rumpling it at last in savage wrath.
"It's your fault!" he cried. "Why didn't you save her for me as I've
always asked you to do; why did you let her go out with him at all? I'll
bet she wanted to go--"

"I'd rather she had, instead of being taken by force!" The older
man--aged incredibly in a few little minutes--slowly straightened. "But
don't storm at me, Ray!" he warned, carefully and quietly. "I've stood a
lot from you, but to-day I'd kill you for one word!"

They faced each other in black disdain, but Ray knew he spoke the truth.
There was no toying with this man's wrath to-day.

"And if you'd let me croak this devil like I wanted to, it wouldn't have
happened either. But there's no use crying about either one. The girl's
a goner, sure; she's deep in the rapids by now."

"Yes, and it's part of this man's hellish plan to take her clear through
to Back There. You see, he dares us to come for her--and he'll be
waiting and ready for us, mark my words. My God, she's probably
dead--smashed to pieces--already!"

"He says he's got the old man's letter, leaving the claim to him. That
messes up things even worse."

"I wish I'd never heard of the claim. There's only one thing to do, and
that's to rush into Snowy Gulch and get a big outfit--all the horses and
supplies we can find--and go after her by land."

"Yes, and walk right into his trap. Think again, Neilson. It would take
weeks and months to get in that way. Besides, what would happen to the
claim while we're gone?"

"You needn't fear for the claim! Of course, I'd expect you to think of
that first--you who loved Beatrice so dearly!" Neilson's face was white
with disdain. "It'll be recorded in our names, by then--likely Chan is
already in Bradleyburg--and Darby himself is the only man on earth we
have to fear." He paused, putting his faith in desperate craft. "If you
want to cinch the claim, the first thing to do is go and stamp the life
out of Darby; otherwise he'll turn up and make us trouble, just as he
says."

"He can't do much if the claim's recorded in our names!"

"He can make us plenty of trouble. If you want the girl, Ray--don't lose
a minute. Put your things together as fast as you can. We'll try to get
some men in Snowy Gulch to come with us--to join in the hunt--and we'll
hire every pack horse in the country. Get busy, and get busy quick."

Reluctant to leave his gold, yet seeing the truth in Neilson's words,
Ray hastened to his cabin to get such