Part 24 (1/2)

Slim appeared to agree to the surrender of Jack to Buck and his punchers, permitting them to deal with him as they saw fit. He fumbled in his left-hand waistcoat pocket, pulling out a bag of tobacco and a package of rice paper. Ostentatiously he began to roll a cigarette.

Then, with the quickness of a cat, his left hand was plunged in the inside right-hand pocket of his waistcoat. Grasping a revolver by the muzzle he deftly jerked it upward, and seized the handle in its flight.

He covered Buck McKee before that worthy realized what had happened.

With his right hand Slim pulled the weapon which swung at his hip, and aimed it at the other boys of the Lazy K. The guns moved up and down the line, backed by the Sheriff's usually mild blue eyes, coldly steady now at the call to battle.

”I'll give you a lesson in pullin' guns, though,” he declared, his voice as steady as his hands. ”Don't move, Buck,” he warned, as McKee wavered. ”Nor any others of you. I'm playin' this hand alone. Buck McKee, you've been flirtin' with a tombstone for some time. Hands up, gents,” he ordered, raising the pistols significantly.

”I said GENTS,” he repeated, when Buck McKee did not obey him with alacrity. The balked leader of the Lazy K outfit reluctantly held his hands aloft.

”Sage-brus.h.!.+” called Slim.

”Here,” answered the foreman, covering a man with his revolver.

”Parenthesis!” summoned the Sheriff.

”Here,” the man of the bowlegs replied, as he drew his gun.

”Me, too,” cried Fresno, while Show Low came to the front with ”An'

likewise here.”

When the Lazy K outfit was thoroughly under subjection, Slim stepped forward and said: ”Now, gentlemen, if you please. You see, this yere's my party an' I regalate it my way. Jack here gave his word to stay and face this thing out. He's a-goin' to do it. I'm responsible for him--Sage-brush, you will collect at the door sech articles of hardware as these gentlemen has in their belts--I deputize you. Gents, as you walk out the do', you will deposit yo' weapons with Mr.

Sage-brush Charley--the same to be returned to you when the court sees fit and proper.”

”You ain't goin' to let him--” Buck did not finish the sentence, for Slim, thoroughly aroused, shouted: ”Buck McKee, if you say another word, I'm goin' to kill you. Gents, there's the door--your hosses are in the corral--get.”

Preceded by some of the Sweet.w.a.ter boys, the Lazy K outfit filed out, Sage-brush taking their guns as they pa.s.sed him. Fresno and Parenthesis brought up the rear.

”He needn't think he'll escape. We're bound to have him,” declared Buck.

”Are you goin'?” demanded Slim, his voice full of menace.

”Can't you see me?” sneered Buck.

Sage-brush relieved him of his gun as he pa.s.sed, handing it to Fresno.

Buck paused in the doorway long enough to lament: ”Talk of hospitality. I never get in but what I am put out.”

Slim watched McKee from the window until he disappeared through the gate of the corral. Then walking down to Jack, he took him by the hand.

”It'll be all right in an hour--thank you, boys,” Payson a.s.sured them.

”We all know you are the whitest man on the Sweet.w.a.ter,” a.s.sured Sage-brush, speaking for the punchers, as they left Jack a prisoner with Slim.

Speaking in a low tone, Jim asked Jack: ”Where did you get that money?”

”Don't you know?” he asked, in surprise.

”From--”

Jack nodded his head.