At the curve they came face to face with Bucky O'Connor. Three
weapons went up quicker than the beating of an eyelash. More
slowly each went down again
"What are you doing here, Bucky?" the sheriff asked.
"Just pirootin' around, Val. It occurred to me Leroy might not
mean to play fair with you, so I kinder invited myself to the
party. When I heard shooting I thought it was you they had
bushwhacked, so I sat in to the game "
"You guessed wrong, Bucky. Reilly and the others rounded on
Leroy. While they were at it they figured to make a clean job and
bump off York, too. From what York says Leroy has got his.
The ranger turned a jade eye on the outlaw. Has Mr. Neil turned
honest man, Val? Taken him into your posse, have you?" he asked,
with an edge of irony in his voice.
The sheriff laid a hand on the shoulder of the man who had been
his friend before he turned miscreant.
"Don't you worry about Neil, Bucky," he advised gently. "It was
York shot Reilly, after York had cut loose at him, and I
shouldn't wonder if that didn't save your life. Neil has got to
stand the gaff for what he's done, but I'll pull wires to get his
punishment made light.
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