's a matter between you and me has got to be settled!" he cried.

"Well, I can't imagine what it is," replied Thompson. "I'm not aware
that I've said or done anything to you that needs settlement."

"You needn't laugh!" replied Crawford, with a string of insulting oaths.
"You're a coward; and if you're anything of a man you will step out of
doors and have this out."

"I am, as you say, a coward," replied Thompson quietly, "and I see no
reason for going out of doors to fight you or anybody else."

After blustering and swearing for a few moments Crawford withdrew. He
made no attempt to fight, nor do I believe his outburst had any other
purpose than to establish the purely personal character of the quarrel
between Thompson and himself. At any rate, Thompson was next morning
found murdered in his bunk, while Crawford had disappeared. I do not
know whether Crawford had killed him or not; I think not.

About this time formal printed notices of some sort of election were
posted on the bulletin board at Morton's place. At least they were said
to have been posted, and were pointed out to all comers the day after
election. Perhaps they were there all the time, as claimed, but nobody
paid much attention to them. At any rate, we one day awoke to the fact
that we were a full-fledged community, with regularly constituted court
officers, duly qualified officials, and a sheriff. The sheriff was
Morton, and the most worthy judges were other members of his gang!

This move tickled Danny Randall's sense of humour immensely.

"That's good head work," he said approvingly. "I didn't think Morton had
it in him."

"It's time something was done to run that gang out of town," fumed Dr.
Rankin.

"No; it is not time," denied Danny, "any more than it was time when you
and Johnny and the rest of you had your celebrated jury trial."

"I'd like to know what you are driving at!" fretted the worthy doctor.

Danny Randall laughed in his gentle little fashion. I will confess that
just at that time I was very decidedly wondering what Danny Randall was
at. In fact, at moments I was strongly inclined to doubt his
affiliations. He seemed to stand in an absolutely neutral position,
inclining to neither side.

Tom Cleveland was killed in the open street by one of the Empire
hangers-on. The man was promptly arrested by Morton in his capacity of
sheriff, and confined in chains. Morton, as sheriff, selected those who
were to serve on the jury. I had t