around. It's up to you and me
to smooth out their troubles without resorting to bothersome legal
apparatus. The camp has no telephone; the road round to that peninsula
is all but inaccessible. They have a launch they're in the habit of
using to carry stuff across from Huddleston, but Mr. Richard Carey
blocks the way! I got all this when I was delivering Edith over there at
the back door. And Carey is camped at the land entrance, with an army of
lumberjacks to help him maintain a blockade. On my way out I ran the
gantlet, and if you think Carey is only fooling about this buried
treasure business, gaze on this!"

He took off his cap and pointed to a hole through the baggy top.

"A bullet, Archie, fired from ambush with murderous intent."

"But she said her cousin was in love with her! It can't be possible
that he's resorting to violence to drive her off land that belongs to
her, with the idea that she'll meet him at the altar afterwards."

"There's no loving touch in that bullet hole! Heart o' Dreams Camp is in
danger as long as that lunatic runs loose. They can't communicate with
Huddleston or Calderville in their launch because Carey patrols the
shore. It's a siege, Archie, and they're going to be hard put for
provisions in another day or two."

"Then it's our duty to relieve the beleaguered garrison?"

"Nothing less than that! When I took Edith over to Heart o' Dreams,
Isabel and Ruth wouldn't let me stay long enough to plan anything. They
were pretty anxious, of course, with Carey trying to smoke them out; and
they were afraid Putney would try to take Edith away from them. But from
what you say it's only Eliphalet who's made the trouble and we don't
need to fear anything from Putney. If it comes to a showdown I rather
think he'll play with us. You're sure he doesn't suspect that Isabel's
the head of Heart o' Dreams?"

"He hasn't the ghost of an idea of it. I tell you his spirit's broken
anyhow. With Hoky's murder on his mind and the general muddle of his
family affairs he doesn't care much which way the wind blows."

"That man needs occupation and we may find some way of using him. He
looks as though he had red blood in him; a fighter if he was thoroughly
aroused. If he knew the trick I've played on his father I guess that
would tickle him considerably. The idea of old Eliphalet with his
millions cruising the lakes with a band of the most accomplished
outlaws in America is funny, Archie; real comedy I should