"They'll fight," he said, briefly.
Samson nodded.
"I don't understand the method," demurred the officer, with
perplexity. "Why don't they shoot you at once. What are they waiting
for?"
"They want to see," Samson assured him, "what tack I mean to take.
They want to let the thing play itself out, They're inquisitive--and
they're cautious, because now they are bucking the State and the world."
Samson with his escort rode up to the court-house door, and
dismounted. He was for the moment unarmed, and his men walked on each
side of him, while the onlooking Hollmans stood back in surly silence
to let him pass. In the office of the County Judge, Samson said briefly: "I want to get my deputies sworn in."
"We've got plenty deputy sheriffs," was the quietly insolent rejoinder.
"Not now--we haven't any." Samson's voice was sharply incisive. "I'll
name my own assistants."
"What's the matter with these boys?" The County Judge waved his hand
toward two hold-over deputies.
"They're fired."
The County Judge laughed.
"Well, I reckon I can't attend to that right now."
"Then, you refuse?"
"Mebby you might call it that."
Samson leaned on the Judge's table, and rapped sharply with his
knuckles. His handful of men stood close, and Callomb caught his
breath, in the heavy air of storm-freighted suspense. The Hollman
partisans filled the room, and others were crowding to the doors.
"I'm High Sheriff of this County now," said Samson, sharply. "You are
County Judge. Do we coöperate--or fight?"
"I reckon," drawled the other, "that's a matter we'll work out as we
goes along. Depends on how obedient ye air."
"I'm responsible for the peace and quiet of this County," continued
Samson. "We're going to have peace and quiet."
The Judge looked about him. The indications did not appear to him
indicative of peace and quiet.
"Air we?" he inquired.
"I'm coming back here in a half-hour," said the new Sheriff. "This is
an unlawful and armed assembly. When I get back, I want to find the
court-house occupied only by unarmed citizens who have business here."
"When ye comes back," suggested the County Judge, "I'd advise that ye
resigns yore job. A half-hour is about es long as ye ought ter try ter
hold hit."
Samson turned and walked through the scowling crowd to the court-house
steps.