I passed the thicket by the spring I caught a glimpse
of a man, who then vanished like a ghost, but I swear that man was that
lank mountaineer, Joe Lorey, and that he tried to keep out of my sight."

"Joe Lorey!" Frank exclaimed. "What can he want down here?"

"Who knows? Maybe to finish the work he began in the mountains."

"More than likely," Holton ventured. "A rifleshot in the back, or a
match touched to a building."

"_I_ don't believe it," Frank said stoutly. "The man who laid down his
weapons to give me a fair, square fight, wouldn't stoop to things like
that."

"'Pears to me the man who fired that bomb 'u'd do most anythin'," said
Holton.

"That was in a fit of anger. Lorey swore to Madge that he thought better
of his impulse to do murder, stamped upon the burning fuse, and believed
that he had put it out, and I believe him."

He saw, now, that his aunt was badly frightened, and cautioned the other
men. "Not another word about him, now, at any rate, or Aunt 'Lethe won't
once close her eyes to-night."

"Well," said the Colonel, quite agreeing with him and hastening to
change the subject, "here's something much more interesting, anyway. A
letter from the Company. Looks official and important."

Frank took the letter, opened it and gazed at it in some dismay. "I
should think so," he exclaimed. "An assessment of $15,000 on my stock."

"Fifteen thousand devils!"

"No; fifteen thousand dollars."

The Colonel took the letter from his hand and looked at it with worried
eyes. "And you've got to meet it, Frank, or lose what you've put in."

Miss Alathea went to her nephew anxiously. "You'll sell Queen Bess, now,
won't you?" she implored. "You could pay it then. Best sell her."

The young man stood there, deep in worried thought. "If I were quite
convinced of the Company's good faith in everything, I'd risk it all,
even the loss of Woodlawn, my old home," he answered.

Neb now appeared from around a corner of the stable, evidently having
decided that the girl had had enough time for her toilet, or afraid to
wait another minute. His appearance created a diversion.

"Here, Neb," said Frank, "we've had enough nonsense. Let's see Queen
Bess, now."

Neb looked anxiously for signs that Madge was ready to see visitors, he
listened at the door. He saw no sign, he heard no signal. He was scared,
but he was faithful to his promise to the girl. He planted his old back
against the door. "Now de trouble am commencin