"Go to hell!" replied Calvin, as he rode past him. "I'm no nigger. I
want to hear what goes on, and I tell ye right now you treat these
people fair or you'll hear from me."
"I'll shoot you up a few if you ain't keerful, young feller," replied
the old ruffian.
"That's right, General, he's too fresh," called some one.
Calvin spurred his horse alongside Yarpe's and looked him in the eye
with a glare which made the older man wince. "You be decent before these
women or I'll cut the heart out o' ye. You hear me!"
Curtis stepped forward. "Careful, Streeter--don't provoke trouble; we'll
protect the women."
The sheriff rode between the two men. "Cal, git away--you're my deputy,
remember."
As Cal reined his horse away, Curtis went to him and said, in a low
voice: "I appreciate your chivalry, Calvin, but be careful; don't excite
them."
As he looked into the big, red, whiskey-bloated face of Yarpe, Curtis
was frankly dismayed. The old ruffian was not only inflamed with liquor,
he was intoxicated with a subtler elixir--the pride of command. As he
looked back over his followers he visibly expanded and a savage glare
lit up his eyes. "Keep quiet, boys; I'll settle this thing."
Curtis again stepped towards the sheriff. "What do you propose to do,
Mr. Sheriff?"
Yarpe broke in boisterously. "We want old Elk. Bring him out or we go
after him." A chorus of applause followed.
"On what authority do you make this demand?" asked Curtis, facing Yarpe.
"On the authority of the sheriff of Pinon City," replied Yarpe, "and we
come along to see he does his duty."
"The sheriff is present and can speak for himself. He was my guest last
night and made an agreement with me, which, as an honorable man, he is
disposed to keep."
The sheriff avoided Curtis's eye, but Yarpe replied:
"He showed the white feather. He let you fool him, but you can't fool
this crowd. Bring on your Injun, or we go get him."
"Have you a warrant?"
"Oh, damn the warrant!"
The sheriff cleared his throat. "Yes, I have a warrant for Crawling Elk
and Grayman," he said, and began searching his pockets. The decisive
moment had arrived.