Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/165

 up the Spout. Put up a nice fight. Kill off a few of the Whistler gang if you want to. But fail in the effort to round up the gang completely."

"What!" Outrage cried aloud from the man's protest.

"I said to fail to do the job successfully. Fail to bring out Whistler or more than a few of his gang. The reason is simple. A State inspector does his best to break up by force a nest of outlaws after county authorities have signally failed in their duty of protection for cattle owners. But so powerful are the outlaws the inspector cannot make headway against them. Therefore the cattle owners are justified in sending into the country a force of their own, competent to clean up the elements of disorder protected by the county authorities and establish security. You follow me?"

Original, bewildered and with protest rising to his tongue, was forestalled by a clamor on Main Street. Doors banged, there were excited calls and the pounding of booted feet on the board sidewalks. Original leaped from bed and ran with Von Tromp to the window overlooking the street.

He saw a strange cavalcade passing slowly