"But there are ladies here, my good man; you won't subject them to such treatment!" "You're all of a kind--we're going to take the whole bunch!" "What do you think will happen to you if you are mistaken in your man?" "We're not mistaken, dang ye!" "He could sue you for every dollar you possess. I know, for I'm a lawyer!" "Now, I'm sure you're in the job with him. I s'pose you'll try to work in the insanity dodge! It's a nest of thieves and robbers! Say, I'll give you five minutes to surrender; if you don't, we'll set fire to the derned shanty!" "Look here, boys," said Jack Barnes suddenly, "I've done nothing and am not afraid to be arrested. I'm going to give myself up." Of course there was a storm of protest and a flow of tears, but the culprit was firm. "Tell the old fossil that if he'll guarantee safety to me I'll give up!" Anderson was almost too quick in promising protection. "Ask him if he will surrender and make a confession to me--I am Anderson Crow, sir!" was the marshal's tactful suggestion. "He'll do both, Mr. Crow!" replied Crosby. "We've got to take the whole bunch of you, young man. You're all guilty of conspiracy, the whole caboodle!" "But the ladies, you darned old Rube--they can't--" "Looky here, young feller, you can't dictate to me. I'll have you to--" "We'll all go!" cried Mrs. Crosby warmly. "To the very end!" added the new Mrs. Barnes. "What will your father say?" demanded the groom. "He'll disown me anyway, dear, so what's the difference?" "It's rather annoying for a minister--" began the Reverend "Jimmy," putting on his hat. "We'll beg off for you!" cried Mrs. Crosby ironically. "But I'm going to jail, too," finished he grimly. "All right," called Crosby from the window; "here we come!" And forth marched the desperate quintet, three strapping young men and two very pretty and nervous young women. They were met by Anderson Crow and a dozen armed men from Tinkletown, every one of them shaking in his boots. The irrepressible Mrs. Crosby said "Boo!" suddenly, and half the posse jumped as though some one had thrown a bomb at them. "Now, I demand an explanation of this outrage," said Jack Barnes savagely. "What do you mean by shooting at me and my--my wife and arresting us, and all that?" "You'll find out soon enough when you're strung up fer it," snarled Anderson Crow. "An' you'll please hand over that money I paid fer the hoss and buggy. I'll learn you how to sell stolen property to me." "Oh, I'm a horse-thief, am I? This is rich. And they'll string me up, eh? Next thing you'll be accusing me of killing that farmer up near Boggs City." "Well, by gosh! you're a cool one!" ejaculated Anderson Crow. "I s'pose you're goin' ter try the insanity dodge." "It's lucky for me that they caught him," said Barnes as the herd of prisoners moved off toward the string of boats tied to Mr. Bracken's wharf. "Come off!" exclaimed Squires, the reporter, scornfully. "We're onto you, all right, all right."