Blythe improved slowly, but it was felt that he must not be moved for the present, therefore Mrs. Van Dorn was asked to take up her residence, for the time being, at the Rosses, that she might be near her boy. Louisa, too, at the urgent request of the girls remained till Ira should make his home more habitable; therefore it was a large household, and the days passed busily enough for all. A certain question troubled Alison during these days, and at last she took it to her brother John. “Do you think all promises ought to be kept?” she asked. “If one makes a promise which seems right at the time, but which if broken might help justice, ought one to keep it a secret?” “That’s a mighty tough problem,” returned John. “Can’t you give me a little more of a clue?” Alison pondered upon the question. “It concerns Pike Smith,” she said. “I will tell you some things, John, for I half suspect you know about them. You know poor old Cyrus Sparks and Pike were the ones who tried to steal Hero that first time when you were away. Bud told me that Cyrus had confessed that.” “Yes, so he did, but he didn’t want Lou to know it.” “Lou did know, for he was the man we shot at and brought in the house, but he made her believe that he had bought Hero from Steve and that he was only taking his own. I never half believed that myself, and I think Louisa doubted it after she knew her father better. I think Cyrus was bent on getting Hero; he knew he was a very valuable horse and if he and Pike could get him they could sell him for a high figure. I think he and Pike went shares on such deals, and I shouldn’t wonder if they stole horses all the time. I don’t know that Cyrus was always with them when they went on their expeditions, but I think Pike was an out and out horse thief, and a very bad man.” “No doubt of it,” said John. “Do you think Pike’s only object was to get hold of Hero the night of the wedding?” “Not altogether. I think he was crazed by jealousy, for one thing, and I think he wanted to get Ira out of the way and took that way to do it. He had been watching and evidently thought Ira was riding Hero and that Lou was in the wagon with us, as it was arranged that way at the first. Pike’s idea was to get Ira out of the way, if he could, grab the horse, and make way with it as he did. I have no doubt but that he thinks he has killed Ira as well as Cyrus, and though it is not doing him any good, he is satisfied that he has prevented Ira from winning Lou, so he has gratified his revenge, as he supposes. We’ve long thought that he has been working with a band of horse thieves, and he is no doubt hidden somewhere in the mountains and will make his way over the border. We have never been able to prove that he and Cyrus were doing crooked work but we have thought so.” “You remember that Cyrus said Pike could tell about Steve; that is what makes it hard for me to keep my promise to him.” “To Pike? You don’t mean to Pike?” John looked amazed.