“But we can’t do that, ’cause Pete Cable is now in the State Prison, an’ they wouldn’t give him to us, unless the judge signed an order,” Tom Powers sputtered.
“And the judge won’t sign nothin’,” Allen said.
“Yea. That damn fake dude tells me, the judge refuses flat. They want us to sorta persuade him,” Sam Hogg added.
“I figures yuh might as well try and persuade a mountain.” Allen shook his head. “Does he savvy we got Snippets?”
“Yep. He heard ’em talkin’ and knows we got her, otherwise they might have him sign the paper by using her,” Sam Hogg said.
“Damn ’em! If they touches the judge, we’ll stick here until we starves ’em out,” Powers declared wrathfully.
“Not any. Yuh savvy we are in Mexico? He tells me the soldiers is comin’ along, ’cause they sent for ’em. To-morrow they’ll dust in here and chase us away,” Sam Hogg explained.
The sheriff and the cattleman entered into a heated discussion of various plans to rescue the judge. Their men would follow them if they attacked, but the attack would be foredoomed to defeat. Allen, his face thoughtful, slipped away. At last the two brought their discussion to a close, for they realized they were wasting words.
There was nothing to do except wait until the Mexican soldiers arrived, then scurry back across the border.