mance that Thornton could not yet fully understand. But there was
the fact to contend with. A man he had helped to elevate was engaged in
humiliating him in the frankly wondering gaze of his own community.

Those who peeped in at doors and windows were not, all of them, enemies.
There were friends who sympathized and were astonished. Their murmurings
told that.

"You infernal Hereford bull!" roared Thornton; "don't you dare to slur
me before my people. You're making this raid because I haven't buttered
you with ten-dollar bills to keep your hands off. You've taken 'em from
all the other rumsellers--but this isn't one of your regular
rumshops."

"That's right, Squire. Give it to him," muttered men at door and
windows.

"We all know how the sheriff's office is run in this county." This
statement was made by Talleyrand Sylvester, who came thrusting through
the jam of the hall into the fore-room. "Squire," he whispered,
hoarsely, "I've brought down them quedaws as you told me to. They're
outside. Say the word and we'll light on that old steer in the
plug-hat!"

For an instant there was a glint in the old man's eyes which hinted that
the word would be given. But the impulse was merely the first reckless
one of retaliation. Assault on law, even as represented by such an
unworthy executive as he knew Niles to be, would make too wicked a story
for slander to handle. Slander would be busy enough as it was.

He pushed the eager Sylvester to one side.

"Let me see your warrant, Niles," he requested. The officer passed it
over, with a touch of sudden humility in his demeanor. "I'm only doing
my duty as it's laid out by the statutes," he muttered. He quailed under
the old man's eyes. He did not like the sound of the mumbling at the
windows nor relish the looks of the men who had just come flocking into
the yard at the heels of Sylvester.

"'Twas sworn out and passed to me," stated the sheriff.

"Sworn out on complaint of Tom Willy." He looked above the document and
saw in the doorway the man who had cried information regarding the
liquor in the cellar. "Tom Willy, the cheapest drunkard we've got in the
town, taking sneaking revenge because he has been shut off from
privileges here that decent men haven't abused! But I tell you,
gentlemen, even Tom Willy isn't as cheap as the men who have sneaked
behind him and prodded him on to do this. There's some one behind him,
for Tom Willy hasn't got brains enough nor sprawl enough