ning Hughie about."

"God knows!" returned his pessimistic companion. "Nothing that's going
to help us any, you can stake your bottom dime on that. Here she comes
again, and you and me's just as big fools about her as the rest if we'd
let ourselves be."

This time Pearl danced the autumn, a vision of crimson and gold, with
grape leaves wreathing her black hair. If Hugh had conveyed to her any
disturbing news during the intermission, she showed no trace of it in
her dancing, and if she had stirred her audience to impassioned
enthusiasm before, it was unlimited, almost frantic now. She was the
flame of autumn upon the mountain hillsides, a torch burning with the
joy of life and flinging her gay, defiant splendor in the menacing face
of winter. Before she had finished the house was on its feet, shouting
and clapping and refusing to let her leave the stage.

"She's gone to their heads worse'n wine," muttered the sheriff. "I
suppose it's now she's goin' to ask 'em to stand by her, an' with
leaders like Gallito an' Bob Flick an' Harry Seagreave to line 'em up
an' carry things with a rush, where in hell are we?"

But the dramatic appeal he had anticipated was not made. The Pearl,
after one recall after another, had thrown a final kiss to her
appreciative audience, had retired to her dressing room and positively
refused to appear again.

The sheriff sat down limply for a moment. "I'm beat," he said to the man
who had shared his fears, "just beat. The Lord is sure on our side
to-night. Gosh! They had the whole thing in their own hands and didn't
know it. Well, the rest is pie. All we got to do is to take 'em all nice
an' quiet now, and probably not a gun drawed." He moved about giving his
orders to different men about the hall.

Slowly the good-humored, laughing crowd filed out. The presence of the
sheriff and the various deputies aroused no suspicion. It was but
natural that any one who could get there from the surrounding camps
should be present.

About half of the people had passed through the narrow door when Pearl
made her appearance at the back of the hall. She had thrust her arms
into a long, fur-lined crimson cloak, but it fell open from the neck
down, revealing her crimson and gold frock and gleaming emeralds. A
black lace mantilla was thrown over her head and half over her face,
showing only her sparkling eyes. She began taking various gay, little
steps, still full of that joy of movement which had possessed he