But look out how you let that damned backbiter Wright fool around you!" I spoke to her as I had never spoken before, in quick, fierce meaning, with eyes holding hers.
She paled.

But even my scarce-veiled hint did not chill her anger.
Tossing her head she wheeled and rode away.
I followed at a little distance, and thus we traveled the ten miles back to the ranch.

When we reached the corrals she dismounted and, turning her horse over to Dick, she went off toward the house without so much as a nod or good-by to me.
I went down to town for once in a mood to live up to what had been heretofore only a sham character.
But turning a corner into the main street I instantly forgot myself at the sight of a crowd congregated before the town hall.

There was a babel of voices and an air of excitement that I immediately associated with Sampson, who as mayor of Linrock, once in a month of moons held court in this hall.
It took slipping and elbowing to get through the crowd.

Once inside the door I saw that the crowd was mostly outside, and evidently not so desirous as I was to enter.
The first man I saw was Steele looming up; the next was Sampson chewing his mustache--the third, Wright, whose dark and sinister face told much.
Something was up in Linrock.