g man
instantly obeyed Flagg's command--seizing the occasion to follow then
and there. He had been standing on the outskirts of the throng,
surveying the happenings with great interest. The men who were in his
immediate vicinity, lumberjacks who were strangers in the Noda region,
were plainly of his appanage and had obeyed his advice to keep out of
the melee that had been provoked by Flagg's methods of selection.

When the big fellow hurried in pursuit of Flagg a bystander put a
question to one of the strangers.

"You ought to know who he is," returned the questioned. "That's Ward
Latisan."

And just then, apart from the crowd, having overtaken the autocrat, the
young man was informing Flagg to that same effect.

Flagg halted, swung around, and rammed his cant dog into the ground.
"You've changed from a sapling into fair-sized timber since I saw you
last. You look like old John, and that's compliment enough, I reckon.
How do you happen to be over in the Noda country?"

"I don't happen! I heard of the word you sent out. I came here on
purpose, sir."

"What for?"

"To hire with you."

Flagg looked Latisan up and down and showed no enthusiasm. "Yes, I heard
that you and your father had let the Three C's slam you flat. And what
makes you think I want that kind of a quitter in my crew?"

Ward met the disparaging stare with a return display of undaunted
challenge. "Because I belong in the crew of a man who is proposing to
fight the Three C's."

Flagg grunted.

Latisan kept on. "You have been hiring men because they have been
parading a lot of little grouches against the Comas folks. You need a
man who has a real reason for going up against that outfit. And I'm the
man."

"What you think about yourself and what I may think about you are two
different things," retorted Flagg, with insolence. "Looks to me like you
had got the Big Laugh over in your section. You have probably noticed
what I just did in a case of that sort."

"I took it all in, sir."

"Well, what then?"

"They are not laughing with us or against us over in the Tomah, Mr.
Flagg. They all know what happened, and that we fought the Comas fair
and square as long as we could keep on our feet. It was a trick that
licked us. Craig held out the Walpole heir on us."

"I know about it; I manage to get most of the news." Flagg started to go
on his way, but Ward put his clutch on the autocrat's arm.

"Pardon me, Mr. Flagg, but you're going to hear what