undred from misery. It's not the man who laid the kindling
you're striking at, but, through him, those who employed him. Let them see
you'll take your rights without leave of them. They've sent you warning
that if you stay here they'll burn your homesteads down, and they're
waiting your answer. Hang their firebug where everyone can see him, in the
middle of the town."

It was evident that the men were wavering. They had come there with the
law behind them, but, from their youth up, some following visions that
could never be realized, had hated the bureaucrat, and the rest, crippled
by the want of dollars, had fought with frost and drought and hail. It was
also plain that they felt the capture of the incendiary had given them an
opportunity. Then, when a word would have turned the scale, Grant stood up
at the head of the table, very resolute in face.

"I still move a negative and an amendment, boys," he said. "First, though
that's not the most important, because I've a natural shrinking from
butchering an unarmed man. Secondly, it was not the cattle-men who sent
him, but one of them, and just because he meant to draw you on it would be
the blamedest bad policy to humour him. Would Torrance, or Allonby, or the
others, have done this thing? They're hard men, but they believe they're
right, as we do, and they're Americans. Now for the third reason: when
Clavering meant to burn Muller's homestead, he struck at me, guessing that
some of you would stand behind me. He knew your temper, and he'd have
laughed at us as hot-blooded rabble--you know how he can do it--when he'd
put us in the wrong. Well, this time we'll give the law a show."

There was discussion, but Larry sat still, saying nothing further, with a
curious gravity in his face, until a man stood up again.

"We think you're right," he said. "Still, there's a question. What are you
going to do if they try again?"

"Strike," said Larry quietly. "I'll go with you to the hanging of the next
one."

Nothing more was said, and the men rode away with relief in their faces,
though three of them, girt with rifle and bandolier, trotted behind the
wagon in which the prisoner sat.

VII

LARRY PROVES INTRACTABLE

It was some little time after her arrival at Cedar Range when Miss
Torrance, who took Flora Schuyler with her, rode out across the prairie.
There were a good many things she desired to investigate personally, and,
though a somewhat independent young woman,