Horton has, however, as much
taste in china as the average mule. Don't leave it to him."

"How did you guess that?" and Alton stared at him.

"That," said Seaforth, "was delightfully simple. It is a little more
difficult to decide what Miss Deringham, who is a quick-witted young
woman, did with the tea. As you are quite aware, she did not drink it.
Still, that is not the question. I'll write you out a little list of
what is wanted--I used to know a little about china once, you see, and
you tell Horton to send it on to Vancouver. How much would you care to
spend, Harry?"

"Just whatever is necessary, but get the best," said Alton. "Write
another list of cakes and jellies and things of that kind, too. Put
down plenty."

Seaforth returned by the time the horse was saddled, with an envelope,
and Alton, who took it, rode out at a gallop, for it was a long way to
the settlement, and the evenings at the ranch had of late become very
pleasant to him. He did not wish to lose a minute of one of them. He
drew bridle, however, when he came up with two men standing in the
narrow trail, one of whom signed to him. He was a small rancher, but
it was not until the impatient horse plunged that Alton recognized the
other, who moved aside, as the man he had thrown into the river. The
rancher saw the glance that passed between them.

"Hallo!" he said. "Then you two had trouble when you split? Now,
Damer was telling me he'd got kind of tired of saw milling."

Alton laughed. "That's quite likely," he said. "He showed it by
breaking up my planer in a fit of temper, and I fired him."

Then he touched the horse with his heel, and Damer's gaze grew venomous
as he watched him ride away down the shadowy trail. The rancher
evidently noticed it.

"Now I begin to understand how you got your jacket tore up and that
lump on your forehead," he said. "I wasn't quite sure about your tale,
anyway, and if Harry fired you it was for something mean. You'll get
no horse from me."

The other man said nothing as he turned away, but his face was not
pleasant as he plodded down the trail, and those words of Alton's were
to cost him dear, for if Damer had obtained the horse he wanted to
carry him to the railroad he would in all probability have left the
country, which would have prevented a good deal of trouble. As it was,
however, he restrapped the roll of blankets on his back, and trudged on
with bitterness in his heart under the heat