Hollis accompanied him willingly as far as the horses. Then he halted, his eyes flashing brightly. "We won't go to the Circle Bar," he said. "We won't fight them like that. There is a law in this country now and I am going to see that the law acts!" He seized Norton's arm in a firm commanding grip. "You follow them," he directed. "From the edge of the butte where they caught me on the night of the storm you can see the country for miles. Don't cross the river," he warned. "Stay there beside the butte until I come back--I won't be long. Watch where they take the cattle!" Before Norton could offer a word of objection he was on his pony and racing over the back trail at terrific speed. For a moment Norton watched him. Then he disappeared and Norton grimly mounted his pony and rode down to the level following the trail taken by the thieves. CHAPTER XXIX THE ARM OF THE LAW The lights in Dry Bottom's saloons were flickering brightly when Hollis rode down the street and dismounted from his drooping pony in front of the court house. He ran stiffly around the side of the building and knocked loudly on a door. There was a short silence and then a movement inside and Ben Allen stuck his head out of a window. He saw at a glance the upward turned face of the nocturnal visitor and called shortly: "Wait! I'll be down!" There was a short wait, during which Hollis impatiently paced back and forth and then Allen appeared in the door, fully dressed. Judge Graney, in a night shirt, stood behind him. "Something's up, of course," drawled Allen as he stepped down from the door, "or you wouldn't come around disturbing folks this way. What is it?" Hollis briefly related the events of the night, concluding with the statement that he was determined to force the law to act. "Correct!" laughed Allen. "She's got to act now." He caught Hollis's arm and turned him toward a small cottonwood grove about half a mile distant. A dozen white objects dotting the grove caught Hollis's gaze. He started. "Soldiers!" he exclaimed. "I might say that was a good guess," drawled Allen. "I sent for them because I thought I might need them if our friend Dunlavey got to cuttin' up any. It's been my experience that a detail of Uncle Sam's boys is about as good a thing to have around in case of trouble as any man could want." "But you can't use them in this case," remarked Judge Graney, who had stepped down beside the two men. "The governor's instructions were that they should be used merely as an instrument in enforcing the court's order regarding the sale of Dunlavey's cattle. The theft of the Circle Bar cattle is a matter which comes directly under the jurisdiction of the sheriff. If he refuses to act----" "Hell!" broke in Allen. "We know he won't do anything!" The Judge smiled slightly. "I suspect he won't," he said dryly. He winked at Hollis.