d to
whisper in his ear:

"If you want to please me, get Clavering away."

Grant glanced at her somewhat curiously, but both were sensible that other
eyes were upon them, and with a just perceptible nod he passed on with
Muller into the adjoining room. Clavering and the two Americans followed
him with Breckenridge, and Grant who had heard something of what had
happened from the fraeulein, asked a few questions.

"You can go when it pleases you, Clavering," he said. "I am sorry you have
received some trifling injury, but I have an idea that you brought it upon
yourself. In the face of your conduct to them it seems to me that my
friends were warranted in detaining you until they made sure of the
correctness of your story."

Clavering flushed, for there was a contemptuous incisiveness in Grant's
voice which stung his pride.

"I don't know that I am very grateful," he said angrily, "and you are
probably doing this because it suits you. In any case, your friends dare
not have offered violence to me."

Grant smiled grimly. "I wouldn't try them too far. But I don't quite catch
your meaning. I can gain nothing by letting you go."

"It should be tolerably plain. I fancied you desired to please some
friends at Cedar who send money to you."

There was a murmur of astonishment from the rest and Clavering saw that
the shot had told.

"I guess he's lying, Larry," said one of them.

Grant stood still a moment with his eyes fixed on Clavering. "I wonder,"
he said, "if you are hazarding a guess."

"No," said Clavering, "I don't think I am. I know you got a wallet of
dollars--though I don't know who sent them. Are you prepared to deny it?"

"I'm not prepared to exchange any words with you," said Grant. "Go while
the door is open, and it would not be advisable for you to fall into our
hands again. We hanged a friend of yours who, I fancy, lived up to, at
least, as high a standard as you seem to do."

When Clavering had left the room, the others turned to Grant. "You have
something to tell us?"

"No," said Grant quietly. "I don't think I have."

The men looked at each other, and one of them said, "That fellow's story
sounded kind of ugly. What were you taking dollars from the cattle-men
for, Larry?"

Grant saw the growing distrust in their eyes, but his own were resolute.

"I can't help that," he said. "I am with you, as I have always been, but
there are affairs of mine I can't have anybody inquiring into. That is all