A Council of War
he won't talk because he knows that somebody knows he's been rustlin'." He turned on his heel. "Am I plain enough?"
"Wait a minute," called Ackerman. "That feller has got me worried. Mebby it would be reckless to let him disappear up here; but suppose I go on a spree in town when he's there? It's easy to start a fight with a gun-man, because he's got to toe th' mark. I can do th' job open an' above board, an' make it natural; an' that will keep us clear."
"Jim," smiled Quigley, "I don't want to lose you; an' if you pick a square fight with that man, th' even break that you demand in yore personal quarrels, we will lose you. I looked down his gun, an' I tell you that I didn't see him move. He's a gun man!"
Ackerman laughed. "We won't say anythin' about that. But if he did get th' worst of it in an even break an' a personal quarrel, would it hurt us up here? That's all I want to know."
Quigley thought deeply and made a slow and careful reply. "If it wasn't bungled I don't see how it could. You'd have to rile him subtle, make him declare war an' be th' injured party yoreself; an' you'd want witnesses. But don't you do it, Jim; not nohow. I got a feelin' that he's th' best man with a Colt in this section. Yo're a wizard with a six-gun; but you ain't good enough for him. When he's around yo're
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