bar
and rivet throbbing under the pressure. Only then did Marion turn, and
motion to Smythe. He leaned forward, clinging to the back of her
seat.

"The doctor?" she shouted in his ear.

"Craven had started for Tellurium," he yelled back. "Said he'd kill
the sorrels. I told him there was a doctor at Lake Cobalt--Doctor
Norris of Omaha--just arrived, with his family. 'You're not such a
fool after all,' said Craven. (I'll talk with him about that later.)
'Thanks!' I said, and pulled my horse out of the way. 'That saves two
days.' He gave the horses the whip again, and I started for
Huntington's to tell you--Watch out! There's the turn!" he shouted in
Hillyer's ear.

The wheels tore up the sand as the machine, with the power off but
still going at more than half-speed under its momentum, skidded and
scraped around the turn into Haig's road.

"Now!" cried Marion.

Again the automobile shivered, and plunged, and went clamoring like a
mad thing up the little valley, the hills echoing back its roar. The
white road leaped up at them, gulping them in. A red steer, astray
from some pasture, crossed the road far ahead of them, and Marion
closed her eyes as the machine, with a sickening swerve, missed it by
inches. The next instant she was pointing to the group of buildings
squatting under the hill; and then she was out of the automobile, and
running to Farrish at the door of the barn. His face confirmed her
worst fears.

"Where is he?" she asked, with a swift look around.

He pointed toward the larger of the two cottages. With Hillyer and
Smythe silently following, she ran to the cottage, and through the
open door. There she found herself in a bare, uncarpeted room,
furnished only with two chairs and a table. On the table lay a faded
and battered gray hat. For an instant her gaze rested on it, and a
lump rose in her throat. But she resolutely turned away, tightening
her lips.

There were two inner doors, one of which, ajar, revealed a glimpse of
brightly polished pans hanging on the wall. The other door was closed.
After an instant of hesitation, she walked straight toward it.

"Marion!" called Hillyer warningly.

She did not heed him, but turned the knob, softly opened the door, and
with Robert and Smythe at her heels, stepped into a dimly lighted room
where the aroma of a pine log blazing in the fireplace mingled with
the pungent odor of ammonia. Smythe was quick to observe, over
Marion's shoulder, that the room w