CHAPTER X
Emerson Mead waited until the four horsemen were within two hundredyards of him, and then he called out a good-natured "hello." Theothers checked their horses to a slow walk, and after a moment one ofthem hastily shouted an answering salutation. Mead instantly called inreply:
"I reckon you'd better stay where you are, boys. We can talk this wayjust as well as any other." The others halted and he went on: "Supposeyou say, right now, whether you want anything particular."
They looked at one another, apparently surprised by this speech, andpresently the foreman said:
"We thought you must be having trouble with your cattle. Stampede onyou?"
"They're all right now. They're 'milling,' and won't give me any moretrouble. But I reckon you didn't ride up here to ask me if my cattlehad stampeded. You better talk straight just what you do want."
They hesitated again, looking at one another as if their plans hadmiscarried. "They expected I'd begin poppin' at 'em and give 'em anexcuse to open out on me all at once," Mead thought. Then he calledout:
"Jim, you out here to buy some cattle? Can I sell you some of mine?"
"You know I don't want to buy cattle," Halliday replied, sulkily.
"No? Then maybe you've come to ask me if it's goin' to rain?" Meadsmilingly replied.
"I reckon you know what I want, Emerson Mead," Halliday said angrily,as if nettled by Mead's assured, good-natured tone and manner. "Youknow you're a fugitive from justice, and that it's my duty to take youback to jail."
"Oh, then you want me!" said Mead, as if greatly surprised.
"That's what, old man!" Halliday's voice and manner suddenly becamegenial. He thought Mead was going to surrender, as he had done before.He had no desire for a battle, even four to one, with the man who hadthe reputation of being the best and coolest shot in the southwest,for he knew that he would be the first target for that unerring aim,and he was accordingly much relieved by the absence of defiance andanger in Mead's manner.
"You want me, do you?" said Mead, his voice suddenly becomingsarcastic. "Is that what you've been waitin' around the Fillmore ranchthe last three weeks for? Why didn't you come straight over to myhouse and say so, like a man who wasn't afraid? You want me, do you?Well, now, what are you goin' to do about it?" There was a taunt inMead's tone that stirred the others to anger. Mead knew perfectlywell what his reputation was, and he knew, too, that they were afraidof him.
"You won't surrender?"
"Whenever you've got any evidence for a warrant to stand on I'll givemyself up. I let you take me in before to stop trouble, but I won't doit again, and you, and all your outfit, had better let me alone. I'mnot goin' to be run in on any fool charge fixed up to help theFillmore Company do me up. That's all there is about it, and you-allhad better turn tail and go back to camp."
While he was speaking the foreman said something to Antone Colorow,and the man left the group and trotted away toward Mead's left as ifhe were going back to camp. Without seeming to notice his departure,Mead watched the cow-boy's actions from a corner of his eye while helistened to Jim Halliday:
"Now, Emerson, be reasonable about this matter and give yourself up.You know I've got to take you in, and I don't want to have anygun-fight over it. The best thing you can do is to stand trial, andclear yourself, if you can. That'll end the whole business."
Antone Colorow turned and came galloping back, his lariat in his hand.Mead's revolver was still untouched in his holster, and his horse,standing with drooping mane and tail, faced Halliday and the others.The cow-boy came galloping through the rain from Mead's left, and sofar behind him that he could barely see the man from the corner ofhis eye. He was apparently unconscious of Antone's approach as hequietly replied to Halliday, but his fingers tightened on the bridle,and the horse, answering a closer pressure of heel and knee, suddenlylifted its head and stiffened its lax muscles into alertness.
"I'd hate to make you lose your job, Jim," said Mead, smiling, "butyou can't expect a fellow to let himself be arrested for nothing, justso you can keep a soft snap as deputy sheriff. You get some evidenceagainst me, and then I'll go with you as quiet as any maverick youever saw."
