"If you want to live," I answered, "you'd best get a move on, and write."
The row in the messroom made it hard for him to hear, so I drew up close.
"Memorandum," says I, and he began to scribble; "date it 'Robbers' Roost, Utah.'"
"But this is California!"
"Write what I say, 'October 13th, 1900.'"
Michael Ryan confessed on oath how he had aided and abetted George Ryan in a plot to destroy Balshannon. He confessed to perjury at the Ryan inquest, naming the witnesses and the amounts he paid to each. He released the Holy Cross estate from all claims on the ground of debt, restoring the same to Jim. He swore that Jim, Curly, and I were not among the brigands who captured him, and he believed all three of us to be innocent.
As to these facts, I had to convince him with a meat ball, but in the end he signed.
Then I got in a brace of independent robbers to sign as witnesses, so the thing looked mighty legal and satisfying. Meanwhile in the messroom I could hear McCalmont calling his wolves to order, and my witnesses went away to hear his talk.
"Ryan," says I, sitting down beside him, "you know the points of the compass?"
"I guess."