her two lined up near the fence, and
when Wade approached, commanding Rover to be quiet, the three men
covered him with revolvers. "Hands straight up," said one.

Wade obeyed the command. "What outrage is this?" he asked warmly.

"No outrage at all, friend," said the captain. "It means that we have
come to arrest you, and if you make any fuss about it you might be
seriously hurt."

"I don't understand," said Wade.

"You will soon enough. You are under arrest in connection with the death
of one Lem Franklin, who passed in his checks last night with his boots
on."

"What proof have you that I know anything of the death of this
Franklin?" asked Wade.

"Sufficient to convict you of murder, sir," was the reply.

"I don't know this Franklin at all."

"Likely enough you don't, but the proof of your guilt is sufficient to
warrant the arrest."

It was beginning to dawn upon Wade's bewildered mind that he and Judson
had dropped one of the enemy during the running fight of the night
before. He could see it plainly now, but he knew it would not do to
submit willingly and meekly to an arrest which would deprive him of his
liberty for a long time.

"I am not armed at all, as you can see," he said, "and I believe it will
look better if you gentlemen will lower your revolvers. I will feel more
free then to talk with you. You have a serious advantage."

"And we intend to hold it, too," said the captain. "A fellow must get
an advantage and keep it in this country. Make ready now, and come on."

Wade looked fire. "I shall not submit," he said hotly.

"Then if you will not, we must force you, and I warn you that one move
contrary on your part will cause your immediate death."

"You are a bluffer," said Wade, "and a coward." Jack had now recognized
this man.

The latter raised his revolver until it pointed directly at Wade's head.
"You think it a bluff, do you, and that I won't shoot?"

"You won't do any thing fair, that's certain," exclaimed Wade.

The assistant officers kept very quiet, not offering any way out of the
difficulty. The captain got off his horse and stepped toward Wade. "I'll
blow your brains out," he said, angrily, "if you don't come out at
once."

"You did blow one man's life out recently," said Wade sneeringly, "and I
do not doubt but that you would blow my life out, if you were in the
dark where two other gentlemen could not look upon the deed."

The peculiar manner in which Wade remarked this cau