Rajah in his proper person, bustling out
fiercely to a conference with his Myrmidons. By tacit consent the
three at the window fell silent.

There was a hasty mustering of armed men under the windows of the
Rosemary, and they heard Sheriff Deckert's low-voiced instructions
to his posse.

"Take it slow and easy, boys, and don't get rattled. Now, then; guns
to the front! Steady!"

The Reverend Billy rose.

"What are you going to do?" said Virginia.

"I'm going to give Winton a tip if it's the last thing I ever do."

She shook her head and pointed eastward to the mouth of the lateral
gulch. Under cover of a clump of evergreen-scrub a man in a
wideflapped hat and leather breeches was climbing swiftly to the level
of the new line, cautiously waving a handkerchief as a peace token.
"That is the man who arrested Mr. Winton yesterday. This time he is
going to fight on the other side. He'll carry the warning."

"Think so?" said Calvert.

"I am sure of it. Open the window, please. I want to see better."

As yet there was no sign of preparation on the embankment. For the
moment the rifles of the track force were laid aside, and every man
was plying pick or shovel.

Winton was in the thick of the pick-and-shovel melee, urging it on,
when Biggin ran up.

"Hi!" he shouted. "Fixin' to take another play-day in Carbonate?
Lookee down yonder!"

Winton looked and became alive to the possibilities in the turning
of a leaf.

"Guns!" he yelled; and at the word of command the tools were flung
aside, and the track force, over two hundred strong, became an army.

"Mulcahey, take half the men and go up the grade till you can rake
those fellows without hitting the car. Branagan, you take the other
half and go down till you can cross-fire with Mulcahey. Aim low, both
of you; and the man who fires before he gets the word from me will
break his neck at a rope's end. Fall in!"

"By Jove!" said Adams. "Are you going to resist? That spells felony,
doesn't it?"

Winton pointed to the waiting octopod.

"I'm going to order the Two-fifteen down out of the way: you may go
with her if you like."

"I guess not!" quoth the assistant, calmly lighting a fresh cigarette.
And then to the water-boy, who was acting quartermaster: "Give me
a rifle and a cartridge-belt, Chunky, and I'll stay here with the
boss."

"And where do I come in?" said Biggin to Winton reproachfully.

"You'll stay out, if your head's level. You've done enough alrea