When the sheriff heard that, he started to thinking.

He was remembering how he'd hated Armstrong for a good many years, and that made him think that maybe Armstrong would get into trouble with Reeve, because Reeve is a pretty good shot, and the sheriff hoped that, if it come to a showdown, Reeve would shoot Armstrong full of holes.

And that started him wishing pretty strong that Armstrong would get killed!" "Do I have to stand here and listen to this fool talk ?" demanded the sheriff.
"I'm just supposing," said Bull.

"Surely they ain't any harm in just supposing ?" "Not a bit," decided Jud, who had taken the position of main arbiter.
"Well, the sheriff got to wishing Armstrong was dead so strong that it didn't seem he could stand to have him living much more.

He told the folks that he was going out to see that no harm come to Armstrong from Reeve.