Max Brand

“ The sheriff struck his forehead with a pudgy hand.
"When a man's sold his soul to the devil they ain't no way of buyin' it back."
"When you're all waked up," said Silent soothingly, "they ain't no more reasonable man than you, Gus. But sometimes you get to seein' things cross-eyed. Here's my game. What do you think they'd do in Elkhead if a letter came for Dan Barry along about now?" ”

“ Sam turned as crimson as he had been pale before.
"I forgot," he muttered. "I was scared an' forgot!"
"An' maybe you've forgot that I'd be swingin' on the end of a rope in Elkhead if it wasn't for Dan Barry?" suggested Buck.
"Buck," said his father huskily, "I'm askin' your pardon. I got sort of panicky for a minute, that's all. But what are we goin' to do with him? If he don't get help he'll be a dead man quick. An' you can't go to Elkhead for the doctor. They'd doctor Dan with six-guns, that's what they'd do." ”

“ I'm agreeable about that, and when you get short of cash just drop up and see us—you know where.
"'That's a great bluff you've made about being on my trail. Keep it up. It'll fool everybody for a while. ”