"Well?" he questioned curtly. "What's it all about? That scoundrel been selling licker again?"
"Not to us," snapped Buck. "Are you Hardenberg?" he added, with sudden inspiration.
"Well, you're the cause of our being in here."
The gray eyes studied him narrowly. "How come?"
"I came to town to see you specially and was told by a man outside that you were making a raid on this joint. We hadn't been inside three minutes before we found it was a plant to get us here and knife us."
"I don't get you," remarked the sheriff in a slightly puzzled tone.
By this time Buck's momentary irritation at the hint that it was all merely a drunken quarrel was dying away.
"I don't wonder," he returned in a more amiable tone. "It's a long story--too long to tell just now. I can only say that we were attacked without cause by the whole gang here, and if you hadn't shown up just now, it's a question whether we'd have gotten away alive."
The sheriff's glance swept over the disordered room, taking in the shattered window, the bodies on the floor, the Mexican who crouched moaning in a corner, and returned to Stratton's face.
"I'm not so sure about that last," he commented, with a momentary grim smile. "What's your name?"
"Sure. I'll explain about that later. Meanwhile--"
He broke off and, bending swiftly, pulled his Colt from under the table. Breaking the weapon, he ejected a little shower of empty brass shells, at the sight of which his lips tightened. Still without comment, he rapidly filled it from his belt, Hardenberg watching him intently the while.
"Meanwhile, you'd like a little action, eh?" drawled the sheriff. "You're right. Either of you hurt?"
He glanced inquiringly at Jessup, who was just wiping the blood from his cut face.
"Not me," snapped Bud. "This don't amount to nothin'. Say, was there a guy hangin' around outside when yuh came in--short, with black hair an' eyes set close together?"
Buck gave a slight start; the sheriff shook his head.
"I might have known he'd beat it," snorted Bud. "But I'll get the lyin' son-of-a-gun yet; it was him told us yuh were in here."
Hardenberg's gray eyes narrowed slightly. "That'll come later. We'll round up this bunch first. If you two will ride around to Main Street and get hold of half a dozen of my deputies, I'll stay here and hold this bunch."