e sheriff. "You're a damned liar!"

"An amateur only," said Pringle modestly. "I never take money for it."
He put by a wisp of his frosted hair, the better to scrutinize, with
insulting slowness, the sheriff's savage face. "Your ears are very
large!" he murmured at last. "And red!"

The sheriff leaped up.

"You insolent cur-dog!" he roared.

"To stand and be still to the Birken'ead drill is a dam' tough bullet
to chew,'" quoted Pringle evenly. "But he done it--old Pringle--John
Wesley Pringle--liar and cur-dog too! We'll discuss the cur-dog later.
Now, about the liar. You're mighty certain, seems to me. Why? How do
you know I'm lying? For I am lying--I'll not deceive you. I'm lying;
you know I'm lying; I know that you know I'm lying: and you apprehend
clearly that I am aware that you are cognizant of the fact that I am
fully assured that you know I am lying. Just like that! What a very
peculiar set of happenstances! I am a nervous woman and this makes my
head go round!"

"The worst day's work you ever did for yourself," said the angry
sheriff, "was when you butted into this business."

"Yes, yes; go on. Was this to-day or yesterday--at the hotel?"

"Liar!" roared Lisner. "You never were at the Gadsden House."

"Who said I was?"

The words cracked like a whiplash. Simultaneously Pringle's tilted
chair came down to its four legs and Pringle sat poised, his weight on
the balls of his feet, ready for a spring. The sheriff paused midway
of a step; his mottled face grew ashen. A gurgle very like a smothered
chuckle came from Anastacio. Creagan flung himself into the breach.

"Aw, Matt, let's have the girl in here. We can't get nothing from
these stiff-necked idiots."

"Might as well," agreed Lisner in a tone that tried to be contemptuous
but trembled. "We're wasting time here."

"Lisner," said the Major in his gentlest tone, "be well advised and
leave my daughter be."

"And if I don't?" sneered Lisner. He had no real desire to question
Stella, but welcomed the change of venue as a diversion from his late
indiscretion. "If, in the performance of my duty, I put a few
civil questions to Miss Vorhis--in the presence of her father, mind
you--then what?"

"But you won't!" said the Major softly.

"Do you know, Sheriff, I think the Major has the right idea?" said
Pringle. "We won't bother the young lady."

"Who's going to stop me?"

Anastacio, in his turn, brought his chair to the floor, at the same
time unclas