"Well, Diane, we had a jar to-day," replied Wright, with a blunt,
expressive laugh.

"Jar?" echoed both the girls curiously.

"Jar? We had to submit to a damnable outrage," added Wright
passionately, as if the sound of his voice augmented his feeling.
"Listen, girls. I'll tell you all about it."

He coughed, clearing his throat in a way that betrayed he had been
drinking.

I sunk deeper in the shadow of my covert, and stiffening my muscles for
a protracted spell of rigidity, prepared to listen with all acuteness
and intensity.

Just one word from this Wright, inadvertently uttered in a moment of
passion, might be the word Steele needed for his clue.

"It happened at the town hall," began Wright rapidly. "Your father and
Judge Owens and I were there in consultation with three ranchers from
out of town. First we were disturbed by gunshots from somewhere, but not
close at hand. Then we heard the loud voices outside.

"A crowd was coming down street. It stopped before the hall. Men came
running in, yelling. We thought there was a fire. Then that Ranger,
Steele, stalked in, dragging a fellow by the name of Snell. We couldn't
tell what was wanted because of the uproar. Finally your father restored
order.

"Steele had arrested Snell for alleged assault on a restaurant keeper
named Hoden. It developed that Hoden didn't accuse anybody, didn't know
who attacked him. Snell, being obviously innocent, was discharged. Then
this--this gun fighting Ranger pulled his guns on the court and halted
the proceedings."

When Wright paused I plainly heard his intake of breath. Far indeed was
he from calm.

"Steele held everybody in that hall in fear of death, and he began
shouting his insults. Law was a farce in Linrock. The court was a farce.
There was no law. Your father's office as mayor should be impeached. He
made arrests only for petty offenses. He was afraid of the rustlers,
highwaymen, murderers. He was afraid or--he just let them alone. He used
his office to cheat ranchers and cattlemen in law-suits.

"All of this Steele yelled for everyone to hear. A damnable outrage!
Your father, Diane, insulted in his own court by a rowdy Ranger! Not
only insulted, but threatened with death--two big guns thrust almost
in his face!"

"Oh! How horrible!" cried Diane, in mingled distress and anger.

"Steele's a Ranger. The Ranger Service wants to rule western Texas,"
went on Wright. "These Rangers are all a low set, many of them w