e, and,
apparently, now they've been stolen."

"Guilty, by Gad!" roared Smallbones.

And some one near him added--

"Lynch him! Lynch him!"

How that cry might have been taken up and acted upon, it needs little
imagination to guess. But quick as thought Doc Crombie came to Jim's
rescue. He silenced the crowd with a roar like some infuriated lion.

"The first man that moves I'll shoot!" he cried, behind the brace of
leveled pistols he was now holding at arm's length.

He stood for a few seconds thus till order was restored, then he
quietly returned one of his guns to its holster, while the other he
retained in his hand. He turned at once to Jim.

"You're accused of the murder of Will Henderson by Smallbones," he
said simply. "You've got more of this story back of your head. You've
now got your chance of ladlin' it out to clear yourself. You'd best
speak. An' the quicker the better. You say the knife that killed him
was yours. Yes?"

The man's honest intention was obvious. He wanted to give Jim a
chance. He was doing his utmost. But he knew the temper of these men,
and he knew that they were not to be played with. It was up to the
accused man to clear himself.

Peter Blunt anxiously watched Jim's face. There was something like
despair in his honest eyes. But he could do nothing without the
other's help.

Jim looked straight into the doctor's eyes. There was no defiance in
his look, neither was there anything of the guilty man in it. It was
simply honest.

"I've told you all I have to tell," he said. "The knife that killed
Will Henderson was my knife. But I swear before God that I am innocent
of his death!"

The doctor turned from him with an oath. And curiously enough his oath
was purely at the man's obstinacy.

"Fellers," he said, addressing the assembly, "I've been your leader
for a goodish bit, an' I don't guess I'm goin' back on you now. We got
a code of laws right here in Barnriff with which we handle sech cases
as this. Those laws'll take their course. We'll try the case right
here an' now. You, Smallbones, will establish your case." Then he
turned to Jim. "If there's any feller you'd like----"

"I'll stand by Jim Thorpe," cried Peter Blunt, in a voice that echoed
throughout the building.

Doc Crombie nodded.

"Gentlemen, the court is open."

CHAPTER XXXIII

AFTER THE VERDICT

Peter Blunt stared helplessly up at the eastern sky. His brain was
whirling, and he stared without being