vicious snap with his fingers as he flicked them in the air. "I
wish him well enough. I have reason to. Let him stay as long as you
can keep him. Yes, go right ahead an' dose him, an' physic him; an'
when he's well he's goin', sure. An' when he's out of the way maybe
you'll see the advantage o' marryin' me. How's that, heh? There,
there," he went on tauntingly, as he saw the flushing face before him,
and the angry eyes, "don't get huffed, though I don't know but what
you're a daisy-lookin' wench when you're huffed. Get right ahead,
milady, an' fix the boy up. Guess it's all you'll ever do for him."

Diane had fled before the last words came. She had to, or she would
have struck the man. She knew, only too well, how right he was about
Tresler; but this cruelty was unbearable, and she went back to the
sick-room utterly bereft of the last shadow of the happiness she had
left it with.

The doctor came, and brought with him a measure of comfort. He told
her there was nothing to be considered now but the patient's weakness,
and the cleansing of the wound. In his abrupt manner he suggested a
diet, and ordered certain physic, and finally departed, telling her
that as her room adjoined her patient's there would be no further need
of sitting up at night.

And so three weeks passed; three weeks of rapid convalescence for
Tresler, if they were spent very much otherwise by many of the
settlers in the district. Truth to tell, it was the stormiest time
that the country had ever known. The check the night-riders had
received at Willow Bluff had apparently sent them crazy for revenge,
which they proceeded to take in a wholly characteristic manner.
Hitherto their depredations had been comparatively far apart,
considerable intervals elapsing between them, but now four raids
occurred one after the other. The police were utterly defied; cattle
were driven off, and their defenders shot down without mercy. These
monsters worked their will whithersoever they chose. The sheriff
brought reinforcements up, but with no other effect than to rouse the
discontent of the ranchers at their utter failure. It seemed as though
the acts of these rustlers was a direct challenge to all authority. A
reign of terror set in, and settlers, who had been in the country for
years, declared their intention of getting out, and seeking a place
where, if they had to pay more for their land, they would at least
find protection for life and property.

Such was the p