All the bitterness of the mountain-desert was in Haw-Haw Langley; if his body looked like a buzzard, his soul was the soul of the vulture itself, and therefore he had followed the courses of Jerry Strann up and down the range.

It was nearly dusk by this time and the eyes of an ordinary man could not distinguish a tree from a rock at any great distance; but it seemed that Haw-Haw was gifted with eyes extraordinarythe buzzard at the top of its sky-towering circles does not see the brown carcass far below with more certainty than Haw-Haw sensed his direction.

" "What's it mean?" frowned Mac Strann, whispering to Haw-Haw.

I got Haw-Haw Langley up there.

Now, while Mac Strann talked, inspiration came to Haw-Haw Langley, and he stretched out his gaunt arms to it and gathered it in to his heart.

"Haw-Haw," he muttered, "you was his frien'.

"'I'll do what I can to keep him away from Barry,' says I, 'but don't you want nothin' done to the man what killed you?' "'Oh, Haw-Haw,' says Jerry, 'I ain't goin' to rest easy, I ain't goin' to sleep in heavenuntil I know Barry's been sent to hell.

"He ain't run," cried Haw-Haw, choking with a strange emotion.

" The tall, skeleton form of Haw-Haw Langley materialised behind Mac Strann, and his face was contorted with anger.

It was hours later that night when Haw-Haw Langley and Mac Strann sat their horses on the hill to the south.

Haw-Haw Langley urged his little mount hurriedly alongside the squat bulk of his companion.

He skirted back behind the barns, walking with a speed which extended even the long legs of Haw-Haw Langley.

Haw-Haw Langley snickered apologetically.

But when they were half way to the door Haw-Haw Langley saw a form too grim to be a shadow, blocking their path.

"God A'mighty," groaned Haw-Haw Langley, "can he get the hoss out?" "It ain't possible," answered Mac Strann.

It ain't possible for him to come out!" From half the roof of the shed flames now poured, but presently a great shower of sparks rose at the farther end of the barn, and then Haw-Haw heard the sound of a beating and crashing.

"You're right," groaned Haw-Haw, downcast.

A full hour had just elapsed since either of them spoke, yet Haw-Haw Langley said, as if in answer to a remark: "He's heard too much about you, Mac.

"Thanks!" He covertly dropped the cigarette which he had just lighted, and stepped on it, then he rolled another from Haw-Haw's materials.

The latter, who had been sitting with slightly bent head, now raised it and looked the pair over carelessly; there was in his eye the same dumb curiosity which Haw-Haw Langley had seen many a time in the eye of a bull, leader of the herd.

It was at this time that Haw-Haw Langley made his way back to the table and occupied the contested seat.

"D'you think," he parried, "that Jerry could maybe look through all this and see what I'm doin' to-day?" It made Haw-Haw Langley grin, but peering more closely and observing that there was no mockery in the face of the giant, he wiped out his grin with a scrubbing motion of his wet hand and peered closely into the face of his companion.

"It'll be man to man, Haw-Haw."

He broke off, for Mac Strann had jerked up his head and said in a strangely muffled voice: "What was that?" The bullet head of Haw-Haw Langley leaned to one side, and his glittering eyes rolled up while he listened.

For that matter, if the wolf-fiend could follow traces over a plain awash with water, why might they not as well follow the tracks of Haw-Haw Langley?