pt
of them, and thinly-veiled pride, was a type of all their democracy
anathematized. More than one of them had winced under his soft laugh and
lightly spoken jibes, which rankled more than a downright injury.

"The question is what we're going to do with him," said a third speaker.

Again the low voices murmured, until a man stood up. "There's one cure for
his complaint, and that's a sure one, but I'm not going to urge it now,"
he said. "Boys, we don't want to be the first to take up the rifle, and it
would make our intentions quite as plain if we dressed him in a coat of
tar and rode him round the town. Nobody would have any use for him after
that, and it would be a bigger slap in Clavering's face than anything else
we could do to him."

Some of the men appeared relieved, for it was evident they had no great
liking for the sterner alternative; and there was acclamation until Grant
rose quietly at the head of the table.

"I've got to move a negative," he said. "It would be better if you handed
him to the Sheriff."

There was astonishment in most of the faces, and somebody said, "The
Sheriff! He'd let him go right off. The cattle-men have got the screw on
him."

"Well," said Larry quietly, "he has done his duty so far, and may do it
again. I figure we ought to give him the chance."

Exclamations of dissent followed, and a man with a grim, lean face stood
up. He spoke tolerable English, but his accent differed from that of the
rest.

"The first man put it straight when he told you there was only one
cure--the one they found out in France a hundred years ago," he said. "You
don't quite realize it yet. You haven't lived as we did back there across
the sea, and seen your women thrust off the pavement into the gutter to
make room for an officer, or been struck with the sword-hilt if you
resented an insult before your fellow citizens. Will you take off your
hats to the rich men who are trampling on you, you republicans, and, while
they leave you the right of speech, beg them to respect your rights and
liberties? Do that, and sit still a little, and they'll fasten the yoke
we've groaned under on your necks."

"I don't know that it isn't eloquent, but it isn't business," said
somebody.

The man laughed sardonically. "That's where you're wrong," he said. "I'm
trying to show you that if you want your liberties you've got to fight for
them, and your leader doesn't seem to know when, by hanging one man, he
can save a h