“Nope,” said I, “your old theory is best: let their imaginations supply the details. If we put the government into their minds too strong, they’re likely to find some way to deliver Promotheus over to the law. I have a sort of impediment that The was a little rough with an officer or two, after he deserted, and Ty knows all about him.”
“How the deuce will we get word to Ty?” sez Horace. “As fast as we’d send messengers, Ty would shut ’em up.”
“One thing is certain, at least,” sez I. “Ty won’t string ’em up as long as he knows he’s bein’ watched. And another thing is, that all of Ty’s men are wanted for one thing or another, and the longer we keep ’em in suspense, the sooner they’ll weaken. We ought to send word to the Simpson boys. They are at least two to one again’ us as we stand now.”
Just at this junction, Slim arrived with the news that the Friar was ridin’ up to the ford. I was purty sure ’at he wouldn’t go down by the ravine. The Friar might lack judgment in certain matters; but you could count on him lookin’ out for his friends, every time.
We hustled down to the look-out, and saw the Friar ride out into the open, and hail the house. In a minute the’ was a crowd about him and they pulled him from his hoss and dragged him toward the mess-hall, actin’ mighty jubilant. The dogs raised a consid’able fuss; but they didn’t let any of ’em get to the Friar this time. I don’t know whether they were tryin’ to save the Friar or the dogs.
They took the Friar into the mess-hall, and kept him there a good long time; but I felt sure he wouldn’t tell more ’n he wanted to. Then they brought him out and shut him up in the workshop with Promotheus.
“You don’t see ’em turnin’ Promotheus loose, do ya?” sez ol’ Tank.
“Ty Jones would cheat himself playin’ solitaire,” sez Spider Kelley.
“He didn’t agree to turn Promotheus loose if the Friar surrendered,” sez Olaf. “He only said he would if Promotheus enticed the Friar into a trap.”
Ty Jones certainly did have what ya call personal magnetism. His men stuck up for him, even when they was willin’ to help snuff him out.