But the other made no move. “I reckon if they’re follerin’ you, they’ve got some reason for it. Have you been makin’ trouble in the camps?” He asked this question with sudden force, as if it had occurred to him that it might be his duty to lock up Hal. “No,” said Hal, speaking as bravely as he could--“no indeed, I haven’t been making trouble. I’ve only been demanding my rights.” “How do I know what you been doin’?” The young miner was willing to explain, but the other cut him short. “You behave yourself while you’re in this town, young feller, d’you see? If you do, nobody’ll bother you.” “But,” said Hal, “they’ve already threatened to bother me.” “What did they say?” “They said something might happen to me on a dark night.” “Well, so it might--you might fall down and hit your nose.” The Chief was pleased with this wit, but only for a moment. “Understand, young feller, we’ll give you your rights in this town, but we got no love for agitators, and we don’t pretend to have. See?” “You call a man an agitator when he demands his legal rights?” “I ain’t got time to argue with you, young feller. It’s no easy matter keepin’ order in coal-camps, and I ain’t going to meddle in the business. I reckon the company detectives has got as good a right in this town as you.” There was a pause. Hal saw that there was nothing to be gained by further discussion with the Chief. It was his first glimpse of the American policeman as he appears to the labouring man in revolt, and he found it an illuminating experience. There was dynamite in his heart as he turned and went out to the street; nor was the amount of the explosive diminished by the mocking grins which he noted upon the faces of Pete Hanun and the other two husky-looking personages. SECTION 8. Hal judged that he had now exhausted his legal resources in Pedro; the Chief of Police had not suggested any one else he might call upon, so there seemed nothing he could do but go back to MacKellar’s and await the hour of the night train to Western City. He started to give his guardians another run, by way of working off at least a part of his own temper; but he found that they had anticipated this difficulty. An automobile came up and the three of them stepped in. Not to be outdone, Hal engaged a hack, and so the expedition returned in pomp to MacKellar’s. Hal found the old cripple in a state of perturbation. All that afternoon his telephone had been ringing; one person after another had warned him--some pleading with him, some abusing him. It was evident that among them were people who had a hold on the old man; but he was undaunted, and would not hear of Hal’s going to stay at the hotel until train-time.