"There's two against me. And no matter what I _say_, they'll outvote me. It's the durned infernal ballot-box that's a curse to a free government. If it wasn't for that, republics would flourish. Bein' an uncrowned king don't keep a man from bein' a plain short-eared jackass--and they's three of us of the same breed--two against one." York's face was gray with anger, and he clutched his fingers in his wavy hair as if to get back the hold on himself. "You will have your trial, of course. Demand two things--that the accused and the accusers meet face to face. It will be hard on Jerry." "Has she flinched or fell down once in three years, York Macpherson? Ain't she stronger and handsomer to-day than she was the day I had the honor to bring her up from the depot in that new gadabout of mine? If I could I'd have had it framed and hung on the wall and kept, for what it done for her." The two men looked into each other's eyes, and what each read there made a sacred, unbreakable bond between them for all the years to come. The trial was held in the hotel parlor, behind closed doors. The charges were vague and poorly supported by evidence, but the venom back of them was definite. Plainly stated, a pretty, incompetent girl had come West _for some reason_ never made clear to New Eden. Come as an heiress in "style and stuckuppitude of manner" (that was Stellar Bahrr's phrasing); had suddenly become poor and dependent on the good-will of J. B. Ponk, who had fought to the bitter end to give her "a place on the town pay-roll and keep her there" (that was the jealous superintendent's phrasing); and on the patronage of York Macpherson, who had really took her in, he and his honorable sister, even if they really were the worse "took in" of the two. At this point Ponk rapped for a better expression of terms. The young person had tried to "run things" in the church and schools and society. Even the superintendent himself had to be sure of her approval before he dared to start any movement in the high school. And no one of the preachers would invite her to unite with his church. But to the charges now: First: She had refused to let Clare Lenwell graduate who wasn't any worse than the rest of the class. Secondly: She had a way of riding around over the country with young men on moonlight nights on horseback. Of going, the Lord knows where, with young men, _joy-riding_ in cars, or of going alone wherever she pleased in hired livery cars. And _some_ thought she met strange men and was acquainted with rough characters, and the moral influence of that was awfully bad; and there was something _even worse_, if that were possible, WORSE! Things had disappeared around town often, but in _the last three years_ especially. If folks were poor, they needed money. Then Stellar Bahrr came into the ring.