Old Broadbrim was not to be seen.
Waters hid himself nearby and watched and waited.
He knew nothing of the two men standing in darkness in the ranch house.
He wondered what had become of Merle, but he did not dream that at that very moment he and Old Broadbrim faced each other in the little room, locked in, with revolvers in their hands.
Had Waters known this there might have been a change, but ignorant of the scene, he stood aloof from the ranch house and watched for the detective.
He was in the act of moving on when a footstep greeted him, and he turned quickly with his hand on the weapon Briggs had handed him.
"I nearly destroyed the nest," he heard a voice say in tones of triumph. "I gave it the match, but the men saved it. And Riggs fought the flames the best of all. It was calling off the hounds of death from him, for he was in the shadow when I lit the moss."
Waters made out the speaker standing in the narrow path within arm's length, and the next moment he had captured her.
Stareyes uttered a cry as she flashed a knife in his face, but he did not relinquish his hold.
"You fired the ranch—you!" said Waters, pulling the fair Australian forward. "You must hate Belle Demona."