t the wrong pew," I
interrupted. "This may be the state of Kansas, but at present we are
outside the bailiwick of Ford County, and those papers of yours are
useless. Let me take those warrants and I'll indorse them for you, so as
to dazzle your superiors on their return without the man or property. I
was deputized once by a constable in Texas to assist in recovering some
cattle, but just like the present case they got out of our jurisdiction
before we overtook them. The constable was a lofty, arrogant fellow like
yourself, but had sense enough to keep within his rights. But when it
came to indorsing the warrant for return, we were all up a stump, and
rode twenty miles out of our way so as to pass Squire Little's ranch and
get his advice on the matter. The squire had been a justice in Tennessee
before coming to our state, and knew just what to say. Now let me take
those papers, and I'll indorse them 'Non est inventus,' which is Latin
for SCOOTED, BY GOSH! Ain't you going to let me have them?"

"Now, look here, young man," scornfully replied the chief deputy,
"I'll--"

"No, you won't," I again interrupted. "Let me read you a warrant from
a higher court. In the name of law, you are willing to prostitute
your office to assist a gang of thieves who have taken advantage of an
opportunity to ruin my employer, an honest trail drover. The warrant
I'm serving was issued by Judge Colt, and it says he is supreme in
unorganized territory; that your official authority ceases the moment
you step outside your jurisdiction, and you know the Ford County line is
behind us. Now, as a citizen, I'll treat you right, but as an official,
I won't even listen to you. And what's more, you can't arrest me or any
man in my outfit; not that your hair's the wrong color, but because
you lack authority. I'm the man you're looking for, and these are Don
Lovell's cattle, but you can't touch a hoof of them, not even a stray.
Now, if you want to dispute the authority which I've sighted, all you
need to do is pull your guns and open your game."

"Mr. Quirk," said the deputy, "you are a fugitive from justice, and I
can legally take you wherever I find you. If you resist arrest, all the
worse, as it classes you an outlaw. Now, my advice is--"

But the sentence was never finished, for coming down the divide like a
hurricane was a band of horsemen, who, on sighting us, raised the long
yell, and the next minute Dave Sponsilier and seven of his men dashed
up.