Pagina 431 de 439

Yorky hailed them. "That you, Sig?"

"Yuh bane von good guesser," answered the Norwegian.

"How many of you are there?"

"Four, Yorky," Fraser replied.

"There are six of us. We've got you outnumbered, boys."

Very faintly there came to the lieutenant the beat of horses'

feet. He sparred for time.

"What do you want, Yorky?"

"You know what we want. That murderer you've got there--that's

what we want."

"We're taking him in to be tried, Yorky. Justice will be done to

him."

"Not at Gimlet Butte it won't. No jury will convict him for

killing Jed Briscoe, from Lost Valley. We're going to hang him,

right now."

"You'll have to fight for him, my friend, and before you do that

I want you to understand the facts."

"We understand all the facts we need to, right now."

The lieutenant rode forward alone. He knew that soon they too

would hear the rhythmic beat of the advancing posse.

"We've got all night to settle this, boys. Let's do what is fair

and square. That's all I ask."