“What is it, Adrian?”

“There’s someone sick at Brown’s Hotel,” said Adrian, “a friend of mine.  I’m going over there.”  He made a sign imposing silence on the men.

Inez came close.  “You’re certain it’s no trick,” she whispered, “it’s not McTurpin’s scheme to—­”

“No, no,” he assured her hastily.  “I’m sure of that.”  He seized his hat and coat.  “Put down the window shades and answer no one’s knock till I return.”  He kissed her and without more ado joined the men outside.  He heard the door shut and lock click into place.

For a time the quartette strode along in silence; then Brown spoke, as if the thought had been long on his lips, “Wasn’t that—­the girl McTurpin brought to town?”

“Yes,” said Adrian tersely, “it was she.”

Brown made no immediate response; he seemed to be digesting Adrian’s remark.  Finally he burst out, “If it’s any of my business, what’s she doing—­there?”

“She asked for help,” retorted Stanley.  He related the incident of the veranda.  Spear laughed meaningly.  “That’s the second one you’ve taken from McTurpin; he’ll be loving you a heap, old man.”

“He doesn’t know it yet,” Brown said.  “But keep out of his way tomorrow.”

Stanley’s teeth met with a little click.  “When I’ve seen Benito, Alec McTurpin and I will have a showdown.  But tell me of the boy.  What brought him here?”

“The missing girl, of course,” said Dr. James.  “He’s daft about her.  Alice Burthen ... that’s her name, isn’t it?”

Stanley was about to make some rejoinder when they passed two men, one of whom looked at them curiously.  He was McTurpin’s companion of the bar-room episode.  “Who’s that?” asked Spear as Brown saluted the pair.

“That’s Reverend Wheeler, the new Baptist parson.”

“Yes, yes, I know.  But the other one?”

“Ned Gasket ... he’s a friend of Dandy Carter’s at the Eldorado.”

“And a Sydney Duck, I guess,” the doctor added.

“Do your own guessing, friend,” said Brown, impatiently.

Spear sighed.  “We’ll have to do more than guess about that stripe of citizen if we want law and order.  It will take a rope I fear,” he finished grimly.

Brown led them round the back to a room not far from the one which had held Alice Burthen.

“It’s quieter here,” he explained.  “They get noisy sometimes along about midnight.”  He opened the door and struck a sulphur match by whose weird flicker they made out a bed with a tossing figure upon it.  Adrian crossed over and took the nervous clutching hands within his own firm clasp.

“Benito,” he said.  “Don’t you know me?  It’s Adrian!”

Brown with a lighted lamp came nearer, so that Stanley saw the sufferer’s eyes.  They were incognizant of realities.  The murmuring voice droned on, fretfully, “I’ve looked for her everywhere.  She’s gone! gone!”

Suddenly he cried out:  “Alice!  Alice!” half rising.  But he tumbled back upon the pillow with a swift collapse of weakness and his words waned into mumbled incoherence.