"I want it to keep things quiet, Hartman, till we find those hombres and get them in jail at Cabillo." The young fellow nodded. "I'll have things ready at seven. After the funeral, I'll get the word out." Jim rode on to his neglected work at the office. There he found the members of the committee awaiting him. Even the chairman was eager to know details of occurrences since they had gone reluctantly to bed after midnight. When Jim had finished his story, the Vermont man said pompously: "You seem to manage men rather well, Mr. Manning. In behalf of my colleagues I wish to thank you for your hospitality to us. As you know, we must leave this afternoon." Jim nodded. "I shall have my superintendent take you over to the train. You will understand that I do not want to leave the camp myself." "I wish we could stay and see the end of this," said one of the members. "It's like life in a dime novel." "My chief regret is that we only had half of the Mask Ball. After this, when my constituents are tempted to give me a dinner, I shall urge a Mask Ball instead. Never had one given for me before and no debutante ever had anything on my feelings last night," said another. "Henderson should have been a country squire," said Jim. "He's a perfect host." The camp was quiet during the afternoon. Jim saw the committee off at five o'clock, then went up to the tent house. Sara and he glanced at each other coolly and nodded. Pen started the conversation hurriedly. "What word from the two hombres?" Jim shook his head. "One posse got away last night before I warned them. I'm afraid that if the murderers are brought into camp I can't avert a lynching bee." Pen shivered. Sara grunted. "You'd think Pen had lived in a convent all of her life instead of a death pen like New York." "It's so lonesome out here, human life means more to you," said Jim. "Some philosopher you are," sneered Sara. "Fine lot of drool you got off at the hearing. Why didn't you keep to the main issue? The yokels are still saying with the rest of us, He must be dishonest or he'd give an honest 'No' to our accusations." Jim answered slowly: "When a man says that sort of thing to me I usually knock him down, or completely ignore him." "You can't knock us all down and the time is rapidly coming when we will be ignoring you, minus a job." "Still," pleaded Pen, "he couldn't understand your speech. Once and for all, Jim, give him and all the rest the lie." Jim ground his teeth and did not speak. Sara was obviously enjoying himself.