me work for you, Lieutenant."

"I guess it can wait till morning," said Meade.

"No, it can't; it's got to be done to-night, right now! You represent
the law, or at least you've taken every occasion to so declare
yourself, and to mix in with little things that don't cut much figure;
so now I've come to you with something big. It's a serious affair, and
being as I'm a peaceful man I want to go by the law." His eyes mocked
the words he uttered. "You're mighty prompt and determined when it
comes to regulating such affairs. You seem to carry the weight of this
whole community on your shoulders, so I'm here to give you some
information."

Burrell ignored the taunt, and said, quietly: "It's a little late for
polite conversation. Come to the point."

"I've got a criminal for you."

"What kind?"

"Murderer."

"You've had a killing in your place, eh?"

"No, I've just made a discovery. I found it all out by accident,
too--pure accident. By Heaven! You can't tell me there isn't a
beneficent Providence overlooking our affairs. Why, this felon has
lived here among us all this time, and only for the merest chance I
never would have recognized him."

"Well, well! Go on!" snapped Burrell, impatiently.

"He's a friend of yours, and a highly respected party. He's a glorious
example to this whole river."

The officer started. Could it be? he wondered. Could knowledge of this
affair have reached this man? He was uncomfortably aware of that
presence in the back room, but he had to know the truth.

"Who is the man?"

"He's your friend. He's--" Stark paused, gloating over his enemy's
suspense.

"Go on." "He's everybody's friend. He's the shining mark of this whole
country. He's the benevolent renegade, Squaw-man Gale."

"John Gale?"

"Gaylord is his name, and I was a fool not to know it sooner."

"How did you discover this?" inquired Burrell, lamely. "What proof have
you?"

The disclosure had not affected the soldier as Stark expected, and his
anger began to lift itself.

"That's neither here nor there; the man's a murderer; he's wanted in
California, where I came from; he's been indicted, and there's a price
on his head. He's hidden for fifteen years, but he'll hang as sure as I
stand here."

Disclosures of a complex nature had so crowded on Burrell in the last
few hours that he saw himself the centre of a most unfortunate and
amazing tangle. Things were difficult enough as it was, but to have
this man appear an