Haines an' Dan
made a rush for it from the stable on their hosses. They was lynchers
everywhere. Haines didn't have no gun. Dan wouldn't trust him with
one. He did the shootin' himself. He dropped two of them with two
shots. His devil of a wolf-dog brung down another."
"Shootin' at night?"
"Shootin' at night," nodded Silent. "An" now, Gus, they's only one
thing left to complete my little game--an' that's to get Whistlin' Dan
Barry proclaimed an outlaw an' put a price on his head, savvy?"
"Why d'you hate him so?" asked Morris curiously.
"Morris, why d'you hate smallpox?"
"Because a man's got no chance fightin' agin it."
"Gus, that's why I hate Whistlin' Dan, but I ain't here to argue. I
want you to get Dan proclaimed an outlaw."
The sheriff scowled and bit his lip.
"I can't do it, Jim."
"Why the hell can't you?"
"Don't go jumpin' down my throat. It ain't human to double cross
nobody the way you're double crossin' that kid. He's clean. He fights
square. He's jest done you a good turn. I can't do it, Jim."
There was an ominous silence.
"Gus," said the outlaw, "how many thousand have I given you?"
The sheriff winced.
"I dunno," he said, "a good many, Jim.
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