Hira would have had to kill them all.

“Sí. I understand. How could this Pierce muchacho have such a rotten family?”

“Don’t know. Seems he’s the black sheep, but not because he’s bad, actually the opposite. He’s good. Had a different mother, an Indio, they say. Some little liaison the Scotsman had and he kept the boy around after the mother died, but treats him like hell. He’s the best one of the bunch and gets treated the worst. Terrible, terrible the names they called him.”

“Darling, how are we to find this Mexican boy? He fell into the river and that’s all we know. It seems it would be easier to find a needle in a haystack.”

“I know.” It was a vexing problem. He looked at her and smiled weakly. “I think the more important job is to keep an eye on the bad son, Thad. We’ve got to track him down before he tracks the Mexican fellow down. The captain says we can arrest him for assault and conspiracy since he failed to heed our warning.  I should have just arrested and taken in him when we had the chance.” He looked at Rosario with bloodshot eyes. “I’m not much of a lawman, darling, but I know he’d have not gone without a fight. Singh would have likely had to kill the whole bunch, father and son and sheriff as well.” He reached to the bedside table and poured a big whiskey. He drank it with shaky hands.

Rosario comforted him. “No, you did the right thing. Sometimes, you just cannot make men do the right thing, and pushing too far, well, you are right, Hira would have had to kill them all.” She shrugged and poured a drink for herself. “It would not have been the right thing, for either you or dear Hira.”

“So, now we get to go running all over hell’s half acre and bring him in, dead or alive.” He grinned and felt silly saying that, as he was not a law dog. He was a secretary to the captain, and a good manager and administrator, but he was not a policeman.

Rosario got out of bed and moved around the room naked and Hobbs watched and enjoyed her. She was working again and he knew he’d sleep no more today. She was packing and this got his attention. Allingham; Desperate Ride