Carara returned the knife to its hiding-place, swept the floor gracefully with his sombrero, then placing the spangled head- piece at an exact angle upon his raven locks, lounged out, his silver spurs tinkling in the silence. Glass took a deep breath. "He doesn't mean to kill you--just cut you," said Speed. "I got it," declared the other, fervently. Again he laid repressing hands upon his bulging front and looked down at it tenderly. "They've all got it in for my pad, haven't they?" "I told you to keep away from that girl." "Humph!" Glass spoke with soulful conviction. "Take it from me, Bo, I'll walk around her as if she was a lake. Who'd ever think that chorus-man was a killer?" "Surely you don't care for her seriously?" "Not now. I--I love my Cuban, but"--he quivered apprehensively-- "I'll bet that rummy packs a 'shiv' in every pocket." From outside the bunk-house came the low, musical notes of a quail, and Glass puckered his lips to answer, then grew pale. "That's her," he declared, in a panic. "I've got a date with her." "Are you going to keep it?" "Not for a nose-bag full of gold nuggets! Take a look, Wally, and see what she's doing." Speed did as directed. "She's waiting." "Let her wait," breathed the trainer. "Here comes Stover and Willie." "More bad news." Glass unrolled his prayer-rug, and stepped upon it hastily. "Say, what's that word? Quick! You know! The password. Quick!" "Allah!" "That's her!" The fat man began to mumble thickly. It was plain that his spirit was utterly broken. But this call was prompted purely by solicitude, it seemed. Willie had little to say, and Stover, ignoring all mention of the earlier encounter he had witnessed, exclaimed: "There's been some queer goin's-on 'round here, Mr. Speed. Have you noticed 'em?" "No. What sort?" "Well, the other mornin' I discovered some tracks through one of Miss Jean's flower-beds." "Tracks!" "Sure! Strange tracks. Man's tracks." "What does that signify?" "We ain't altogether certain. Carara says he seen a stranger hangin' around night before last, and jest now we found where a hoss had been picketed out in the ravine. Looks like he'd stood there more'n once." "Why, this is decidedly mysterious." "We figured we'd ought to tell you." "It has nothing to do with me." "I ain't sure. It looks to us like it's somebody from the Centipede. They're equal to any devilment." Speed showed an utter lack of comprehension, so Willie explained. "Understand, we've made this race pay or play. Mebbe they aim to cripple you." "Me!" Speed started. "Good Heavens!" "Oh, they'd do it quick enough! I wouldn't put it past 'em to drop a .45 through your winder if it could be done safe." "Shoot me, you mean?" "Allah!" said Glass, devoutly from his corner. Stover and Willie nodded. "If I was you, I'd keep the lamp between me and the winder every night."