Sam had stepped in and 'pinched' the whole darned bunch." To that
opinion, the crowd for the most part concurred though there were some
who thought otherwise.

It remained for Silvanus Rock himself to upset the truth of the
postmaster's statement. Scarcely able to credit their sight, the
villagers saw the magnate of Legonia led forth from the Golden Rule
Cannery in the custody of strangers. Strangers who spoke and acted with
an air of authority and displayed shining badges to part the crowd as
they walked with their prisoner to meet the small boat from the cutter.
Then came Blankovitch wearing hand-cuffs.

It was some time before the truth leaked out through the lips of a
newspaperman who was aboard the _Bennington_. Even then there were some
who doubted.

Mascola killed by Bandrist? Impossible. Bill Lang and Richard Gregory
murdered at El Diablo and Mexican Joe who had been with them, found on
the island?

Silvanus Rock a smuggler? Why the very thought was absurd.

But the postmaster was gifted with more sagacity. With an ear trained to
catch the slightest drift of public opinion, he declaimed after hearing
all the evidence:

"I ain't much surprised. Kind o' had my suspicions of old Rock all along
though I never said nothin'. But I allays did say that young Gregory was
a comin' citizen."

* * * * *

Purple dusk settled closely about Legonia at the close of the most
memorable day in the history of the village. For a time the streets were
deserted as the fishermen sought their homes at supper-time to retail
the latest bits of gossip which were current in the saloons.

Kenneth Gregory's name was upon every lip. No story was complete unless
he figured in it. The Golden Rule Cannery had been closed until further
notice. Gregory had bought all the fish brought in by the alien fleet.
His wharves were piled high with fish-boxes. His vats were full of
albacore. He was going to give everybody a chance if they "shot square"
and became American citizens. Rock and Blankovitch had been taken with
the men from Diablo Island to the jail at the county-seat. The body of
Mascola was still in the custody of the local undertaker and Bandrist
had been removed to a hospital. But of the men themselves little was
said. An era of universal friendliness prevailed throughout the village.

At the Lang cottage Aunt Mary was striving vainly to assemble her guests
about the table for the evening meal.

"T