“Order!” said Riley Sinclair.  “Order in this here court.  Mr. Sergeant-at-arms, keep the witness in order.”

Larsen strode near authoritatively.  “You got to stop that fresh talk, Sally.  Sinclair won’t stand for it.”

“Oscar Larsen,” she cried, whirling on him, “I always thought you were a man.  Now I see that you’re only big enough to bully a woman.  I—­I never want to speak to you again!”

“Silence!” thundered Riley Sinclair, smiting his hard brown hands together.  “Take that witness away and we’ll hang Gaspar without her testimony.  We don’t really need it—­anyways.”

There was a shrill cry from Sally.  “Let me talk!” she pleaded.  “Let me stay!  I won’t make no more trouble, Mr. Sinclair.”

“All right,” he decided without enthusiasm.  “Now, what’s your name?”

“Sally Bent.”  She smiled a little as she spoke.  That name usually brought an answering smile, particularly from the men of Sour Creek.  But Sinclair’s saturnine face showed no softening.

“Mr. Clerk, swear the witness.”

Judge Lodge rose and held forth the book and prescribed the oath.

During that interval, Riley Sinclair raised his head to escape from the steady, reproachful gaze of John Gaspar.  Down in the valley bottom, Sour Creek flashed muddy-yellow and far away.  Just beyond, the sun gleamed on the chalk-faced cliff.  Still higher, the mountains changed between dawn and full day.  There was the country for Riley Sinclair.  What he did down here in the valleys did not matter.  Purification waited for him among the summit snows.  He turned back to hear the last of Sally Bent’s voice, whipping his eyes past Gaspar to avoid meeting again that clinging stare.

“Sally Bent,” he said, “do you know the prisoner?”

“You know I know him.  John Gaspar boards with us.”

“Ah, then you know him!”

“That’s a silly question.  What I want to say is—­”

“Wait till you’re asked, Sally Bent.”

She stamped her foot.  Quietly Sinclair compared the girl and the accused man.

“Here’s the point,” he said slowly.  “You knew Quade, and you knew John Gaspar.”

“Yes.”

“You know Quade’s dead?”

“I’ve just heard it.”

“You didn’t like him much?”

“I used to like him.”

“Until Gaspar blew in?”

“You’ve got no right to ask those questions.”

“I sure have.  All right, I gather you were pretty sweet on Quade till Gaspar come along.”

“I never said so!”

“Girl,” pronounced Riley solemnly, “ain’t it a fact that you went around to a lot of parties and suchlike things with Quade?”

She was silent.

“It’s the straight thing you’re giving her,” broke in Larsen.  “After Gaspar come, she didn’t have no time for none of us!”

“Ah!” said his honor significantly, scowling on Sally Bent.  “After you cut out Quade, he got ugly, didn’t he?”