an interval of steady silence, his voice began
in the distance, replying to sharp, hurried inquiries of Marianne. In
another moment Marianne was in the bunkhouse. Her glance shot from
Hervey to Perris and back again.

"I knew you'd be up to something like this!" she cried. "I knew it,
Lew Hervey!"

Hervey made a gesture of surrender.

"Ask the boys," he pleaded. "Ask them if I didn't try to go easy with
him. But he's all teeth. He wants to bite. And we ain't going to put
up with that sort of a gent here, I guess! I've ordered him off the
ranch. Does that go with you?"

"Oh, Jim Perris," cried the girl. "_Why_ have you let this happen!"

"I'm sure sorry," said Perris. He disdained further explanation.

"But," said Marianne, "I've got to have that terrible stallion killed.
And who can do it but Jim Perris, Mr. Hervey?"

"Gimme time," said Lew, "and I'll do it."

She stamped her foot in anger.

"How you wheedled the authority out of my father, I don't know," she
said. "But you have it and you can discharge him if you want. But
he'll hear another side to this when he returns, Mr. Hervey, I promise
you that!" She whirled on Red Jim. "Mr. Perris, if Mr. Hervey allows
you to stay, will you remain for--a week, say, and try to get rid of
Alcatraz for me? Mr. Hervey, will you let me have Mr. Perris for one
week?"

There was more angry demand than appeal in her voice, but Hervey knew
he must give way. After all, the way to carry this thing through
was to use the high hand as little as possible. Oliver Jordan would
certainly wait a week before he returned.

"I sure want to be reasonable, Miss Jordan," he said. "I'm only acting
in your father's interests. Of course he can stay for a week."

She whirled away from him with a glance of angry suspicion which
softened instantly as she faced Red Jim.

"You _will_ stay?" she pleaded.

Sullen pride drew Jim one way; the bright, eager eyes drew him
another.

"As long as you want," he said gravely.

CHAPTER XV

THE KING

If men may to some degree be classed in categories of bird and
beast, one like the eagle, another like the bear, some swinish, some
elephantine, some boldly leonine, unquestionably Red Perris must be
likened to the cat tribe. To some the comparison would have seemed
most opportune, having seen him in restless action; but the same idea
might have come to one who saw him lying prone on a certain hilltop in
the western foothills of the Eagle mountain