nce under each fresh evidence of enmity as from a blow in
the face. Thoughts of Mrs. Toomey's friendship and the belief that this
antagonism was only temporary and would disappear when the local
authorities had brought out the truth concerning the murder, had
sustained and comforted her. The last time she had questioned Lingle,
the deputy had told her with much elation in his manner that "the trail
was getting warmer."

Now, crushed, heartsick, staggering fairly under the brutal blow that
Mrs. Toomey's weak hand had dealt her, it was an ordeal to ride back to
Main Street and run the gauntlet.

All that was left to her was the hope that Lingle might soon clear her,
and she felt in her despair that she could not return to the ranch until
he had given her some reassurance. She checked her horse at the corner
and looked each way for him, but he was nowhere visible. Then, while she
hesitated she saw him emerge from a doorway where a steep stairway led
to the office of the mayor on the second floor of Prouty's only
two-story building.

Kate received the swift impression that the deputy was agitated, and a
closer view confirmed it. His face was pale, and the light that shone in
his eyes was unmistakably due to anger. He walked to the edge of the
sidewalk and stood there, too engrossed in thought to see Kate until she
had ridden close to him.

"Will you tell me what progress you're making? It's so hard, this
waiting and not knowing."

The deputy's eyes blazed anew when he recognized the girl, and under
stress of feeling he blurted out harshly:

"I'm called off, Miss Prentice!"

"Called off!" she gasped. "You mean--"

"Stopped!" fiercely. "I've been blocked at every turn by the authorities
and others, and now it's come straight from 'Tinhorn' himself--the
mayor."

Speechless, Kate's trembling hand sought the saddle horn and gripped it.

"But why?" finally.

Ineffable scorn was in the deputy's answer:

"It might hurt the town to have this murder stirred up and the story
sent broadcast--make prospective settlers hesitate to invest in such a
dangerous community--that's what was given me, along with my
instructions to quit. But another reason is that the man implicated
belongs to one of them secret orders."

"I can't believe it!" she cried piteously.

"I couldn't either, until I had to. But I've got sense enough to know
that I'm done, with nobody to back up my hand. After all, I'm only a
deputy," he said savagely.