e his horse.

"Four Ace Johnson, over 'crost de riv', she dipity sher'ff, too. A'm
hear she goin' run for de beeg sher'ff, nex' fall. A'm gon' over an'
see if she no lak' to go 'long an' mak' de arres' if som'ting happen.
Mebbe-so w'en de votin' tam' com' 'long de men lak' for hav' Choteau
County sher'ff w'at kin mak' de arres' better as de sher'ff w'at kin
dance good. _Voila_!" Without so much as a glance toward the other,
he slipped into his saddle and started slowly down the alley. Before
he reached the street Moore's horse pushed up beside him.

"Where's this here outfit?" he growled, with a glance toward the
dance-hall lights, "an' what makes you think they's a-goin' to be
gun-fightin'?"

"A'm t'ink dey ain' so far," replied the half-breed as he swung into
the trail at a trot. And although the impatient deputy plied him with
a volley of questions the other vouchsafed no further information.
Midway of the ascent to the bench the two drew rein abruptly. From
above, and at no great distance, rang the sound of a shot--then
silence. The deputy glanced at the half-breed: "Hey, Bat," he
whispered, "this here's a dangerous business!"

"Mebbe-so Choteau County lak' to git de sher'ff w'at ain' so mooch
scairt."

"Scairt! Who's scairt? It hain't that. But I got a wife an' nine
kids back there in the mountains, an' I'm a-goin' to deputize you."

The half-breed shot him a look of sudden alarm: "_Non_! _Non_! Better
I lak' I ponch de cattle. You ke'p de nine wife an' de kid!"

"You hain't got no more sense than a reservation Injun!" growled the
deputy. "What I mean is, you got to help me make this here arrest!"

The half-breed grinned broadly: "Me,--A'm de, w'at you call, de posse,
eh? _Bien_! Com' on 'long den. Mebbe-so we no ketch, you no git
'lect for sher'ff."

At the head of the trail the deputy checked his galloping mount with a
jerk and scrutinized the three riderless horses that stood huddled
together. His face paled perceptibly. "Oh, Lord!" he gasped between
stiffening lips: "It's Tex, an' Jack Purdy, an' they've fit over
Cinnabar Joe's gal!"

He turned wrathfully toward Bat. "Why'n you tell me who it was up
here, so's I could a gathered a man's-size posse?" he demanded.
"Whichever one of them two has shot up the other, they hain't goin' to
be took in none peaceable. An' if they've killed one of each other
a'ready, he ain't goin' to be none scrupulous about pottin' you an' me.
Chances