A MENACE APPEARS Sheriff Moreton waited for Warden to act, as he had promised.

And the sheriff continued to wait.

For Warden did not appear with his evidence.
It seemed that the power behind Warden had called a truce; that it had been disconcerted by its failures, and was waiting--slowly marshaling its forces for another assault.

But the power was working secretly, if it worked at all, for during the winter there were no visible signs which would indicate activity on the part of Lawler's enemies.
Nature seemed to wait, also.

The country, between storms, lay bare and naked, bleakly barren where the winds swept; somber in the valleys, with desolation reigning on the coldly gleaming peaks of the hills and the distant mountains.
Willets was somnolent, lethargic.