As the woman paused there was a hush while all eyes were focused upon the lawyer. Conscious of the attention, Squire Perkins threw back his shoulders, gave a sharp tap with his cane and looking full at the detectives declared: "Your great mistake, Mrs. Prior, was in allowing these men to enter your home in the first place. 'A man's house is his castle.' That always has been the law and I believe it still is, unless it's been changed since I left my office. "These men had no business to search your house without a search warrant. And they know it as well as I do. "You can recover damages from them and I believe that an action will lie against them for the shock and humiliation to which their high-handed goings-on have subjected you. "If you wish, I will draw the papers. In the mean time, as a justice of the peace, I will grant you warrants for their arrest on the ground of trespass. "Jefferson, by virtue of my powers, I appoint you a special officer to conduct these men to my office. "And you, men, let me advise you to obey quietly--or it will go all the harder with you. "Lead the way, Jefferson. I'll watch them from behind." Their breath taken away by the sudden change in affairs, the man-hunters moved forward, when there was a crash overhead. In amazement, everyone looked at the ceilings, but the next moment there came sounds of hurried feet on the back stairs. "There they are! Let us go! It's Jesse James!" shouted Higgins, making a spring for the hallway, only to find himself headed off by the rush of men and women. Driven almost distracted by the suffocating influx of smoke and later by the fumes from the salt, the desperadoes had stood it till they heard the arrival of the lawyer. Believing that in the resulting confusion, they would be able to get away, or at least out of the house, the bandit-chieftain had whispered his intentions to his pals. When he tried the little door, however, he had found that he could not open it from the inside. Muttering that he would rather die in an open fight than be choked to death, he struck it a blow with his pistol butt, sending it clattering to the stairs. Realizing that the racket would attract attention, he snapped: "Be ready to shoot our way out," and crawled from the ham chamber. As quickly as possible Cole followed. When all three were on the stairs, Jesse raised his six-shooters and dashed down them. Only a couple of women, who had been unable to force their way into the parlour, were in the kitchen and as they beheld the three wild-eyed, pistol-waving men leap into the room, they screamed and promptly fainted. Two windows were behind them. "You-all take the left hand one," commanded the world-famous desperado. The commotion inside had been heard by the detectives on guard out of doors and they rushed toward the kitchen. In the parlour, men and women were struggling to get into the hallway, effectually blocking off Higgins and his fellows.