f season, he
could not afford to fail of any precaution. Tired and sleepy as he was, he
must remain on guard. "But you and your daughter must go to bed at once,"
he urged.

Lize, under the spur of her dram, talked on with bitter boldness. "I'm
going to get out o' this town as soon as I can sell. I won't live in it a
minute longer than I have to. It used to have men into it; now they're
only hobos. It's neither the old time nor the new; it's just a betwixt and
between, with a lot o' young cubs like Joe Gregg pretendin' to be tough. I
never thought I'd be sighin' for horse-cars, but these rowdy chumps like
Neill Ballard give me a pain. Not one of 'em has sand enough to pull a gun
in the open, but they'd plug you from a dark alley or fire out of a crowd.
It was different in the old days. I've seen men walk out into that street,
face each other, and open fire quiet as molasses. But now it's all talk
and blow. The _men_ have all grown old or got out."

To this Gregg listened with expressionless visage, his eyes dreamily fixed
on Lee's face; but his companion, the old herder, seemed to palpitate with
shame and fear. And Ross had the feeling at the moment that in this
ragged, unkempt old hobo was the skeleton of one of the old-time heroes.
He was wasted with drink and worn by wind and rain, but he was very far
from being commonplace. "Here they come again!" called Lize, as the hurry
of feet along the walk threatened another attack. Ross Cavanagh again drew
his revolver and stood at guard, and Lize recovering her own weapon took a
place by his side.

With the strength of a bear the new assailant shook the bolted door. "Let
me in!" he roared.

"Go to hell!" replied Lize, calmly.

"It's dad!" called young Gregg. "Go away, you chump."

"Let me in or I'll smash this door!" retorted Gregg.

"You smash that door, old Bullfrog," announced Lize, "and I'll carry one
of your lungs away. I know your howl--it don't scare me. I've stood off
one whole mob to-night, and I reckon I'm good for you. If you want to get
in here you hunt up the judge of this town and the constable."

After a pause Sam called, "Are you there, son?"

"You bet he is," responded Lize, "and here he'll stay."

Joe added: "And you'd better take the lady's advice, pop. She has the drop
on you."

The old rancher muttered a fierce curse while Ross explained the
situation. "I'm as eager to get rid of these culprits as any one can be,
but they must be taken by pro