--Mr. Windham's sister?" cried the girl almost incredulously.
Then, with a swift abandonment to emotion she threw her arms about the
elder woman's neck and sobbed.

Stanley followed them into the house. He saw Inez supporting her
companion, soothing her in those mysterious ways which only women know.
His mind was stirred with grave perplexities.

A peremptory knock aroused him from his cogitations. Could it be the
gambler so soon? He thought there were voices. Several men, no doubt.

Inez called out in a whisper, "Who is there?"

"Go back," her husband ordered. "It's all right, dear. They're friends
of mine."

Inez came out quickly and stood beside him, looking up into his face.
"You're sure? There's no--no danger?"

Again the rat-tat-tat upon the panel, more peremptory than before.
Stanley forced a laugh. "Danger! Why, of course not. Just a business
talk. But go back and look after the girl. I don't want her coming out
here while I've visitors." He patted her hand. His arm about her
shoulder he ushered her across the threshold of the inner chamber and
closed the door. Then he extinguished the lamp. Hand on pistol he felt
his way toward the outer portal and, with a sudden movement flung it
wide. Three men stood on the threshold. They seemed puzzled by the
darkness. Out of it the host's voice spoke: "Who are you? What do
you wish?"

William Henry Brown was first to answer him. "We want you, Adrian, at
the hotel. Can you come now--quickly?"

"What for?" he asked suspiciously. "Who sent you here?"

"Nobody," came the cheery voice of Dr. Jones. "There's a friend of yours
at Brown's who needs you."

"You mean--McTurpin?

"Damn McTurpin!" spoke the third voice. It was Nathan Spear's. "Light
your lamp. Nobody's going to shoot you, Stanley.... It's young Benito
from the mines and down with fever. He's calling for you ... and for a
girl named Alice.... If you can pacify him--that will help a lot. He's
pretty low."

CHAPTER XXI

OUTFACING THE ENEMY

"Wait," said Adrian, hurriedly. He relighted the lamp and, going to the
inner door, called softly. There was an agitated rustle; then the door
swung back and Stanley saw the figure of his wife, beside whom stood the
light-haired girl.

"What is it, Adrian?"

"There's someone sick at Brown's Hotel," said Adrian, "a friend of mine.
I'm going over there." He made a sign imposing silence on the men.

Inez came close. "You're certain it's no trick," she whispered