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seemed to be no reason for Miss Mendez to enforce her rules。 It
was said that once； when Thompson of Angels was a little too noisy；
he had been quietly conducted by his friends from the tienda
without the intervention of Jose。 The frequenters of the saloon
became its police。
Yet the eventlong protractedcame at last！ It was a dry；
feverish； breezeless afternoon； when the short； echoless explosion
of a revolver puffed out on the river； followed by another；
delivered so rapidly that they seemed rolled into one。 There was
no mistaking that significant repetition。 ONE shot might have been
an accident； TWO meant intention。 The men dropped their picks and
shovels and ranran as they never before ran in Buckeyeran
mechanically； blindly groping at their belts and pockets for the
weapons that hung there no longer； ran aimlessly； as to purpose；
but following instinctively with hurried breath and quivering
nostrils the cruel scent of powder and blood。 Ran until； reaching
the tienda； the foremost stumbled over the body of Shuttleworth；
came upon the half…sitting； half…leaning figure of Saunders against
its adobe wall！ The doors were barred and closed； and even as the
crowd charged furiously forward； a window was sharply shut above；
in their very face。
〃Stand back； gentlemen！ Lift him up。 What's the row？ What is it；
Saunders？ Who did it？ Speak； man！〃
But Saunders； who was still supporting himself against the wall；
only looked at them with a singular and half…apologetic smile； and
then leaned forward as if to catch the eye of Shuttleworth； who was
recovering consciousness in the uplifted arms of his companions。
But neither spoke。
〃It's some dd Greaser inside！〃 said Thompson； with sudden
ferocity。 〃Some of her cursed crew！ Break down the doors； boys！〃
〃Stop！〃
It was the voice of Shuttleworth； speaking with an effort。 He was
hard hit； somewhere in the groin； pain and blood were coming with
consciousness and movement； and his face was ghastly。 Yet there
was the same singular smile of embarrassment which Saunders had
worn； and a touch of invincible disgust in his voice as he
stammered quickly； 〃Don't be dd fools！ It's no one in THERE。
It's only me and HIM！ He'll tell you that。 Won't you； Saunders？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Saunders； leaning anxiously forward； with a brightening
face。 〃Dn it allcan't you see？ It's onlyonly us。〃
〃You and me； that's all；〃 repeated Shuttleworth； with a feverish
laugh。 〃Only our dd foolishness！ Think of it； boys！ He gave
me the lie； and I drew！〃
〃Both of us full； you knowreg'lar beasts；〃 said Saunders； sinking
back against the wall。 〃Kick me； somebody； and finish me off。〃
〃I don't see any weapons here；〃 said Brace gravely； examining the
ground。
〃They're inside；〃 said Shuttleworth with tremulous haste。 〃We
began it in therejust like hogs； you know！ Didn't we； Saunders？〃
bitterly。
〃You bet；〃 said Saunders faintly。 〃Reg'lar swine。〃
Parks looked graver still； and as he passed a handkerchief around
the wounded man's thigh； said： 〃But I don't see where you got your
pistols； and how you got out here。〃
〃Clinched； you know； sorter rolled over out hereandandoh；
dn itdon't talk！〃
〃He means；〃 said Shuttleworth still feebly； 〃that wewegrabbed
ANOTHER MAN'S six…shooter andandhe that isand theyhehe
and me grabbed each other； anddon't you see？〃 but here；
becoming more involved and much weaker； he discreetly fainted away。
And that was all Buckeye ever knew of the affair！ For they refused
to speak of it again； and Dr。 Duchesne gravely forbade any further
interrogation。 Both men's revolvers were found undischarged in
their holsters； hanging in their respective cabins。 The balls
which were afterwards extracted from the two men singularly
disappeared； Dr。 Duchesne asserting with a grim smile that they had
swallowed them。*
* It was a frontier superstition that the ball extracted from a
gunshot wound； if swallowed by the wounded man； prevented
inflammation or any supervening complications。
Nothing could be ascertained of the facts at the tienda； which at
that hour of the day appeared to have been empty of customers； and
was occupied only by Miss Mendez and her retainers。 All surmises
as to the real cause of the quarrel and the reason for the
reticence of the two belligerents were suddenly and unexpectedly
stopped by their departure from Buckeye as soon as their condition
permitted； on the alleged opinion of Dr。 Duchesne that the air of
the river was dangerous to their convalescence。 The momentary
