them quickly, however, and set
another notch to her score with Courtrey.

It was then that the waiting game ceased abruptly.

Tharon, riding on El Rey, went in to Corvan. She tied the horse at
the Court House steps and went boldly in to the sheriff's office.

Behind her were Billy, like her shadow, and the sane and quiet
Conford.

Steptoe Service, fat and important, was busy at his desk. His spurs
lay on a table, his wide hat beside them. The star of his office shone
on his suspender strap.

"Step Service," said the girl straightly, "when are you goin' to look
into this here murder?"

Service swung round and shot an ugly look at her from his small eyes.

"Have already done so," he said, "ben out an' saw to th' buryin'!"

Tharon gasped.

"Buried him already? How dared you do it?"

"Say," said Service, banging a fist on his table, "I'm th' sheriff of
Menlo County, young woman. I ordered him buried."

"Where?"

"What's it to you?"

"Was Jim Banner there?"

"Jim Banner's sick in bed--got th' cholery morbus."

Tharon's eyes began to blaze.

"Bah!" she snapped, "th' time's ripe! Come on, boys," and she whirled
from the Court House.

As she ran across the street to where the Finger Marks were tied, she
came face to face with Kenset on Captain.

Her face was red from brow to throat, her voice thick with rage.

"You talked o' law, Mr. Kenset," she cried at the brown horse's
shoulder, her eyes upraised to his, "an' see what law there is in
Lost Valley! Step Service has buried th' snow-packer--without a
by-your-leave from nobody! Th' man--or woman--that kills Courtrey
now 'counts for three men--Harkness, Last an' Pete. I'm on my way
to th' Stronghold."

She whirled again to run for the stallion, but the forest man leaned
down and caught her shoulder in a grip of steel.

"Not now," he said in that compelling low voice, "not now. I want to
talk to you."

"But I don't want to talk to you!" she flung out, "I'm goin'!"

Over her head Conford's anxious eyes met Kenset's.

"Hold her," they begged plainly, "we can't."

And Kenset held her, by physical strength.

The grey eyes of Billy were on him coldly. The boy was hot with anger
at the man. He put a hand on Kenset's arm.

"Let go," he said, but Kenset shook him off.

"Come out on the plain a little way with me, all of you," he said,
"this is no place to talk."

Tharon, standing where he had stopped her, her breast heaving, her
lips apart, seemed s