handed into the barricade.

The surgeon and Bob Scott followed close. Bucks was first to meet the
wounded scout, and the railroad men, jubilant at Levake's capture, ran
to Scott and bore him down with rough welcome. Levake was laid upon a
bench in the station and Scott followed to his side. Arnold, joining
the scout, made ready to dress the wound in his shoulder.

"See to Levake first, doctor," said Scott, "he needs it the most."

As he spoke, Dancing hurried into the room. "Bob, the car shops are on
fire."

Scott ran to the east window. It was true. The rioters, supplied with
oil and torches, had made their way in the darkness through
Callahan's picket line near the river and set fire to the shops.

Stanley was eating a hasty supper in the despatchers' office.

Within a few minutes the blaze could be seen from all the east windows
of the station. Almost at the same moment, through the north windows
fire was seen breaking out in one of the big stores in Front Street.
As Stanley rose from his midnight meal, Atkinson ran in with word that
a band of rioters, well armed, had attacked a train of boarding-cars
defended by the roundhouse men.

The sky, bright again with the flame of conflagration, made a huge
dome of red, lighting the railroad yards across which men were now
hurrying to make fresh dispositions for the emergency.

The vigilante leaders saw impending, in the Front Street fire, the
ruin of their business property. There were no longer men enough
left to fight the flames and guard the fire-fighters. A point had
been reached in which life and property were no longer taken into
account, and efforts to restore law and order were facing complete
failure. It was then that the most radical of all measures, the
last resort of organized society in its resolve to defend itself,
was discussed. The vigilantes, as well as the railroad men, now
realized that but one measure remained for saving Medicine Bend and
that was the extermination of the outlaws themselves.

CHAPTER XXIV

The men in the barricade were lined up for orders. Ammunition was
passed and volunteers were called to form a charging party. The
vigilantes formed in the glare of the burning shops.

From the head-quarters of the rioters in Front Street came scattering
shots and cries as a huge volume of sparks shot up into the black sky.
Ten men under Hawk and ten under Dancing made the supporting party for
the vigilantes, who asked only that a l