“Yes, it is the engineer, for a certainty,” he exclaimed panting, as he stopped before Vorse. “The sheriff arrested him and he now lies in jail there. It is said he fought and tried to shoot Madden, but that the sheriff was too quick and shot the gun out of his hand. It is said also that the dam is blown into a million little stones, but men are riding there on horses to see for themselves. They will soon return. Anyway a fight there was up there undoubtedly, for Madden brought in not only the engineer but three other men, bound and handcuffed and struggling furiously, trying to strike and bite the crowd like mad dogs. From time to time the sheriff had to beat them on the heads with his pistol, especially the engineer, who is the worst. I did not see them, but those who did said their faces were streaming with blood.”
“All right. Go find José Molina and ‘Silver’ Leon.”
“Are they not up in the hills with their bands of sheep?”
“No. They are here. Look around till you find them; then send them to me.”
“That means something lively to happen, eh?” Miguel said with a laugh.
He did not wait, however, for an answer, but set off at once for the court house.
“I hope Meyers shows up soon with more men,” Madden said to Weir. “Those two sheepherders of Vorse’s are a pair of snakes; he always hires that kind; and they probably have some fellows with them like themselves.”
“Meyers is on the way with twenty men or so by this time. They had to come in wagons, as we had the cars. Atkinson ought to be able to stand off the crowd with the half dozen boys he has until the others arrive.”
While they had conducted this brief exchange of opinions they had kept their gaze on the saloon-keeper, who continued to stand before his door. The cold and merciless character of the man was never more revealed than now as he waited for his hired assassins to come to receive orders. Possessing already a full knowledge of the plot, Weir and Madden were able to guess what culmination was now contemplated and measure the true depth of the conspirators’ infamy. The sheriff especially boiled with inward wrath that they should expect to make him not only a dupe but a tool in their crime.