Hawkridge bowed and passed out. He waved the spotless linen in front of his face as he walked toward the horseman, and both smiled when they recognized each other.
"Well, Duke, what is it?" asked the footman, as though he were asking an ordinary question of a friend.
"I reckon you can guess. Since the two companies came together Ira Inman is at the head of the army. Some of the boys are wild to begin shooting, and they'll do it pretty soon. Before that, Inman decided to offer you folks a chance to give in. That's my business."
"You simply demand our surrender, as I understand it?"
"You've guessed it the first time," replied Vesey, with a nod of his head.
"What terms do you offer?"
"You'll be treated as prisoners of war; but," added the rustler, "it is hardly right to say that. It's Inman's idea to hold you as hostages for the right treatment of any of our boys that may fall into the hands of the stockmen."
"That is quite different. Let me ask, Duke, whether this treatment is guaranteed to all of our folks?"
"I wish I could say it was, Dick, but I can't; Inman makes two exceptions—Capt. Asbury and Mont Sterry. That Sterry showed himself so much of a man and was so square toward me when I was caught that I would do anything I could for him. I appealed to Inman to let up on him, but he won't; some of the boys are so mad they will shoot him on sight."
"And Capt. Asbury?"