f you shake him off, you're in for a settlement with old
Cuneo, who will reach here to-night. As near as I can discover, he's one
of those pop-eyed foreigners who'd just as soon use a knife as not, and
Abe will do his best to spur him into jumping you."

"Well, looks like he'll have hard work reaching me, for, unless
somebody goes my bail, I'm likely to be safe in the 'cooler' when he
gets here."

Carmody had been decidedly friendly all through this troublesome week,
and here was a good place for him to say, "I'll go your bail, Hans," but
he didn't--he couldn't. He was poor and not very secure in his position,
so he let Hanscom go out, and took up his own work with a feeling that
he was playing a poor part in a rough game.

The news of Kauffman's illness reached kindly Mrs. Brinkley and moved
her to call upon Helen, to offer her services, and in the midst of her
polite condolences she said: "Mr. Hanscom's arrest must have infuriated
you. It did me."

Helen turned a startled glance upon her visitor. "I didn't know he was
arrested."

"Didn't you? Well, he is," said Mrs. Brinkley.

"Why; that can't be true! He was here less than an hour ago."

"He's just been arrested for assaulting Kitsong."

Helen, still unable to believe in this calamity, stammered: "But I don't
understand. When did he--When was Kitsong--assaulted?"

"Last night," replied her visitor, with relish, "and you were the cause
of it--in a way."

"I?"

"So the story goes. It seems Abe got nasty about you, and Mr. Hanscom
resented it. They had a fight and Abe was hurt. Unless somebody bails
him out the poor ranger will have to go to jail."

The memory of the ranger's last look completed Helen's understanding of
the situation, and she listened abstractedly while her visitor rattled
on:

"Of course, the judge can't do anything, much as he likes Mr. Hanscom,
and I really don't see who is to go on his bond. He hasn't any relatives
here."

At this point Helen raised her head and interrupted her guest's
commiserating comment. "Yes, you can do something for me. I wish you
would ask Mr. Willing, the vice-president of the First National Bank, to
come over here. I want to consult him on a most important business
matter, and I cannot leave my father. Will you do this?"

"Certainly, with pleasure. I was hoping to be of use," said Mrs.
Brinkley, and she went away greatly wondering what this strange young
woman could possibly want of Mr. Willing.

Helen