helpless condition. But he could not flatter himself that
he had inspired any terror in Luke Robbins. Against his will he was
compelled to pay tribute to the resolute courage of the Quaker
detective. As he met the gaze of the farmer he smiled to himself
sardonic ally.

"You've got the advantage of me," he said.

"I am bound and helpless, while you are free and are armed. Still you
are afraid of me."

"Why should I be?" asked Mason, but his tone was not firm.

"Yes, why should you be? I'll tell you. If ever I have you where I am
now, I'll give you fifteen minutes to say your prayers."

"Oh, what a terrible man!" said Mrs. Mason, with a shudder.

"You wouldn't kill him?" she ejaculated.

"Yes, I would. But there is one way of escape."

"What is that?"

"Loose these bonds and let me go before your Quaker friend comes down
stairs, and your life will be safe, and your wife's."

Ezekiel Mason shook his head feebly.

"I don't dare to do it," he said.

"Do as you please, but the time will come when you will be sorry that
you refused. What are you afraid of? You are armed, while I have no
weapon."

"I am afraid of Luke."

"You needn't be. He would find fault with you, but that would be all."

Ezekiel Mason was weak, but not weak enough to yield to the
persuasions of his prisoner. Besides, he knew that Luke would come
down from the attic directly.

In fact he was already close at hand. He brought in his hand the cut
fragments of the cord with which the outlaw had originally been bound.

"This tells the story," he said, holding up the rope so that the
farmer and his wife could see it. "This rope has been cut. The man has
a knife."

John Fox darted a malignant look at him, but said nothing.

"You are smart, John Fox," Luke went on, "smarter than I thought. It
must have cost you considerable trouble to cut the rope. Where is your
knife?"

John Fox did not reply.

Luke Robbins knelt down and thrust his hand unceremoniously into the
outlaw's pocket.

He drew out the knife which had done Fox so much service.

"This will be safer with me than with you," he said.

"Would you rob me?" demanded the outlaw.

"Yes, of anything it is not proper for you to have."

To John Fox the disappointment was bitter. He was, if anything, more
securely tied than before, and it would be quite impossible to loosen
the rope or free himself without the help of the knife. His hope of
getting loose during the night and killing