The Little Nugget · I · XIV · Chapter 2 14 1 (2/2)

“Ask your friend MacGinnis to be good enough to step into the light of that lamp and drop his gun.”

There was a muttered conversation. I heard Buck’s voice rumbling like a train going under a bridge. The request did not appear to find favour with him. Then came an interlude of soothing speech from Mr. Fisher. I could not distinguish the words, but I gathered that he was pointing out to him that, on this occasion only, the visit being for the purposes of parley and not of attack, pistols might be looked on as non-essentials. Whatever his arguments, they were successful, for, finally, humped as to the back and muttering, Buck moved into the light.

“Good evening, Mr. MacGinnis,” I said. “I’m glad to see your leg is all right again. I won’t detain you a moment. Just feel in your pockets and shed a few of your guns, and then you can come in out of the rain. To prevent any misunderstanding, I may say I have a gun of my own. It is trained on you now.”

“I ain’t got no gun.”

“Come along. This is no time for airy persiflage. Out with them.”

A moment’s hesitation, and a small black pistol fell to the ground.

“No more?”

“Think I’m a regiment?”

“I don’t know what you are. Well, I’ll take your word for it. You will come in one by one, with your hands up.”

I went down and opened the door, holding my pistol in readiness against the unexpected.