Here's a short story:

CHAPTER V 

In the misty morning twilight Colonel Zane, fully armed, paced to and fro before his cabin, on guard. All night he had maintained a watch. He had not considered it necessary to send his family into the fort, to which they had often been compelled to flee. On the previous night Jonathan had come swiftly back to the cabin, and, speaking but two words, seized his weapons and vanished into the black night. The words were "Injuns! Wetzel!" and there were none others with more power to affect hearers on the border. The colonel believed that Wetzel had signaled to Jonathan. 

On the west a deep gully with precipitous sides separated the settlement from a high, wooded bluff. Wetzel often returned from his journeying by this difficult route. He had no doubt seen Indian signs, and had communicated the intelligence to Jonathan by their system of night-bird calls. The nearness of the mighty hunter reassured Colonel Zane. 

When the colonel returned from his chase of the previous night, he went directly to the stable, there to find that the Indians had made off with a thoroughbred, and Betty's pony. Colonel Zane was furious, not on account of the value of the horses, but because Bess was his favorite bay, and Betty loved nothing more than her pony Madcap. To have such a march stolen on him after he had heard and seen the thieves was indeed hard. High time it was that these horse thieves be run to earth. No Indian had planned these marauding expeditions. An intelligent white man was at the bottom of the thieving, and he should pay for his treachery.  (End of story)

Provide your best guess for the following question. Give ONLY the guess, no other words or explanation.

For example:

Guess: <most likely guess, as short as possible; not a complete sentence, just the guess!>

Here are a few examples of questions and answers:

Question: Who was the threat?
Guess: Indians

Question: WHat did they do?
Guess: made off with a thoroughbred, and Betty's pony.

Question: Who did they steal from?
Guess: Colonel Zane

Question: Did he know they were a threat?
Guess: yes

Question: How?
Guess: Wetzel had signaled

Question: Who was he?
Guess: a mighty hunter

Question: Who did he comminucate with?
Guess: Jonathan

Question: What method did he use?
Guess: system of night-bird calls

Question: Why would Wetzel contact Jonathan?
Guess: seen Indian signs

Question: WHat did JOnathan do after hearing that?
Guess: seized his weapons

Question: What did Colonel Zane do?
Guess: maintained a watch.

Question: Why did he stay behind?
Guess: his family

Question: What could he have done instead?
Guess: send his family into the fort

Question: How long did he stay up?
Guess: All night

Question: Were they successful in stopping the Indians?
Guess: no

Question: Were the stolen items valuble?
Guess: yes

Question: Was that why people were upset?
Guess: no

Now answer the following question in the same format.

Question: Why then?

Bess was his favorite