CHAPTER XXV
THE RUDDY MINE
None of the deputies—not even Uncle Tod nor his partner—seemed surprised at beholding the leader of the Lawson gang. Perhaps they expected him. And it needed but a second glance to show that in the rear of Lawson were several other men, all armed with rifles. Still this did not ruffle Chief Deputy Sheriff Mason.
“Hello, Deck,” he greeted the outlaw—for such he was. “Hello!”
“I don’t say hello to anybody I may have to shoot!” was the sneering reply.
“Shoot? What for?” asked Mason, and he made no move toward a gun. In fact all of Uncle Tod’s party were now unarmed, having laid down their weapons to work the water gates. “Why shoot?” asked the chief deputy, smiling.
“’Cause you’re here where you have no right to be, and ’cause you have shut off my water rights!” declared Deck Lawson boldly. “That is why I’ll shoot!”
“Your water rights! That’s pretty good!” chuckled Mason. “Why, you took water from Mr. Belmont! You changed the course of Lost River; didn’t you?”
“I had a right to!” insisted Deck menacingly.
“Well, the court doesn’t think so,” asserted the deputy. “I have a paper here—”
He stepped forward, but Deck, with a quick motion, brought up his rifle and cried: