"'Have you the usual and necessary requisition papers from the governor of your state?' asks the judge.
"'My usual papers,' says Luke, 'was taken away from me at the hotel by these gentlemen who represent law and order in your city.They was two Colt's.45's that I've packed for nine years; and if I don't get 'em back, there'll be more trouble.You can ask anybody in Mojada County about Luke Summers.I don't usually need any other kind of papers for what I do.'
"I see the judge looks mad, so I steps up and says:
"'Your Honor, the aforesaid defendant, Mr.Luke Summers, sheriff of Mojada County, Texas, is as fine a man as ever threw a rope or upheld the statutes and codicils of the greatest state in the Union.But he --'
"The judge hits his table with a wooden hammer and asks who I am.
"Bud Oakley,' says I.'Office deputy of the sheriff's office of Mojada County, Texas.Representing,' says I, 'the Law.Luke Summers,' I goes on, 'represents Order.And if Your Honor will give me about ten minutes in private talk, I'll explain the whole thing to you, and show you the equitable and legal requisition papers which I carry in my pocket.'
"The judge kind of half smiles and says he will talk with me in his private room.In there I put the whole thing up to him in such language as I had, and when we goes outside, he announces the verdict that the young man is delivered into the hands of the Texas authorities; and calls the next case.
"Skipping over much of what happened on the way back, I'll tell you how the thing wound up in Bildad.
"When we got the prisoner in the sheriff's office, I says to Luke:
"'You, remember that kid of yours -- that two-year old that they stole away from you when the bust-up come?'