"
"I'll take that out of you, Reade!" blazed Jim Duff. "I'll--"
"You'll do nothing while the kid's hands are tied," objected Bodson,
stepping between the pair. "Act fair and square, Jim, as a man should
act."
"That's the argument, Rafe," remarked another man, also stepping
forward.
"Bully for you, Jeff Moore," replied Rafe. "Now, remember, friends,
we're not calling for anything except that Jim Duff live up to the
program he just published for himself--the square deal."
Several murmurs of protest came from the other raiders.
"I reckon, Rafe, you and Jeff had better step back and let the rest of
us handle this thing," advised one of the party. "The pair of you are
too chicken-livered for us."
"It's a lie, as anyone in Paloma knows," Rafe retorted coolly. "No--put
up your shooters," as the hands of five or six men slid to their belts.
"There's no need of bad blood between us. All I ask is for Jim Duff to
step back out of this."
"Am I the leader here or am I not?" demanded Duff boldly.
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