But sometimes he got an unexpected
recruit. One bully, who had been conspicuous in the brickyard
trouble, after watching a drill went up to him with a grin:
"Hell," he said cheerily, "I believe you fellers air goin' to have
more fun than we air, an' danged if I don't jine you, if you'll
let me."
"Sure," said Hale. And others, who might have been bad men, became
members and, thus getting a vent for their energies, were as
enthusiastic for the law as they might have been against it.
Of course, the antagonistic element in the town lost no
opportunity to plague and harass the Guard, and after the
destruction of the "blind tigers," mischief was naturally
concentrated in the high-license saloons--particularly in the one
run by Jack Woods, whose local power for evil and cackling laugh
seemed to mean nothing else than close personal communion with old
Nick himself. Passing the door of his saloon one day, Bob saw one
of Jack's customers trying to play pool with a Winchester in one
hand and an open knife between his teeth, and the boy stepped in
and halted. The man had no weapon concealed and was making no
disturbance, and Bob did not know whether or not he had the legal
right to arrest him, so he turned, and, while he was standing in
the door, Jack winked at his customer, who, with a grin, put the
back of his knife-blade between Bob's shoulders and, pushing,
closed it.
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