of her afterward. That will be my affair." Murrell's burning
eyes shifted from one to the other.

"A beautiful and accomplished young lady--a great heiress--is to
disappear and no solution of the mystery demanded by the public
at large!" said Fentress with an acid smile. Murrell laughed
contemptuously.

"What's all this fuss over Norton's death amounted to?" he said.

"Are you sure you have come to the end of that, John?" inquired
Fentress, still smiling.

"I don't propose to debate this further," rejoined Murrell
haughtily. Instantly the colonel's jaw became rigid. The
masterful airs of this cutthroat out of the hills irked him
beyond measure. Murrell turned to Ware.

"How soon can you get away from here, Tom?" he asked abruptly.

"By God, I can't go too soon!" cried the planter, staggering to
his feet. He gave Fentress a hopeless beaten look. "You're my
witness that first and last I've no part in this!" he added.

The colonel merely shrugged his shoulders. Murrell reached out a
detaining hand and rested it on Ware's arm.

"Keep your wits about you, Tom, and within a week people will
have forgotten all about Norton and your sister. I am going to
give them something else to worry over."