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 the register, moved the bottle of ink, cleared his throat, as if he could not stand out against the suspended reply much longer, and must speak.

"I don't know that it's a matter for official in-quiry," said Dunham, looking up with startling suddenness, disconcerting frankness, his eyes as steady as if he spoke of buying and selling, and not on a question weighing life and death. "But if you've got to know my business, mister, I'm here to take a train."

"You'll have to hit the road. You can't hang around this town."

"Now, look here, Kellogg," MacKinnon said, "I think you're stretchin' your authority when you come to my house orderin' a law-abiding guest out of town."

"This town ain't no place for a gun-flashin' granger," Kellogg replied, surly and vindictive.

"He's done nothing but defend himself and his rights," MacKinnon insisted. "What's happened in this town has been crowded on him."

"If you keep on crossin' me, MacKinnon, you'd better be reachin' for your own gun," Kellogg said with provoking insolence.

"I might even do that," MacKinnon told him soberly. "You're hired here to keep the peace, not provoke quarrels, or come around orderin' law-abiding guests out of my door."

"I'd hate like smoke to be the cause of any hard feelin's between you two gentlemen," Dunham assured MacKinnon, as cool and undisturbed to all outward appearance as a disinterested person possibly could have been. If there was some turmoil inside