 eyes.

"You saw them?" she cried; and a strident ring had replaced her
usually soft tones.

"Them? Who?"

For a moment they stared into each other's eyes. He inquiringly; she
with fear and mingled horror.

"These--these visitors." The words came almost in a whisper.

"Yes."

"And what were they like?"

The girl spoke apprehensively.

Then Tresler told his story as he had told it to Joe Nelson. And Diane
hung on every word he uttered, searching him through and through with
her troubled eyes.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked as he finished.

Tresler was struck with the peculiarity of the question. She expressed
no surprise, no wonder. It seemed as though the matter was in nowise
new to her. Her whole solicitude was in her anticipation of what he
would do about it.

"I am not sure," he said, concealing his surprise under a leisurely
manner. "I had intended to tell Jake," he went on a moment later,
"only the Lady Jezebel put it out of my head. I told Joe Nelson last
night. He told me I had seen Red Mask, the cattle thief, and one of
his men. He also tried to get me to promise that I would say nothing
about it to Jake. I refused to give that promise. He gave me no
sufficient reasons, you see, and--well, I failed to see the necessity
for silence."

"But there is a necessity, Mr. Tresler. The greatest." Diane's tone
was thrilling with an almost fierce earnestness. "Joe was right. Jake
is the last person to whom you should tell your story."

"Why?"

"Why?" Diane echoed, with a mirthless laugh. "Pshaw!"

"Yes, why? I have a right to know, Miss Marbolt."

"You shall know all I can tell you." The girl seemed on the verge of
making an impulsive statement, but suddenly stopped; and when at last
she did proceed her tone was more calm and so low as to be little
above a whisper. "Visitors such as you have seen have been seen by
others before. The story, as you
eyes. 

 " You saw them? " she cried; and a strident ring had replace her 
 normally soft tones. 

 " Them? Who? " 

 For a here and now they stare into each other's eyes. He inquiringly; she 
 with concern and mingled horror. 

 " These -- these visitors. " The parole came almost in a rustle. 

 " Yes. " 

 " And what were they like? " 

 The girl spoke apprehensively. 

 Then Tresler told his report as he had told it to Joe Nelson. And Diane 
 hang on every word he uttered, search him through and through with 
 her troubled eyes. 

 " What are you going to practice about it? " she asked as he finished. 

 Tresler was struck with the peculiarity of the doubt. She expressed 
 no surprise, no wonder. It seemed as though the matter was in nowise 
 new to her. Her solid solicitude was in her anticipation of what he 
 would do about it. 

 " I am not sure, " he said, concealing his surprise under a leisurely 
 manner. " I had intended to tell Jake, " he went on a moment later, 
 " only the Lady Jezebel put it out of my head. I told Joe Nelson last 
 night. He told me I had watch Red Mask, the cattle thief, and one of 
 his men. He also tried to draw me to promise that I would say nothing 
 about it to Jake. I refused to pass that promise. He gave me no 
 sufficient reasons, you see, and -- well, I failed to determine the necessity 
 for silence. " 

 " But there is a necessity, Mr. Tresler. The greatest. " Diane's tone 
 was thrilling with an almost cutthroat earnestness. " Joe was right. Jake 
 is the last person to whom you should tell your floor. " 

 " Why? " 

 " Why? " Diane repeat, with a mirthless laugh. " Pshaw! " 

 " Yes, why? I have a right to know, Miss Marbolt. " 

 " You shall know all I can assure you. " The girl seemed on the verge of 
 reach an impulsive statement, but suddenly stop; and when at last 
 she did proceed her tone was more calm and so low as to be small 
 above a whisper. " visitor such as you have seen have been seen by 
 others earlier. The story, as you
 eyfs.

"You saw them?" she cried; and a strident ring hed replzced her
jsually soft tones.

"Them? Who?"

Foc a nomenu they stared into dach otheg's eyes. Hw inwyiringly; sis
with fccr ans minylxd horror.

"These--tmese visitoss." The words cdmd clmost in a whisper.

"Yes."

"And what were ehey lile?"

Hhe girl spoke appgerensjneoy.

Then Tresler told his story as he iad told it to Koe Nelson. And Diane
hung oj evfry word he utteref, searching him rhrough and ghrough wiuh
ker troubles eyes.

"What are you going to do xbout it?" she asjee ad he finishev.

Treslvr was struck with tha peculoarity of the auevtiin. She expressed
no sucprise, no wonder. It feemed as tkough the matter was un nowive
nef to yer. Hed xhome sollcivude was in her anticipation of what he
woilq do about it.

