him about your cows being rustled, about other brands losing stock, and how you and Josh found them on his Lazy B meadow. I don't really know why I did it… I guess I thought if I told him you wouldn't have to punish your own brother.'
'He went all to pieces. I got him into the house, and after I got some coffee down him he pulled himself together.'
'He said then, and I knew he was telling the truth, that he had nothing to do with the rustling, had never even had a hint that people were holding him responsible. He said that somehow he'd gotten himself into a mess and that Hub Dawes was holding something over him. He felt he'd talked too much, I guess, for he asked me to tell you that he was sorry. Then he rode away.'
'Where did he go, Jen?' Kirby asked and, knowing his brother, dreaded her answer. 'Did he intend to head out of the country?'
Sobs again began to shake her slender shoulders. 'Oh, no! He was going to find Hub Dawes. He said it wasn't too late to clear the name of Street from the rustling stigma, and that he was going to kill Dawes, then clean out the rest of the den of rattlesnakes he'd brought to Lazy B.'
Once again she was nearly caught in the grip of hysteria, and he thought that he would have to slap her to bring her to her senses. But she controlled her sobs and begged, 'Do something. Those gunmen will shoot him down like a dog if he tries to take them on alone. He must be nearly out to Lazy B by now.'
'Josh, you, Curly and Ringo, side me. The rest of you take Jen to town; then put yourself under the sheriff's orders. Did you tell anyone else about this, Jen?'
She shook her head. 'There wasn't time.'
'Then tell Lon he'd better get out to Lazy B quick. Are you all right now?' he asked her as he started to his horse.
She nodded her bright head. 'I'm fine. But I'm not going back to Streeter. I'll ride on out to Maria at Wagon if you'll let me.'
Kirby felt astonishment, then the lifting of a cold hand from his heart. 'You mean until this is over?' he asked gently.
Again she shook her head. 'For as long as you want me, Kirby. I know now it's better to have just a part of you than nothing at all. I've been a coward, the kind of girl Ma wouldn't have been proud of. I know now that the fight you're in is not of your making, and I'm ashamed I asked you to let someone else do the things that have to be done. Oh, Kirby, can't you see I'm asking you to let me wait where I should have waited all along… at Wagon?' She raised her face, and as her lips parted beneath his kiss he felt again a fierce exultation that sent the blood drumming in his ears.
'We'll talk when I get home,' he said finally, when he could summon the will power to take his lips from hers. He helped her mount the sorrel, then ran to his black and flung himself into leather. In a few moments he was leading the way into the Lazy B cut-off. The big gelding appeared to catch the impelling spirit of his rider, for his great body flattened out and he seemed to flow along the trail in a symphony of fluid movement. If only we're not too late, he prayed, but exultation underlay his fear. He felt a vast lift of spirit at the knowledge that he would be siding his brother, not helping to hang him… and that the one girl would be waiting for him when he rode back to Wagon.
As the four riders roared into the yard of the Lazy B headquarters, they came upon a scene that none of them ever forgot.
Bill, a smoking Colt in his hand, was backing slowly out the front door. Across the doorsill stretched the body of a man, a widening red stain turning purple the bright blue of his shirt. Another sprawled figure lay on the porch.
Everything happened so quickly then that they had no time to cry a warning. As they slid from their horses in frantic haste, a man stuck his head around the corner of the house and aimed at Bill's back. He lifted his gun as he stepped out in full view and fired. They could see a puff of dust spurt from between Bill's shoulders, and the slug turned him around before his knees crumpled. Josh had his gun out and roaring before anyone else had time to make a move. Once, twice, it blasted, and Hub Dawes looked at Josh in stunned amazement. He died even as he stared. Kirby caught the sound of a running horse and sprinted across the yard. Curly had jerked his saddle gun from its boot and beaten Kirby to the open. He dropped to one knee, levering the Winchester as he squatted. It came to his shoulder, and the .30-30 sang a wicked song. An outlaw lurched from his saddle and his foot caught in the stirrup as he went down, his face slapping in the mud before the bronc stopped. Kirby yelled, 'Curly, you and Ringo search the place. Be careful; there might be a hideout. Josh, let's get to Bill.' They rushed to him, lying face down. Josh turned him over and slipped his hand into his shirt, feeling for a heartbeat. His fingers were crimson when he removed the hand, but there was hope in his voice as he said quietly, 'He's alive, but he's got an awful hole in him. We'll have to get a doctor pronto!'
