“And Clanton?” asked Billie.

“We’ll attend to Clanton’s case,”

A faint smile touched the sardonic face of Prince.  “What did you ever see me do to give you the notion that I was yellow, Bancock?”

“This ain’t your affair.  You step aside an’ let justice—­”

“If those that holler for justice loudest had it done to them there would be a lot of squealin’ outside of hogpens.”

“You won’t take that offer, then?”

“Not this year of our Lord, thank you.”

“You’ve had your chance.  If you turn it down you’re liable to go out of here feet first.”

Not a muscle twitched in the lean, brown face of the young cowpuncher.  “Cut loose whenever you’re ready.”

“Hold yore hawsses, friend,” advised the ex-guerrilla, not unkindly.  “There’s no occasion whatever for you to run on the rope.  We are six to two, countin’ the kid, who’s got about all he can carry for one day.  We’re here askin’ questions, an’ it’s reasonable for you to answer ’em.”

“I have answered ’em.  I’ll answer all you want to ask.  But I’d think you would feel cheap to come kickin’ about that fight.  My friend fought fair.  You know best whether your friends did.  He took ’em at odds of two to one, an’ at that one of your gunmen hunted cover.  What’s troublin you, anyhow?  Didn’t you have all the breaks?  Do you want an open an’ shut cinch?”

“You’re quite a lawyer,” replied Dumont, the man who found the climate of Texas unhealthy.  “I reckon it would take a good one to talk himself out of the hole you’re in.”

Billie looked at the man and Dumont decided that he did not have a speaking part in the scene.  He was willing to remain one of the mob.  In point of fact, after what he had seen in the last few minutes, he was not at all anxious to force the issue to actual battle.  A good strong bluff would suit him a great deal better.  Even odds of six to two were not good enough considering the demonstration he had witnessed.

“What is it you want?  Another showdown?” asked Clanton unexpectedly.

Quantrell’s man laughed.  “I never did see such a fire-eater.”

He turned to his companions.  “I told you how it would be.  We can’t prove a thing against the kid except that he was lookin’ for a fight an’ got it.  He played the hand that was dealt him an’ he played it good.  I reckon we’ll have to let him go this time, boys.”

“We’ll make a mistake if we do,” differed Sanders.

“You’ll make one if you don’t,” said Prince pointedly.

He stood poised, every nerve and muscle set to a hair-trigger for swift action.  Of those facing him not one of the six but knew they would have to pay the price before they could exact vengeance for the death of the Roush brothers.

“What’s the use of beefing?” grumbled a one-armed puncher in the rear.  “They shot up three of our friends.  What more do you want?”