“Well, jest lay my shooter on the cha’r here aside me ’fore you go.  I feel safer with the little bull-dog in reach.”

This the man did, then putting his own revolver on the table, that it might not get wet, began to unbar the door.  Swift as a shadow Brandt glided out of the shed and around on the opposite side of the shanty.

An instant later Bute was paralyzed by seeing his enemy enter the open door.  Before the outlaw could realize that Brandt was not a feverish vision induced by his wound, the detective had captured both revolvers, and was standing behind the door awaiting Apache Jack’s return.

“Hist!” whispered Brandt, “not a sound, or you will both be dead in two minutes.”

Bute’s nerves were so shattered that he could scarcely have spoken, even if he had been reckless enough to do so.  He felt himself doomed; and when brutal natures like his succumb, they usually break utterly.  Therefore, he could do no more than shiver with unspeakable dread as if he had an ague.

Soon Apache Jack came rushing in out of the storm, to be instantly confronted by Brandt’s revolver.  The fellow glanced at the table, and seeing his own weapon was gone, instinctively half drew a long knife.

“Put that knife on the table!” ordered Brandt, sternly.  “Do you think I’d allow any such foolishness?”

The man now realized his powerlessness, and obeyed; and Brandt secured this weapon also.

“See here, Apache Jack, or whatever your name is, don’t you run your head into a noose.  You know I’m empowered to arrest Bute, and you don’t know anything about the force I have at hand.  All you’ve got to do is to obey me, an officer of the law, like a good citizen.  If you don’t, I’ll shoot you; and that’s all there is about it.  Will you obey orders?”

“I no understan’.”

“Stop lying!  You understand English as well as I do, and I’ll suspect you if you try that on again.  Come, now!  I’ve no time to lose.  It’s death or obedience!”

“You can’t blame a feller fer standin’ by his mate,” was the sullen yet deprecatory reply.

“I can blame any man, and arrest or shoot him too, who obstructs the law.  You must obey me for the next half-hour, to prove that you are not Bute’s accomplice.”

“He’s only my mate, and our rule is ter stand by each other; but, as you say, I can’t help myself, and there’s no use of my goin’ ter jail.”

“I should think not,” added Brandt, appealing to the fellow’s selfish hope of escaping further trouble if Bute was taken.  “Now get my prisoner out of bed and dress him as soon as possible.”

“But he ain’t able ter be moved.  The superintendent said he wasn’t.”

“That’s my business, not yours.  Do as I bid you.”

“Why don’t yer yell fer help?” said Bute, in a hoarse whisper.

“Because he knows I’d shoot him if he did,” remarked Brandt, coolly.

“Come, old man,” said Jack, “luck’s agin yer.  Ef there’s any hollerin’ ter be done, yer’s as able ter do that as I be.”