her judgment was sound. It was plain
that they were suspicious about Wilkinson, but, so far, undecided what
to do. They had doubts, but hesitated to admit that they had been rash,
and shrank from using means that might cost them a customer. Sadie gave
one information she had gathered from another, and added hints of what
she herself knew. The tact she used prevented their guessing that she
had an object, and she did little more than bring their own suspicions
to a head; but she was satisfied when she returned to the hotel.

When the horse had rested she drove out of the settlement. For some
distance a wire fence ran along the dusty, graded road, but it ended
at a hollow, seamed by deep ruts that united on the other side, where
a trail emerged. Then for a mile or two, she passed new scattered
homesteads with their windmills and wooden barns, until these dropped
behind and she drove across the empty wilderness. No rain had fallen,
the sky was getting clear and green, and a vivid crimson sunset burned
on the edge of the grass. The air was now cool, and although she was
anxious about the weather, Sadie felt more cheerful than when she had
come.

She had no scruples about what she had done. For one thing, she had
kept to the truth when she might have made her hints more damaging by a
little exaggeration. Her antagonist had struck her a treacherous blow;
he was dangerous, and must be downed. Then she smiled with grim humor
as she admitted that she had perhaps done enough for a time. Wilkinson's
creditors were on his track; it would be amusing to watch them play her
game.

It was dark when she reached the farm and found Charnock waiting on the
veranda. He looked dull but not embarrassed, and there was nothing to
indicate that he had been disturbed by her absence. Sadie did not tell
him where she had been and did not talk much. She had found out that it
was better not to make things too easy for Bob.

"I suppose you have a headache; you deserve it," she said. "I'm tired
and don't want to hear your excuses now."

"I really haven't begun to make excuses," Charnock answered.

"Then don't begin. It's late, and you have got to start for the bluff at
sun-up and haul those fence-posts home. The job has been hanging on too
long and must be finished to-morrow."

"It will be finished before dinner," Charnock replied. "As a matter of
fact, I brought in most of the posts to-day."

Sadie's look softened, but she did not mean to be