efiance in the incendiary's eyes, but Grant was right in his
surmise that he was resolute only because that of the two fears which
oppressed him he preferred to bear the least.

"You can ask till you get sick of it, but you'll get nothing out of me,"
he said.

"Take him out," said Grant. "Put him on to the led horse. If you'll come
round to my place for breakfast, I'll be glad to see you, Muller."

"I come," said Muller. "Mit der franc tireur it is finish quicker, but
here in der Republic we reverence have for der law."

Grant laughed a little. "Well," he said drily, "I'm not quite sure."

He swung himself to the saddle, swept off his hat to the girl, who stood
with the lantern light upon her in the doorway, smiling but flushed, and
shook his bridle. Then there was a jingle that was lost in the thud of
hoofs, and the men vanished into the shadowy prairie. Half an hour later
the homestead was once more dark and silent; but three men sent out by
Grant were riding at a reckless gallop across the great dusky levels, and
breakfast was not finished when those whom they had summoned reached
Fremont ranch.

They were young men for the most part, and Americans, though there were a
few who had only just become so among them, and two or three whose grim
faces and grey hair told of a long struggle with adversity. They were clad
in blue shirts and jean, and the hard brown hands of most betokened a
close acquaintance with plough stilt, axe, and bridle, though here and
there one had from his appearance evidently lived delicately. All appeared
quietly resolute, for they knew that the law which had given them the
right to build their homes upon that prairie as yet left them to bear the
risks attached to the doing of it. Hitherto, the fact that the great
ranchers had made their own laws and enforced them had been ignored or
tacitly accepted by the State.

When they were seated, one of the men deputed to question the prisoner,
stood up. "You can take it that there's nothing to be got out of him," he
said.

"Still," said another, "we know he is one of Clavering's boys."

There was a little murmur, for of all the cattle-barons Clavering was the
only man who had as yet earned his adversaries' individual dislike. They
were prepared to pull down the others because their interests, which they
had little difficulty in fancying coincided with those of their country,
demanded it; but Clavering, with his graceful insolence, ironical contem