"Well," he said sarcastically, "what are you going to do about it?"
"First," returned Patches calmly, "I am going to tell you how I happened
to be here with Yavapai Joe."
"I don't need any explanations from you. It's some more of your personal
business, I suppose," retorted Phil.
Patches controlled himself. "You are going to hear the explanation, just
the same," he returned. "You can believe it or not, just as you please."
"And what then?" demanded Phil.
"Then I'm going to get a gun, and we'll settle the rest of it, man to
man, on equal terms, just as soon as you like," answered Patches
deliberately.
Phil replied shortly. "Go ahead with your palaver. I'll have to hand it
to you when it comes to talk. I am not educated that way myself."
For a moment Patches hesitated, as though on the point of changing his
mind about the explanation. Then his sense of justice--justice both for
Phil and himself--conquered.
But in telling Phil how he had come upon the scene too late for positive
proof that the freshly branded calf was the Dean's property, and in
explaining how, when the foreman arrived, he had just persuaded Joe to
go with him and give the necessary evidence against Nick, Patches forgot
the possible effect of his words upon Joe himself.
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