epressions in the road, the prairie where I had staked the body was dry
and dusty.

"After I had arranged everything to my satisfaction, I mounted the old
white horse and rode to the ranch, merely following the trail the horse
had made coming out. When I arrived here and made myself known to Helen,
you can imagine her joy, which soon was changed to consternation when
she found what had been done. But my plan of living here and letting the
world suppose that I was Willard Sargent, or Willis Morgan, seemed
feasible. Wong was our friend from the first. We knew we could depend on
his Oriental discretion. But we were not to escape lightly. Talpers's
attitude was a menace until, through a fortunate set of circumstances,
we managed to secure a compensating hold over him. Undoubtedly Talpers
had been first on the scene after the murder. He had robbed my brother's
body, and was caught in his ghoul-like act by his partner, Jim McFann.
The half-breed believed Talpers when the trader told him that a watch
was all he had found on the dead man. The later discovery that Talpers
had deceived him, and had really taken a large sum of money from the
body, led the half-breed to kill the trader.

"I decided to await the outcome of the trial. It would have been
impossible for me to let Fire Bear or McFann go to prison, or perhaps to
the gallows, for my deed. If either one, or both, had been convicted, I
intended to make a confession. But matters seemed to work out well for
us. The accused men were freed, and it seemed to be the general opinion
that Talpers had committed the crime. Talpers was dead. There was no
occasion for me to confess. I had thoughts of going away, quietly, to
some place where I could begin life over again. Miss Scovill is in
possession of a will making Helen my heir. This will could have been
produced, and thus Helen would have been well provided for. I had kept
in seclusion here, and had even feigned illness, in order that none
might suspect me of being other than Willis Morgan. But if any one had
seen me I do not believe the deception would have been discovered, so
close is my resemblance to my brother. Always having been a passable
mimic, I imitated my brother's voice. It was a voice that had often
stirred me to wrath, because of its cold, cutting qualities. The first
time I imitated my brother's voice, Wong came in from the kitchen
looking frightened beyond measure. He thought the ghost of his old
employer had retur