too well.

In a few minutes he was nearing the saloon. He would pass within fifty
yards of it. As he came abreast of it he turned his head curiously in
its direction. There was a great din of voices coming from its frowzy
interior, and he wondered. The men seemed to have begun their nightly
orgie early. Then it occurred to him that perhaps Crombie's men had
returned, and were out to make a night of it. He smiled to himself.
They would need a good deal of drink to wash out the taste of the
bitter pill of Will's escape.

Had he but known it, the occasion was a meeting of the townsmen to
decide his fate. Had he but known it, Peter Blunt was there watching
his interests and ready to fight with both brains and muscle on his
behalf. But then, had he known it, it might have altered the whole
complexion of the events which happened in Barnriff that night.

He did not know it, so he rode straight on to Eve's house. Nor did it
occur to him as strange, at that hour in the evening, that he did not
encounter a single soul on his way.

Arrived at her gate he dismounted and off-saddled. He would not need
his horse again that night, so he turned the animal loose to graze at
its leisure. It would find its way to the water when it wanted to, and
when he had seen Eve he would carry his saddle back to Peter's hut,
where he was going to sleep.

Just for a moment he paused before opening the gate. The house was
still in darkness. He had half a mind to go round the back and see if
there were lights in the kitchen. But it seemed like spying to him,
and so he refrained.

But somehow the place suggested that there was no one within,
and eventually he started up the path with a feeling of keen
disappointment. At the door he paused and felt for the latch.
Then, just as his hand came into contact with it, and he was
about to lift it, he started, and, motionless, stood listening.

What was that? He thought he heard a peculiar moaning beyond the
door. No, he was mistaken. There was no sound now. At least---- Ah,
there it was again. He pressed one ear against the door and
immediately started back. He had not been mistaken.

He no longer hesitated, but, lifting the latch noisily, pressed
against the door. It was fast. And now the moaning suddenly became
louder. Without a thought, without a scruple, he promptly thrust his
toe against the foot of the door and pressed heavily. Then, lifting
the latch, he threw all the weight of his powerful shou