haps twelve or fifteen
paces off he saw a girl's figure appear and disappear before a window
as she moved along.

Then suddenly a tongue of red flame darted at him across the street,
where lay a space of unlighted gloom. His hat was whipped off his
head. The sharp report of a shot cracked between the adobe walls. With
an unbelievably rapid movement Steele Weir drew the revolver in his
pocket, and which he had carried ever since his encounter with young
Sorenson in the restaurant, fired twice where he had seen the flame
and leaped aside into the darkness beside the doorway. There he
waited, half crouching, for a further attack.

But none came. Men began to run towards the place. Shouts and calls
echoed along the street. In two minutes a crowd was surging before
Martinez' door wildly asking questions.

Weir pocketed his pistol and walked back into the office, where he
found his bullet-pierced hat lying on the floor and the attorney
standing frozen with astonishment. A stream of people followed at his
heels.

"Who did this shooting? Do you know, Felipe?" a tall raw-boned white
man who led them asked hastily.

"This gentleman, Mr. Weir, was fired on, sheriff," Martinez burst out
volubly.

"And I fired in return," the engineer stated. "The fellow was across
the street in the dark. You might look over there."

Turning and pushing his way through the packed door, the sheriff
disappeared. The crowd melted away again. Presently as Weir glanced
about he saw a new figure at the doorway, staring at him. He went
towards the girl there outlined in the lamplight.

"Was that you I saw moving along just before the exchange of
compliments, Miss Hosmer?" he asked.

"Yes. I was coming towards you on my way home."

"It probably gave you a fright."

"It did, indeed. I heard the shot and saw your hat knocked off. I just
went cold in my tracks. At first I believed you killed."

"I'm very much alive, as you see."

"But it was dreadful! Who would fire at you from the dark? Some one
tried to murder you!"

"It looks like it. Still here I am, ready to move your car out of the
water next time it's stalled."

She entered the room slowly.

"Who in San Mateo would do such a terrible thing, Mr. Martinez?" she
addressed the lawyer. The pallor was still on her face and her eyes
were large with horror.

"Ah, Miss Janet, if we but knew! We'd lay hands on him and send him to
the penitentiary."

Real emotion struggled in the lawyer's