go
into a seance and find out whether to initiate you."

"Dad is too sick," interposed Carmena. "He can't help any. I'll take his
place."

"No. He's going to come, and you'll stick here," ordered Slade.

Farley rose and tottered out into the anteroom with him and Cochise.
Lennon sprang up beside the coolly smiling girl.

"You've permitted them to go--knowing what will happen!"

"Nothing will happen. I changed keys on Dad. He'll come back. Then I
will go in his place."

"You shall not," forbade Lennon. "I told you it would be murder."

"How about Blossom?" queried the girl. "Slade isn't joking and you know
now what he is like."

Lennon looked at the prospective victim, hesitated, and tightened his
jaw.

"I must hold you to your promise. Set them upon each other, if you
wish---- But it shall not be that other way."

"If you hold me to my promise," said Carmena, her eyes hot with scorn.

She started to help Elsie clear the food-splattered table.

Before many minutes Farley reeled in, speechless from terror. He
collapsed into the first chair and held out a key in his wavering hand.
Carmena looked at it, nodded understandingly, and hastened out, with a
significant glance for Lennon.

He was not altogether reassured. After a few moments he followed her
along the front row of the cliff house rooms. He was close enough to
hear the talk that followed when she joined Cochise and Slade at the
padlocked door. The trader gruffly accepted her excuses for her father,
but swore violently when the two keys that she had brought failed to
open the lock.

She explained how she had changed her father's clothes, and took upon
herself all the blame with regard to the misplacing of the key. After
much soothing talk, she at last quieted Slade by promising to have a
given quantity of whiskey distilled before his next visit.

"That'll do," he conceded. "Look out you don't forgit it, though, or
I'll take it out of Dad's hide. Now, Cochise, you hit the high places
for them hosses. Don't do no shooting this time. Just natchelly have 'em
drift off. Git a move on you."

Had not Lennon been wearing moccasins, he must have been caught. As it
was, he glided back through the many rooms, undetected.

Farley had crept into his own room. His absence gave Lennon opportunity
to calm Elsie's fears and comfort her with the promise that he would
save her from both Slade and Cochise. The tread of heavy boots sent her
scurrying out of the livi