Mister, and we'll play it your way. We've got
two thousand armed men who know how to shoot fast and straight because
they've done a lot of it the last two months. They're the ones that shot
faster and straighter than the guys they were shooting at."

"You want to live here peaceably with us, is that it?" questioned Mayor
Hilliard.

The man laughed harshly. "Why sure! We're peaceful people, aren't we,
Men?" He took reassurance from his grinning companions. "Just as
peaceful as them around us."

"How about those ranch families you murdered last night?"

The speaker laughed again. "They didn't want peace, did they, Men? All
we asked for was a little something to eat and they started an argument
with us. We just don't like arguments."

Mayor Hilliard glanced beyond the table to the first row of listeners.
His glance fell upon Dr. Aylesworth. "Before giving my consent to your
coming in," he said slowly, "I'd like to hear from one of our more
prominent citizens. This is Dr. Aylesworth, one of our ministers. Would
you like to tell these people how we feel about their proposal,
Reverend?"

The minister rose slowly, his eyes never leaving the three nomads. "It
will be a pleasure to tell them." Then to the three he said, "You can go
right back where you came from. That's our answer to your proposal."

The big man snarled. "So that's the way you want it, is it? Well then,
we'll be back, and when we come you'll wish you'd sung a different
tune!"

Mayor Hilliard smiled a wry smile. "I didn't expect our minister to be
quite so unfeeling of your plight. Since I am in agreement with his
views, however, I must say that you will not be back, because you are
not going anywhere. Sheriff, arrest these men!"

Instantly, the big man dropped his hand to his pocket. Before his gun
was halfway out, a shot rang from the rear doorway of the crowded room.
The stranger dropped to the platform like a crumpled bull.

"You're covered," said Hilliard to the other two. "You came here with a
white flag, but it had our people's blood all over it. We are not
violating any truce because this is not an affair of honor among
gentlemen. It's going to be only an extermination of wild beasts!"

Chapter 14. _Mobilization_

The two nomads stood glaring and snarling before the drawn revolvers
that pointed at them from the doorways of the room. For an instant it
looked as if they were going to draw their own weapons and make a
pitched battle o