ase father
unless the matter is important." This was said merely to conceal her
real knowledge of the object of the visit.

If Jake understood he gave no sign. But he had seen and resented the
silent assurance Tresler had given her. His angry eyes watched her as
she went off; and as she disappeared he turned to his companion, who
had seated himself by the window.

"Guess you ain't figgered on the 'old man' 'bout her?" he said.

"That, I think, is strictly my affair," Tresler replied coldly.

Jake laughed, and sat down near the door. The answer had no effect on
him.

"Say, I guess you ain't never had a cyclone hit you?" he asked
maliciously. "It'll be interestin' to see when you tell him.
Maybe----"

Whatever he was about to say was cut short by the approach of the
rancher. And it was wonderful the change that came over the man as he
sat listening to the tap-tap of the blind man's stick in the passage.
He watched the door uneasily, and there was a short breathless
attention about him. Tresler, watching, could not help thinking of the
approach of some Eastern potentate, with his waiting courtiers and
subjects rubbing their faces in the dust lest his wrath should be
visited upon them. He admitted that Jake's attitude just now was his
true one.

At the door Julian Marbolt stood for a moment, doing by means of his
wonderful hearing what his eyes failed to do for him. And the marvel
of it was that he faced accurately, first toward Tresler, then toward
Jake. He stood like some tall, ascetic, gray-headed priest, garbed in
a dressing-gown that needed but little imagination to convert into a
cassock. And the picture of benevolence he made was only marred by the
staring of his dreadful eyes.

"Well, Jake?" he said, in subdued, gentle tones. "What trouble has
brought you round here at this hour?"

"Trouble enough," Jake responded, with a slight laugh. "Tresler here
brings it, though."

The blind man turned toward the window and instinctively focussed the
younger man, and somehow Tresler shivered as with a cold draught when
the sightless eyes fixed themselves upon him.

"Ah, you Tresler. Well, we'll hear all about it." Marbolt moved
slowly, though without the aid of his stick now, over to the table,
and seated himself.

"It's the old trouble," said Jake, when his master had settled
himself. "The cattle 'duffers.' They're gettin' busy--busy around this
ranch again."

"Well?" Marbolt turned to Tresler; his action wa