human
I--I--do not believe you! he cried in a faint tone.
gpt
My father is as upright as any gentleman in the land.
human
Is he? sneered Vorlange.
gpt
All right, if you think so, just drive me to the wall and see.
human
Where was this crime committed?
gpt
In Creede, Colorado--at the time the camp was started.
human
Who was killed?
gpt
A miner named Rickwell. He was once a partner of a man named Burch, of whom you have no doubt heard ere this.
human
Yes, Burch left us the property you know all about, since you stole the deeds to it. Louis Vorlange, you are playing a deep part but you cannot make me swallow your statements about my father.
gpt
Do you want me to expose him?
human
We'll see about that later. Rasco and I will certainly try to show you up for what you really are.
gpt
Very well, blustered Vorlange.
human
Your father is a murderer, and he shall swing for it--unless you keep your mouth shut. I----
gpt
Pawnee Brown!
human
Are you a prisoner, too?
gpt
Hardly, smiled the great scout. Then he noticed Vorlange.
human
Just the men we are after.
gpt
Me?
human
Yes, you.
gpt
What do you want of me, Pawnee Brown? I want nothing to do with such as you--a thieving, low-down boomer--who--oh!
human
Let up! Let up! Oh!
gpt
Now keep quiet Vorlange, said the scout sternly.
human
You can thank your stars that I didn't put a bullet through you for letting your tongue run so loosely.
gpt
Thet's so, b'gosh, was Rasco's comment.
human
But say, Pawnee, he's a reg'lar snake in the grass.
gpt
I know it. Pawnee Brown looked at Dick.
human
Has he been threatening you, lad?
gpt
Yes; threatened me and my father, too.
human
Have no fear of him, Dick. Louis Vorlange, you have about reached the end of your rope.
gpt
What do you mean?
human
I mean that I am here to expose you. Pawnee Brown turned to the others who had come in.
gpt
Gentlemen, let me introduce to you Louis Vorlange, alias Captain Mull, once of Creede, Colorado.
human
Captain Mull! exclaimed several.
gpt
Do you mean the Captain Mull that was wanted for several shady doings, Pawnee?
human
The same Captain Mull, gentlemen.
gpt
It is a--a lie!
human
It is the truth, gentlemen, he is the man who once sported under the name of Captain Mull. But that is not all.
gpt
What else, Pawnee?
human
Some years ago a man by the name of Andrew Rickwell was murdered in the Last Chance hotel at Creede. At that time Creede was but a small place and Captain Mull ran the hotel. Who murdered Rickwell was not discovered. But he had occupied a room with another man, a mining agent from New York named Mortimer Arbuckle, the father of this lad here, and some thought Arbuckle had done the foul deed, and he had to run away to escape the fury of a mob. The horror of this occurrence unbalanced the man's mind and to this day he sometimes thinks he may be guilty. But he is innocent.
gpt
He is guilty! shrieked Louis Vorlange.
human
I saw him do the deed!
gpt
I see you acknowledge you were in Creede at that time, answered Pawnee Bill, and Vorlange staggered back over the bad break he had made.
human
As I said, Mortimer Arbuckle is innocent. There is the murderer, and here are the documents to prove it--and to prove more--that Vorlange is a thief, that he assaulted Mortimer Arbuckle in the dark and left him for dead, and that he is now acting against the best interests of the United States government.
gpt
My father's documents!
human
The letters!