neer.

"You're the mayor of this man's town, are you, Judge?" he asked.

As the visitor spoke, Judge Thayer's face cleared of the perplexity that
had clouded it. He got up, beaming welcome, offering his hand.

"Seth Craddock, as sure as little apples! I knew you, and I didn't know
you, you old scoundrel! Where have you been all these years?"

Seth Craddock only expanded his facial twitching at this friendly
assault until it became a definite grin. It was a grin that needed no
apology, for all evidence was in its favor that it was so seldom seen by
the eyes of men that it could be forgiven without a plea.

"I've been ridin' the long trail," said Seth.

"With that bunch that just arrived?"

"Yeh. Drove up from the Nueces. I'm quittin'."

"The last time I saw you, Seth, you were butchering two tons of buffalo
a day for the railroaders. I often wondered where you went after you
finished your meat contract."

"I scouted a while for the gover'ment, but we run out of Indians. Then I
went to Texas and rode with the rangers a year or two."

"I guess you kept your gun-barrel hot down in that country, Seth?"

"Yeh. Once in a while it was lively. Dyin' out down there now, quiet as
a school."

"So you turned back to Kansas lookin' for high life. Heard of this burg,
I guess?"

"I kind of thought something might be happenin' off up here, Judge."

"And I was sitting here frying out my soul for the sight of a full-sized
man when you stepped in the door! Sit down; let's you and me have a
talk."

Seth drew a dusty chair from against the wall and arranged himself in
the draft between the front and back doors of the little house. He
leaned his storm-beaten sombrero against the leg of his chair near his
heel, as carefully as if making preparations for quick action in a
hostile country, shook his head when the judge offered a cigar, shifted
his worn cartridge belt a bit with a movement that appeared to be as
unconscious as unnecessary.

"What's restin' so heavy on your mind, Judge?" he inquired.

"Our city marshal stepped in the way of a fool feller's bullet last
night, and all the valuable property in this town is lying open and
unguarded today."

"Don't nobody want the job?"

"Many are called, or seem to feel themselves nominated, but none is
appointed. The appointment is in my hands; the job's yours if you'll do
an old friend a favor and take it. It pays a hundred dollars a month."

Seth's heavy black hair lay in d