“And to subdue wild cattle,” Gabriel added. “I threw my lazo on you to keep you from striking my father. He was unarmed, and you made a brutal attack upon him with a heavy mule whip. I would lazo you again fifty times, or any other man, under the same circumstances. If you think it was cowardly to do so, I will prove to you at any time that I was not prompted by cowardice. Victoriano, loosen the reata off Mr. Darrell's arms.”
Victoriano dismounted, and endeavored to loosen the tight noose, but it was so firmly drawn that he could not move it. Everett came to his assistance, but he, too, failed.
“I cannot loosen the noose without hurting Mr. Darrell,” said Victoriano, giving up the task.
Gabriel dismounted, and examined the noose carefully. He shook his head, saying:
“No, sir; we cannot loosen that reata while you are sitting down. We will have to put you on your feet, Mr. Darrell, and you will be slimmer then. Thus by collapsing a little the loop will lose the tension that keeps it tight.”
“Come on, Mr. Darrell, Retty and I will let you down nicely,” said Victoriano.
“Lean on me, father,” said Everett, but as he held up his arms towards his father, he became convulsed with laughter. Victoriano was laughing, too, so heartily, that Darrell was afraid to trust his weight into their hands.
“For shame, Victoriano, to be so discourteous,” said Gabriel, reprovingly—his handsome features perfectly serious.
But Victoriano had suppressed his desire to laugh too long, and now his risibility was beyond control. Everett was overcome in the same manner, so that he hung on Victoriano's shoulder, shaking with ill-suppressed laughter.
“Mr. Darrell, be not afraid to trust to my strength, I am slender, but I am stronger than I look. Lean your weight on me slowly, and I'll take you off your horse while those boys laugh,” Gabriel said, putting up his hands for Darrell to lean on them.