struggle, he knew, yet he felt,
with Jessie restored to him, he ought to make the effort. Somehow,
even now, he almost felt sorry for so misguided a--

But his reflections were suddenly cut short by the sound of horses'
hoofs returning, and, a moment later, Conroy loomed up in the
darkness. He came quite close up before he spoke, and then it was
almost in a whisper.

"I've located things," he said, with an air of deep satisfaction.
"Guess we'll make Mr. 'Lord' James hunt his hole 'fore we're thro'
with him. I figger a rawhide fixed neat about his neck'll 'bout meet
his case. An' say, I've news fer you. Ther's some o' his boys around.
He's jest right in ther' wher' you ken see that biggish light," he
went on, pointing at the illuminated square of a window. "I see him
through an open door round back. He's lyin' on a heap o' blankets
readin' a book. Ef you git along now you'll get him wher' you need
him, an'--an' I wouldn't take no chances. Get a drop on him from
outside the door, an'--wal, guess a feller like you'll know what to do
after that. I'm gettin' back to home."

Scipio glowed. He felt he could have hugged this good-natured
stranger. But he did not altogether agree with the man's suggestion of
getting the drop on James. He felt it would hardly be playing the
game. However, he intended to be guided by circumstances.

"Thanks, friend," he said, in his simple fashion. "You must let me
call you that," he went on eagerly. "You see, you've done something
for me to-night I can't never forget. Maybe you've got a wife of your
own, and if so you'll sure understand."

"Can't rightly say I've got a--wife," the man replied, "but I ken
understan' all right. James is low--doggone low," he added. And his
face was turned well away so that he could grin comfortably without
fear of the other seeing it.

"Well, so long," said Scipio hastily. "Seeing I shan't see you here
when I get back, I'd just like to thank you again."

"So long," replied the other. "An' you needn't to thank me too much."

Scipio urged his mare forward, and the man sat looking after him. And
somehow his face had lost something of its satisfied expression.
However, he sat there only a moment. Presently he lifted his reins
and set his horse at a canter in the direction of one of the more
distant lights.

"He's a pore fule," he muttered, "but it's a lousy trick anyways."
Thus he dismissed the matter from his mind with a callous shrug.

In the meantime S