not long; low and quiet and . . . angry! And then he
stop and I shiver. It is hard not to run out of the garden. But I
cross myself and find the ropes and make all the bells dance. But I
know; it was the Devil who was before me."

CHAPTER XV

THE KING'S PALACE

Not only was Galloway back in San Juan but, as Norton had predicted of
him, he appeared to have every assurance that he stood in no unusual
danger. There had been a fight in a dark room and one man had been
killed, certain others wounded. The dead man was Galloway's friend,
hence it was not to be thought that Galloway had killed him. Kid
Rickard was another friend. As for the wound Rod Norton had received,
who could swear that this man or that had given it to him?

"The chances are," Galloway had already said in many quarters, "that
Tom Cutter, getting excited, popped over his own sheriff."

True, it was quite obvious that a charge lay at Galloway's door, that
of harboring a fugitive from justice and of resisting an officer. But
with Galloway's money and influence, with the shrewdest technical
lawyer in the State retained, with ample perjured testimony to be had
as desired, the law-breaker saw no reason for present uneasiness.
Perhaps more than anything else he regretted the death of Vidal Nunez
and the wounding of Kid Rickard. For these matters vitally touched Jim
Galloway and his swollen prestige among his henchmen; he had thrown the
cloak of his protection about Vidal, had summoned him, promised him all
safety . . . and Vidal was dead. He knew that men spoke of this over
and over and hushed when he came upon them; that Vidal's brother, Pete,
grumbled and muttered that Galloway was losing his grip, that soon or
late he would fall, that falling he would drag others down with him.
More than ever before the whole county watched for the final duello
between Galloway and Norton. In half a dozen small towns and
mining-camps men laid bets upon the result.

For the first time, also, there was much barbed comment and criticism
of the sheriff. He had gotten this man and that, it was true. And
yet, after all this time, he seemed to be no nearer than at the
beginning to getting the man who counted. There were those who
recalled the killing of Bisbee of Las Palmas, and reminded others that
there had been no attempt at prosecution. Now there had come forth
from the Casa Blanca fresh defiance and lawlessness and still Jim
Galloway came and went a