iler. "First door."

They went on in silence, but there was a shout when somebody answered
their questions from behind a door, which a few minutes later tottered and
fell beneath the axes. Then, amidst acclamation, they led two men out, and
showed them to the jailer.

"You know them?" said Grant. "Well, you can tell your Sheriff there wasn't
a cartridge in the rifles of the men who opened his jail. He'll come back
when the trouble's over, but it seems to me the cattle-men have wasted a
pile of dollars over him."

He laughed when a question met them as they once more trampled into the
verandah.

"Yes," he said. "The boys are bringing them!"

Two horses were led forward, and the released men swung themselves into
the saddle. There was a hasty mounting, and when the men swung into open
fours a shout went up from the surging crowd.

"They have taken the homesteaders out. The Sheriff has backed down."

A roar followed that expressed approbation and disgust; it was evident
that the sympathies of the citizens were divided. In the momentary silence
Grant's voice rang out:

"Sling rifles! Keep your order and distance! Forward, boys!"

Again a hoarse cry went up, but there was only applause in it now, for the
crowd recognized the boldness of the command and opened out, pressing back
against the houses as the little band rode forward. Their silence was
impressive, but the leader knew his countrymen, for, while taunts and
display would have courted an onset, nobody seemed anxious to obstruct the
men who sat unconcernedly in their saddles, with the rifles which alone
warranted their daring disdainfully slung behind them.

On they went past clusters of wondering citizens, shouting sympathizers,
and silent cattle-men, until there was a hoot of derision, and, perhaps in
the hope of provoking a conflict in which the rest would join, a knot of
men pushed out into the street from the verandah of the wooden hotel.
Grant realized that a rash blow might unloose a storm of passion and rouse
to fury men who were already regretting their supineness.

"Keep your pace and distance!" he commanded.

Looking straight in front of them, shadowy and silent, the leading four
rode on, and once more the crowd melted from in front of them. As the last
of the band passed through the opening that was made for them a man
laughed as he turned in his saddle.

"We can't stay any longer, boys, but it wasn't your fault. It's a man you
want for Sheri