lawyer. Likely
enough lots of people knew of their partnership, maybe have seen the
letter--and they'd all be good witnesses in a suit. Our reputation ain't
so good, after that Jenkins deal, that we'd shine very bright in a suit.
Even if he couldn't prove his own claim, he could lug out the will old
Hiram left--he alone knows where it's hid--and then his next nearest
relatives would come in and get the claim. On the other hand, if we
smash him, the thing will all quiet down; there'll be no claimants to
work the mine; and after a few months we can step in and put up our own
notices. But we've got to do that first--smash him wide-open as soon as
we can catch up with him. He'll be way out in Back There, and no man
would ever know what became of him, and there'd be nobody left to oppose
us any more. But we can't be safe any other way."

Neilson nodded slowly. His subordinate had put the matter clearly; and
there was truth in his words. In Ben's murder alone lay their safety.

He had always been adverse to bloodshed; but further reluctance meant
ruin. Ben was one whom he could strike down without mercy or regret. And
the blow would not be for expediency alone. There would be a personal
debt to pay after the long months of searching. He could not forget that
Beatrice was helpless in his hands.

"The thing to do is to turn back with Chan, at once," he said.

"Of course," Ray agreed. "That plan of yours to get help in chasing 'em
down don't go any more. We don't want any spectators for what's ahead of
us. Here's grub and horses a-plenty, and we needn't lose any time."

So they turned back toward the Yuga, on their quest of hate.

XXII

Beatrice Neilson was a mountain girl, with the strong thews of Jael, yet
she hid her face as the canoe shot into the crest of the rapids. It
seemed incredible to her that the light craft should buffet that wild
cataract and yet live. She was young and she loved life; and death
seemed very near.

The scene that her eyes beheld in that last little instant in which the
boat seemed to hang, shuddering, at the crest of the descent was branded
indelibly on her memory. She saw Ben's face, set like iron, the muscles
bunching beneath his flannel sleeves as he set his paddle. He was
leaning forward, aware of nothing in the world but the forthcoming
crisis. And in that swift flash of vision she saw not only the steel
determination and the brutal savagery of the avenger. A little glimpse
of t