I wonder, now, why you changed it?"
Bucky's innocent eyes questioned him blandly as he drew from his
pocket a little box and tossed it on the table. "Open that box
for me, Mr. Anderson. Who knows? It might explain a heap of
things to us."
With trembling fingers the big coward fumbled at the string. With
all his fluent will he longed to resist, but the compelling eyes
that met his so steadily were not to be resisted. Slowly he
unwrapped the paper and took the lid from the little box, inside
of which was coiled up a thin gold chain with locket pendant.
"Be seated," ordered Bucky sternly, and after the man had found a
chair the ranger sat down opposite him.
From its holster he drew a revolver and from a pocket his watch.
He laid them on the table side by side and looked across at the
white-lipped trembler whom he faced.
"We had better understand each other, Mr. Anderson. I've come
here to get from you the story of that chain, so far as you know
it. If you don't care to tell it I shall have to mess this floor
up with your remains. Get one proposition into your cocoanut
right now. You don't get out of this room alive with your secret.
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