"I git what I want any way I can git it. That's me--Mullendore."

"Tell me what you want! Is it money, Pete?"

"Money! Hell! What's money good for to me? Money's only to blow after
you've got enough to eat. What do you spose I want? I want you!"

"What do you mean?"

"Just that." An oath came between his clenched teeth. "I'm stuck on you!
I want you so I hate you, if you can understand that--and always have.
I'd like to take you off like a dog packs a bone away for himself. I've
dealt you and your sheep all the misery I could, because every step you
took up was just so far from me. What I've done," savagely, "is nothin'
to what I'll do when I git out of this, if you don't say yes."

Kate's face, that had gone scarlet, was a grayish white as she got up
slowly from her knees.

Her breathing was labored as she demanded:

"You--mean--that--you'll--not--tell me anything more unless I do what
you ask?"

"You got it right."

Kate's nerves and self-control gave way as a taut string snaps. In the
center of a black disc she saw only the mocking eyes and evil face of
Mullendore.

"I'm going to kill you, Pete! I'm--going--to choke you--to death!
You--shan't torment me--any more!"

Her strong hands were close to his throat while he shrank from the white
fury in her face. Suddenly her arms dropped to her sides. Such a feeling
of physical repulsion swept over her that she could not touch him even
in her rage.

"Lost your nerve?" he mocked. "Old Pete wins again, eh, Kate?"

She did not answer but stepped out on the wagon tongue that the cool
rain might patter in her face. Her knees were shaking beneath her and
she felt nauseated--sick with a feeling of absolute defeat.

CHAPTER XXIII

WHEN THE BLACK SPOT HIT

Teeters moved in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.

Outwardly, there would seem to be no possible connection between his
presence in the living room at Happy Wigwam making himself even more
than ordinarily agreeable, and the confession he desired to wring from
the murderer of Mormon Joe.

Years of "Duding," however, had given Teeters a confidence in himself
and his diplomacy which would seem to be justified, for, as he rightly
argued, "A man who can handle dudes can do anything."

Now, he knew that if he had come to Mrs. Taylor and bluntly asked the
use of her supernatural gifts in Kate's behalf she would have refused
him.

Kate had gone to Teeters in despair after her failure with Mullend