Suddenly Jake's hand went up as though to strike the man, but the blow
did not fall. His arm dropped to his side again; for once caution
saved him. Tresler felt that had the blow fallen there might perhaps
have been a sudden and desperate end to the scene. As it was he
listened to Jake's final words, with every nerve throbbing.

"You lie, you black son-of-a----; you lie!"

And then he saw him swing round on his heel and stride away to the
rancher's house, as if he could no longer control himself and sought
safety in flight.

For the moment the watcher was so interested in the half-breed that he
lost the significance of the foreman's going. Anton was still standing
in the doorway, and the expression of his face was plainly visible in
the lamplight. There was a saturnine grin about the lower part of the
features, but the black eyes were blazing with a deep fire of hatred.
He looked after the departing man until he reached the verandah, then
suddenly, as though an inspiration had moved him, he vanished at a run
within the stable.

Now Tresler became aware of Jake's object. He had mounted the verandah
and was making for the door of the house. And this sight moved him to
immediate action. Without a second thought he set off at a run to
warn Diane of the visit. Why he wished to warn her he did not know.
Perhaps it was the result of premonition, for he knew quite well that
it was Jake's custom to wait on his chief at about this time in the
evening.

He skirted the house well out of range of the light of its windows,
and came to the kitchen just in time to hear the blind man calling to
his daughter for a light. And when Diane returned from obeying the
order she found him waiting for her. Her first feeling was one of
apprehension, then love overcame her fears and she ran to him.

"Jack!" she whispered softly. "You here?"

He folded her in a bear-like embrace, and as she raised her face to
him to speak he stopped her with a rain of kisses. The joy of the
moment had driven the object of his coming from his head, and they
stood heart to heart, lost in their mutual happiness, until Jake's
voice, raised in bitter imprecation, reached them from the office.
Then Tresler abruptly put her from him.

"I had forgotten, dear," he said, in a whisper. "No, don't close that
door." Diane had moved over to the door leading into the dining-room.
"Leave it open. It is on that account I am here."

"On what account?" the girl asked, in