d that it is still in existence, and that Judge
Lindman knows where it is. I'm going to get it, or--"

"Easy, my friend," cautioned the Judge. "I know how you feel. But you
can't fight the law with lawlessness. You lie quiet until you hear from
me. That is all there is to be done, anyway--win or lose."

Trevison clenched his teeth. "I might feel that way about it, if I had
been as careless of my interests as the other owners here, but I
safeguarded my interests, trusted them to the regularly recognized law out
here, and I'm going to fight for them! Why, good God, man; I've worked ten
years for that land! Do you think I will see it go _without_ a fight?" He
laughed, and the Judge shook his head at the sound.

CHAPTER XV

A MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIATION

Unheeding the drama that was rapidly and invisibly (except for the
incident of Braman and the window) working itself out in its midst, Manti
lunged forward on the path of progress, each day growing larger, busier,
more noisy and more important. Perhaps Manti did not heed, because Manti
was itself a drama--the drama of creation. Each resident, each newcomer,
settled quickly and firmly into the place that desire or ambition or greed
urged him; put forth whatever energy nature had endowed him with, and
pushed on toward the goal toward which the town was striving--success;
collectively winning, unrecking of individual failure or tragedy--those
things were to be expected, and they fell into the limbo of forgotten
things, easily and unnoticed. Wrecks, disasters, were certain. They
came--turmoil engulfed them.

Which is to say that during the two weeks that had elapsed since the
departure of Judge Graney for Washington, Manti had paid very little
attention to "Brand" Trevison while he haunted the telegraph station and
the post-office for news. He was pointed out, it is true, as the man who
had hurled banker Braman through the window of his bank building; there
was a hazy understanding that he was having some sort of trouble with
Corrigan over some land titles, but in the main Manti buzzed along, busy
with its visions and its troubles, leaving Trevison with his.

The inaction, with the imminence of failure after ten years of effort, had
its effect on Trevison. It fretted him; he looked years older; he looked
worried and harassed; he longed for a chance to come to grips in an
encounter that would ease the strain. Physical action it must be, for his
brain was a muddle o