ke handin' me the reason you wouldn't set the
law on to that--woman?" he went on presently.

The question was by no means idle. It was inspired by the man's
genuinely kindly nature. Somehow, he felt that he had been responsible
for that which he had seen, still saw, in this man's eyes.

But he was wholly unprepared for the reply forthcoming. It came
promptly. Each word came distinctly, deliberately, in a voice of
bitter coldness. The tragedy of it left the rancher speechless.

"Because I married Elvine van Blooren just over six weeks ago."

CHAPTER XIX

THE RETURN HOME

A long day of anxiety and fevered apprehension merged into a night of
terror. It was the outcome of a conviction that was irresistible. The
shadow of disaster was marching hard upon her heels. Nor had she the
power to avoid it.

As night came on Elvine remained alone in her twilit bedroom. She had
no desire to come into contact with the servants, she had no desire for
human companionship of any sort. So, with the fading light, she betook
herself to the bedroom.

But there was no relief. It was haunted to-night, teeming with the
fancies of a dreading imagination. It seemed to her like the cell of a
condemned prisoner.

The day had passed heavily, drearily. Every moment of it had been
filled with the thought that Jeff was on his way to Orrville. On his
way to meet Dug McFarlane. On his way to meet the one man in whose
hands her whole fate lay. He alone knew the source of the ten thousand
dollars which she had carried back to her paternal home as the net
result of her first marriage. He alone knew it to be the price of the
blood of men, amongst whom was the twin brother of her present husband.

Memory was alive, and full of a poignant torture. It brought back to
her the scene when she had driven her first husband to help her to the
money she had desired to possess. He had spoken, in his horror and
anger, of "blood money," of "Judas," and she would not hear. She had
derided him, she had lashed him with the scorn of an unbridled tongue,
she had turned upon him in her selfish craving, without a thought of
any principle.

Now she understood what she had done, but she only understood because
of the threat which overshadowed her. It was no spiritual awakening.
It was again the self in her, threatened in its desires as a result of
her earlier wanton actions. Her motives, even the picture of the
carnage in that hidden valle