watched man and horse fighting the tide. Twice young Stetson
turned his head. But his enemies apparently had not seen him, and
horse and rider scrambled up the steep bank and under shelter of
the trees. The girl had evidently learned who he was. Her sudden
anger was significant, as was the sight of the Lewallens going
armed to court, and Rome rode on, uneasy.

When he reached Troubled Fork, in sight of Hazlan, he threw a
cartridge into place and shifted the slide to see that it was ready for
use. Passing old Jasper's store on the edge of the town, he saw the
old man's bushy head through the open door, and Lewallens and
Braytons crowded out on the steps and looked after him. All were
armed. Twenty paces farther he met young Jasper on his gray, and
the look on his enemy's face made him grip his rifle. With a
flashing cross-fire from eye to eye, the two passed, each with his
thumb on the hammer of his Winchester. The groups on the
court-house steps stopped talking as he rode by, and turned to look
at him. He saw none of his own friends, and he went on at a gallop
to Rufe Stetson's store. His uncle was not in sight. Steve Marcum
and old Sam Day stood in the porch, and inside a woman was
crying. Several Stetsons were near, and all with grave faces
gathered about him.

He knew what the matter was before Steve spoke. His uncle had
been driven from town. A last warning had come to him on the day
before. The hand of a friend was in the caution, and Rufe rode
away at dusk. That night his house was searched by men masked
and armed. The Lewallens were in town, and were ready to fight.
The crisis had come.