nt drew George away.

"She walked right into the trap; you couldn't have stopped her. I'm
sorry for Hardie. But we may as well get out now; there'll be no
trouble."

The street was blocked when the women left, but a passage was made for
them; and, followed by everybody in the settlement, they proceeded to
the other hotel, whose proprietor capitulated. Then Mrs. Nelson made a
speech, in which she pointed out that for once the festival would not
be marked by the orgies which had on previous occasions disgraced the
town. Her words, by no means conciliatory, and her aggressive air
provoked the crowd, which had, for the most part, watched the
proceedings with amusement. There were cries of indignant dissent,
angry shouts, and the throng began to close in upon the speaker. Then
there was sudden silence, and the concourse split apart. Into the gap
rode a slim young man in khaki, with a wide hat of the same color, who
pulled up and sat looking at the people with his hand on his hip.
George recognized him as the constable who shared the extensive beat
with Flett.

"Now," he said good-humoredly, "what's all this fuss about?"

Several of them informed him and he listened gravely before he called
one of the farmer's stewards, and spoke a few words to him.

"It strikes me," he said, "that you had all better go back to the
fair-ground, while I look into things. There's an item or two on the
program Mr. Carson wants to work off before supper."

He had taken the right tone, and when they began to disperse he rode on
to the Sachem.

"I want your account of this disturbance," he said to the proprietor.

Beamish related what had taken place and the constable looked surprised.

"Am I to understand that you're afraid to open your bar because of the
women?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," replied Beamish, coolly; "that's about the size of it.
You'd have been scared, too; they're a mighty determined crowd."

"Nobody except the authorities has any right to interfere."

"That's my opinion, but what am I to do about it? Suppose these women
come back, will you stand at the door and keep them out? They're
capable of mobbing you."

The constable looked dubious, and Beamish continued:

"Besides, I've given them my word I'd shut up--they made me."

"Then how do you expect us to help?"

"So far as I can see, you can only report the matter to your bosses."

The constable felt inclined to agree with this. He asked for the names
of