ss, perhaps, the gods looked down from high Olympus--the poor
immortals--and turned away, disconsolate, to the cheerless fields of
asphodel.

"But they're not going away," said Breslin after a suitable interval.
"They're waiting; and the Major's waving his hat at us."

"I'll go see what they want," said Anastacio.

In a few minutes he was back, rather breathless and extremely agitated
in appearance.

"Well? Spill it!" said Nueces. "Get your breath first. What's the
trouble?"

"Applegate's dead. Joe Espalin, I arrest you for the murder of Richard
Marr! Applegate confessed!"

"He lied! He lied!" screamed Espalin. "I was with Ben till daylight,
at the monte game; they all tell you. The sheriff he try to make me
keel heem--he try to buy me to do eet--he keel Dick Marr heemself!"

"That's right!" spoke Creagan, suddenly white and haggard. His voice
was a cringing whine; his eyes groveled. "Marr was at Lisner's house.
We all went over there after the fight. Lisner waked Marr up--he'd
been tryin' to egg Marr on to kill Foy all day, but Marr was too
drunk. He was sobering up when we waked him. Lisner tried to rib him
up to go after Foy and waylay him--told him he had been threatening
Foy's life while he was drunk, and that Foy'd kill him if he didn't
get Foy first. Dick said he wouldn't do it--he'd go along to help
arrest Foy, but that's all he'd do. The sheriff and Joe went
out together for a powwow. The sheriff came back alone, black as
thunder--him and Dick rode off together----"

The sheriff sprang to his feet, his heavy face bloated and blotched
with terror.

"He cursed me; he tried to pull his gun!" he wailed. His eyes
protruded, glaring; one hand clutched at his throat, the other spread
out before him as he tottered, stumbling. "Oh, my God!" he sobbed.

"That will do nicely," said Anastacio. "You're guilty as hell! I'll
put your own handcuffs on you. Oddly enough, the law provides that
when it is necessary to arrest the sheriff the duty falls to the
coroner. It is very appropriate. You must pardon me, Mr. Lisner, if I
seem unsympathetic. Dick Marr was your friend! And you have not been
entirely fair with Foy, I fear.... Creagan, we'll hold you and Joe for
complicity and for conspiracy in Foy's case. We'll arrest Applegate,
too, when we get to camp. He'll be awfully vexed."

"What!" shrieked the sheriff, raising his manacled hands. "Liar!
Murderer!"

"So Applegate's not dead? Well, I'm just as well pleased