nal comment that was passed when he
visited White Lodge. In fact he found it necessary to come to blows with
one cowpuncher, who had evidently been stationed near Lowell's
automobile to "get the goat" of the young Indian agent. The encounter
had been short and decisive. The cowboy, who was the hero of many fistic
engagements, passed some comment which had been elaborately thought out
at the camp-fire, and which, it was figured by his collaborators, "would
make anything human fight or quit."

"That big cowpuncher from Sartwell's outfit sure got the agent's goat
all right," said Sheriff Tom Redmond, in front of whose office the
affair happened. "That is to say, he got the goat coming head-on, horns
down and hoofs striking fire. That young feller was under the
cowpuncher's arms in jest one twenty-eighth of a second, and there was
only two sounds that fell on the naked ear--one being the smack when
Lowell hit and the other the crash when the cowpuncher lit. If that rash
feller'd taken the trouble to send me a little note of inquiry in
advance, I could have told him to steer clear of a man who tied into a
desperate man the way that young agent tied into Jim McFann out there on
the reservation. But no public or private warnings are going to be
necessary now. From this time on, young Lowell's going to have more
berth-room than a wildcat."

Such matters as cold nods from former friends were disregarded by
Lowell. He had been through lesser affairs which had brought him under
criticism. In fact he knew that a certain measure of such injustice
would be the portion of any man who accepted the post of agent. He went
his way, doing what he could to insure a fair trial for both men, and at
the same time not overlooking anything that might shed new light on a
case which most of the residents of White Lodge seemed to consider as
closed, all but the punishment to be meted out to the prisoners.

The hearing was to be held in the little court-room presided over by
Judge Garford, who had been a figure at Vigilante trials in early days
and who was a unique personification of kindliness and firmness. Both
prisoners had refused counsel, nor had any confession materialized, as
Tom Redmond had prophesied. McFann had spent most of his time cursing
all who had been concerned in his arrest. Talpers had called on him
again, and had whispered mysteriously through the bars:

"Don't worry, Jim. If it comes to a showdown, I'll be there with
evidenc