atches of light and shade falling from the
trees.

A minute later Madden whipped out his keys.

"Two men remain here at the door and don't be afraid to show your
rifles to that bunch," he said. "In with you, Burkhardt; there's a
nice soft stone floor to sleep on. Keep those Mexican camp-burners
covered, Atkinson, till I get the cells open. You, Weir, slip on back
there in the shadow and wait for me."

The engineer had taken but three steps into the gloom along the
outside jail wall, glancing about to avoid any curious straggler of
the crowd already hurrying around the court house towards the jail,
when he heard a call. In the advance was a slim well-dressed Mexican,
full in the moonlight and very important of bearing. The call was
directed not at Weir but at Madden.

"You got him all right, sheriff?" he said.

"Yes. He came in with me," was the answer.

"But who are these others?"

"Step inside and I'll tell you, Lucerio."

The county attorney joined the sheriff, peered inside the doorway and
hesitated. It was dark within; no light showed except a patch of
moonlight at the far side of the building that fell through a barred
window.

"Go right in," Madden exclaimed. And laying hand on the other's
shoulder he forced him ahead. The door closed after the pair. Before
the doorway there remained, however, the pair of young engineers,
rifle in hand, whose threatening bearing and glistening gun-barrels
were apparent even in the patchy light dropping through the boughs. At
a distance of about ten feet off the crowd of people halted, staring
eagerly at the jail building, showing their white teeth as they
carried on low talk in Spanish and awaiting with impatience the return
of Madden and Lucerio that they might flood them with questions.

Weir remained to see no more, for the increasing crowd pushed out
further and further on the flanks, a circumstance that would
eventually result in his discovery. So slipping to the rear of the
jail and keeping well in the shadows he gained the fence. This he
leaped and, lighting a cigarette, examined his pistol, then proceeded
to smoke calmly until Madden arrived.

"Hurry; slip away," the latter said. "They wondered what the devil I
dodged back here for and are coming, curious as cats."

The two men glided away, keeping well in shadows until they gained the
side street and thence passed to the main thoroughfare.

"What if Sorenson and Vorse are somewhere in that crowd?" Madden