significant by the weapon
which he swung. The leaders fell back and began to move away. Throop
said to the ranger: "Hans, you come with me. The coroner wants you."

Hanscom returned the revolver to the man from whom he had snatched it.
"I'm much obliged, Pete," he said, with a note of humor. "Hope I didn't
do any damage. I didn't have time to see who was coming. I wouldn't have
been so rough if I'd known it was you."

The other fellow grinned. "'Peared to me like you'd made a mistake, but
I couldn't blame you. Feller has to act quick in a case like that."

"Bring your prisoner here," called Carmody from his open door. "I'll
take care of him."

"I'll get you yet," called Kitsong, venomously. "I'll get you
to-morrow!"

"Go along out o' here!" repeated the sheriff, hustling him off the walk.
"You're drunk and disturbing the peace. Go home and go to bed."

With a sense of having made a bad matter worse the ranger followed the
coroner into his office and closed the door.

VII

Dr. Carmody, who had held the office of coroner less than a year, had a
keen sense of the importance which this his first murder case had given
him. His procedure at the cabin had been easy and rather casual, it is
true, but contact with the town-folk and a careful perusal of the State
Code had given him a decided tone of authority and an air of judicial
severity which surprised and somewhat irritated Hanscom, fresh from his
encounter with Kitsong.

"What was the cause of that row out there?" demanded the doctor,
resuming his seat behind his desk with the expression of a police
magistrate.

The ranger, still hot with anger, looked at his questioner with
resentful eyes. "Kitsong and his gang were laying for me and I stood 'em
off--that's all. Old Abe was out for trouble, and he got it. I punched
his jaw and the other outlaws started in to do me up."

Carmody softened a bit. "Well, you're in for it. He'll probably have you
arrested and charged with assault and battery."

"If he can," interposed Throop. "He'll find some trouble gettin' a
warrant issued in this town to-night."

Carmody continued his accusing interrogation: "What about this report of
your helping the Kauffmans to leave the country? Is that true?"

Hanscom's tone was still defiant as he replied: "It is, but I wonder if
you know that they were being chased out of the country at the time?"

"Chased out?"

"Yes. After receiving several warnings, they got one that scared th