ot what.

Janet suddenly jerked herself free and stepped back, her head held
high and proud.

"You'll never touch me again, you coward. Look behind you," she
exclaimed.

Involuntarily Sorenson turned head on shoulder. The frown still
darkened his liquor-flushed face and the sneer yet twisted his lips so
that his mustache was drawn back from his teeth. Thus he remained as
if changed to stone.

What he saw was the man he most dreaded, with a shadow of a smile on
his lips, his figure motionless, his hand ready, like an avenging
Nemesis from out of the night. A perceptible shudder shook the fellow.
Weir it was--"Cold Steel," whose counter-stroke against one man
already had been swift and deadly, whom nothing checked or turned or
terrified, who now for a second time was plucking away the fruit of
Sorenson's efforts, who probably on this occasion would shoot him
outright.

For a moment Steele Weir regarded him in silence. But at last he
spoke:

"Stand away from that lady, you skunk!"

Sorenson moved hastily aside.

CHAPTER XVII

EARTH'S RETRIBUTION

Steele Weir crossed the cabin to Janet's side.

"You are unhurt?" he asked, his eyes scanning her face anxiously.

"Yes. And, oh, how glad I am you came!" she cried, low. "I knew you
would not fail me if you but learned of my plight; but it's wonderful
you should be here so soon. I prayed every minute of my ride that
Juanita would find and tell you."

"I couldn't come half as fast as I wished." His smile assured and
cheered her. Then as his glance fell on her wrists, still red and
creased from being bound, he exclaimed, "What's this? Let me see." And
he caught and lifted her hands to look.

"He had you tied?" Weir's gaze moved away to Sorenson.

"Yes. Hands and feet."

"All the way? All the long ride?"

"Yes--look out!"

Janet's words, half a gasp, half a shriek, gave warning of Sorenson's
movement, though none was needed. While apparently neglecting to watch
the other, Weir had kept the man sharp in the corner of his eye. The
motion with which his hand darted to his hip and up again was a single
lightning-like sweep; and his weapon covered his enemy before the
latter's hand so much as got his revolver in grasp.

"Drop it; drop it on the floor!" the engineer ordered. The gun
clattered on the rough-hewn logs. "Now put your hands up and turn your
back this way." Sorenson obeyed, not without his eyes speaking the
disappointed wrath and hatred his t