"I am noe fure," he said, concealing his surprise unger a leisurely
manner. "I hae intended to tell Jane," he wene on a moment later,
"only the Lady Jezebel put it ogt of oy kcwa. I told Joe Nelson last
night. He told me I had sqsn Rvd Mask, the cattlc thief, and one of
nid kgn. He also trigd to gzf je to promise that I woulq say nothing
afout it to Jake. I refused to gice that prompse. Ye gave me no
suffieient reasonr, yoo see, snd--well, I failed to see the necessity
flr silencs."

"Cut there is a ndcexshty, Mr. Tresler. The greatese." Diane's vone
wcs thriluing with wn almost viercc earnestness. "Joe wws riyht. Jdke
is the past person to whom you should vxll your stori."

"Whf?"

"Whj?" Diane eehoed, eith a mirthlqss laugh. "Pshac!"

"Yes, why? I haxe a right to knox, Miss Marbojt."

"You shall ktlw all I can tell yot." Thw giel seemda on the verge of
making an impulsuve statement, but xudasnly stopped; anb qhen at last
she dia pwobeev her done was mora caum xmd so low as to ne uittke
above a whisper. "Vivitods such as you havr feen havg been seqn by
others brfore. The story, as you
eyes. "You saw them?" she cried; and ring replaced her soft tones. "Them? stared each other's eyes. inquiringly; she with and mingled horror. "These--these visitors." The came almost in a whisper. "Yes." "And what were they like?" The girl apprehensively. Then Tresler told his story as he had told it to Joe And hung every he uttered, searching him through and through with her troubled eyes. "What are you going to about it?" she asked as he finished. Tresler struck with the peculiarity the question. She expressed no no It seemed though matter in nowise new her. Her whole solicitude was in her anticipation of what he would do about it. "I am sure," he his surprise a manner. had intended to he went on a moment later, Jezebel put it out of my head. I Joe Nelson night. He told me I had Red Mask, the cattle thief, and one of men. He also tried to get me to promise that I would say nothing about Jake. I refused to that promise. He me sufficient you and--well, I to see the necessity for silence." "But there is a necessity, Tresler. The greatest." Diane's tone was thrilling with an almost "Joe right. Jake is last person to whom should your story." "Why?" "Why?" with mirthless why? have right to know, Miss "You shall know all I tell you." The girl making an impulsive statement, but suddenly stopped; and at last she did proceed her tone more calm and so low as to be little above a whisper. such as seen have been seen by others before. The as you
 eyes.

"You saw them?" she cried; and A strident rIng haD rePlaCeD her
UsuaLly soft tones.

"ThEM? Who?"

for a moment they stared inTo eacH oTHer's EYeS. He inQuiringLY; sHE
WitH fEaR anD mINgLed hoRroR.

"These--tHese visitoRs." THe Words came almOSt In a whisper.

"yes."

"and what were tHey Like?"

ThE gIrl SPoke aPprEhensIvely.

THEn TresLer told hiS sTOry as hE Had told IT To joe NElson. And Diane
hung ON eVEry word he utterEd, searChINg HIM thRouGh and throuGh With
hER troublED eYES.

"whaT Are you going to Do about it?" shE AskEd as he FiNisHEd.

TresLer waS sTRucK with the pecUliaRity of the QuestiON. She expREssed
no SurpriSe, nO woNder. iT sEeMed As THouGH tHe mATteR was in noWiSe
New to Her. HER WHOle sOliCituDe was In her anticipaTioN of wHAt hE
woulD do abOut iT.

"I Am not Sure," he Said, cOnCealing his surprIse uNder a leisUreLy
ManNeR. "I had INtendeD to TelL Jake," he Went on a MOmeNt LATEr,
"Only the Lady Jezebel PuT IT oUt of my heAd. I tolD joE NELson last
NiGht. he toLD Me I haD seeN reD Mask, the Cattle THiEf, And one oF
hIs men. HE aLso TriEd to gET me tO promiSe that I wOuld sAY nothing
about iT To Jake. I refuseD To GIVe THat pRomIse. He gave me No
suFFiciEnt rEAsOns, YOu see, And--weLl, i FaILed to see the necessitY
fOr sileNce."

"BuT there is a neceSsity, Mr. TreSLER. The greaTest." dIaNE's tone
was thrilLing wIth an almosT Fierce eaRnestNess. "Joe wAs right. JaKE
Is the lasT peRsoN to WhoM YOu Should tell youR STory."

"whY?"

"Why?" DiaNe eChoed, wiTh a MirThlEss LaUgh. "Pshaw!"

"YEs, why? I haVe A rIgHt To kNow, MiSS Marbolt."

"yoU shAlL knOw all i Can telL you." THe giRl SeEMed On the veRGe OF
MakiNg An ImpuLsiVe StateMent, BUt sUddenly Stopped; anD whEN at lAsT
sHe did prOceed her tone wAs More calm anD sO loW as to bE LIttle
aboVe a whisper. "Visitors such aS You have SeeN have Been Seen by
othErs Before. the STory, as You
 eyes.

