next; the shrill laughter of a dance-hall girl, the purr of the ivory
ball and the soft clatter of chips, the ponies drowsing at the hitch
rails the full length of the street, the pealing yelp of some
over-enthusiastic citizen whose night it was to howl; all these were
evidences of the wide difference between her present surroundings and
those of the last eight months. She gazed eagerly out of the stage
window. It was good to get back.

Both the driver and the shotgun guard who rode beside him were new men
on the job since she had left and neither of them knew the identity of
their passenger. As the stage neared the rambling log hotel where she
would put up for the night a compact group of riders swung down the
street. Her heart seemed to stop as she recognized the big paint-horse
at their head. She had not fully realized how much she longed to see
Cal Harris. As they swept past she recognized man after man in the
light that streamed from the doorways and dimly illuminated the wide
street.

Instead of dismounting in a group they suddenly split up, as if at a
given signal, scattering the length of the block and dismounting
singly. There was something purposeful in this act and a vague
apprehension superseded the rush of gladness she had experienced with
the first unexpected view of the Three Bar crew. Men who stood on the
board sidewalks turned hastily inside the open doors as they glimpsed
the riders, spreading the news that the Three Bar had come to town.
The driver pulled up in front of the one hotel.

"It'll come off right now," he said. "Slade's in town."

"Sure," the guard replied. "Why else would Harris ride in at night
like this unless in answer to Slade's threat to shoot him down on
sight? Get the girl inside."

The reason for the scattering was now clear to her. Slade, on his
release, had announced that he would kill Harris on sight whenever he
appeared in town. Slade had many friends. The Three Bar men were
scattered the length of the street to enforce fair play.

The guard opened the door and motioned her out but she shook her head.

"I'm going to stay here," she asserted.

Her answer informed him of the fact that she was no casual visitor but
one who knew the signs and would insist on seeing it through. He
nodded and shut the door.

Harris had dismounted at the far end of the block and was strolling
slowly down the board sidewalk on the opposite side. Groups of men
packed the doorw