hat case Brit's liable to take a shot at yuh, Senator. He's on the
warpath right, and he's got his gun right handy."

"It is not necessary to search the cabin," Senator Warfield answered
stiffly. "Unless she is in a stupor we'd have heard her yelling long
ago. The girl was a raving maniac when she appeared at the Sawtooth.
It's for her good that I'm thinking."

Jim stepped out of the doorway and came slowly toward them, eyeing the
two from the Sawtooth curiously while he chewed tobacco. His hands
rested on his hips, his thumbs hooked inside his overalls; a gawky pose
that fitted well his colourless personality,--and left his right hand
close to his six-shooter.

"Cor'ner comin'?" he asked, nodding at the two who were almost
strangers to him. "Sorry, he got back two hours ago, and he said the
cor'ner would be right out. But he ain't showed up yet."

Senator Warfield said that he felt sure the coroner would be prompt and
then questioned Jim artfully about "Miss Hunter."

"Raine? She went fer a ride. I loaned her my horse, and she ain't
back yet. I told her to take a good long ride and settle her nerves.
She acted kinda edgy."

Senator Warfield and his foreman exchanged glances for which Lone could
have killed them.

"You noticed, then, that she was not quite--herself?" Senator Warfield
used his friendly, confidential tone on Jim.

"We-ell--yes, I did. I thought a ride would do her good, mebby. She's
been sticking here on the job purty close. And Frank getting killed
kinda--upset her, I guess."

"That's it--that's what I was saying. Disordered nerves, which rest
and proper medical care will soon remedy." He looked at Lone. "Her
horse was worn out when she reached the ranch. Does she know this
country well? She started this way, and she should have been here some
time ago. We thought it best to ride after her, but there was some
delay in getting started. Hawkins' horse broke away and gave us some
trouble catching him, so the girl had quite a start. But with her
horse fagged as it was, we had no idea that we would fail to get even a
sight of her. She may have wandered off on some other trail, in which
case her life as well as her reason is in danger."

Lone did not answer at once. It had occurred to him that Senator
Warfield knew where Lorraine was at that minute, and that he might be
showing this concern for the effect it would have on his hearers. He
looked at him speculatively.

"Do y