passage he fled, and gained its farther end before the eldest brother,
with the crowd behind him, took up the chase. Shots were fired at
haphazard into the gloom. But when the hotel had been carefully
searched, no proprietor was to be found. His pursuers, certain that he
was hidden in some closet known only to himself, adjourned to the bar to
discuss ways and means.

The news of the trouble at the hotel spread like thistle-down in a high
wind. In half an hour the saloon was jammed with cattlemen, traders,
soldiers, gamblers, half-breeds, and Indians, all more or less under the
influence of the absent proprietor's liquor, which was flowing freely,
and all ready to hear what the eldest brother had to say.

He stood on the slippery counter to address them, his weapons still in
his hands. On one side was a solitary lamp that brought out dimly the
faces upturned to him; on the other sat the little girl, facing the mob
as it waited, sinister, determined, threatening, ready to act upon any
mad suggestion.

When the eldest brother had recounted his story, he stood in silence,
waiting for some one to speak. After a short pause there was a movement
in the rear of the room, and, with a jingle of spurs, there stepped
forward Eagle Eye, the scout.

He pulled off his slouch-hat and shook back his long hair as he leaped
to a place beside the eldest brother. Then he put his hands to his belt
and stood, arms akimbo. "There's been bad work here before," he said,
"and we've let it pass. But shall we let it pass this time?" There were
cries of "No, no," and curses on the head of the hotel man. Eagle Eye
went on. "It's a dark night: the moon is down, and the sun is slow
a-rising. We had better have a light to show us to our beds." There was
a hidden meaning in his voice that was read and answered with cheers by
the drunken mob.

"What say you, Langdon?" he continued, whirling round upon a man on
whose blue flannel shirt shone a star and whose belt gave back the glint
of nickel.

Langdon gave a laugh and shrugged his shoulders before draining the
flask in his hand.

"This is my friend," said Eagle Eye, extending one arm above the little
girl and resting it on the eldest brother's shoulder. "We will help him
drive the fox from the haystack."

Another cheer greeted him. He jumped to the floor, and the eldest
brother followed, lifting the little girl down beside him. The crowd,
eager for the vengeful finale, rushed out of the bar to