indignation against the tienda which the two combatants had
checked； eventually subsided altogether。 After all； the fight had
taken place OUTSIDE； it was not even proven that the provocation
had been given AT the tienda！ Its popularity was undiminished。
PART III。
It was the end of the rainy season； and a wet night。 Brace and
Parks were looking from the window over the swollen river； with
faces quite as troubled as the stream below。 Nor was the prospect
any longer the same。 In the past two years Buckeye had grown into
a city。 They could now count a half dozen church spires from the
window of the three…storied brick building which had taken the
place of the old wooden Emporium； but they could also count the
brilliantly lit windows of an equal number of saloons and gambling…
houses which glittered through the rain； or； to use the words of a
local critic； 〃Shone seven nights in the week to the Gospel shops'
ONE！〃 A difficulty had arisen which the two men had never dreamed
of； and a struggle had taken place between the two rival powers；
which was developing a degree of virulence and intolerance on both
sides that boded no good to Buckeye。 The disease which its infancy
had escaped had attacked its adult growth with greater violence。
The new American saloons which competed with Jovita Mendez' Spanish
venture had substituted a brutal masculine sincerity for her veiled
feminine methods。 There was higher play； deeper drinking； darker
passion。 Yet the opposition； after the fashion of most reformers；
were casting back to the origin of the trouble in Jovita； and were
confounding principles and growth。 〃If it had not been for her the
rule would never have been broken。〃 〃If there was to be a cleaning
out of the gambling houses； she must go first！〃
The sounds of a harp and a violin played in the nearest saloon
struggled up to them with the opening and shutting of its swinging
baize inner doors。 There was boisterous chanting from certain
belated revelers in the next street which had no such remission。
The brawling of the stream below seemed to be echoed in the uneasy
streets； the quiet of the old days had departed with the sedate；
encompassing woods that no longer fringed the river bank； the
restful calm of Nature had receded before the dusty outskirts of
the town。
〃It's mighty unfortunate； too；〃 said Brace moodily； 〃that
Shuttleworth and Saunders； who haven't been in the place since
their row； have come over from Fiddletown to…day； and are banging
around town。 They haven't said anything that I know of； but their
PRESENCE is quite enough to revive the old feeling against her
shop。 The Committee；〃 he added bitterly； 〃will be sure to say that
not only the first gambling； but the first shooting in Buckeye took
place there。 If they get up that story againno matter how quiet
SHE has become sinceno matter what YOU may say as mayorit will
go hard with her。 What's that now？〃
They listened breathlessly。 Above the brawling of the river； the
twanging of the harp…player； and the receding shouts of the
revelers； they could hear the hollow wooden sidewalks resounding
with the dull； monotonous trampling of closely following feet。
Parks rose with a white face。
〃Brace！〃
〃Yes！〃
〃Will you stand by meand HER？〃
〃Stand by YOU AND HER？ Eh？ What？ Good God！ Parks！you don't
mean to say youit's gone as far as THAT？〃
〃Will you or won't you？〃
The sound of the trampling had changed to a shuffling on the
pavement below； and then footsteps began to ascend the stairs。
Brace held out his hand quickly and grasped that of Parks as
the door opened to half a dozen men。 They were evidently the
ringleaders of the crowd below。 There was no hesitation or
doubt in their manner； the unswerving directness which always
characterized those illegal demonstrations lent it something of
dignity。 Nevertheless； Carpenter； the spokesman； flushed slightly
before Parks' white； determined face。
〃Come； Parks； you know what we're after；〃 he said bluntly。 〃We
didn't come here to parley。 We knew YOUR sentiments and what YOU
think is your duty。 We know what we consider OURSand so do you。
But we're here to give you a chance； either as mayor； or； if you
prefer it； as the oldest citizen here； to take a hand in our
business to…night。 We're not ashamed of what we're going to do；
and we're willing to abide by it； so there's no reason why we
shouldn't speak aboveboard of it to you。 We even invite you to
take part in our last 'call' tonight at the Hall。〃
〃Go！〃 whispered Brace quickly； 〃YOU'LL GAIN TIME！〃
Parks' face changed； and he turned to Carpenter。 〃Enough；〃 he said