ous material than did its strands of manilla,
in those who could lay their hands upon it.

The drummer was shouting himself raw in the throat--in vain.

Van was courting disaster by the very defiance of his attitude. It
seemed as if nothing could save him, when two separate things occurred.

The doctor who had been with Van at Queenie's death arrived in the
press, got wind of the crisis, and vehemently protested the truth.
Simultaneously, the lumberman, Trimmer, drunk, and enjoying what he
deemed a joke, hoarsely confided to some sober men the fact that Cayuse
had done the murder.

Even then, when two centers of opposition to the madness of the mob had
been created, the menace could not at once be halted.

The man with the rope had approached so near the lumber-pile that the
sheriff could all but reach him. A furious battle ensued, and waged
around the planks, between the deputies and lynchers. It lasted till
fifty active men of the camp, aroused to a sense of reaction by the
facts that were now becoming known, hurled the struggling fighters
apart and dragged them off, all the while spreading the news they had
heard concerning the half-breed Indian.

No less excited when at last they knew that Van was innocent, the great
crowd still occupied the street, hailing Trimmer to the lumber-pile and
demanding to know how he came by the facts, and where Cayuse had gone.

Trimmer was frightened into soberness--at least into soberness
sufficient to protect himself and McCoppet. He said he had seen the
Indian coming from Culver's office, with blood upon his hands. The
Indian had gone straight westward from the town, to elude pursuit in
the mountains.

The fact that Van had been at Queenie's side at her death became town
property at once. It came in all promptness to Beth.

With a feeling of sickness pervading all her being, she was glad to
have Bostwick take her home.

It was late when at last the street was clear, and Van could finally
make his escape from danger and returning friends. Dave by then had
found himself; that is, he made his way, thus tardily, to the
horseman's side--and the two went at length to their dinner.

At half-past eight, with the moon well up, Dave and Van were ready for
departure. Their horses were saddled. One extra animal was packed
with needed provisions for the crew on the "Laughing Water" claim. Van
had ordered all he could for Queenie's final journey--the camp's best
possible fu