"Luke looks black and angry.He'd never let anybody talk to him about that business, and he never mentioned it himself.
"'Toe the mark,' says I.'Do you remember when he was toddling around on the porch and fell down on a pair of Mexican spurs and cut four little holes over his right eye? Look at the prisoner,' says I, 'look at his nose and the shape of his head and -- why, you old fool, don't you know your own son? -- I knew him,' says I, 'when he perforated Mr.Johnson at the depot.'
"Luke comes over to me shaking all over.I never saw him lose his nerve before.
"'Bud,' says he.'I've never had that boy out of my mind one day or one night since he was took away.But I never let on.But can we hold him?
-- Can we make him stay? -- I'll make the best man of him that ever put his foot in a stirrup.Wait a minute,' says he, all excited and out of his mind -- 'I've got some-thing here in my desk -- I reckon it'll hold legal yet -- I've looked at it a thousand times -- " Cus-to-dy of the child," says Luke -- "Cus-to-dy of the child." We can hold him on that, can't we? Le'me see if I can find that decree.'
"Luke begins to tear his desk to pieces.
"'Hold on,' says I.'You are Order and I'm Law.You needn't look for that paper, Luke.It ain't a decree any more.It's requisition papers.
It's on file in that Magistrate's office in New York.I took it along when we went, because I was office deputy and knew the law.'
"'I've got him back,' says Luke.'He's mine again.I never thought -- '
"'Wait a minute,' says I.'We've got to have law and order.You and me have got to preserve 'em both in Mojada County according to our oath and conscience.The kid shot Pedro Johnson, one of Bildad's most prominent and --'
"'Oh, hell!' says Luke.'That don't amount to anything.That fellow was half Mexican, anyhow.'"