when he confronted Seth Craddock that afternoon.

Morgan walked about the square that morning like a stranger. Few spoke
to him, many turned inward from their doors when they saw him coming,
afraid that a little friendship publicly displayed might be laid up
against them for a terrible reckoning of interest by and by. Morgan was
neither offended nor downcast by this public coldness in the quarter
where he had a right to expect commendation and support. He understood
too well the lengths that animosities ran in such a town as Ascalon. A
living coward was more comfortable than a dead reformer, according to
their philosophy.

It was when passing the post-office, about nine o'clock in the morning,
that Morgan met Rhetta Thayer. She saw him coming, and waited. Her face
was flushed; indignation disturbed the placidity of her eyes.

"They don't deserve it, the cowards!" she burst out, after a greeting
too serious to admit a smile.

"Deserve what?" he inquired, looking about in mystification, wondering
if something had happened in the post-office to fire this indignation.

"The help and protection of a brave man!" she said.

Morgan was so suddenly confused by this frank, impetuous appreciation of
his efforts, for there was no mistaking the application, that he could
not find a word. Rhetta did not give him much time, to be sure, but ran
on with her denunciation of the citizenry of the town.

"I wouldn't turn a hand for them again, Mr. Morgan--I'd throw up the
whole thing and let them cringe like dogs before that murderer when he
comes back! It's good enough for them, it's all they deserve."

"You can't expect them to be very warm toward a stranger," he said,
excusing them according to what he knew to be their due.

"They're afraid you can't do it, they're telling one another your luck
will fail this time. Luck! that's all the sense there is in _that_ bunch
of cowards."

"They may be right," he said, thoughtfully.

"You know they're not right!" she flashed back, defending him against
himself as though he were another.

"I don't expect any generosity from them," he said, gentle in his tone
and undisturbed. "They're afraid if my luck should happen to turn
against me they'd have to pay for any friendship shown me here this
morning. Business is business, even in Ascalon."

"Luck!" she scoffed. "It's funny you're the only lucky man that's struck
this town in a long time, then. If it's all luck, why don't some of them
t