ner's and be sure that she holds that hat
for me; she lives on a side street. You can ride with the others to
the hotel, for you will have to stay all night there; it will be
impossible for you to get everything done before dark. And, after all,
maybe it would be better if you come with me to the court-house. I
want you at least to meet Mr. Harkness. I will attend to everything
for you; you can rejoin Helen and Mr. Howard. And I think he will
understand if you suggest that he stay with Helen at the hotel while
you ride down to the post office to mail a letter, let's say. I
wouldn't mention court-house,' she added, 'as Helen might guess.'

During the remaining hour of jogging slowly through the sunshine,
Sanchia Murray elaborated her plans, all directed toward the double end
of hastening Longstreet's venture and keeping his secret from Helen.
She went into detail, secured his consent upon each point or swiftly
withdrew it to make another suggestion, and in the end awoke in him a
keen sense of her generosity. When they came to the first buildings of
the straggling town she waved her hand gaily, swung off into a side
street, and he rode on to overtake Alan and Helen. Once around a
corner Sanchia put spurs to her mare, struck the sweating shoulders
with her quirt and raced on her way through puffing clouds of dust and
barking dogs as though all leisureliness were gone before a sudden
vital need for haste. Before the party of three had come within sight
of the hotel she had swung down from her saddle at the back door of the
Montezuma House. And every one who knows San Ramon knows the
Montezuma, and every one who knows the place knows a house of sinister
reputation.

At the hotel Howard dismounted first to give his hand to Helen. This
time she accepted it and even repaid him with a quick smile.
Longstreet, while Helen was dismounting, tipped the cattleman a sly
wink. It was meant to be full of meaning, but only succeeded in making
Howard wonder.

'If you two will wait for me a moment,' said Longstreet, making a
perfectly transparent pretence of having nothing of importance on his
mind, 'I am going to ride over to the post office. It's just over
yonder. You'll be on the porch when I come back?' and without waiting
for a reply he clucked to his horse and trotted away. Helen looked
after him in surprise.

'Papa's up to something he ought to leave alone,' she decided wisely.
She turned to remount.

'We'd bet