drawled, not unpleasantly. "Can't you let a
man--"

Stephen interrupted with an apology. Then he
told the Judge of the loss. The Judge's voice
changed instantly.

"Fine business!" he snapped. "But I reckon
I know who to look for. There's only one man -- one
gang -- in the Territory that would do that
in that way. It's a job for the range police."
Then his voice softened. "Don't worry, Stephen!"
he added. "You just sit tight. I'll take
it up with the authorities."

Stephen left the booth and entered the writing-
room. Here he added a sad postscript to his note
to Helen. Then he went outside, despatched
Miguel with the letter, returned to his room and
sat down, disconsolate and angry.

To have Pat sent to him with this noble generosity,
and then to lose him! Surely fate was
more than unkind. The horse, given into his
keeping, had been wrested from him at once.
Yes, he was all that Helen had intimated that
he was -- a man incapable of trust, a man such
as she could never permit herself -- and he recalled
her words now with rankling bitterness -- to care
for in the way he wanted her to care for him.
Knowing that Pat was gone from him, and gone
in such ignoble fashion, he knew that he never
could face the horse's mistress again. This was
bitterest of all! For a time he gave way to despair.

Presently he awoke to a sense of stern respon-

[[153]]

p152 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p153w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p154

v?