use, and Swan followed him aimlessly, his long
strides bringing him close to Lone before they reached the door.

"What do you make of this new play?" Lone muttered cautiously when he
saw Swan's shadow move close to his own.

"By golly, it's something funny about it. You stick with them, Loney,
and find out. I'm taking Al's trail with Yack. You fix it." And he
added whimsically, "Not so much tobacco, Lone. I don't eat it or smoke
it ever in my life."

His voice was very Swedish, which was fortunate, because Senator
Warfield appeared softly behind him and went into the house. Swan was
startled, but he hadn't much time to worry over the possibility of
having been overheard. Brit's voice rose in a furious denunciation of
Bill Warfield, punctuated by two shots and followed almost immediately
by the senator.

"My God, the whole family's crazy!" Warfield exclaimed, when he had
reached the safety of the open air. "You're right, Lone. I thought I'd
be neighborly enough to ask what I could do for him, and he tried to
kill me!"

Lone merely grunted and gave Swan the tobacco.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"I THINK AL WOODRUFF'S GOT HER"

There was no opportunity for further conference. Senator Warfield showed
no especial interest in Swan, and the Swede was permitted without
comment to take his dog and strike off up the ridge. Jim and Sorry were
sent to look after Brit, who was still shouting vain threats against the
Sawtooth, and the three men rode away together. Warfield did not suggest
separating, though Lone expected him to do so, since one man on a trail
was as good as three in a search of this kind.

He was still inclined to doubt the whole story. He did not believe that
Lorraine had been to the Sawtooth, or that she had raved about anything.
She had probably gone off by herself to cry and to worry over her
troubles,--hurt, too, perhaps, because Lone had left the ranch that
morning without a word with her first. He believed the story of her
being insane had been carefully planned, and that Warfield had perhaps
ridden over in the hope that they would find her alone; though with
Frank dead on the ranch that would be unlikely. But to offset that,
Lone's reason told him that Warfield had probably not known that Frank
was dead. That had been news to him--or had it? He tried to remember
whether Warfield had mentioned it first and could not. Too many
disturbing emotions had held him lately; Lone was beginning to feel the
nee