Her words, by no means conciliatory, and her aggressive air provoked the crowd, which had, for the most part, watched the proceedings with amusement.

There were cries of indignant dissent, angry shouts, and the throng began to close in upon the speaker.

Then there was sudden silence, and the concourse split apart.

Into the gap rode a slim young man in khaki, with a wide hat of the same color, who pulled up and sat looking at the people with his hand on his hip.
George recognized him as the constable who shared the extensive beat with Flett.
"Now," he said good-humoredly, "what's all this fuss about ?" Several of them informed him and he listened gravely before he called one of the farmer's stewards, and spoke a few words to him.
"It strikes me," he said, "that you had all better go back to the fair-ground, while I look into things.

There's an item or two on the program Mr.Carson wants to work off before supper." He had taken the right tone, and when they began to disperse he rode on to the Sachem.
"I want your account of this disturbance," he said to the proprietor.
Beamish related what had taken place and the constable looked surprised.
"Am I to understand that you're afraid to open your bar because of the women ?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," replied Beamish, coolly; "that's about the size of it.
You'd have been scared, too; they're a mighty determined crowd." "Nobody except the authorities has any right to interfere." "That's my opinion, but what am I to do about it?
Suppose these women come back, will you stand at the door and keep them out?
They're capable of mobbing you." The constable looked dubious, and Beamish continued: "Besides, I've given them my word I'd shut up--they made me." "Then how do you expect us to help ?" "So far as I can see, you can only report the matter to your bosses." The constable felt inclined to agree with this.