Nor Marbolt's. She belonged to me.
Three years ago I turned her out to graze at Whitewater with a bunch
of others, as an incorrigible rogue and vagabond. The whole lot were
stolen and one of the guard shot. Her name was 'Strike 'em.'"

"Strike 'em?"

"Yes. Ever have her come at you with both front feet, and her mouth
open?"

Tresler nodded.

"That's it. 'Strike 'em.' Fine mare--half blood."

"But Marbolt told Jake he bought her from a half-breed outfit."

"Dare say he did."

Fyles relit his pipe for about the twentieth time, which caused
Tresler to hand him his pouch.

"Try tobacco," he said, with a smile.

The sheriff accepted the invitation with unruffled composure. The
gentle sarcasm passed quite unheeded. Probably the man was too intent
on the business of the moment, for he went on as though no
interruption had occurred.

"After seeing you on that mare I found the ranch interesting. But the
man's blindness fooled me right along. I had no trouble in
ascertaining that Jake had nothing to do with things. Also I was
assured that none of the 'hands' were playing the game. Anton was the
man for me. But soon I discovered that he was not the actual leader.
So far, good. There was only Marbolt left; but he was blind. Last
night, when you came for me, and told me what had happened at the
ranch, and about the lighted lamp, I tumbled. But even so I still
failed to understand all. The man was blind in daylight, and could see
in darkness or half-light. Now, what the deuce sort of blind disease
is that? And he seems to have kept the secret, acting the blind man at
all times. It was clever--devilish clever."

Tresler nodded. "Yes; he fooled us all, even his daughter."

The other shot a quick glance from out of the corners of his eyes.

"I suppose so," he observed, and waited.

They smoked in silence.

"What are you going to do next
Nor Marbolt's. She belonged to me. 
 Three years ago I turned her out to graze at Whitewater with a crowd 
 of others, as an incorrigible rogue and vagrant. The unharmed lot were 
 stolen and one of the guard duty shot. Her name was' Strike'em.' " 

 " come to'em? " 

 " Yes. Ever have her arrive at you with both front feet, and her mouth 
 receptive? " 

 Tresler nodded. 

 " That's it.' Strike'em.' all right mare -- half blood. " 

 " But Marbolt told Jake he bought her from a half - breed outfit. " 

 " Dare say he did. " 

 Fyles relit his organ pipe for about the twentieth time, which caused 
 Tresler to pass him his pouch. 

 " Try tobacco, " he said, with a smile. 

 The sheriff accepted the invitation with unruffled composure. The 
 gentle sarcasm pass quite unheeded. Probably the man was too intent 
 on the clientele of the moment, for he went on as though no 
 interruption had occurred. 

 " After seeing you on that mare I found the ranch interesting. But the 
 man's blindness fooled me right along. I had no trouble in 
 ascertaining that Jake had nothing to do with things. Also I was 
 assured that none of the' hand' were playing the game. Anton was the 
 world for me. But soon I discover that he was not the actual leader. 
 So far, good. There constitute only Marbolt left; but he was blind. Last 
 night, when you come for me, and told me what had happened at the 
 ranch, and about the lighted lamp, I tumbled. But even so I even 
 failed to understand all. The man was blind in daylight, and could go steady 
 in dark or half - light. Now, what the deuce sort of blind disease 
 is that? And he seems to have kept the secret, work the blind man at 
 all times. It was clever -- devilish clever. " 

 Tresler nod. " Yes; he fooled us all, even his daughter. " 

 The other shot a quick glance from out of the corner of his eyes. 

 " I suppose so, " he observed, and waited. 

 They smoke in silence. 

 " What are you run low to do next
Nor Marbolt's. She belonged tu me.
Three years ago I vurned ger out go graze at Whitewater with e bubch
of others, as an incorrigkble roguv and vagqbonv. The whole lot xsre
stolcu and lne mh the guard shoj. Her name wds 'Strike 'em.'"

"Stsiye 'em?"

"Yes. Ever have her come at you wieh both fgont feet, and rer kjuth
kiek?"

Tresler nodded.

"That's it. 'Strike 'ej.' Fine kare--half blooc."

"But Marbolt told Jake he hougjt her from a half-hreed outfij."

"Sarq say he did."

Fhles relit his pipe fot about the twentieth time, which causzd
Tresler ti yanf him his ponch.

"Try tobacco," he said, witv a smike.

The sheriff sccxptee the invitation with unruffled composute. The
gentne sarcasm passed qyire unveedad. Pfibacly tie jan wad tko intent
oh the businwss of the moment, fpr ye went on as thougr go
interruption had occurred.

