The Gringos by B. M. Bower
page 39 of 276 (14%)
page 39 of 276 (14%)
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Wilson, standing in the crowd near the door. "That's the truth of the
whole matter," he said, speaking directly to Bill. "I didn't try to make trouble; but I couldn't stand by and see a man murdered, no more than any decent man could." He paused; and still looking toward Bill, added: "I didn't even notice particularly who the men were, until I went up to the boy. It all happened so sudden that I--" The Captain cleared his throat. "You admit, then, that you killed Rawhide Jack and Texas Bill this morning?" "I surely do," retorted Jack. "And if you want to know, I'm kinda proud of it; it was a long shot--to clean the town of two such blackguards. And right here I want to apologize to the town for making a bungle of killing Swift!" "We have two witnesses who also swear that you killed Tex' and Rawhide, though they give a very different version of the trouble with the boy. Would you ask us to believe that Texas Bill lied with his last breath?" "If he told the story you say he did, he certainly lied most sinfully with his last breath; but I'd hate to take your word for anything, so I don't know whether he lied or not." "Mr. Swift, here, tells the same story that Texas Bill told." The Captain chose to ignore the insults. "I think their testimony should carry more weight with the Committee than yours, or the boy's. You are trying to save your neck; and the boy probably feels that he owes you some gratitude for taking his part. But the Committee's business is to weed out the dangerous element which is altogether too large in this |
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