to the ground. He had straightened in his saddle,
and was looking up the street. With a deep curse he threw the Winchester
to his shoulder, fired, and before his yell had died on his lips horse
and rider were away like a shaft of light. The crowd melted like magic
from the street. The Stetsons, chiefly on foot, did not return the
fire, but halted up the street, as if parleying. Young Jasper joined his
party, and they, too, stood still a moment, puzzled by the irresolution
of the other side.

"Watch out! they're gittin' round ye! Run for the court-house, ye
fools!-ye, run!" The voice came in a loud yell from somewhere down the
street, and its warning was just in time.

A wreath of smoke came about a corner of the house far down the street,
and young Jasper yelled, and dashed up a side alley with his followers.
A moment later judge, jury, witnesses, and sheriff were flying down the
court-house steps at the point of Lewallen guns; the Lewallen horses,
led by the gray, were snorting through the streets; their riders,
barricaded in the forsaken court-house, were puffing a stream of fire
and smoke from every window of court-room below and jury-room above.

The streets were a bedlam. The Stetsons were yelling with triumph. The
Lewallens were divided, and Rufe placed three Stetsons with Winchesters
on each side of the courthouse, and kept them firing. Rome, pale and
stern, hid his force between the square and the Lewallen store. He
was none too quick. The rest were coming on, led by old Jasper. It was
reckless, riding that way right into death; but the old man believed
young Jasper's life at stake, and the men behind asked no questions when
old Jasper led them. The horses' hoofs beat the dirt street like
the crescendo of thunder. The fierce old man's hat was gone, and his
mane-like hair was shaking in the wind. Louder-and still the Stetsons
were quiet-quiet too long. The wily old man saw the trap, and, with
a yell, whirled the column up an alley, each man flattening over his
saddle. From every window, from behind every corner and tree, smoke
belched from the mouth of a Winchester. Two horses went down; one
screamed; the other struggled to his feet, and limped away with an empty
saddle. One of the fallen men sprang into safety behind a house, and one
lay still, with his arms stretched out and his face in the dust.

From behind barn, house, and fence the Lewallens gave back a scattering
fire; but the Stetsons crept closer, an