d looked back over his shoulder at Hollis.

"So-long," he said shortly. "I reckon you're even now."

Hollis had not moved. "Wait, Train!" he said. The visitors halted and
faced him.

"Men," he said quietly, "you have not answered my question. I am going
to repeat it: Why should I not be selfish, as you men were when my
father went to you for assistance?"

Lemuel Train smiled ironically. "Why, I reckon it's your trick, mister
man," he said; "you've got all the cards."

"Come back here, men," said Hollis. "Since none of you care to answer my
question I will answer it myself." He stood silent while the men filed
back and resumed seats on the gallery edge. Darkness had come on while
he had been talking to the men and inside the ranchhouse Mrs. Norton had
lighted the kerosene lamp and its weak, flickering rays straggled out
into the darkness and upon Hollis's face and the faces of several of the
men who sat on the edge of the gallery.

Hollis knew that he might readily become melodramatic in the few words
that he purposed to say to the men, and so when he began talking he
adopted a low, even tone, confidential, serious. He told them that the
things he had written in his salutatory in the _Kicker_, months
before, had been an honest declaration of the principles in which he
believed. This was America, he repeated; they were all Americans; they
were all entitled to that freedom of thought, speech, and movement for
which their forefathers had fought. For one, he purposed to fight, if
necessary, to retain his rights.

He told them that he held no ill-feeling against them on account of
their refusal to assist his father. That was past history. But now they
were to look into the future; they were all facing ruin if they did not
combine in a common cause. So far as he was concerned their cattle might
remain at the Rabbit-Ear until the drought ended, or until the stream
went dry. And if Dunlavey fought them--well, he would be with them to
the finish.

When he had concluded Lemuel Train stepped forward and shook his hand.
The others followed. There was no word spoken. The men filed down from
the gallery, sought their horses, mounted, and rode slowly away into the
darkness. When they had gone Hollis turned to resume his chair, but
found Norton standing near him, looking at him with a curious smile.

"Shake!" said the latter. "I knowed you'd do it that way!"

CHAPTER XV

TO SUPPORT THE LAW

Hollis alone, of all th