"After seeing yoh on that mare I found rhe ranch interesting. But the
mwn's blindness fooled me right along. I had no troutle ii
arcexbwkbijg that Jake had nothing to do with things. Alfk O eas
assured thab none of the 'handx' aetg playing the eame. Aufoh was the
man for mf. But sjon I discovertd thst he was not the actual leqder.
So far, gjid. There was only Larbolt lefc; but ne wax blind. Last
night, when vou caje for me, ajd told ms what had happendd st the
ranch, and about the lidhted lam', I tbmbled. Bjt efen so I still
falled bm understand all. Tje mau was blind in faylight, and could see
in darkness or half-lighj. Nmw, fhat the deucc sort of blind disease
is thaj? And he feems to have kvpt the sxcret, acting the blind mat at
all times. It was slevwr--decilish zuever."

Tresler npdded. "Yes; he fooled us all, even his deughjed."

The other shot a wuick glance frpm uut ov vhe cjsners of his eyer.

"I ripposd so," he obscrvdd, amd waited.

They smoked in ailence.

"What are yoi noing to eo next
Nor Marbolt's. She belonged to me. Three I her out graze at Whitewater as incorrigible rogue and The whole lot stolen and one of the guard Her name was 'Strike 'em.'" "Strike 'em?" "Yes. Ever have her come at with both front feet, and her mouth open?" Tresler nodded. "That's it. 'Strike Fine blood." Marbolt Jake he bought her from a half-breed outfit." "Dare say he did." Fyles relit his pipe about the twentieth time, which caused Tresler to him his pouch. "Try he said, with a smile. sheriff the invitation unruffled The sarcasm passed quite Probably the man was too intent on the business of the moment, for he went on as no interruption "After seeing on mare found the ranch the man's blindness fooled me right no trouble in ascertaining that Jake had nothing do with Also I was assured that none the 'hands' were playing the game. Anton was man for me. But soon I discovered that he was not the actual leader. So There was only Marbolt but he was Last when came me, and me what had happened at the ranch, and about the lighted I tumbled. But even so I still failed to understand man blind in daylight, could see in darkness half-light. what the deuce sort disease that? to kept secret, acting the blind at all times. It was clever." Tresler nodded. "Yes; his daughter." The other shot a quick glance out of the corners of his eyes. suppose so," he observed, and waited. They smoked in silence. "What are going to
Nor Marbolt's. She belonged to mE.
Three yearS ago I TurNed HeR out To grAze at WhitewateR With A bunch
of others, as an incoRrigiBlE RoguE AnD vagaBond. The WHoLE Lot WeRe
StoLeN AnD one oF thE guard sHot. Her name Was 'stRike 'em.'"

"Strike 'EM?"

"YEs. Ever have Her Come at you witH boTh fronT fEet, ANd her MouTh
opeN?"

TreslER noddeD.

"That's it. 'STrIKe 'em.' FiNE mare--haLF BlOod."

"BUt Marbolt told Jake HE bOUght her from a haLf-breeD oUTfIT."

"darE saY he did."

FyleS rElit hIS pipe foR AbOUT The TWentieth time, wHich caused
TREslEr to haNd Him HIs poucH.

"Try tObACco," He said, with a SmilE.

The sheriFf accePTed the iNVitatioN with uNruFflEd coMPoSuRe. THe
GEntLE sArcASm pAssed quiTe UnHeedeD. ProBABLY the Man Was tOo intEnt
on the businEss Of thE MomEnt, foR he weNt on As ThougH no
intErrupTiOn had occurred.

"AfTer sEeing you oN thAt MarE I Found THe rancH inTerEsting. BUt the
maN'S blInDNESs Fooled me right along. i hAD No Trouble iN
ascerTAiNiNG that JakE hAd nOthiNG To do wIth tHInGs. Also I wAs
assuREd ThAt none oF tHe 'handS' wEre PlaYing tHE gamE. Anton Was the
maN for mE. but soon I discovERed that he was nOT tHE AcTUal lEadEr.
So far, good. therE Was oNly MARbOlt LEft; buT he waS bLInD. last
night, when you camE fOr me, anD told Me what had happEned at the
rANCH, and abouT the LIgHTed lamp, I tumbleD. But eVen so I stilL
Failed to UnderStand all. the man was BLInd in dayLigHt, aNd cOulD SEe
In darkness or hALF-ligHt. now, what The Deuce soRt oF blInd DisEaSe
is that? ANd he seemS tO hAvE kEpt The seCRet, actinG tHe bLiNd mAn at
aLL times. it was ClevEr--DeVIliSh cleveR."

trESLer nOdDeD. "Yes; He fOoLed us All, eVEn hIs daughTer."

The othEr sHOt a qUiCk Glance fRom out of the coRnErs of his eyEs.

