own inference," drawled Hollis.

For an instant it seemed that Dunlavey contemplated attacking Hollis; he
placed both hands on the table before him, preparatory to rising,
evidently thought better of the idea and sank into the chair again, his
eyes flashing venomously as they met Hollis's.

"This country's going plum to hell!" he sneered; "when tenderfeet and
half-baked lawyers get to running things it will be time for the
cattlemen to pull up stakes and hit the breeze! But I'm telling you one
thing!" He banged his fist heavily down upon the table in front of him
and scowled at the Judge, his voice vibrating with passion: "You let
your damned tenderfoot owners bring in their lists. Mebbe they don't
know any better. But I ain't bringin' in no list. It's one thing to pass
a law and another thing to enforce it!" He sat silent for an instant,
glaring at the Judge, who smiled quietly at him, then he turned to
Hollis.

"You've been carrying on like you was intending to own this here country
some day," he sneered; "with your damned newspaper and your lawyer
friend here. What we handed you the other night was just a sample of
what you'll get if you don't hit the breeze out of this country!" He got
to his feet and stood beside the table, glaring around at the three men.

For a moment neither of the three spoke. There was a saturnine, almost
mocking, smile on the face of the man who stood at the window. In his
expression one could discover much appreciation of the character of the
man at whom he was looking--it revealed the fact that he had met such
men before--and admired them little. There was no fear in the
expression, yet had one of the other men taken the trouble to look at
him they would have seen that his right hand was now lingering very
close to the butt of the revolver at his hip.

Judge Graney cleared his throat. The smile was still on his face, but a
sudden brightness of the eyes and a flush in each cheek showed that
Dunlavey's defiance had affected him. Both he and the man at the window
watched closely as Hollis got to his feet and approached Dunlavey.

Hollis's face was slightly pale, but there was a steady, unwavering
gleam in his eyes as he walked to within five feet of Dunlavey and stood
quietly beside the table looking at him.

"Dunlavey," he began slowly, in a soft, even voice, in which there was
not a hint of excitement, "I haven't anything to do with enforcing the
law that seems to have come to Union