d.

"Mr. Rogers says would you mind coming down to the corral. Miss Rosa has
a headache, and we're keeping the house still for her to sleep. That's
her window up there--" And he indicated the rose-bowered window with the
fluttering curtain.

Dazed and half suspicious of something, Gardley folded the two letters
together and crushed them into his pocket, wondering what he ought to do
about it. The thought of it troubled him so that he only half gave
attention to the business in hand; but he gave his report and handed
over certain documents. He was thinking that perhaps he ought to see
Miss Rosa and find out what she knew of Margaret's going and ask how she
came in possession of this other letter.

"Now," said Rogers, as the matter was concluded, "I owe you some money.
If you'll just step up to the house with me I'll give it to you. I'd
like to settle matters up at once."

"Oh, let it go till I come again," said Gardley, impatient to be off. He
wanted to get by himself and think out a solution of the two letters. He
was more than uneasy about Margaret without being able to give any
suitable explanation of why he should be. His main desire now was to
ride to Ganado and find out if the missionaries had left home, which way
they had gone, and whether they had met Margaret as planned.

"No, step right up to the house with me," insisted Rogers. "It won't
take long, and I have the money in my safe."

Gardley saw that the quickest way was to please Rogers, and he did not
wish to arouse any questions, because he supposed, of course, his alarm
was mere foolishness. So they went together into Rogers's private
office, where his desk and safe were the principal furniture, and where
no servants ventured to come without orders.

Rogers shoved a chair for Gardley and went over to his safe, turning the
little nickel knob this way and that with the skill of one long
accustomed, and in a moment the thick door swung open and Rogers drew
out a japanned cash-box and unlocked it. But when he threw the cover
back he uttered an exclamation of angry surprise. The box was empty!

CHAPTER XXXII

Mr. Rogers strode to the door, forgetful of his sleeping daughter
overhead, and thundered out his call for James. The servant appeared at
once, but he knew nothing about the safe, and had not been in the office
that morning. Other servants were summoned and put through a rigid
examination. Then Rogers turned to the woman who had answered t