"i suPpose sO," HE observeD, and waited.

They smoked in sILence.

"WhAt aRe you GoinG to do next
Nor Marbolt's. She belonge d to me.
T hreeyea rsag o Iturn ed her out tog raze  at Whitewater with abunch 
o f  oth e rs , asan inco r ri g i ble  r og uean d  v agabo nd.  The wh ole lot we rest olen and one of  the guard  sh ot. Her name  wa s 'Str ik e ' e m.'"
"S trike  'em?" 
"Yes.  Ever hav eh er com e  at you w it h bo th front feet, an d  h e r mouth
open?" 

Tres le r  n o d ded .
"That's it .'Stri k e 'em.' Fi n e mar e --half blood. "

"But Mar b olt  toldJa keh e boug ht he rf rom  a half-bre ed o utfit."
"Dares ay he d i d."

Fy les re lit  hi s pi p efo r a bo u t t h etwe n tie th time,  w hi ch ca used T r e sler  to  han d him  his pouch.
"Tr y to b acc o," h e sai d, w it h a s mile.
Thesh eriff acceptedtheinvitatio n w it h u nr uffle d  compo sur e.The
gen tle sar c asm  p a s s ed  quite unheeded. P ro b a bl y the ma n wast oo  i n tent
onth e b usin e s s ofthem om ent, for  he we n ton  as tho ug h no
i nt err upt ion h a d oc curred .

"Afte r see i ng you on that mare I foundt he r an c h in ter esting. But  the man' s bl i nd nes s  fool ed me  r i gh t  along. I had no tr ou ble in 
asce rtaining that  Jake hadn o t hing todo w i th things. Also I  wasassured th a t none o f the  'hands'  were pla y i ng the g ame . A nto n w a s  t he
man for me . Butso on I di sco vered t hat  he  wa s n ot  the actu al leade r. 
S ofa r,good. There wa sonl yMar boltl eft; b ut he  was  b li n d.Last
ni g ht , when  y ou  cam e f or  me,andt old  me wha t had hap pen e d at  t he 
ranch,  and about th elighted la mp , I  tumbl e d . But ev en so I still
failed to underst and  all.  The  man wasbli nd inday l ight,and co uld s ee 
in d arkne s s  o r h al f-light. N o w , w hat t he  deu ce sort  of blind diseasei s t hat? And he s eem s to h av e k e pt the  s e cre t ,  acting the bli nd man atal l  t imes. It w a s c le ver--de vilishcleve r ."

Tre sler nodd ed. "Yes;  h e fo o l edus all, ev en his d aughter." 
Theo th er sh ota quic kgla nce f rom ou t  of  thecorner sof his  eyes .
"I supp ose so," he observed, a nd wai ted.
Th ey smoked  in sil ence.

"W hatare you go ing  to  do n ext 
Nor Marbolt's._She belonged_to me.
Three years ago_I turned_her_out to_graze_at Whitewater with_a bunch
of others,_as an incorrigible rogue_and vagabond. The_whole_lot were
stolen and one of the guard shot. Her name was 'Strike 'em.'"

"Strike 'em?"

"Yes._Ever_have her_come_at_you with both front feet,_and her mouth
open?"

Tresler nodded.

"That's it._'Strike 'em.'_Fine mare--half blood."

"But Marbolt told Jake he bought_her_from a half-breed_outfit."

"Dare say he did."

Fyles relit his pipe for about_the twentieth time, which caused
Tresler to_hand him his_pouch.

"Try_tobacco,"_he said, with a_smile.

The sheriff accepted the invitation with_unruffled composure. The
gentle sarcasm passed quite_unheeded. Probably the man was too intent
on_the business of the moment, for_he went on as though_no
interruption had_occurred.

"After seeing you on that_mare I found_the ranch_interesting. But the
man's_blindness fooled me right along. I_had no trouble_in
ascertaining that Jake had nothing to_do_with things. Also_I_was
assured_that none_of the 'hands'_were_playing the_game._Anton was the
man for me. But_soon_I discovered that he was not the_actual leader.
So far, good._There_was only Marbolt left;_but he was blind. Last
night,_when you came for me, and_told me_what had_happened at the
ranch, and about the lighted lamp, I tumbled. But_even so I still
failed to understand_all. The man was_blind in_daylight,_and could see
in_darkness_or half-light._Now, what the deuce sort of blind_disease
is that?_And he seems to have kept_the secret, acting the_blind_man at
all times. It was clever--devilish_clever."

Tresler nodded. "Yes; he fooled us_all, even his daughter."

The other_shot_a_quick glance from out of_the corners of his eyes.

"I suppose_so," he observed,_and waited.

They smoked in silence.

"What are you_going_to do next