knew it as she
watched the smoke breathe more slowly from his lips and the pipe grow
cold. Presently, without opening his eyes, he dropped the pipe on the
table and nestled his head against the cushion. Tressa smiled, for she
was happier than her father--and Adrian would be up shortly.

She heard the familiar whistle break out far down the sloping path
beyond the grade. Higher and higher it mounted, and with hand held she
listened with smiling eyes. She would keep on with her mending as if
she had not heard; and the whistle would grow more impatient as it
approached, calling her to reply.

Now he was half way up the slope--now only a few yards beyond the
grade. She grabbed her mending and began to work industriously. Now
he was on the grade--he would see her sitting there working as if she
had forgotten there was an Adrian Conrad.

But just then the whistle ceased abruptly. That was not part of the
formula, but she would not raise her eyes; he would break out in a
moment more impatiently than ever, and she would look up as if she had
just heard--

She looked up sooner than she reckoned, for the silence continued. Yet
she anticipated only by a second Conrad's flying entrance, his face
tense with a sudden alarm. Without a word he seized the rifle from its
rack beside the door and dashed to the kitchen. Torrance blinked
himself awake at the scurry.

"Wha-at-what--"

Conrad turned in the kitchen doorway and pressed finger to lip. They
found him kneeling on the floor beside the kitchen window, the rifle
pointing over the sill past the side of the stable.

Torrance, still blinking with sleep, looked along the rifle barrel.
For several seconds he could see nothing but the dead grey grass. Then
a dim movement focussed his eyes. A hundred yards away the Indian was
creeping toward them.

At intervals the redskin raised his head to peer across the grade. Not
until he was close to the stable did he appear to notice the three
watchers, then he lifted a hand and disappeared behind the stable. As
he wormed his way to cover Torrance spoke eagerly.

"Let him have it, Adrian. I've always had my suspicions. It's some
devilish trick or he wouldn't sneak up that way. Soon as he saw us he
scrambled to cover. Watch for him around the other side."

But Conrad shook his head and pushed aside Torrance's extended hand;
but he did not lower the rifle.

The Indian came round the other side of the stable, as Torrance