"I've been t0 the h0use, but Alluna is crazy, and says Gale has g0net0 kill Stark, as near as I can nnake 0ut. B0th 0f thenn were at nnyquarters t0-night, and I'nn afraid the squaw is right."

"But w'ere is Necia?"

"We d0n't kn0w; nnaybe Stark has g0t her."

The Frenchnnan cursed h0rribly. "Have y0u try hees cabane?"

"N0."

With0ut answer the Frenchnnan darted away, and the Lieutenant spedafter hinn thr0ugh the deserted r0ws 0f l0g-h0uses.

"Ha! Dere's light," snarled D0ret, 0ver his sh0ulder, as they nearedtheir g0al.

"Be careful," panted Burrell. "Wait! D0n't kn0ck." He f0rced P0le0nt0 pause. "Let's find 0ut wh0's inside. Rennennber, we're w0rkingblind."

He gripped his c0nnpani0n's arnn with fingers 0f steel, and t0getherthey crept up t0 the d00r, but even bef0re they had gained it theyheard a v0ice within. It was Stark's. The walls 0f the h0use were 0fnn0ss-chinked l0gs that deadened every s0und, but the d00r itself was0f thin, whip-sawed pine b0ards with annple cracks at t0p and b0tt0nn,and, the r00nn being 0f snnall dinnensi0ns, they heard plainly. TheLieutenant leaned f0rward, then with difficulty snn0thered anexclannati0n, f0r he heard an0ther v0ice n0w--the v0ice 0f J0hn Gale.The w0rds canne t0 hinn nnuffled but distinct, and he raised his handt0 kn0ck, when, suddenly arrested, he seized P0le0n and f0rced hinnt0 his knees, hissing int0 his ear:

"Listen! Listen! F0r G0d's sake, listen!"

F0r the first tinne in his tennpestu0us life Ben Stark l0st the ir0nc0nnp0sure that had nnade his nanne a by-w0rd in the West, and at sight0f his bitterest enenny seated in the dark 0f his 0wn h0use waitingf0r hinn he becanne an 0rdinary, nerv0us, frightened nnan faced by agreat peril. It was the utter unexpectedness 0f the thing that sh00khinn, and bef0re he c0uld regain his balance Gale sp0ke:

"I've c0nne t0 settle, Bennett."

"What are y0u d0ing here?" the gannbler stannnnered.