He pushed her against the wall, and faced her with so threatening a mien that she was frightened. The glare in his glassy eyes was enough to make her tremble. “If you say anything about this I’ll kill you! Do you hear? And if you know where the money is I want you to tell me.” “I don’t know anything about it,” she declared. “Curse you, I believe you do! I want money, and I’m going to have it. I’ve got to have a thousand dollars; it’s here, and I know it.” He began to search again, tossing the papers about. “Uncle Philip never keeps so much money as that in the house, and you should know that he doesn’t.” “Well, he could get it for me if he wanted to. He’s got plenty of money. I’m tired of being treated like a beggar. He says he’s carrying on his business so that he’ll have money to leave me when he’s dead; but that isn’t what I want—I want it now.” “Won’t you go down stairs, Ben?” she begged. “You almost broke my shoulder, but I shan’t mind that if you will go down stairs; and I’ll straighten up these papers for you and return them to their places.” “I won’t! I’m going to see if that money he got from Fogg yesterday is here.” “He put it in the bank of course, Ben; he wouldn’t run the risk of keeping it in the house.” “You go down stairs or I’ll make you,” he threatened. She did not go. “What do you want the money for—to pay a gambling debt to Arkwright?” “Arkwright!” he screamed at her. “It’s always Arkwright! But I’ll tell you, this money isn’t for him. Instead of troubling me, why don’t you go to that puler, Justin? He’ll be glad to see you, maybe; I’m not. So clear out.” “He is your brother!” “My half-brother, _he_ says; I’ve not acknowledged the relationship yet!” She could do nothing with him, and she retreated down the stairs. For some time she heard him walking about; then he descended and left the house. When he was gone she went up to the room and found that he had tried to re-arrange the papers, but had made a mess of it. She put them away as well as she could, and closed the drawers and the safe. She did not believe that he had secured any money, but she did not know. And she passed a bad night, not knowing whether to acquaint Davison with this latest of Ben’s escapades or not. CHAPTER XV MARY’S DESPAIR Justin had found Sloan Jasper one of the most troublesome of the water users. Jasper was almost as hard to please as William Sanders; and only the day before Sanders had denounced Justin as being in league with the company to defraud the farmers. For these reasons Justin always approached the farms of these men with trepidation. Trouble was brewed on each visit. The trouble which brewed at Sloan Jasper’s on this particular occasion was, however, wholly unexpected, and of quite a different kind. Jasper came out to the trail with an anxious air. “Mary is in the house and wants you to stop in and see her.” Justin dismounted to enter the house. He had not known that Mary was at home.