ot define it: "I can
guess it; it is the same thing that made you stuff Wingfield's theories
down his throat a few minutes ago. You are sorry for the daughter."

Through the open door Ballard saw Fitzpatrick coming across the stone
yard.

"You've guessed it, Loudon; or rather, I think you have known it all
along. I love Elsa Craigmiles; I loved her long before I ever heard of
Arcadia or its king. Now you know why Wingfield mustn't be allowed to
talk; why I mustn't go away and give place to a new chief who might live
to see Elsa's father hanged. She must be spared and defended at any
cost. One other word before Fitzpatrick cuts in: When my time comes, if
it does come, you and one other man will know how I passed out and why.
I want your promise that you'll keep still, and that you will keep
Wingfield still. Blacklock doesn't count."

"Sure," said Bromley, quietly; and then, with the big Irish contractor's
shadow fairly darkening the door: "You'll do the same for me,
Breckenridge, won't you? Because--oh, confound it all!--I'm in the same
boat with you; without a ghost of a show, you understand."

Ballard put his back squarely to Michael Fitzpatrick scraping his feet
on the puncheon-floored porch of the bungalow, and gripped Bromley's
hand across the table.

"It's a bargain," he declared warmly. "We'll take the long chance and
stand by her together, old man. And if she chooses the better part in
the end, I'll try not to act like a jealous fool. Now you turn in and
lie down a while. I've got to go with Michael."

This time it was Bromley who saved the situation. "What a pair of
luminous donkeys we are!" he laughed. "She calls you 'dear friend,' and
me 'little brother.' If we're right good and tractable, we may get cards
to her wedding--with Wingfield."

XIX

IN THE LABORATORY

Ballard had a small shock while he was crossing the stone yard with
Fitzpatrick. It turned upon the sight of the handsome figure of the
Craigmiles ranch foreman calmly rolling a cigarette in the shade of one
of the cutting sheds.

"What is the Mexican doing here?" he demanded abruptly of Fitzpatrick;
and the Irishman's manner was far from reassuring.

"'Tis you he'll be wanting to see, I'm thinking. He's been hanging
'round the office f'r the betther part of an hour. Shall I run him off
the riservation?"

"Around the office, you say?" Ballard cut himself instantly out of the
contractor's company and crossed briskly to the shed