They looked up as Curly and Ringo returned from their search. Curly said, 'No one else on the place. Just two dead gunnies and that dirty sidewinder.' He nudged Dawes' body with a contemptuous boot toe. 'There's a buckboard in the shed. Come on, Ringo; let's find some broncs and hitch up quick.'
They had Bill's body in a nest of blankets in the buckboard when Sheriff Peters and his posse crashed into the yard. Kirby quickly told them all that had happened. 'Reckon he cleared his name some before that skunk shot him in the back. If he ever comes to, he'll tell us the rest of his story.'
The sheriff's leathery old countenance broke into a smile. 'Danged if I ever could hook up the name Street with rustlin'. Looks like he plumb cleaned out this place. We'll finish the job at H Bar D.'
'I'll take Bill home,' Kirby said quickly. 'Then me and the boys will come in through the meadow and maybe catch any hombres that try to make their getaway toward the river. We ought to make it about the time you start the fireworks on the other end. Could you spare someone to ride back to town and bring Doc Williams out to Wagon?'
And so they brought Bill Street back to Wagon, a long, quiet figure in the bottom of a buckboard. They carried him gently into the house and into his old room. 'There isn't time to talk, Maria. Just take good care of him.' He hurried to rejoin his waiting crew, but not before Jen had come into his arms. 'Come home to me,' she whispered against his lips.
As they rode toward the river trail, Kirby's heart was singing. Bill had cleared his name and had done it with honor. Even if he died of his wound, his death would be an honorable one. The trouble that had been so long in building was disappearing. And Jen was waiting for him… at home. He felt like yelling in sheer relief, and his expression must have mirrored his thoughts, for Josh, Curly and Ringo were all smiling, although somewhat grimly, as they thundered through the ford, water flying in sheets of muddy spray as they passed. Across the river on Lazy B again, they pulled in their horses for a brief blow. As they did so they exchanged questioning looks. They had all heard it… the distant crash of gunfire.
The rattle of distant gunfire brought worried frowns to their foreheads as the Wagon crew crossed the meadow. They were slowed down by the herd in the hideout pasture. They had to weave in and out of the peacefully grazing animals, and one or twice they had to drive a close-bunched jag of cows out of the way with the end of their ropes. When they were all but stopped, waiting for a belligerent steer to make way, Curly voiced the thought of all. 'Holy smoke,' he said in amazement, 'look at the size of this gather. There must be seven or eight hundred head in here from brands as far away as the Galeyville range. Somebody has sure got a heap of explainin' to do.'
'Ain't it so!' Ringo spoke up. 'Sure glad I ain't one of the gents who'll have to do the answerin'. I've always said I wanted to die with my boots on, but not with a rope makin' 'em do a dance six feet in the air!'
Josh gave them a wry grin. 'If the sound of those guns goin' off up ahead means anything, I don't guess there'll be many left to stretch a rope.'
As they strained to catch the faint echoes of gunfire, Josh led them to the little creek bed which served the rustlers as an exit during their midnight drives. The guns had flared in intensity, then died out completely.
As Peters had told them, the dry creek bed made a rocky but effective trail. Once or twice it dwindled to a narrow gap as it passed between huge boulders. It was as they were passing in the shadow of two great rocks on either side of the trail that they caught the sound of shod hoof ringing against stone. The trail ahead was blocked from their view. Kirby signaled for them to stop, then motioned them to follow Josh as he pulled as far over to one
