"Oh, yes! Sure! Sure!" shrugged Wiley scornfully. "Of course you know it all! But that stock wasn't yours, and you couldn't transfer it, and so I didn't take any option on it. It's in the bank yet; and if you want to get it, why, here's the man to talk to." He jerked his thumb towards the cringing Blount, and exchanged scornful glances with Virginia. She was standing behind her mother and her glance seemed to say that he was passing the buck again; but his feeling for Virginia had suffered a great change and he replied to her head-toss with a sneer. "Now--now Wiley!" protested Blount, rising weakly to his feet and regarding his pseudo-partner reproachfully, "you know very well----" "Gimme that stock!" snapped the Widow, suddenly cocking the heavy pistol and throwing down savagely on Wiley; and then things began to happen. The watchful guard, who had been standing at her side, reached over and struck up the gun and as it went off with a bang, shooting a hole in the ceiling, he seized it and wrenched it away. "You're under arrest, Madam," he said with some asperity, and flashed his officer's star. "Well, who are you, sir?" demanded the Widow, vainly attempting to thrust him aside. "I'm a deputy sheriff, ma'am," replied the officer respectfully, "and I'd advise you not to resist. It'll be assault with intent to kill." "Why--I wouldn't kill anybody!" exclaimed the Widow breathlessly. "I was--I didn't intend to do anything." "Will you swear out a warrant?" inquired the deputy and Wiley nodded his head. "You bet I will," he said, "this is getting monotonous. She took a shot at me, once before." "Oh, Wiley!" wailed the Widow suddenly weakening in the pinch. "You know I never meant it!" "Well, maybe not," replied Wiley evenly, "but you hit me in the leg." "But _he_ pulled off my gun!" charged the Widow angrily, "I never went to do it!" "Well, come on;" said the deputy, "you can explain to the judge." And he took her by the arm. She went out, sobbing violently, and in the succeeding silence Wiley found himself confronted by Virginia. He had seen her before when the wild light of battle shot forth from her angry eyes but now there was a glow of soft, feminine reproach and the faintest suggestion of appeal. "Oh, Wiley Holman!" she cried, "I'll never forgive you! What do you mean by treating Mother like this?" "I mean," replied Wiley, "that I've taken about enough, and now we'll leave it to the law. If your mother is right the judge will let her go, but I guess it's come to a showdown." "What? Are you going to let them put my mother in jail?" she asked with tremulous awe, and then she burst into tears. "You ought to be ashamed!" she broke out impetuously. "I wish my father was here!"