support. He came to
tell me that this outfit meant to get Tom."

"This McHale business is serious," said Wade.

"Very serious. I don't mean so far as Tom is concerned; he can take
care of himself. But you can see that we can't allow these men to
bulldoze us. It's McHale now. To-morrow it may be some one else."

"Yes, I see. But what can you do about it? The law----"

"It's outside the law," said Casey. "The law is too slow. We'll make
our own law. Hello! What's that?"

He jumped to his feet, gun in hand, as the chair set against the door
scraped back from it. Out of the darkness staggered Sheila McCrae.

Water dripped from her old pony hat and ran in little rivulets from a
long, yellow slicker. From head to foot she was spattered with mud. Her
face was pale, drawn, and dirt-smeared, and blood oozed slowly from a
jagged cut above her left eye. She swayed from side to side as she
walked.

Kitty Wade cried out; Clyde rose swiftly in quick sympathy. But Casey
was before her.

"Sheila--girl--what's the matter?" he exclaimed.

She stretched out her arms to him gropingly.

"Where's Tom, Casey? They're after him. Maybe they're after you.
Father's hurt. Sandy----I can't talk, Casey. I guess--I'm--all in."

He caught her as she fell forward, lifting her in his arms as easily as
if she had been a child, and laid her on a couch.

"No, no," he said, as Clyde would have put cushions beneath her head.
"Let her lie flat." He unbuttoned the slicker, and opened her dress
halfway from throat to waist, stripping it away with ruthless hand. A
bare shoulder and arm showed bruised and discoloured. "She's been in
some mix-up--had a fall or something. Wade, get me some whiskey and
water!" His long fingers closed on her wrist. "She'll be all right in
five minutes, unless something's broken. Mrs. Wade, get in here and
loosen her corsets. Give her a chance."

Kitty stooped obediently, and straightened up in amazement.
"Why--she----"

"Well, how did I know?" snapped Casey. He ran his hand down her side.
"No ribs broken; arms all right. Good!"

Sheila's long lashes fluttered against her cheeks, she sighed and
opened her eyes.

"Casey," she said, "never mind me. Look out for yourself. Where's Tom?
There are men coming to-night. I was afraid----"

"All right, Sheila," he interrupted. "Tom is safe. The men have gone.
No trouble at all. Just lie quiet till things steady a little. Have a
drink of this."

Clyde brought water, spong