distance went away convinced that they had talked with an
eyewitness to the tragedy and esteemed themselves fortunate. In
short, he imposed himself on the situation with such brilliancy
that in the end his account of the murder became the accepted
version from which all other versions differed to their
discredit.

In the same magnificent spirit of public service he would have
assumed the direction of the search for the murderer, but Mr.
Betts' jealousy proved an obstacle to his ambitious design. In
view of this he was regretful, but not surprised when the
hard-ridden miles covered by dusty men and reeking horses yielded
only failure.

"If I had shot that poor boy, I wouldn't ask any surer guarantee
of safety than to have that fool Betts with his microscopic brain
working in unhampered asininity on the case," he told Mahaffy.

"Is it your idea that you are enlarging your circle of intimate
friends by the way you go about slamming into folks?" inquired
Mahaffy, with harsh sarcasm.

Later, the judge was shocked at what he characterized as official
apathy. It became a point on which he expressed himself with
surpassing candor.

"Do they think the murderer's going to come in and give himself
up?--is that the notion?" he demanded heatedly of Mr. Saul.

"The sheriff owns himself beat, Sir; the murderer's got safely