ent. But I regret to say that the guest list is
full."

The leader of the posse of deputy marshals looked up with a scowl.
Apparently, he was mad clear through at the sudden and unexpected loss
of his prospective prisoner.

As he looked about his eye encountered that of Ted Strong, in which he
saw laughter, which did not tend to lessen his anger.

"I've a good mind to arrest the whole bunch of you for conspiring at the
escape of a United States prisoner," he growled.

"You'd stand a fine show to do that," said Ted quietly. "On the other
hand, I've a mind to arrest you for the forcible entry of this house."

"You have, have you?" sneered the other. "You make me laugh, young
feller. You couldn't arrest a fly!"

Ted threw open his coat and showed that he, too, wore a star.

The leader of the posse leaned forward to read the authority on it.

"Who are you?" he asked huskily.

"I am Ted Strong."

"Then why didn't you stop Fancy Farnsworth?"

"What for? I have no knowledge of his having committed a crime, and,
besides, I have no warrant for him. Have you?"

"No. Didn't have time to get one. But that makes no difference. He
killed a woman, and as soon as I heard of it I got my posse together an'
hit his trail. If it hadn't been for you fellows I'd have got him."

"I don't think you would."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because he'd have killed two or three of you first."

"What about this crime, and why are you so sure he committed it?" asked
Major Caruthers. "I thought him a fine, gentlemanly, quiet young fellow,
and I'm somewhat of a judge of men myself. I can hardly believe that a
man of that stamp could commit so terrible a crime as woman murder. That
is the lowest degree of killing."

"He done it, just the same," said the deputy marshal positively.

"Why are you so sure?" asked Ted, taking up the interrogation.

"Well, in the first place, he skipped the town just before the body of
the woman was found. He was seen to ride out of town along the road on
which her house stood."

"Is that all the evidence you have against him?"

"No; he was seen coming out of the house about three hours before he was
seen leaving town."

"H'm! Is that all?"

"It comes pretty near enough. But, besides that, it was known that the
woman, who was young and beautiful, had recently received a lot of money
as her share in a mine, and that the money had been taken to her that
morning by one of her partners."

"And it is believed