low on his forehead and the droop of long moustaches. In his own
country the influence which he wielded was in effect a balance of power,
and the candidate who aspired to public office did well to obtain Will
Turk's view before he announced his candidacy. The judge who sat upon
the bench made his rulings boldly only after consulting this overlord,
but the matter which gave cause to the present meeting was the
circumstance that Will Turk was a brother to John Turk, whom Parish
Thornton was accused of killing.

"I 'lowed hit mout profit us both ter talk tergether," explained Rowlett
when they had opportunity for discussion in confidence. "I'm ther man
thet sent word ter ther state lawyer whar Ken Thornton war a-hidin' at."

"I'm right obleeged ter ye," answered Turk, noncommittally. "I reckon
they've got a right strong case ergin him."

Bas Rowlett lighted his pipe.

"Ye knows more erbout thet then what I does," he said, shortly. "I heers
he aims ter claim thet he shot in deefence of ther woman's life."

"He hain't got no proof," mused Turk, "an' feelin' runs right high ergin
him. I'd mighty nigh confidence ther jury thet'll set in ther case ter
convict."

Bas Rowlett drew in and puffed out a cloud of smoke. His eyes were
meditative.

Here was a situation which called for delicate handling. The man whom he
had called to conference was, by every reasonable presumption, one who
shared an interest with him. His was the dogged spirit and energy that
had refused to allow the Virginia authorities to give up the cold trail
when Kenneth Thornton had supposedly slain his brother and escaped. His
was the unalterable determination to hang that defendant for that act.
Bas was no less eager to see his enemy permanently disposed of, yet the
two met as strangers and each was cautious, wily, and given to the
holding of his own counsel.

Rowlett understood that the processes of nominal law over in that strip
of the Virginia mountains were tools which William Turk used at his
pleasure, and he felt assured that in this instance no half-measures
would satisfy him--but Bas himself had another proposition of alliance
to offer, and he dared not broach it until he and this stranger could
lay aside mutual suspicions and meet on the common ground of conspiracy.
If there were any chance at all, however slight, that Parish Thornton
could emerge, alive and free, from his predicament in court Rowlett
wished to waylay and kill him on the jour