"That's no excuse," averred Felix Craft. "You had no business picking
a fight with young Riley in the first place. He's a popular lad, that
one, and you ain't."
"He made me mad, setting there in the sun joking with that damn Bill
Wingo who's gonna be sheriff in my place. Besides, I was drunk."
"I saw the whole affair," said Sam Larder. "Bill pushed Riley off the
cracker box and you had to slur Riley about it. Fool caper."
"I never did like Riley," grumbled Jack Murray. "He's a friend of Bill
Wingo's and that's enough. I figured by downin' Riley and skippin' out
and lettin' that stage hostler know where I was going, Bill Wingo would
come pelting after and gimme a chance to settle with him all salubrious
and private on the trail somewheres."
Sam Larder bluntly called the spade by its correct name. "Bushwhack
him, you mean."
"Well, if I did, it's none of your business," snapped Jack Murray with
an evil glance.
"Then why make it our business by coming here bellyaching to me and
Craft?" Sam Larder wished to know.
"I came to you because I want my money--sixteen hundred dollars that
bandit Bill Wingo stole off me."
"He didn't say anything about any sixteen hundred," said Felix Craft,
his eyes beginning to gleam. "Tell us about it."
"Yeah," urged Sam. "Give it a name."
Jack proceeded to give it a name--several names and all profane. When
he was calmer he gave a fairly truthful account of the financial
transaction between Hazel Walton, Bill Wingo and himself.
"And I'm telling you here and now," he said in conclusion, "that six
hundred dollars is too much for that broken-down team of jacks. And a
thousand dollars for putting a few holes in Riley Tyler is plumb
ridiculous. My Gawd, he'll be out of bed in a month. Wha' t'ell you
laughin' at?"
For his hearers were laughing--laughing immoderately. They whooped,
they pounded the table, they beat each other on the back till they sank
exhausted into their chairs.
Jack demanded again to be told what they were laughing at.
"I'll leave it to anybody if this ain't the funniest thing ever
happened in the territory," declared Sam Larder, when he could speak
with coherence.