He's dropped his grit and is sarchin' for it." Goading laughter from the Harrisons.
Each man waited for that single shot which would precipitate the fight.
Even in their lawlessness the rude instinct of the duello swayed them.
The officer of the law recognized the principle as well as its practical advantage in a collision, but he hesitated to sacrifice one of his men in an attack on the barn, which would draw the fire of McKinstry at that necessarily fatal range.

As a brave man he would have taken the risk himself, but as a prudent one, he reflected that his hurriedly collected posse were all partisans, and if he fell the conflict would resolve itself into a purely partisan struggle without a single unprejudiced witness to justify his conduct in the popular eye.

The master also knew this; it had checked his first impulse to come forward as a mediator; his only reliance now was on Mrs.McKinstry's restraint and the sheriff's forbearance.

The next instant both seemed to be imperilled.
"Well, why don't you wade in ?" sneered Dick McKinstry; "who do you reckon's hidden in the barn ?" "I'll tell ye," said a harsh, passionate voice from the hill-side.

"It's Cressy McKinstry and the school-master hidin' in the hay." Both parties turned quickly towards the intruder who had approached them unperceived.