“The Señor Cody I suppose has killed some one?”
The look the man got from the scout made him wince, but the words were calmly uttered:
“You must not jump at conclusions, sir, or I might be tempted to punish impertinence. I am here to report to you that two of our men were left to guard camp, while the rest were away. We returned to find that one of our men had been killed, the other wounded, and the three men who had gone there to rob the camp were lying dead, having been shot by our comrade, Blue Jacket Bob.”
“This is bad, very bad.”
“The three men were those whom we had reason to believe friends, for two were Señor Otega’s cowboys, and the other was a cattleman of the band of the cowboy king, and he it was who arranged the robbery, which ended in the loss of their lives.”
“This is bad, very bad. I must demand the man who did this killing, and while the Señor Otega goes to fetch him I will hold you as hostage, Señor Cody.”
“You shall neither take Blue Jacket Bob, nor will you keep me here. I have reported the facts, and it is a pretty state of affairs when we cannot protect our camp and our lives. If you wish a trial, name the day and we will be here.”
“And I will guarantee on bond, Señor Alcalde, for the appearance of the accused man,” said Señor Otega.
“I must have a guarantee from them also.”