he hall again, searched it, and waited at the foot of the
stairs. De Spain could hear Duke's rough voice up-stairs, but could
neither distinguish his words nor hear any response to them. Within a
moment the elder man tramped heavily down again, saying only, "She's
there," and, followed by Gale, returned to the living-room.

"Now go on, Druel," exclaimed Gale, sitting down impatiently, "and
talk quick."

Druel talked softly and through his nose: "I was only going to say it
would be a good idea to have two witnesses."

"Nita," suggested Gale.

Duke was profane. "You couldn't keep the girl in the room if she had
Nita to help her. And I want it understood, Gale, between you and me,
fair and square, that Nan's goin' to live right here with me after
this marriage till I'm satisfied she's willing to go to you--otherwise
it can't take place, now nor never."

De Spain opened his ears. Gale felt the hard, cold tone of his crusty
relative, and answered with like harshness: "What do you keep harping
on that for? You've got my word. All I want of you is to keep
yours--understand?"

"Come, come," interposed Druel. "There's no need of hard words. But we
need two witnesses. Who's going to be the other witness?"

Before any one could answer de Spain stepped out into the open archway
before the three men. "I'll act as the second witness," he said.

With a common roar the Morgans bounded to their feet. They were not
unused to sudden onslaughts, nor was either of them a man to shrink
from a fight at short quarters, if it came to that, but blank
astonishment overwhelmed both. De Spain, standing slightly sidewise,
his coat lapels flapped wide open, his arms akimbo, and his hands on
his hips, faced the three in an attitude of readiness only. He had
reckoned on the instant of indecision which at times, when coupled
with apprehension, paralyzes the will of two men acting together.
Under the circumstances either of the Morgans alone would have whipped
a gun on de Spain at sight. Together, and knowing that to do so meant
death to the one that took the first shot from the archway, each
waited for the other; that fraction of a second unsettled their
purpose. Instead of bullets, each launched curses at the intruder, and
every second that passed led away from a fight.

De Spain took their oaths, demands, and abuse without batting an eye.
"I'm here for the second witness," was all he repeated, covering both
men with short glances. Druel, hi