ng
glass, and the squeals and scufflings of the women. The red-faced marshal
dived in after his quarry, and emerged a moment later holding him by one
elbow, swearing angrily. Creed Bonbright came up at the instant, and
Haley, needing some one to whom he could express himself, explained in
voluble anger:

"The damned little shoat! Said if I'd let him walk a-loose he'd give me
information. You can't trust none of them."

Bonbright laid a reassuring touch on the fugitive's shoulder as Haley
fumbled after the handcuffs.

"I ain't been into no stillin', Creed!" panted the squirming boy.

"Well, don't run then," admonished Bonbright. "You've got no call to.
I'll see that you get justice."

While he spoke there wheeled into the square, from a nearby waggon-yard,
two young mountaineers on mules, one leading by the bridle-rein a sorrel
horse with a side-saddle on it. At sight of the marshal and those with
him, an almost imperceptible tremor went through the pair. There was a
flicker of nostril, a rounding of eye, as their glance ran swiftly from
one to another of Haley's prisoners. They were like wild game that winds
the hunter.

"St! You Pony Card, is that them?" whispered Haley, sharply nudging the
prisoner he held. "Turn him a-loose, Bonbright; I've got him handcuffed
now."

The boy--he was not more than sixteen--choked, reddened, held down his
head, studying the marshal's face anxiously from beneath lowered
flax-coloured brows.

"Yes, them's Andy and Jeff Turrentine," Bonbright heard the husky,
reluctant whisper. "Now cain't I go?"

The newcomers were beyond earshot, but the by-play was ominous to them.
The lean young bodies stiffened in their saddles, the reins came up in
their hands. For a moment it seemed as if they would turn and run for it.
But it was too late. Without making any reply Haley shoved his prisoner
into the hands of the deputy and with prompt action intercepted the two
and placed them under arrest. Bonbright observed one of the boys beckon
across the heads of the gathering crowd before he dismounted, and noted
that some one approached from the direction of the Court House steps and
received the three riding animals. In the confusion he did not see who
this was. Haley spoke to his deputy, and then drew their party sharply
off toward the jail, which could be used temporarily for the detention of
United States prisoners. To the last the young Turrentines muttered
together and sent baleful glances t