. He goes past Sandy's place and then over
the trail through the marsh. You know it?"

"Yes."

"Last of all, Joe Rix starts at nine o'clock. Half an hour between
them."

"How does he go to the shack?"

"By the south trail. He takes the ridge of the hills. But they'll all be
at the shack long before you and they'll shoot you down from a distance
as you come up to it. Plain murder, but even for cowardly murder they
daren't face you except three to one."

He was thoughtful.

"Suppose they were to be met on the way?"

"You're mad to think of it!"

"But if they fail this time they'll try again. They must be taught a
lesson."

"Three men? Oh, my dear, my dear! Promise!"

"Very well. I shall do nothing rash. And I shall never forget that
you've come to tell me this and been in peril, Nell, for if they found
you had come to me--"

"The Pedlar would cut my throat. I know him!"

"Ah! But now you must go. I'll take you down the hill, dear."

"No, no! It's much easier to get back alone. My face will be covered.
But there's no way you could be disguised. You have a way of
walking--good night--and God bless you!"

She was in his arms, straining him to her; and then she slipped out the
door.

And sure enough, there was the colonel in his chair not fifty feet away
with a girl pushing him. The moonlight was too dim for Nelly Lebrun to
make out the face of Lou Macon, but even the light which escaped through
the filter of clouds was enough to set her golden hair glowing. The
color was not apparent, but its luster was soft silv