“Don’t yuh go ’way, sheriff,” Jim Hogg cried as his brother and Allen started toward the rear door. “I’m goin’ to see the judge and make him order yuh to hunt for that gal.”
As the furious storekeeper stormed out of the room Allen winked at Sam Hogg and the sheriff.
Outside, while he was saddling his horses, he explained. “The Toad’s got the Yuma Kid and Baldy and them two brothers watchin’ the girl. What happens if we go chargin’ in there? Do yuh think them four will give her up? And if we kill ’em they’ll sure enough take her with them.”
“What yuh goin’ to do?” the sheriff asked.
“I’m hopin’ Jim, your brother’ll do it for me. The Toad plumb hates me, an’ if he could down me he’d be willin’ to cut and run for Mexico after. When he hears I’m goin’ to try and pick out the trail through the lava fields I sorta figure he’ll tell his killers to hike it over there and get me; then I’ll get the girl.”
“And yuh lied deliberate to fool Jim?” Sam Hogg asked.
“Jim is right convincin’ when he’s got his mad up, an’ I don’t think he’s a good liar. I figure there’ll be some one who will be plumb anxious to pass the news on to the Toad.” Then Allen talked rapidly for a few minutes and the others listened in silence.
After Allen had vanished into the night the sheriff said admiringly: “Gosh, ain’t he a hellion?”
Sam Hogg nodded and hurried through the store. Outside he found Tad Hicks. He ordered him to follow and hurried down the dark, deserted street. He explained a little to Tad, and the two crouched down in some bushes opposite the judge’s and settled themselves to watch.
Jim Hogg was still spluttering with wrath when he burst into the judge’s house. Although the hour was late he found the judge’s family still up. Ace Cutts and Kennedy were with them.