Jack's head dropped back between his shoulders, his
eyes closed and his pistol clicked on the floor.
Hale knew how serious a thing a blow was in that part of the
world, and what excitement it would create, and he was uneasy at
Jack's trial, for fear that the saloon-keeper's friends would take
the matter up; but they didn't, and, to the surprise of everybody,
Jack quietly paid his fine, and thereafter the Guard had little
active trouble from the town itself, for it was quite plain there,
at least, that the Guard meant business.
Across Black Mountain old Dave Tolliver and old Buck Falin had got
well of their wounds by this time, and though each swore to have
vengeance against the other as soon as he was able to handle a
Winchester, both factions seemed waiting for that time to come.
Moreover, the Falins, because of a rumour that Bad Rufe Tolliver
might come back, and because of Devil Judd's anger at their
attempt to capture young Dave, grew wary and rather pacificatory:
and so, beyond a little quarrelling, a little threatening and the
exchange of a harmless shot or two, sometimes in banter, sometimes
in earnest, nothing had been done.
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