“That is precisely the reason he is here,” said Mr. Deometari. “I might preach to you from now until doomsday, and you’d never lis-ten to me. But, with that boy looking at you, you’ll keep your temper. I know you better than you know yourself. You came here tonight with your mind made up to do something rash. I read it in your face last night; I saw it in your eyes this morning; I hear it in your voice now. My dear fellow, it will never do in the world. You would ruin everything. What you intended to do, you won’t dare to do with that boy looking at you. And there’s another reason: if this man Johnson is to be taken out of the county, the best route is by Armour’s Ferry, and Maxwell knows every foot of the road.”
Then there was a pause, and Mr. Henderson went to the door and said;
“You two might as well come in here and have it out. We can hear every word you say.”
They came back into the room, Mr. Bland-ford smiling, and Mr. Deometari a little flushed.
“I forgot to shake hands with you just now,” said Mr. Blandford, going over to Joe and seizing the lad’s hand. “It wasn’t because I don’t like you.”
“Thank you,” replied Joe. “I don’t understand what you and Mr. Deo were talking about, but I don’t wan’t to be in the way.”
“You are not in the way at all,” said Mr. Deometari, emphatically.
“I should say not,” exclaimed Mr. Blandford, heartily. “Deo is right and I was wrong. I’d be happy if I wasn’t in anybody’s way any more than you are. You’ll find out when you grow bigger that a man never gets too old to be a fool.” With that he reached under his overcoat and unbuckled a heavy pistol, and placed it on the mantel.—“You see,” he said to Mr. Deometari, “I am making a complete surrender. I don’t want to have that gun where I can get my hands on it when I see our friend Captain Johnson.”
“You may buckle on your pistol,” remarked Mr. Henderson, softly. “You won’t see the captain to-night.”
“Thunderation!” exclaimed Mr. Deometari, springing to his feet. “We must see him! Pruitt is in the guard-house. Sick or well, Captain Johnson must travel with us this night. I don’t want him killed or hurt, but the scoundrel shall strut around this town no more.”