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Lawyer Rablay had come from nobody knew where. He was a small man, almost as round as a billiard ball. His body was round, his head was round; his blue eyes and even his mouth and chin were round; his nose was a perky snub; he was florid and prematurely bald a picture of good- humour. And yet he was a power in Garotte.
His face seemed to have grown thinner, and his moustache twitched with the snarling movement of a brute at bay. Then he was tripped up and thrown forwards amid a storm of, "Crawl, damn ye crawl!" And so Hitchcock crawled, on hands and knees, out of Doolan's. Lawyer Rablay, too, was never afterwards seen in Garotte. Men said his nerves had "give out."
And I'll tell a story," and he began a tale which cannot be retold here, but which delighted the boys as much by its salaciousness as by its vivacity. Lawyer Rablay was to Garotte what novels, theatres, churches, concerts are to more favoured cities; in fact, for some six months, he and his stories constituted the chief humanizing influence in the camp.
Would you like to hev first draw, or throw for it with him?" contemptuously indicating Hitchcock with a movement of his head as he concluded. "Let us throw," replied Rablay, quietly. In silence the three dice and the box were placed by Doolan on the bar. In response to Crocker's gesture the Judge took up the box and rolled out two fives and a three thirteen.
Want to decide with bullets whether 'Frisco or Denver's the finest city. 'Frisco's bigger and older, says Crocker; Harrison maintains Denver's better laid out. Crocker replies in his quiet way that 'Frisco ain't dead yet." Good temper being now re-established, Rablay went on: "I'll decide this matter right off. Crocker and Harrison shall set up drinks for the crowd till we're all laid out.
Again he began: "I guess, Jedge, you'd better take my plan, 'twould be surer. No! Wall, suppose I take two six-shooters, one loaded, the other empty, and put them under a capote on the table in the next room. You could both go in and draw for weapons; that'd be square, I reckon?" and he waited for the Judge's reply. "Yes," replied Rablay, "that'd be fair. I agree to that."
Crocker and Harrison had nearly got to loggerheads one night for no reason apparently, save that each had a high reputation for courage, and neither could find a worthier antagonist. In the nick of time Rablay appeared; he seemed to understand the situation at a glance, and broke in: "See here, boys. I'll settle this. They're disputin' I know they are.
"Wall," Crocker decided impassively, "I guess that gives you the draw, Jedge; we throw fer high in Garotte sometimes," he went on, turning as if to explain to Hitchcock, but with insult in his voice, and then, "After you, Jedge!" Rablay passed through the crowd into the next room. There, on a table, was a small heap covered with a cloak.
"A fair fight," replied Rablay, beginning again to use his handkerchief. "Wall," Crocker went on, after a pause for thought. "A square fight's good but hard to get. This man," and his head made a motion towards Hitchcock as he spoke, "is one of the best shots there is, and I reckon you're not as good at shootin' as at other things."
But every one knew that his judgments would be informed by shrewd sense and good-humour, and would be followed by a story, and woe betide the disputant whose perversity deferred that pleasure. So Garotte became a sort of theocracy, with Judge Rablay as ruler. And yet he was, perhaps, the only man in the community whose courage had never been tested or even considered.
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