To Leverett's repeated requests that Kloon halt and open the packet to see what it contained, Kloon gruffly refused. "What do we care what's in it?" he said. "We get ten thousand apiece over our rifles for it from them guys. Ain't it a good enough job for you?" "Maybe we make more if we take what's inside it for ourselves," argued Leverett. "Let's take a peek, anyway." "Naw. I don't want no peek nor nothin'. The ten thousand comes too easy. More might scare us. Let that guy, Quintana, have what's his'n. All I ask is my rake-off. You allus was a dirty, thieving mink, Earl. Let's give him his and take ours and git. I'm going to Albany to live. You bet I don't stay in no woods where Mike Clinch dens." They plodded on, arguing, toward their rendezvous with Quintana's outpost on the edge of drowned valley. * * * * * The fourth pretender to the pearls, rubies, and great gem called the Flaming Jewel, stolen from the young Grand Duchess Theodorica of Esthonia by Jose Quintana, was an unconscious pretender, entirely innocent of the role assigned her by Clinch. For Eve Strayer had never heard where the packet came from or what it contained. All she knew was that her stepfather had told her that it belonged to her. And the knowledge left her incurious. * * * * * III Eve slept the sleep of mental and physical exhaustion. Reaction from fear brings a fatigue more profound than that which follows physical overstrain. But the healthy mind, like the healthy body, disposes very thoroughly of toxics which arise from terror and exhaustion. The girl slept profoundly, calmly. Her bruised young mind and body left her undisturbed. There was neither restlessness nor fever. Sleep swept her with its clean, sweet tide, cleansing the superb youth and health of her with the most wonderful balm in the Divine pharmacy. She awoke late in the afternoon, opened her flower-blue eyes, and saw State Trooper Stormont sitting by the window, and gazing out. Perhaps Eve's confused senses mistook the young man for a vision; for she lay very still, nor stirred even her little finger. After a while Stormont glanced around at her. A warm, delicate colour stained her skin slowly, evenly, from the throat to hair. He got up and came over to the bed. "How do you feel?" he asked, awkwardly. "Where is dad?" she managed to inquire in a steady voice. "He won't be back till late. He asked me to stick around -- in case you needed anything----" The girl's clear eyes searched his. "Trooper Stormont?" "Yes, Eve." "Dad's gone after Quintana." "Is he the fellow who misused you?" "I think so." "Who is he?" "I don't know." "Is he your enemy or your stepfather's?" But the girl shook her head: "I can't discuss dad's affairs with -- with----" "With a State Trooper," smiled Stormont. "That's all right, Eve. You don't have to."