"If you can show a good, reasonable doubt in those other cases, Rathburn, I know the court would show leniency if the jury found you guilty on the counts you just mentioned," said the sheriff earnestly. "I'm minded to believe you, so far as yesterday's work was concerned. I have an idea or two myself, but I haven't been able to get a good line on my man. He's too tricky. Of course I'm not going to urge you to do anything against your will. I appreciate your position. You're a fugitive, but you have your liberty. Perhaps you can get away clean, though I doubt it. But there's that chance, and you've naturally got to take it into consideration. And you're not _sure_ of anything if you go to trial on the charges there are against you. But it would count like sixty in your favor, Rathburn, if you'd give yourself up." Rathburn stared at the official speculatively. His thoughts flashed back along the years to the time when he and Laura Mallory had played together as children. He thought of what she had said the night before about the compass. He shifted uneasily on his feet. "Funny thing, sheriff, but I had some such fool notion," he confessed. "It takes nerve, Rathburn, for a man who is wanted to walk in and give up his gun," said the sheriff quietly. "I was thinking of something else," said Rathburn. "An' I've got to think some more about this that you've sort of put in my head." "How much time do you want, Rathburn?" asked Long. Rathburn scowled. "Our positions haven't changed," he said curtly. "I'm still the man you're lookin' for. I'll have to do my thinkin' on my own hook, I reckon." "Just as you say," Long said gravely. "Go over what I've told you carefully and don't make any more false moves while you're making up your mind. You wounded one of my men yesterday." "I shot high on purpose," Rathburn pointed out. "I didn't aim to be corralled just then." "I know you did," was the sheriff's rejoinder. "I know you could have killed him. I gave you credit for it." "You give me credit for quite a few things, sheriff," said Rathburn whimsically. "An' now you'll have to give me credit for bein' plumb cautious. It ain't my intention to have my thinking spell disturbed." His gun flashed in his hand. "I'll have to ask you to go inside an' occupy one of your own cells, sheriff, while I'm wanderin' around an' debatin' the subject." "I know you too well, Rathburn," said the sheriff with a grim smile. "I'm not armed, and I don't intend to obey you. If you intend to shoot you might just as well start!" Rathburn gazed at him coolly for a moment; then he shoved his gun in its holster and leaped. Quick as he was, Long was quicker. The sheriff was out of his chair in a twinkling, and he made a flying tackle, grasping Rathburn about the legs. The two fell to the floor and rolled over and over in their struggles.