te expressionless at that
moment. "You will please do as I ask."

Hervey gulped down his chagrin; but his eyes were alight with the
anger from which his lips refrained. He mounted his horse.

"Well, good-bye, George," he said, with a great display of cordiality.
"I hope those owls of yours will permit me to ride in peace."

"I have no doubt they will," replied Iredale, with an inscrutable
smile. "Good-bye."

Hervey rode away. The man he had left remained standing at his front
door. The horseman half turned in his saddle as the bush closed about
him.

"Curse the man for his d----d superiority," he muttered. "I suppose he
thinks I am blind. Well, Mr. Iredale, we've made a pleasant start from
my point of view. If you intend to marry Prudence you'll have to pay
the piper. Guess I'm that piper. It's money I want, and it's money
you'll have to pay."

The mysterious owner of Lonely Ranch was thinking deeply as he watched
his guest depart.

"I believe he's the greatest scoundrel I have ever come across," he
said to himself. "Money? Why, he'd sell his soul for it, or I'm no
judge of men of his kidney, and, worse luck, I know his sort well
enough. I wonder what made me do it? Not friendship. Prudence? No, not
exactly. And yet--I don't know. I think I'd sooner have him on my side
than against me." Then he turned his eyes towards the corrals and
outbuildings which were dotted about amongst the trees, and finally
they settled upon a little clearing on the side of Front Hill. It was
a graveyard of the early settlers. "Yes, I must break away from it
all--and as soon as possible. I have said so for many a year, but the
fascination of it has held me. If I hope to ever marry Prudence I must
give it up. I must not--dare not let her discover the truth. The
child's goodness drives me to desperation. Yes--it shall all go."

His gaze wandered in the direction Hervey had taken, and a troubled
look came into his calm eyes. A moment later he turned suddenly with a
shiver and passed into the house. Somehow his thoughts were very
gloomy.

CHAPTER X

THE GRAVEYARD AT OWL HOOT

Prudence and Alice Gordon surveyed the wild scene that suddenly opened
out before them. They had drawn their horses up to a standstill on the
brow of no inconsiderable hill, and beyond stretched a panorama of
strikingly impressive beauty. Nature in one of her wildest moments,
verdant and profound, was revealed.

Alice was a pretty girl, rather ordinar