' Commission."

"A lot of benefit we got out of the Ranchers' Commission," retorted the
other.

"And then," protested a third speaker, "that ain't the way to do--if he
DID do it--bribing legislatures. Why, we were bucking against corrupt
politics. We couldn't afford to be corrupt."

Keast turned away with a gesture of impatience. He pushed his way
farther on. At last, opening a small door in a hallway back of the
stage, he came upon Magnus.

The room was tiny. It was a dressing-room. Only two nights before it
had been used by the leading actress of a comic opera troupe which
had played for three nights at Bonneville. A tattered sofa and limping
toilet table occupied a third of the space. The air was heavy with the
smell of stale grease paint, ointments, and sachet. Faded photographs
of young women in tights and gauzes ornamented the mirror and the walls.
Underneath the sofa was an old pair of corsets. The spangled skirt of a
pink dress, turned inside out, hung against the wall.

And in the midst of such environment, surrounded by an excited group
of men who gesticulated and shouted in his very face, pale, alert,
agitated, his thin lips pressed tightly together, stood Magnus Derrick.

"Here," cried Keast, as he entered, closing the door behind him,
"where's the Governor? Here, Magnus, I've been looking for you. The
crowd has gone wild out there. You've got to talk 'em down. Come out
there and give those blacklegs the lie. They are saying you are hiding."

But before Magnus could reply, Garnett turned to Keast.

"Well, that's what we want him to do, and he won't do it."

"Yes, yes," cried the half-dozen men who crowded around Magnus, "yes,
that's what we want him to do."

Keast turned to Magnus.

"Why, what's all this, Governor?" he exclaimed. "You've got to answer
that. Hey? why don't you give 'em the lie?"

"I--I," Magnus loosened the collar about his throat "it is a lie. I will
not stoop--I would not--would be--it would be beneath my--my--it would
be beneath me."

Keast stared in amazement. Was this the Great Man the Leader,
indomitable, of Roman integrity, of Roman valour, before whose voice
whole conventions had quailed? Was it possible he was AFRAID to face
those hired villifiers?

"Well, how about this?" demanded Garnett suddenly. "It is a lie, isn't
it? That Commission was elected honestly, wasn't it?"

"How dare you, sir!" Magnus burst out. "How dare you question me--call
me to account! Please