adcliff's
home. It had been a fair fight between them, and he had won as a man
should. But Brad had not taken his defeat as a man should. He had
nourished bitterness and played his successful rival many a mean
despicable trick. Out of these had grown the feud between them. Crawford
did not know how it had come about, but he had no doubt Steelman had
somehow fallen a victim in the trap he had been building for others.

A question brought his mind back to the present. The teamster was
talking: "... so she started pronto. I s'pose you wasn't as bad hurt as
Sanders figured."

"What's that?" asked Crawford.

"I was sayin' Miss Joyce she started right away when the note come from
Sanders."

"What note?"

"The one tellin' how you was hurt in the fire."

Crawford turned. "Come here, Dave," he called hoarsely.

Sanders moved across.

"Hank says you sent a note to Joyce sayin' I'd been hurt. What about it?"

"Why would I do that when you're not hurt?"

"Then you didn't?"

"Of course not," answered Dave, perplexed.

"Some one's been stringin' you, Hank," said Crawford, smiling.

The teamster scratched his head. "No, sir. I was there when she left.
About twelve o'clock last night, mebbe later."

"But Sanders says he didn't send a note, and Joyce didn't come here. So
you must 'a' missed connections somewhere."

"Probably you saw her start for home," suggested Dave.

Hank stuck to his guns. "No, sir. She was on that sorrel of hers, an'
Keith was ridin' behind her. I saddled myself and took the horse to the
store. They was waitin' there for me, the two young folks an' Juan."

"Juan?"

"Juan Otero. He brought the note an' rode back with her."

The old cattleman felt a clutch of fear at his heart. Juan Otero was one
of Dug Doble's men.

"That all you know, Hank?"

"That's all. Miss Joyce said for me to get this wagonload of grub out
soon as I could. So I come right along."

"Doble been seen in town lately?" asked Dave.

"Not as I know of. Shorty has."

"Shorty ain't in this."

"Do you reckon--?"

Sanders cut the teamster short. "Some of Doble's work. But I don't see
why he sent for Keith too."

"He didn't. Keith begged to go along an' Miss Joyce took him."

In the haggard, unshaven face of the cattleman Dave read the ghastly
fear of his own soul. Doble was capable of terrible evil. His hatred,
jealousy, and passion would work together to poison his mind. The corners
of his brain had always been full