river. An instant later some object went swiftly past a side
street-somebody on horseback-and a picket fired an alarm. The horse
kept on, and Rome threw his rifle on a patch of moonlight, but when the
object flashed through, his finger was numbed at the trigger. In the
moonlight the horse looked gray, and the rider was seated sidewise. A
bullet from the court-house clipped his hat-brim as he ran recklessly
across the street to where Steve Marcum stood in the dark behind old
Sam's cabin.

"Jim Hale 'll git him as he goes up the road," said Steve, calmly--and
then with hot impatience, "Why the hell don't he shoot?"

Rome started forward in the moonlight, and Steve caught his arm. Two
bullets hissed from the court-house, and he fell back.

A shot sounded from the bushes far away from the road. The horse kept
on, and splashed into Troubled Fork, and Steve swore bitterly.

"Hit hain't Jim. Hit's that mis'able Bud Vickers; he's been a-stan din'
guard out'n the bushes 'stid o' the road. That was a spy, I tell ye, 'n'
the coward let him in and let him out. They'll know now we're all drunk!
Whut's the matter?"

Rome's mouth was half open. He looked white and sick, and Steve thought
he had been hit, but he took off his hat. "Purty close!" he said, with
a laugh, pointing at the bullet-hole through the brim.

Steve, unsuspicious, went on: "Hit was a spy, I tell ye. Bud was afeard
to stan' in the road, 'n' I'm goin' out thar 'n' twist his damned neck.
We've got 'em, Rome! I tell ye, we've got 'em! Ef we kin git through
this night, and git the boys sober in the morning, we've got 'em shore!"

The night did pass in safety, darkness wore away without attack, and
morning broke on the town in its drunken stupor. Then the curious
silence of the Lewallens was explained. The rumor came that old Jasper
was dead, and it went broadcast. Later, friends coming to the edge of
the town for the bodies of the dead Lewallens confirmed it. A random
ball had passed through old Lewallen's body in the wild flight for the
woods, and during the night he had spent his last breath in a curse
against the man who fired it.

Then each Stetson, waked from his drunken sleep, drank again when he
heard of the death. The day bade fair to be like the night, and again
the anxiety of the leaders was edged with fear. Old Jasper dead and
young Jasper a prisoner, the chance was near to end the feud, or there
would be no Lewallen left to lead their enemies. But, ag