As Mead spoke he was listening intently. He heard Antone's horse stopa little way behind him, and, as the last word left his lips, the hissof the rope through the air. With a dig of the spurs and a sharp jerkof the bridle the horse reared. The noose fell over Mead's head, buthis revolver was already in his hand, and with a turn as quick as alightning flash he swung the horse round on its hind legs in a quartercircle and before the astounded Mexican could tighten the loop therewere two flashing reports and a bullet had crashed through each wrist.Antone's arms dropped on his saddle, and through the shrill din of themingled Spanish and English curses he shrieked at Mead came the sharpcracking of three revolvers. Emerson Mead felt one bullet whistlethrough his sleeve and one through the rim of his sombrero, as, withthe rope still on his shoulders, he whirled his horse round againwith his smoking revolver leveled at Halliday.
"Whoo-oo-oo-ee-ee!" Ellhorn's long-drawn-out yell came floating downfrom the top of the hill and close on its heels the report of apistol.
"That was a very pretty trick, Emerson," said the foreman, in a voicewhich tried hard to sound unconcerned, "even if it was my man youplayed it on."
"It will be played on you if you make another break," Mead replied inan even tone, with his revolver still leveled at Halliday. He turnedhis horse slightly so that a sidewise glance up the hill showed TomTuttle and Nick Ellhorn, guns in hand, both astride one horse, comingtoward them on a gallop. Tuttle's deep-lunged voice bellowed down theslope:
"We're a-comin', Emerson! Hold 'em off! We're a-comin'!" and anotherpistol ball sung through the rain and dropped beside Halliday's horse.Mead flung the rope from his shoulders and grinned at Halliday and hisparty.
"Well, what are you going to do now? Do you want to fight?"
Halliday put his gun in its holster: "I don't want any pitched battleover this business. We'll call the game off for this morning."
"It's all right, boys," Mead yelled to his friends. "Don't shoot anymore."
"You're a fool, Emerson," Halliday went on, "or you'd give yourselfup, go down to Plumas and clear yourself,--if you can--and have thisthing over with. For we're goin' to get you yet, somehow."
Antone Colorow spurred his horse close to Mead and with all the variedand virulent execration of which the cow-boy is capable shouted athim:
"Yes, and if they don't get you, I will! I come after you till I getyou, and I come a-smoking every time! You won't need a trial after Iget through with you! You've done me up, but I'll get even and moretoo!"
Mead listened quietly, looking the man in the eye. "Look here," hesaid, "what did you reckon would happen to any man who tried to ropeme? Did you think I'd let you-all drag me into camp at your horse'stail? I'm sorry I had to do that, but I didn't want to kill you. Here,Jim, you fellows better tie up Antone's wrists." Mead offered his ownhandkerchief to help out the bandages, and, suddenly remembering thewhisky flask in his breast pocket, took it out and told the woundedman to finish its contents.
While this was going on Tuttle and Ellhorn rode up. The rain hadstopped, and through a rift in the eastern clouds the level, red raysof the sun were shining. Mead met their eager, anxious faces with asmile.
"It's all right, boys. Jim says the game's off for this morning."
Nick and Tom turned black and scowling looks on Halliday and hisparty, and the deputy sheriff, manifestly nervous, rode toward themwith an exaggeratedly genial greeting:
"Howdy, boys! Put up your guns! We ain't goin' to have any gun-fightthis morning."
"How do you know we ain't?" growled Tom.
"Well, Emerson says so," he replied, with an apprehensive glance atMead.
"Well," said Nick, "if Emerson says so it's all right. But we've had adevil of a ride, and we'd like to get square somehow!"
Mead laughed. "You can tally up with Jim, who's going to lose h
is jobbecause I'm too mean to let him run me in."
Tuttle and Ellhorn turned grimly joyous faces toward Halliday. "If youwant to arrest Emerson this morning," said Ellhorn, "just begin rightnow! We're three to three! Come on now and try it!"
The officer edged his horse away: "I'll wait till the round-up isover. Then you can't have the excuse that the Fillmore Company's doingit. But I'll have him yet, and don't you forget it!"
"Just like you got him this time!" taunted Ellhorn.
Halliday turned back a red and angry face: "I'll have him," he yelled,"if I have to kill the whole damned three of you to get him!"
A derisive shout of laughter was the only answer he received as he andhis party galloped back to camp.