You kin think what you please o' me. I've got too
much faith in the Westerfelt stock to believe that a branch of it 'u'd
spy ur sneak. This is Jim Hunter a-talkin'."

Two others pushed forward, taking off their sheets and masks. They
were Joe Longfield and Weston Burks.

"We are t'other two," said Longfield, dryly. "The Yanks killed off too
blame many o' that breed o' men fer us to begin to abuse one at this
late day. Ef Westerfelt's harmed, it will be over my dead body, an' I
bet I'm as hard to kill as a eel."

"Joe's a-talkin' fer me," said Burks, simply, and he put his hand on
his revolver.

"We've been too hasty," began Jim Hunter again. "We've 'lowed Toot to
inflame our minds agin this man, an' now I'll bet my hat he's innocent.
I'd resk a hoss on it."

"Thar's a gal in it, I'm a-thinkin'," opined Weston Burks, dryly.

"Men," cried the leader, "thar's a serious disagreement; we've always
listened to Jim Hunter; what must we do about the matter under dispute?"

"Send the man back to town," cried a voice in the edge of the crowd.
"He's the right sort to the marrow; I'll give 'im my paw an' wish 'im
well."

"That's the ticket!" chimed in the man with the rope, as he tossed it
over the horn of his saddle.

"I 'low myself we've been a leetle bit hasty," admitted the leader.

"Put down that gun! Drap it!" cried Jim Hunter, turning suddenly on
Toot Wambush. "Ef you dare to cock a gun in this crowd, you'll never
live to hear it bang!"

Wambush started to raise his revolver again, but Hunter knocked it from
his hand. Wambush stooped to pick it up, but the old man kicked it out
of his reach.

"You don't work that trick on this party," he said, hotly.

"I wasn't tryin' to draw it," muttered Wambush.

"You lie!" Then Hunter turned to the leader: "What d'ye think ortter
be done with a man like that? Ef I hadn't a-been so quick he'd a shot
Westerfelt, an' before the law we'd all a-been accomplices in murderin'
a innocent man."

"I move we give the whelp six hours to git out'n the county," said Joe
Longfield. "You all know I've been agin Toot."

"That would be too merciful," said Burks.

"Boys," the leader cried, "Wambush has broke a rule in tryin' this
thing on us. You've heerd the motion; is thar a second?"

"I second it," said Jim Hunter.

"It's been moved and seconded that Wambush be 'lowed six hours to git
clean out o' the county; all in favor say yes."

There was almost a general roar