re. Ben Doubler is alone, and he needs care.
I am going to him--to stay with him until the doctor arrives. He will die
if someone does not take care of him."

"You are determined to continue to meddle, are you?" he said, his voice
quivering with anger, his lips working strangely. "I am sick of your
damned interference. Sick of it, I tell you!" His voice lowered to a
harsh, throaty whisper. "You won't leave this office until to-morrow
afternoon! Do you hear? What business is it of yours if Doubler dies?"

Sheila did not answer, but pressed the door latch. His arm suddenly
interposed, his fingers closing on her arm, gripping it so tightly that
she cried out with pain. Then suddenly his fingers were boring into her
shoulders; she was twisted, helpless in his brutal grasp, and flung bodily
into the chair beside the desk, where she sat, sobbing breathlessly.

She did not cry out again, but sat motionless, her lips quivering, rubbing
her shoulders where his iron fingers had sunk into the flesh, her soul
filled with a revolting horror for his brutality.

For a moment there was no movement. Then, in the semi-darkness she saw him
leave the door; watched him as he approached a shelf on which stood a
kerosene lamp, lifted the chimney and applied a match to the wick. For an
instant after replacing the chimney he stood full in the glare of light,
his face contorted with rage, his eyes gleaming with venom.

"Now you know exactly where I stand, you--you huzzy!" he said, grinning
satyrically as she winced under the insult. "I'm your father, damn you!
Your father--do you hear? And I'll not have you go back East to gab and
gossip about me. You'll stay here, and you'll bear witness against Dakota,
and you'll keep quiet about me!" He was trembling horribly as he came
close to her, and his breath was coughing in his throat shrilly.

"I won't do anything of the kind!" Sheila got to her feet, and stood,
rigid with anger, her eyes flaming defiance. "I am going to Doubler's
cabin this minute, and if you molest me again I shall go to the sheriff
with my story!"

He seemed about to attack her again, and his hands were raised as though
to grasp her throat, when there came a sound at the door, it swung open,
and Dakota stepped in, closing the door behind him.

Dakota's face was white--white as it had been that other day at the
quicksand crossing when Sheila had looked up to see him sitting on his
pony, watching her. There was an entire absen