me up again. You can readily see that we've
got to have a town meeting before very long. Get things in line for it.
Will you attend to this?"

"Yes," replied Dan Anderson, slowly and musingly; "yes, I'll attend to
it."

Barkley looked once more upon the impassive face of his local counsel,
and departed more than ever puzzled and exasperated. He liked Dan
Anderson as little as he understood him. "I'll handle him, though," he
muttered to himself. "There's a way to handle every man, and I rather
think that this one'll come to his feed before we get done with him."

CHAPTER XVII

TREASON AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Showing the Dilemma of Dan Anderson, the Doubt of Leading Citizens,
and the Artless Performance of a Pastoral Prevaricator_

"Learned Counsel," said Dan Anderson on the morning following the
preliminary survey of Heart's Desire, "I want you to take my case."

"What's up?" asked Learned Counsel. Dan Anderson pointed down the
street, where a group stood talking among themselves, casting
occasional side-long glances in his direction. "They're milling like a
bunch of scared longhorns," he said. "Something's wrong, and I know it
mighty well. I want you to take my case. Come along."

Contrary to the ancient custom of the forum at Whiteman's corral, the
group did not move apart to admit them to the circle. "The gentleman
from Kansas was addressing the meeting," said Dan Anderson. Doc
Tomlinson continued speaking, but still the circle made no move.

"Say it!" burst out Dan Anderson. "Tell it out! What's on your minds,
you fellows?"

"We don't like to believe it," McKinney began, facing toward him. "We
hope it ain't true."

"What's not true?" he demanded, looking from one averted face to
another. At length Doc Tomlinson resumed his office as spokesman.
"They say you've sold us out. They say you're bought by the railroad
to clean us out; that the scheme is to steal the town, and you're in
the steal. Is that so?"

"Is it true?" asked McKinney.

"We want to _know_ if it's true," insisted Doc Tomlinson. "You was
all over town with them fellers. Now they've let it out they're goin'
to grab the town site and make a re-survey."

"We know there wasn't ever any town site here," added Uncle Jim
Brothers, "but what need was there? Wasn't there plenty of room for
everybody?"

"You can't try any hurrah game on us fellers here," said McKinney,
facing Dan Anderson squarely.

"Nor you with me," re