lk.

"After this I'll put this powder in a safer place," said Mr. Radbury,
and stored it in a corner of the dugout, under the living-room.

Hank Stiger's wound was dressed, and then Pompey was set to watch him
for the remainder of the night. The negro was given a pistol and was
instructed to discharge it at the first intimation of danger of any
kind.

But the balance of the night passed quietly, and toward morning Dan got
into a sound sleep, from which he did not awaken until long after the
others were up.

After breakfast Amos Radbury started to question Hank Stiger. He found
the half-breed resting easily, but in a sullen mood. At first he
utterly refused to talk.

"Very well," said Mr. Radbury. "If you won't talk, neither shall you
eat nor drink."

"Then take me back to the Gonzales lockup," muttered Stiger.

"We will,--when we have the time. At present we have other matters to
attend to."

Left once more in charge of Pompey, the half-breed flew into a rage and
muttered all sorts of imprecations against those who had outwitted him.
Then, as the day wore on, he calmed down, and tried to bribe the
coloured man into giving him something to eat and to drink.

Pompey was obdurate. "Can't do it, nohow," he said. "It's ag'in Mars'
Radbury's ordahs, sah."

A wounded man always craves water, and by one o'clock in the afternoon
the half-breed's tongue was fairly lolling out of his mouth. He stood
it awhile longer, then summoned Pompey.

"Give me a drink,--I am dyin'."

"I dun tole you dat it was ag'in the massah's ordahs, sah."

"He said I could have water if I would talk," growled Stiger.

"Is yo' ready to talk?"

"Yes."

At once the negro called his master, who was busy, with the boys and
Poke Stover, in putting down some hog-meat for the winter. Knowing how
greatly Stiger must suffer, Amos Radbury went to him without delay.

"So you are willing to talk now, Stiger?"

"How can I help myself?"

"Then tell me why you tried to blow up my cabin?"

"I wanted to git squar' fer havin' me locked up."

"But you deserved to be locked up, after that attack on Dan and Henry
Parker."

At this the half-breed shrugged his shoulders.

"And you must remember perfectly well what you did before that,"
continued Amos Radbury.

"I didn't get Bison Head to attack you,--he did that on his own
account."

"But you came in afterward and robbed the place. It is useless for you
to deny any longer that you took those pa