h Emerson again in a hurry."

The next day excitement ran higher than ever. The Republicans,
smarting under their defeat, were in a white heat of indignation over
what they believed was a deliberate plan to ambush and kill their
leading men. The Democrats, while they were jubilant over their
victory, were equally indignant over what they declared was an
attempt, by the very men who ought to have protected him, to lynch
Emerson Mead. In reality, each side had been trying to protect him and
uphold the law, but each scoffed at and spurned the story of the
other. Main street was in two hostile camps and all the fire-arms in
the town that were not already in evidence in holsters and hip
pockets, were brought to the center of hostilities and placed within
handy reaching distance in shops and offices. Behind the bar in each
of the saloons was a stack of shot-guns and rifles. The sidewalk on
each side of the street was constantly crowded, but nobody crossed
from one side to the other.

The women began to feel the war spirit and early in the day Judge
Harlin's wife and John Daniels' wife, who were ordinarily the dearest
friends, passed each other on the street without speaking. The ladies
of Las Plumas were accustomed to meet at frequent teas, luncheons and
card parties on terms of the greatest cordiality, but long before
night, if any one whose masculine affiliations were on one side met
one belonging to the other, they passed with a haughty stare.

Sheriff Daniels was much disturbed over the situation, fearing that he
would be unable to keep his prisoner in jail. He talked the matter
over with his advisers and together they decided that the best plan
would be to get Emerson Mead out of town for the present, and
accordingly a telegram was sent to the sheriff of the adjoining county
asking permission to lodge Mead temporarily in his jail. The Democrats
heard of this plan, and Nick Ellhorn fumed indignantly. Judge Harlin
was secretly pleased, and contrived to send word to Colonel
Whittaker, Sheriff Daniels and Jim Halliday that he approved their
plan and would do his best to control the Democratic faction while
they were making the change. He did not tell Nick Ellhorn that he had
done this, but he reasoned with that loyal friend at great length on
the matter.

"But see here, Judge," Nick replied to all his arguments, "I got
Emerson into trouble this time and I've got to get him out. If he
hadn't been chasin' around alone, tr