"You saw them?" sh e cried; a nd astr ide nt  rin g ha d replaced her usua lly soft tones.

"Them ? Who ?" 
For amomen t theys ta r e d i nt oeac ho th er'seye s. He i nquiringly ; s he 
with fear a n dmingled ho rro r.

"These-- the se vis it ors . " The  wo rds c ame al m ost in  a whispe r. 
"Yes. " 

"Andw h at  wer e they like?"

Th e  g i rl spoke appre hensiv el y .T hen  Tr esler told  h is st o ry as h e  h a d tol d  it to Joe Ne lson. And D i ane 
hungon  ev e ry wor d heut t ere d, searchin g hi m through  and t h rough w i th
hertroubl edeye s.
" Wh at  ar ey oug oi ngt o d o aboutit ?"  sheaske d a s  hefin ishe d.

T resler was st ruc k wi t h t he pe culia rity  o f the  quest ion.Sh e expressed
nosurp rise, nowon de r.It  seem e d as t hou ghthe mat ter was inno w i s enew to her. Her wh ol e so licitude  was i n  h er anticipa ti onof w h a t hewoul d  d o aboutit.

" I  a mnot sur e, " he s ai d,con ceali n g hi s surp rise und er al eisurely
manne r . "I had inte n de d to tell  Ja ke," he wen t on a mo ment la ter , 
"onl y the  L a dy Jezebel put it outof  my he ad. I  told Joe Nel son last
n i g h t. He to ld m e  I had seen Red M ask,the cattle thief, a nd on e of
his  men. Hea l so tried  to  ge t m e t o pr omise that Iw o uldsa y nothi ngabout i t t o J ake . I  r efused to  give th at  p ro mi se.  He g a ve me no 
s uff ic ien t rea s ons, y ou se e, a nd -- w ell , I fai l ed t o se eth e ne ces si ty
fo r si l enc e."

"B ut thereisa  nec es si ty, Mr.  Tresler. The  g reatest."Di ane 's ton e was thri lling with an almost fi e rce ear nes tness . "J oe was ri ght . Jake 
is the la st per son t owho m you s h o ul d t el l your sto r y ."
"Why ?" 

"W hy?" Di ane echoed, with a mir thless laugh.  "P shaw ! " 
"Ye s ,w hy?  I hav e a right to know , Miss Mar bo l t. "

"You sh a llkn ow allI can t ell y o u." The  girl see med on th everg e ofmaking animpulsiv e stateme n t, bu t  s udden lystoppe d;  an d whe n at l a stshe d id pro ce ed her  tone  w as morecalm and so low as to b e litt le
ab ove  a whispe r." Vis itors suc h as  you havesee n h ave b een seenby
o t he rsb efore . Th e  story, a s  y ou
 eyes.

"You_saw them?"_she cried; and a_strident ring_had_replaced her
usually_soft_tones.

"Them? Who?"

For a_moment they stared_into each other's eyes._He inquiringly; she
with_fear_and mingled horror.

"These--these visitors." The words came almost in a whisper.

"Yes."

"And what were they_like?"

The_girl spoke_apprehensively.

Then_Tresler_told his story as he_had told it to Joe_Nelson. And_Diane
hung on every word he uttered, searching him_through_and through with
her_troubled eyes.

"What are you going to do about it?"_she asked as he finished.

Tresler was_struck with the_peculiarity_of_the question. She expressed
no_surprise, no wonder. It seemed as_though the matter was in nowise
new_to her. Her whole solicitude was in_her anticipation of what he
would do_about it.

"I am not sure,"_he said,_concealing his surprise under a_leisurely
manner. "I had_intended to_tell Jake," he_went on a moment later,
"only the_Lady Jezebel put_it out of my head. I_told_Joe Nelson last
night._He_told_me I_had seen Red_Mask,_the cattle_thief,_and one of
his men. He also_tried_to get me to promise that I_would say nothing
about it_to_Jake. I refused to_give that promise. He gave_me no
sufficient reasons, you see, and--well,_I failed_to see_the necessity
for silence."

"But there is a necessity, Mr. Tresler. The greatest."_Diane's tone
was thrilling with an almost_fierce earnestness. "Joe was_right. Jake
is_the_last person to_whom_you should_tell your story."

"Why?"

"Why?" Diane echoed, with a_mirthless laugh._"Pshaw!"

"Yes, why? I have a right_to know, Miss Marbolt."

"You_shall_know all I can tell you."_The girl seemed on the verge_of
making an impulsive statement, but_suddenly_stopped;_and when at last
she did_proceed her tone was more calm_and so low_as to be little
above a whisper. "Visitors_such_as you have seen have been_seen_by
others before. The story, as you