which it was the
biggest one ever pulled off in Wolf River--not that any one give a damn
about Purdy, but they've drug politics into it, an' furthermore, his'n
was the only corpse to show for the whole celebration, it bein' plumb
devoid of further casualties.'" The cowpuncher paused, referred to his
bottle, and continued: "It's just like I told you before. There can't
no one's election get predjudiced by hangin' you, an' they've made a
kind of issue out of it. There's four candidates for sheriff this fall
an' folks has kind of let it be known, sub rosy, that the one that
brings you in, gathers the votes. In the absence of any corpse
delecti, which in this case means yourn, folks refuses to assume you
was hung, so each one of them four candidates is right now scouring the
country with a posse. All this he imparts to me while he was throwin'
that outfit of clothes together an' further he adds that I'm under
suspicion for aidin' an' abettin', an' that means life with hard labour
if I'm caught with the goods--an', Win, you're the goods. Therefore,
you'll confer a favour on me by not getting caught, an' incidentally
save yourself a hangin'. Once we get into the bad lands we're all to
the good, but even then you've got to keep shy of folks. Duck out of
sight when you first see any one. Don't have nothin' to say to no one
under no circumstances. If you do chance onto someone where you can't
do nothin' else you'll have to lie to 'em. Personal, I don't favour
lyin' only as a last resort, an' then in moderation. Of course, down
in the bad lands, most of the folks will be on the run like we are, an'
not no more anxious for to hold a caucus than us. You don't have to be
so particular there, 'cause likely all they'll do when they run onto
you will be to take a shot at you, an' beat it. We've got to lay low
in the bad lands about a week or so, an' after that folks will have
somethin' else on their mind an' we can slip acrost to the N. P."

"See here, Tex, this thing has gone far enough." There was a note of
determination in Endicott's voice as he continued: "I cannot permit you
to further jeopardize yourself on my account. You have already
neglected your business, incurred no end of hard work, and risked life,
limb, and freedom to get me out of a scrape. I fully appreciate that I
am already under heavier obligation to you than I can ever repay. But
from here on, I am going it alone. Just indicate the general directi