"
"I'll git ye over in the mountains some day."
"I've no doubt you will, if you have the chance from the bush."
Hale was getting roused now.
"Look here," he said suddenly, "you've been threatening me for a
long time now. I've never had any feeling against you. I've never
done anything to you that I hadn't to do. But you've gone a little
too far now and I'm tired. If you can't get over your grudge
against me, suppose we go across the river outside the town-
limits, put our guns down and fight it out--fist and skull."
"I'm your man," said Dave eagerly. Looking across the street Hale
saw two men on the porch.
"Come on!" he said. The two men were Budd and the new town-
sergeant. "Sam," he said "this gentleman and I are going across
the river to have a little friendly bout, and I wish you'd come
along--and you, too, Bill, to see that Dave here gets fair play."
The sergeant spoke to Dave. "You don't need nobody to see that you
git fair play with them two--but I'll go 'long just the same."
Hardly a word was said as the four walked across the bridge and
toward a thicket to the right. Neither Budd nor the sergeant asked
the nature of the trouble, for either could have guessed what it
was.
Pages:
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404