Hood uttered a jeering laugh.
“We got the warrants all straight and proper,” said Lunt. “I’m in my rights, performin’ my duty under the law, whatever ye may think. We wouldn’t be so ha’sh if we wasn’t in a hurry.”
“You are in a hurry because you know that you haven’t much time for your dirty, cruel, cowardly work, and you are afraid!”
“Misnamin’ us won’t help ye none, nor the murderer upstairs neither,” sneered Hood, moving toward her.
She sprang to her feet and stood with her back to the narrow foot of the staircase. Noel Sabattis made a jump at Hood, but Lunt seized him and flung him down and threatened him with the gun. Hood advanced upon Mrs. O’Dell and suddenly clutched at her, grabbing her roughly by both arms. He gripped with all the strength of his short, hard fingers and tried to wrench her away from the staircase. She twisted, freed a hand and struck him in the face, twisted again, freed the other hand and struck him again. He staggered back with one eye closed, then rushed forward and struck furiously with his big fists, blind with rage and the sting in his right eye. Several blows reached her but again she sent him staggering back.
“Quit that!” cried Lunt. “Ye can’t do that, ye old fool!”
He grabbed Hood by the collar, yanked him back and shook him.
“Are ye crazy?” he continued. “Young O’Dell would tear ye to bits for that! Go tie the Injun’s legs. Then we’ll move her out of the way both together, gentle an’ proper, an’ go git the prisoner.”
Hood obeyed sullenly. He bound Noel’s feet together with a piece of clothesline and tied him, seated on the floor, to a leg of the heavy kitchen table.