e to undergo an investigation. Their charges don't mean
anything. Old Samuels must be a good deal of a demagogue."

"He's got a good lawyer," stated California John briefly.

"Lawyer? Who?"

"Erbe of White Oaks."

Thorne stared at him puzzled.

"Erbe? Are you sure of that? Why, the man is a big man; he's generally a
cut or so above cases of this sort--with as little foundation for them.
He's more in the line of fat fees. Here's two mountain cases he's
undertaken."

"I never knew Johnny Erbe to refuse any sort of case he'd get paid for,"
observed California John.

"Well, he's certainly raising a dust up north," said Thorne. "Every
paper all at once is full of the most incendiary stuff. I hate to send a
ranger up there these days."

"I reckon the boys can take care of themselves!" put in Ross Fletcher.

California John turned to look at him.

"Sure thing, Ross," he drawled, "and a first-class row between a brutal
ranger--who could take care of himself--and an inoffensive citizen would
read fine in print."

"That's the idea," approved Thorne. "We can't afford a row right now. It
would bring matters to a head."

"There's the Harris case, and the others," suggested Amy; "what are you
going to do about them, now?"

"Carry them through according to my instructions, unless I get orders to
the contrary," said Thorne. "It is the policy of the Service throughout
to clear up and settle these doubtful land cases. We must get such
things decided. We can't stop because of a little localized popular
clamour."

"Are there many such cases up in the Durham country?" asked Bob.

"Probably a dozen or so."

"Isn't it likely that those men have got behind Samuels in order to
discourage action on their own cases?"

"I think there's no doubt of it," answered Thorne, "but the point is,
they've been fighting tooth and nail from the start. We had felt out
their strength from the first, and it developed nothing like this."

"That's where Erbe comes in," suggested Bob.

"Probably."

"It don't amount to nothin'," said California John. "In the first place,
it's only the 'nesters,' [A] the saloon crowd, who are after you for
Austin's case; and the usual muck of old-timers and loafers who either
think they own the country and ought to have a free hand in everything
just as they're used to, or who are agin the Government on general
principles. I don't believe the people at Durham are behind this. I bet
a vote would give us a ma