hear me? And tomorrow afternoon's _Herald_ will have the whole
infamous story to the last word. I give you my solemn oath upon it!"

All three of us, Crowder, Genz, and I, sprang to our feet. We were
considerably worked up, and none of us said anything for a minute or
so, just looked at Knowles.

"Yes, you're a little shocked," he said. "It's always shocking to men
like you to come in contact with honesty that won't compromise. You
needn't talk to me; you can't say anything that would change me to
save your lives. I've taken my oath upon it, and you couldn't alter me
a hair's breadth if you burned me at a slow fire. Light, light, that's
what you need, the light of day and publicity! I'm going to clear this
town of fraud, and if Gorgett don't wear the stripes for this my
name's not Farwell Knowles! He'll go over the road, handcuffed to a
deputy, before three months are gone. Don't tell me I'm injuring
_you_ and the party by it. Pah! It will give me a thousand more
votes. I'm not exactly a child, my friends! On my honour, the whole
thing will be printed in to-morrow's paper!"

"For God's sake--" Crowder broke out, but Knowles cut him off.

"I bid you good-afternoon," he said, sharply. We all started toward
him, but before we'd got half across the room he was gone, and the
door slammed behind him.

Bob dropped into a chair; he was looking considerably pale; I guess I
was, too, but Genz was ghastly.

"Let me out of here," he said in a sick voice. "Let me out of here!"