Billy looked at the speaker approvingly. "I'm glad Tip agrees with me.
I'll take the money in gold, greenbacks and silver. No drafts."
The district attorney squealed like a stuck pig. "No nothing, you
mean! Whadda you think we are?"
"A couple of rascals," was the prompt reply. "And there's a tax on
rascals. _That li'l girl has got to be taken care of_."
Billy's voice was earnest. But a sardonic devil looked out of his
eyes. He yearned with a great yearning for the district attorney and
Rafe Tuckleton to join battle with him. He knew that he could easily
take care of both. Tip O'Gorman was the unknown quantity. One could
never be quite sure what Tip was thinking. One thing, Tip was neither
a murderer nor a dealer in murder. That had never been Tip's way. And
something told Billy that in the present crisis Tip would keep his
hands off. The issue lay strictly between Rafe, the district attorney
and Billy Wingo.
The district attorney by a great effort recovered his mental balance.
"You are threatening," he bumbled lamely.
"Not a-tall," returned Bill. "I only said you and Rafe are a couple of
rascals. What's fairer than that, I'd like to know?"
"It's blackmail--extortion," the district attorney trotted on.
"Blackmail and extortion to subscribe money for the support of a girl
whose uncle has been murdered? No, no, you don't mean it, Arthur, old
settler. You mean that you and Rafe will be glad to do your parts.
That's what you mean."
"No." Thus Rafe Tuckleton.
"Yes--and again yes. Three times in fact. Rafe, how about that last
deal of yours with the Indian agent? Remember it? The agent,
y'understand, gets drunk sometimes, and a drunk will talk. Ever
thought of that?"
If Rafe had not thought of that, he thought of it now.
"And how about that last bribe you took?" pressed Billy, turning
accusingly on the district attorney.
The immediate shrinkage in the form of the district attorney was
plainly visible to the naked eye. He went a trifle paler too.
"Do I get the two thousand apiece for Hazel Walton, Arthur?" demanded
Billy.
"Why-uh--yes, yes, of course. I'd always intended to contribute. I
was just fooling. Yes."
"And you, Rafe?"