"That saloon crowd. They're almost here!"

Other footsteps sounded on the stairs. "Run away, girl," said Kelley,
softly. "There's going to be trouble--"

Rosie pushed him back into the room. "No, no! Let me stay! Let me help
you fight!" she pleaded.

While still he hesitated, Mrs. Mink, a short, squat woman with eyes
aflame with hate, rushed through the doorway and thrust a rifle against
Kelley's breast. Quick as a boxer Rosa pushed the weapon from the
woman's hands and with desperate energy shoved her backward through the
door and closed it.

"Run--run!" she called to the marshal.

But Kelley did not move, and something in his face turned the girl's
face white. He was standing like a man hypnotized, every muscle rigid.
With fallen jaw and staring eyes he looked at the weapon in his hand. At
last he spoke huskily:

"Girl, you've saved my soul from hell. You surely have!" He shivered as
if with cold, rubbing his hands stiffly. "Yes," he muttered, "a second
more and I'd 'a' killed her--killed a woman!"

The sound of a fierce altercation came up the hall. Cautious footsteps
were heard approaching, and at last a voice called out, "Hello, Kelley!
You there?"

"I am. What's wanted of me?"

"It's the mayor. Let me speak with you a minute."

Kelley considered for a breath or two; his brain was sluggish. "Open the
door, Rosie," he finally said and backed against the wall.

The girl obeyed, and the mayor entered, but his hands were open and
raised. "Don't shoot, Ed. We're friends." He was followed by the judge
and a couple of aldermen.

"It's all right, Ed," said the judge. "Mink's coming to life. Put up
your gun. We don't blame you. He had no call to attack an officer like
that--"

At the word "officer" Kelley let his rifle slip with a slam to the floor
and began to fumble at the badge on his coat. "That reminds me, your
Honor," he said, at last. "Here's a little piece of tin that belongs to
you--or the city."

He tossed the loosened badge to the mayor, who caught it deftly,
protesting: "Oh, don't quit, Ed. You've just about won the fight. Stay
with it."

A wry smile wrinkled one side of the trailer's set face. "I'm no fool,
your Honor. I know when I've got enough. I don't mind being shot in the
back and mobbed and wallered in the dirt--that's all in the day's work;
but when it comes to having women pop in on me with Winchesters I must
be excused. I'm leaving for the range. I'll enjoy being neighbor to the