human
It's a man on horseback.
gpt
Je-e-mima! If he don't ride like Nick Ellhorn! I shouldn't wonder if it's Nick!
human
Tuttle answered with a loud
gpt
What's the news at Plumas and out at Emerson's?
human
Oh, things are fairly quiet at Plumas just now, but you never know when hell is going to break loose there. You're just in time, though, for Emerson's up to his ears in fight. Goin' to stay?
gpt
I will if Emerson needs me. I've been with Marshal Black over to Millbank after some counterfeiters from Colorado. He took 'em back, and, as he didn't need me, I thought I'd just ride over here and see if you-all mightn't be in trouble and need some help.
human
Ain't after anybody, then?
gpt
No. But, say, Nick! I struck the darndest outfit last night! I got regularly held up!
human
What! You! Held up?
gpt
Yes, I did. Sat with my hands in the air like a fool tenderfoot while a man took my gun and cross-questioned me like a lawyer.
human
What was their lay?
gpt
I'll give it up. I've thought of everything I could, and there ain't a blamed thing that'll explain it.
human
Tommy, I reckon they need to be arrested about as bad as two men ever needed anything. Come along and we'll corral 'em.
gpt
We've got no warrants, Nick!
human
Haven't you got any in your pockets?
gpt
Yes, but not for them.
human
Tommy, you're a deputy marshal, and that outfit took you at a disadvantage and misused you shameful. You're an officer of the law, Tommy, and it was as bad as contempt of court! It's our duty to arrest 'em for it and bring 'em in.
gpt
But we can't do it without warrants, Nick.
human
I'm lookin' for a Mexican named Antonio Diaz, he said.
gpt
Here's the warrant for his arrest. Violation of the Edmunds act. You say one of these men was a Mexican. I think likely he's Antonio. We'll go and find out. Never mind tellin' me how he looked, he went on hastily, as Tuttle began to speak.
human
It's likely he's Antonio, and it's my duty to go and find out. Of course, they'll resist arrest, and then they'll get their punishment for the way they treated you.
gpt
Nick, what do you think would be Emerson's judgment?
human
Emerson ain't here, and I'm acting on my own judgment, which is to go after this outfit and pepper 'em full of holes if they're sassy.
gpt
I don't like the scheme.
human
Well, it ain't your scheme, and you don't have to like it. I think we ought to go after these men right now. They've done something they ought to be arrested for. And, anyway, they ought to be punished for holdin' you up.
gpt
Nick, I'd go with you in a minute, you know I would, if we had a warrant for 'em, or if I had any reason to think that the Mexican is the man you want. You don't think so yourself. They might have blowed my brains out any minute, and nobody would ever have known a thing about it. But they didn't and I reckon they treated me as white as they could and look after their own interests. It's my judgment, and I think it would be Emerson's, too, that it would be a mean trick for me to come up behind 'em and begin shootin', just for holdin' me up, when they might have treated me a whole heap worse. I won't go with you, Nick.
human
Sure, then, and I'll go alone,
gpt
They'll be two to one.
human
Not very long, I reckon.
gpt
Better wait a few days, Nick, till you can go after 'em legally.
human
They'll be out of the country by that time. I'm under no obligations to be kind to 'em, and I don't mean to be. I'm goin' to camp on their trail right now.
gpt
Well, my judgment's against it, Nick, but I won't see you go off alone into any such scrape as this is bound to be. I'll go with you, but I won't do any shootin'--unless you need me mighty bad.
human
There's the White Sands, said Ellhorn.
gpt
We ought to catch 'em before they get there.