He is death on rattlers.
Killed more than a hundred of them last summer. But the lawless element
of this county take mighty good care that Keeler is not elected sheriff.
So much the better for us, for he is free to manage this business."
The doctor's speech made an impression. But these Californians had not
yet learned the value of honor. They seemed to think that they could
catch the murderers if they put up enough money. They themselves were
too busy making money to hunt down the outlaws; but they assumed that
money would do it; and they were willing to put up thousands of dollars.
But numerous rewards for the apprehension of desperadoes were
outstanding at that very hour; and the desperadoes were still at large.
As a money-making proposition, mining with all its uncertainties was
more attractive than professional detective work. Then again, these
Californians could not trust a man actuated by motives higher than their
own. Indeed, their chairman, Henry Francis himself, for some subtle
reason which it would have been well for him to analyze, was opposed to
employing honest John Keeler. It would have been well for Francis,
before it was too late, to realize to what an extent money standards
were replacing honor in his own life.
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