n here; who's doin' this shootin'?"

"This is a good time to ask that," remarked Curtis. "Where were you
twenty minutes ago?"

Calvin struggled to get his right hand free. "Let me have a crack at the
beast!" he pleaded. "I saw you," he said to Winters: "you were in the
lynching crowd, you sneak! You hung round in the shadow like a coyote."

Curtis tried to calm him. "Come, this won't do, Calvin; you are losing
blood and must have a doctor; come to the hotel."

As they half-carried him away the young rancher snarled back, like a
wounded wolf: "I disown the whole cowardly pack of ye; I put my mark on
some of ye, too."

The crowd was now so completely with Calvin that Winters hastened to
explain: "Cal is my deputy; he was acting inside his duty! He was trying
to keep the peace and you had no business fightin'," and proceeded to
arrest some fairly innocent by-standers, while the wounded desperadoes
were being swiftly hidden away by their friends, and the remaining
citizens of the town talked of what should have been done.

Calvin continued to explain as they hurried him through the excited
throng. "I tried to stand 'em off at the jail," he said, "but I couldn't
get near enough; my cayuse was used up. Oh, you was there!" he called to
a tall man with a new sombrero, "I saw you, Bill Vawney, and I'll get
you for it; I've spotted you!"

He was enraged through every fibre of his strong, young body, and only
the iron grip of the persistent men kept him from doing battle.

As they neared the hotel, Curtis, looking up, glimpsed Elsie's white
face at the window and waved his cap at her. She clapped her hands in
joy of his return, but did not smile. The hotel lobby was packed with a
silent mass of men, but the landlord, with authoritative voice, called
out: "Clear the way, gentlemen!" and a lane opened for them. "Right in
here," he added, and led the way to the parlor bedroom. The Captain and
Calvin were now most distinguished of citizens; nothing was too good for
them.

"Bring a physician," said Curtis.

"Right here," replied a cool, clear voice, and Doctor Philipps stepped
to Calvin's side and relieved Two Horns.

The young rancher sank down on the bed limply, but smiled as he
explained: "I'm only singed a little, doc. They had me foul. You see, I
was in the light, but I handed one or two of them something they didn't
like. I left a keepsake with 'em. They won't forget me soon."

The physician pressed him back upon th