ord that you have no firearms,
weapons, knives, or matches, I'll admit you to this--er--drawing-room
for a few minutes."

"Nothing worse than a hat-pin," she assured him. "But you must come,
too," she added, placing her hand on his arm. "You must understand
that."

He accompanied her into the cell, but remained in the doorway, where
he suddenly developed an interest in astronomy. At length he turned
quickly and faced in to the darkness.

"Speaking, not as an officer, but as a fellow-man, I wish you were
damned well--that is, very well--out of this, old chap," he said to
Travers.

"Oh, that's all right," Jim assured him. "You couldn't help taking me
up, of course, and for all your kindness you would quite cheerfully
hang me if it fell to your lot. But it isn't going to."

"I stand ready to be of any service to you that is permissible."

"The inquest is to be to-morrow, isn't it?" asked Beulah. "I think
you should be at the inquest, Jim."

"That's right," said the sergeant. "You may throw some new light on
the case."

"I've just one request," said Travers. "You know Gardiner?"

"I've heard of him."

"Have him at the inquest."

"As a juror or witness?"

"It doesn't matter, but have him there."

"All right. I'll see to it. And now, Miss Harris, if you will permit
me, I will bring your horse for you."

Grey took a conveniently long time to find the horse, but at last he
appeared in the door. Beulah released her fingers from Jim's and
swung herself into the saddle.

"Sergeant Grey," she said, "I think you're the second best man in the
world. Good night."

The sergeant's military shoulders came up squarer still, and he stood
at attention as she rode into the darkness.

CHAPTER XX

AN INQUEST--AND SOME EXPLANATIONS

The inquest party consisted of the coroner, who was the doctor that
had already attended Allan; Sergeant Grey; six jurors, selected from
the townspeople; the manager of the bank, whose suspicions had first
been communicated to Grey; Travers; and Gardiner. In the early
morning the policeman had ridden out to the ranch for Gardiner, but
had met him on his way to town. News of the tragedy had reached him,
he said, and he was hurrying in to see if he could be of some
assistance to Travers, in arranging for a lawyer, or in any way that
might be practicable. Grey told him that as yet no formal charge had
been laid against Travers; that he was merely being held pending the
finding of t