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Updated: May 26, 2025
"Keep back, you," cried the deputy again. In the group around S. Behrman's buggy, Gethings and Delaney were yet quarrelling, and the angry debate between Magnus, Garnett, and the marshal still continued. Till this moment, the real estate broker, Christian, had taken no part in the argument, but had kept himself in the rear of the buggy. Now, however, he pushed forward.
Promptly these chairs were filled up with members of the League, the audience cheering as certain well-known figures made their appearance Garnett of the Ruby ranch, Gethings of the San Pablo, Keast of the ranch of the same name, Chattern of the Bonanza, elderly men, bearded, slow of speech, deliberate. Garnett opened the meeting; his speech was plain, straightforward, matter-of-fact.
There remained in the harness room besides Vanamee and Presley Magnus Derrick, Annixter, old Broderson Harran, Garnett from the Ruby rancho, Keast from the ranch of the same name, Gethings of the San Pablo, Chattern of the Bonanza, about a score of others, ranchers from various parts of the county, and, last of all, Dabney, ignored, silent, to whom nobody spoke and who, as yet, had not uttered a word.
Ranchers from remoter parts of the country appeared: Garnett, from the Ruby rancho, Keast, from the ranch of the same name, Gethings, of the San Pablo, Chattern, of the Bonanza, and others and still others, a score of them elderly men, for the most part, bearded, slow of speech, deliberate, dressed in broadcloth.
Presley withdrew, leading the buckskin and the horses that Gethings and Cutter had ridden. He fastened them under the great live oak and then came out and stood in the road in front of the house to watch what was going on. In the ditch, shoulder deep, the Leaguers, ready, watchful, waited in silence, their eyes fixed on the white shimmer of the road leading to Guadalajara.
"All right," said Gethings. "But if it comes to a gun-fight, that means it's all up with at least one of us. Delaney never misses his man." When they reached Hooven's again, they found that the Leaguers had already taken their position in the ditch. The plank bridge across it had been torn up.
"The Salinas rate," continued Lyman, "has been lowered seventy-five cents; the St. Helena rate fifty cents, and please notice the very drastic cut from Red Bluff, north, along the Oregon route, to the Oregon State Line." "Where not a carload of wheat is shipped in a year," commented Gethings of the San Pablo. "Oh, you will find yourself mistaken there, Mr. Gethings," returned Lyman courteously.
At length, the doctor got down from the carry-all, letting down the rain-flaps on that side as well. "Will somebody go home with the body?" he asked. Gethings stepped forward and took his place by the driver. The carry-all drove away. Presley reentered the house. During his absence it had been cleared of all but one or two of the Leaguers, who had taken part in the fight.
Gethings departed to join Cutter on the Long Trestle, while Phelps and Harran, taking Annixter's field glasses with them, and mounting their horses, went out towards Guadalajara on the Lower Road to watch for the marshal's approach from that direction. After the outposts had left them, the party in Hooven's cottage looked to their weapons.
They could hear Gethings and Delaney wrangling furiously; another deputy joined in. "I'm going to call the Governor back," exclaimed Annixter, suddenly clambering out of the ditch. "No, no," cried Osterman, "keep in the ditch. They can't drive us out if we keep here."
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