The sheriff and deputies complicated on him, their weapons drawn. Reeves was once with them. "What's up, Sheriff? " Max requested. "Search him," Reeves stated excitedly. "You'll locate the money he stole correct on him. " "Stole? " Max acknowledged. "He's loopy! That money's mine. He owed it to me. " "Keep your hand clear of your gun," the sheriff acknowledged, relocating ahead carefully. He caught his hand in Max's pocket. It got here out with a sheaf of accounts. "See! " Reeves yelled. "What did I inform you? " "You son of a whinge! " Max exploded. He flung himself towards Reeves. prior to he may perhaps succeed in him, the sheriff introduced his gun butt down alongside the part of Max's head. It was once simply at that second that Mike appeared out the window of the room over the saloon. Reeves walked over to Max and appeared down at him. "I shoulda identified larger than to belief a half-breed. " "Pick him up, boys, an' tote him over to the jail," the sheriff stated. "Better recover from to the saloon and get his nigger buddy, too," Reeves acknowledged. "He used to be most likely in on it. " Mike observed the sheriff glance over on the saloon, then start to stroll towards it. He did not wait any further. He went down the again stairs and acquired the hell out of city. * * * Reeves rode alongside the line to his ranch, part buzzing to himself. He was once feeling sturdy. For the 1st time, he used to be safe. Max would not dare speak; it will simply make it worse for him. And the nigger used to be long gone. depart it to a nigger to run while issues obtained tough. He was once so wrapped up in his techniques that he by no means heard the crack of the snake because it whipped out from at the back of the bushes and dragged him down off his horse. He scrambled to his toes and reached for his gun however the subsequent crack of the snake tore it from his arms. Mike walked slowly towards him, the large whip coiling slowly again up his arm. Reeves screamed in terror. the massive snake cracked back and Reeves spun round and tumbled over backward into the airborne dirt and dust. He acquired to his arms and knees and commenced to move slowly, then scrambled to his toes and attempted to run. The snake ran down the line after him and crept among his legs, throwing him to the floor. He grew to become his head and observed Mike's arm pass up into the air, the lengthy black whip emerging with it. He screamed because the snake tore into him back. * * * someday early the subsequent morning, the sheriff and his deputies came upon a physique mendacity in conjunction with the line. throughout the evening, somebody had torn the bars from the window of the jail's merely phone and Max had escaped. one of many deputies observed the physique first. He wheeled his horse over beside it and appeared down. The sheriff and the opposite deputy wheeled their horses. For an extended whereas, they stared down on the mutilated physique. Then one in every of them took off his hat and wiped the chilly, beaded sweat from his brow. "That feels like Banker Reeves. " The sheriff grew to become and checked out him. "That was once Banker Reeves," he acknowledged. He, too, took off his hat and wiped his face. "Funny," he additional. "The merely factor i do know of that could do this to a guy is a Louisiana felony snake. " 14 THE identify OF THE VILLAGE IN SPANISH used to be VERY lengthy and hard for american citizens to pronounce, so after some time they gave it their very own identify.