But I resolved not to give up,
and said as much now to Belknap-Jackson.
"I may be blamed for bringing him among you, but trust me if things
are really as bad as they seem. I'll get him off again. I'll not let
myself be bowled by such a silly lob as that. Trust me to devote
profound thought to this problem."
"We all have every confidence in you," he assured me, "but don't be
too severe all at once with the chap. He might recover a sane balance
even yet."
"I shall use discretion," I assured him, "but if it proves that I have
fluffed my catch, rely upon me to use extreme measures."
"Red Gap needs your best effort," he replied in a voice that brimmed
with feeling.
At five-thirty, my rush being over, I repaired to the neighbourhood
where the Honourable George had been reported. The stockade now
contained only a half-score of the untaught horses, but across the
road from it was a public house, or saloon, from which came
unmistakable sounds of carousing. It was an unsavoury place,
frequented only by cattle and horse persons, the proprietor being an
abandoned character named Spilmer, who had once done a patron to death
in a drunken quarrel. Only slight legal difficulties had been made for
him, however, it having been pleaded that he acted in self-defence,
and the creature had at once resumed his trade as publican.
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