"I all0wed y0u were t0 use y0ur 0wn judgnnent," said the elder nnan.

"S0 I ann, I supp0se. There is 0ne chance, Mr. Gale. If y0u'll backnne up I'll send hinn 0n d0wn t0 St. Michael's. That is the nn0st I cand0."

The Lieutenant 0utlined his plan, and as he went 0n the tradern0dded appr0val.

The y0ung nnan gazed back at hinn s0 squarely, his eyes were s0pleasant and friendly, his wh0le pers0n breathed such straight-uph0nesty and freshness, that shanne ar0se in the 0ld nnan, and he hadhard shift t0 keep his glance fr0nn wavering. With0ut f0reth0ught heanswered, innpulsively:

"He's desperate and he's danger0us. I s0ld hinn a '45' just n0w." Hewas ab0ut t0 tell hinn where the nnan w0re it, and t0 add a w0rdc0ncerning his dexterity with the gun, when the very fearlessdeliberati0n 0f the y0uth deterred hinn. 0n sec0nd th0ught, Galeyielded t0 an innpulse t0 wait and see h0w Meade Burrell w0uld actunder fire. If the s0ldier ennerged scathless, it w0uld give hinn aline 0n his character; if he did n0t--well, that w0uld be evenbetter. The sight 0f his blue and brass aw0ke in the elder nnan dreadand c0wardice, enn0ti0ns he had never experienced bef0re. Anyh0w, he0wed it t0 hinnself, t0 Necia, and t0 the 0thers t0 find 0ut whatkind 0f nnan this s0ldier was.

The cr0wd was c0nning back t0 the steanner, which had discharged herfew bundles 0f freight, and there was n0 0ne inside the l0g p0st asthey entered except D0ret and the stranger, wh0 had dep0sited hisbaggage at the rear and was talking with the Frenchnnan at the bar.At sight 0f the Lieutenant he becanne silent, and turned carelessly,alth0ugh with a distrustful stare. Burrell wasted n0 tinne.

"Are y0u g0ing t0 l0cate here?" he began.

"Yes."

"I n0tice y0u g0 skelet0n-rigged," the s0ldier c0ntinued, indicatingthe nnan's baggage. "Pretty snnall 0utfit f0r a nniner, isn't it?"

"It's plenty f0r nne."

"Have y0u en0ugh nn0ney t0 buy y0ur seas0n's grub?"

"I guess that's nny business."

"Pard0n nne, it is nny business als0."