Snag Thorn’s eyes got real narrow and he studies Hashknife. Then he says— “You don’t know me very well, do yuh?”
“He ain’t no liar,” says Windy; “Snag Thorn ain’t.”
“Much obliged, Woods,” says Snag Thorn.
“Excuse me,” says Hashknife. “That was a danged fool thing to say, Thorn. Yuh see I was kinda excited. The sheriff arrested her and then things happened in town and we didn’t find her at the ranch.”
“Yeah, I know,” says Snag, kinda weary-like. “I didn’t know she was your boss, and I didn’t know she had a gun, but I saw Peeler reach for his gun, so I cut down on him. The sheriff started after her but I cut him back to the main herd, and then I seen that her horse was running away with her. Peeler must ’a’ had hold of the bridle-reins and when her horse yanked back the head-stall busted.”
“My ——!” gasps Windy. “She’s ridin’ without a bridle? Which way did she go?”
“North,” says Snag. “The last I seen of her she was goin’ toward Devil’s Dooryard, and then my bronc turned a somersault. When I got straightened out she had disappeared.”
“It’ll be dark before we can get there,” says Hashknife. “That bronc she is ridin’ will go hawg-wild without a bridle, —— him! Mebbe he won’t buck, but he—aw, shucks!”
Just then Blondy, Bowers and the sheriff comes in sight. They rides slow-like up to us, looking like they was expectin’ trouble. Snag Thorn leans against the doorway and looks at them. Then he says to the sheriff—
“Come to get me for shootin’ Peeler?” The sheriff looks us all over and then back at Snag.