country like this. You can see for yourself it's a sensible thing to
provide."

"You may be right," she commented. "Go on."

"You told me a while ago it was best to face any situation squarely. Now
brace up and face this. You said a while ago that Hooper would not dare
kill you. That is true for the moment. But there is no doubt in my mind
that he has intended from the first to kill you, because by that he
would get possession of the whole property."

"I cannot believe it!" she cried.

"Isn't the incentive enough? Think carefully, and answer honestly:
don't you think him capable of it?"

"Yes--I suppose so," she admitted, reluctantly, after a moment. She
gathered herself as after a shock. "Why hasn't he done so? Why has he
waited?"

I told her of the situation as it concerned Brower. While the
dissolution of partnership papers still existed and might still be
recorded, such a murder would be useless. For naturally the dissolution
abrogated the old partnership agreement. The girl's share of the
property would, at her demise intestate, go to the state. That is,
provided the new papers were ever recorded.

"Then I am safe until----?" she began.

"Until he negotiates or otherwise settles with Brower. Until he has