the
promiscuous banging around of guns by every bunch of cowboys that
arrived or left, and to cut down a little on the killing, at least
confine it to the unprofitable class.

They admitted they didn't want the cowboys killed off the way Craddock
had been doing it, giving the town a bad name. But to shut the saloons
all up, to go and shoot Peden down that way and kill the town with him,
that was more than they had given him license for. So they growled
behind his back, afraid of him as they feared lightning, without any
ground for such fear in the world.

Judge Thayer appeared to be the only man in town who was genuinely happy
over the result of Morgan's sweeping out the encumbering rubbish that
blocked the country's progress by its noisome notoriety. But through all
the judge's glow of gratitude for duty well done, Morgan was conscious
of a peculiar aloofness, not exactly fear such as was unmistakable in
many others, but a withdrawing, as if something had fallen between them
and changed their relations man to man.

Morgan knew that it was the blood of slain men. He was to this man, and
to another of far greater consequence to Morgan's peace and happiness,
like a pitcher that had been defiled.

Judge Thayer's friendliness was unabated, but it was the sort of
friendliness that did not offer the hand, or touch the arm when walking
by Morgan's side, as in the early hours of their acquaintance. Useful
this man, to the work that must be done in this place to make it fit,
and safe, and secure for property and life, but unclean. That was what
Judge Thayer's attitude proclaimed, as plainly as printed words.

This morning when Judge Thayer encountered Morgan on the street, not far
from the little catalpa tree that was having a bitter struggle against
wind and drouth, he invited the city marshal to accompany him to his
office. News that would tickle his ears, he said; big news.

The biggest of this big news was that the railroad company was going to
establish a division point there at once. The railroad officials had
given Judge Thayer to understand, directly, that this decision had come
as a result of the town waking up and shedding its leprous skin. They
felt that it would be a safe place for their employees to live now, with
the pitfalls closed, the temptations removed. And the credit, Judge
Thayer owned, was Morgan's alone.

But there was more news. The eastern immigration agents of the railroad
were spreading the new