of those rascally rustlers have been driving off a steer
again," he said. "Can't you sing us something, Clavering?"

Clavering understood him, and it was a rollicking ballad he trolled out
with verve and spirit; but still, though none of the guests now showed it
openly, the anxious suspense did not abate, and by and by Miss Allonby
smiled at the lad beside her somewhat drily.

"Never mind the story, Chris. I guess we know the rest. That man is riding
hard, and you are as anxious as any of us," she said.

A minute or two later there was a murmur of voices below, and Allonby went
out. Nobody appeared to notice this, but the hum of somewhat meaningless
talk which followed and the strained look in one or two of the women's
faces had its meaning. Every eye was turned towards the doorway until
Allonby came back and spoke with Torrance apart. Then he smiled
reassuringly upon his guests.

"You will be pleased to hear that some of our comrades have laid hands
upon one of the leaders in the attack upon the jail," he said. "They want
to lodge him here until they can send for the Sheriff's posse, and of
course I could only agree. Though the State seems bent on treating us
somewhat meanly, we are, I believe, still loyal citizens, and I feel quite
sure you will overlook any trifling inconvenience the arrival of the
prisoner may cause you."

"Doesn't he put it just a little curiously?" suggested Flora Schuyler.

"Well," said Christopher Allonby, "it really isn't nice to have one of our
few pleasant evenings spoiled by this kind of thing."

"You don't understand. I am quite pleased with your uncle, but there's
something that amuses me in the idea of jailing one's adversary from
patriotic duty."

Christopher Allonby smiled. "There's a good deal of human nature in most
of us, and it's about time we got even with one or two of them."

"Find out about it, Chris," said Miss Allonby; "then come straight back
and tell us."

The young man approached a group of his elders who were talking together,
and returned by and by.

"It was done quite smartly," he said. "One of the homestead boys who had
fallen out with Larry came over to us, and I fancy it was Clavering fixed
the thing up with him. The boys didn't know he had deserted them, and the
man he took the oats to believed in him."

"I can't remember you telling a tale so one could understand it, Chris,"
said Miss Allonby. "Why did he take the oats to him?"

The lad laughed. "They