Bud owned his own horse and no one contested his right to saddle up and ride away. It was already dark and behind him came the faint muttering of thunder; so he put on his slicker, drew his sombrero tighter on his head and mentally dared the storm to do its worst. About a mile out of town he left the road and took an old pack-trail, which led in a roundabout way to Kingsburg. CHAPTER II IN DEFIANCE OF THE LAW It was about midnight when Henderson walked up to the post, leading his horse, on which was roped two bodies--McKay and Cree George, the Indian packer. Inspector Grandon, white of face and only half awake, said nothing, as he helped Henderson carry the two bodies into headquarters. "They were in the middle of the street, sir," reported Henderson wearily. "I suppose everyone was afraid to touch them. McKay's hat and coat were missing. No one in the town will talk to me about it, but no one interfered with me. McKay's gun was lying beside him, but his handcuffs are missing." "Do you think he was shot while starting back with a prisoner, Henderson?" "Looks like it, sir. They would have no object in taking the handcuffs. The bodies were lying close together." Old MacPherson came in, spluttering, half-asleep, and examined the two bodies carefully. MacPherson had grown old in the service--old enough to have been retired--but he had induced Inspector Grandon to take him into the Eagle's Nest post, where he had become a general utility man. "The poor de'ils never had a chance," he muttered. "McKay, ye fine lad, they got ye cold, so they did." He squinted up at Grandon, a suspicious amount of moisture around his old eyes. "Who did it, do ye know?" "Kingsburg holds the answer, MacPherson." "Aye, and she'll hold it tight," nodded MacPherson. "The de'il's own brood they are. Weel, there's na use of wailin' o'er cold clay, I suppose." He got wearily to his feet and shook his head sadly, as he left the room. "Do you know if Conley is still around here, sir?" asked Henderson. "I don't know," replied Grandon. "Conley and Burgoyne had a fight in Beaudet's place last evening, and I think Conley handled him roughly. You don't think that Conley had anything to do with this, do you?" "Not at all, sir," quickly. "Conley and McKay were good friends, and beside that, Conley couldn't have done this. I was just wondering what Conley was talking about when he was brought in. He kept muttering about missing men, sir." "Drunken hallucinations," Grandon sighed deeply. "He spoke to me about it, too. He said it happened a week ago, I think. Said he saw twenty men go into Magee's place, but he only found two in there." "But Bud was not drunk a week ago, sir," protested Henderson. "Conley was intimate with Magee," declared Grandon, "I heard it from his own lips. The force is well rid of him. Better go and clean up, Henderson." "Yes, sir." Henderson saluted and left the room. [Illustration]