A light behind the drawn curtains of the officer's house told that his man was not abed, but he waited a long moment after his summons before the door was opened, during which he heard the occupant moving about and another door close in the rear.
When he was allowed entrance at last he found the young man alone in a smoke-filled room with a bottle and two empty glasses on the table.
For at the sound of his voice Gale had whispered to Burrell, "Keep him out!" and the Lieutenant had decided to refuse his late visitor admittance when he lighted on the expedient of concealing the trader in the bedroom at the rear.

It was only natural, he reasoned, that Gale should dislike to face a man like Stark before he had regained his composure.
"Go in there and wait till I see what he wants," he had said, and, shutting the old man in, he had gone forth to admit Stark, resenting his ill-timed intrusion and inquiring brusquely the cause of it.
Before answering, Stark entered and closed the door behind him.
"I've got some work for you, Lieutenant." "I guess it can wait till morning," said Meade.
"No, it can't; it's got to be done to-night, right now! You represent the law, or at least you've taken every occasion to so declare yourself, and to mix in with little things that don't cut much figure; so now I've come to you with something big.

It's a serious affair, and being as I'm a peaceful man I want to go by the law." His eyes mocked the words he uttered.

"You're mighty prompt and determined when it comes to regulating such affairs.

You seem to carry the weight of this whole community on your shoulders, so I'm here to give you some information." Burrell ignored the taunt, and said, quietly: "It's a little late for polite conversation.