ust be done," replied Curtis. "My only claim to consideration
lies in executing the law. I fought lawlessness with the promise that
when the sheriff came with proper warrant I would act."

As the young officer went back to his duties the head-lines of the
papers he had but glanced at began to burn into his brain. Hitherto his
name had been most inconspicuous; only once or twice had it achieved a
long-primer setting; mainly it had kept to the security and dignity of
brevier notices in the _Army and Navy Journal_. Now here it stood,
blazoned in ill-smelling ink on wood-pulp paper, in letters half an inch
in height:

CURTIS CULPABLE

THE AGENT SHIELDS HIS PETS

while in the editorial columns of the Copper City papers similar
accusations, though adroitly veiled, were none the less apparent. He had
smiled at all this in the presence of his friends, but inwardly he
shrank from it just as he would have done had some tramp in the street
flung a handful of gutter slime across the breast of his uniform. A gust
of rage made his teeth clinch and his face burn hot, and he entered his
office with lowering brows.

Wilson looked up with a grin. "Well, Major, the politicians are getting
in their work on us."

"This is only the beginning. We may expect an army of reporters to
complete the work of misrepresentation."

"The wonder is they haven't got here before. They must be really
nervous. Crane says the people in town have very bad hearts. As near as
I can make out they faced him up and threatened his life. He says the
mob is hanging round the edge of the reservation crazy for blood. He got
shy and took to the hills."

"Did he see the sheriff?"

"Yes, the sheriff is on the way."

"Is Crane still asleep?"

"Yes. He didn't wait for grub; he dropped like a log and is dead to the
world."

"Poor chap! I shouldn't have sent him on this last trip. Where is Tony?"

"Tony's out in the hills to keep an eye on Cut Finger. Will you go after
him to-night?"

"No, not till morning. The police will locate him and stay with him
to-night, and to-morrow morning I will go out and get him myself. I
don't want any shooting, if it can be avoided. What is it, Heavybreast?"
he asked of a large Tetong who entered at the moment, his eyes bright
with information.

"White man coming," signed the redman.

Curtis rose and went to the door and looked down the road.

Three carriages were passing the issue-house--one a rather pretenti