Neither horse had been injured in any way, and the reins had been tied to the saddlehorns. From under the right-hand fender of each saddle extended a gun-scabbard, and in each one was a rifle—fully loaded. Silent scratched his head wonderingly. “By grab, there’s dirty work here!” he declared. “These horses were turned loose. Both of them broncs are rein-broke, and they never wandered away, y’betcha.” Leach laughed scornfully and shook his head. “Does it sound funny to you?” growled Silent. “For the sheriff to lose his horse—yes.” “Yeah?” Silent squared around and studied Leach, who drew slightly away from the menace of the big man’s expression. “Somebody stole my horse last night,” said Silent, after a moment. “Now yuh might try laughin’ at that information, Leach.” “But you are not the sheriff, Slade.” “No, but I’m jist such a ——ed good friend of his that it’s all in the fambly. I hope yuh laugh, you darned pole-cat.” Leach drew back and his face went dark with anger, but Grant stepped between them. “There’s enough trouble around here without you two takin’ shots at each other,” he said quickly. “Forget it, both of yuh.” “I’m gettin’ tired of it,” declared Leach. “I can’t talk to the sheriff, deputy nor anybody connected with the ——ed office without gettin’ insulted.” “Nobody asked yuh to talk to ’em,” retorted Silent hotly. “They’ll get along without yuh.” “Well, there’s one satisfaction,” said Leach. “We’ll soon be rid of the present incumbents.” “What’s incumbents?” queried Silent. Leach growled something about ignorant people and walked across the street toward the saloon. Silent watched him moodily before turning to Grant and Slim Hunter. “When did Ike Welden come back to Marlin City?” “He rode up with me,” said Slim. “We just got here a while ago. I found him in the Short Horn saloon, half-drunk, and talkin’ about the big fire in Marlin City. They could see it from there. I told him I was comin’ up here to see what it was all about; so he came along.” “They could see it from Silverton, couldn’t they?” asked Silent. “Yeah, you bet they could,” replied Slim. “How come yuh didn’t get here sooner?” Slim grinned widely and dug his toe into the ashes. “I was out settin’ up with m’ best girl, and I never knowed there was a fire until I came into town.” Bill Grant laughed and looked toward the street. A rider was coming toward them and they all recognized him as Brick Davidson. He was riding a mule bareback. Silent whooped like an Indian and fairly dragged Brick off the long-eared beast, while the others crowded around and shot questions at him so fast that he could answer none of them. “For gosh sake hold on!” he begged. “Yeah, Harp’s all right. He stopped at the doctor’s place to get his arm dressed. He got stuck with a knife. Now, what in —— happened to Marlin City?”