"Friends," Tom went on, as soon as he could secure silence, "I am a
newcomer among you. I have no right to tell you how to conduct your
affairs, and I am not going to make that mistake. What you may do with
Jim Duff, what you may do with others who damage the fair name of your
town, is none of my business. For myself I want no revenge on these
rascals. They have already been handled with much more roughness than
they had time to show to me. I am satisfied to call the matter even."
"But we're not!" shouted an Arizona voice from the crowd.
"That's your own affair, gentlemen," Reade went on. "I wish to suggest
--in fact, I beg of you--that you let these fellows go to-night. In the
morning, when the sun is up, and after you have thought over the matter,
you will be in a better position to give these fellows fair-minded
justice--if you then still feel that something must be done to them.
That is all I have to say, gentlemen. Now, Mr. Beasley, won't you follow
with further remarks in this same line?"
Mr.
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