to carry him to Denver, where they’ll likely hang him without even asking about Frank and Jesse James!”
There was an angry muttering from the other lawmen and du Val spat, disgusted. The railroad dick laughed and told Longarm, “Ain’t this a caution? We get into this fix every time we talk to these folks. My own bid’s highest of all, but nobody listens. If you ask me, they’re just funning us. I’m getting to where I wouldn’t be surprised if that jaybird in the hoosegow wasn’t in on it with these valley folks!”
Longarm considered the idea seriously for a moment. It made as much sense as anything else he’d heard that afternoon. He asked Timberline and the girl, “Have you folks thought about the who as much as the how much?”
Kim Stover asked what he meant.
Longarm said, “The reward might have greeded you past clear thinking. I, for one, could promise all the tea in China, were I a promising sort. But, on the hoof, your prisoner’s worth two hundred and fifty to you, period, and assuming you can take the word of whoever among us you turn him over to.”
Timberline began, “The reward on the James Boy’s…”
Longarm cut in to insist, “Cotton Younger ain’t no James. He’s small fry. So the most he’s worth in any place is maybe five hundred, split with the arresting officer. That is, with some arresting Officers.”
Sheriff Weed said, “Damn it, Longarm!”
But Longarm ignored him to go on, “County officers are allowed to accept rewards. Federal officers ain’t. If either of you can count, you’ll see I’ve just eliminated one temptation.”
The army man, Captain Walthers, cried out, “Hold on there! I’m a federal officer, too!”
Longarm nodded and said, “I’ll get to you in a minute, Captain. I’m trying to cut the sheriff out of the tally at the moment!”
Weed yelled, “I told ‘em I’d let ‘em have the whole reward, God damn your eyes!”
“Well, sure, you told ‘em, Sheriff. Likely, if you was to double-cross these folks out here in Wyoming, the folks in Missouri would vote against you, next election, too.”
He saw the widow Stover’s eyes were going tick-tick-tick in her pretty but bitter-lipped face, so he dropped the attack on the sheriff to say, “The railroad dick, here, is a civilian who’s working for the reward and nothing else. If he double-crossed you… well, being in the cattle business, you must know how fair a shake you’ll get from the courts, against the railroads and such.”
The railroad dick sighed and said, “Next time that French Canuck tries for you…”
“It was ornery, but you just tried to outbid the rest of us. Like I was saying, a U.S. Deputy Marshal ain’t allowed to accept rewards. So if I agreed to forward such rewards as was due…”
“I can see what you’re trying to pull,” snapped Kim Stover. “It won’t work. We know better than to trust any of you to send us the money!”
Timberline laughed and said, “I keep telling you we’ve been over this same ground, Longarm. You’d best see if Uncle Sam’s ready to pay that ten thousand. We ain’t piggy. We’ll sell the owlhoot to you for half what both James Boys is worth, and if anybody gets the other ten…”
“Back up, Timberline. You’re starting to talk about the national debt again. Number one, we don’t know whether Cotton Younger knows where either Frank or Jesse James are hiding out. Number two, we don’t know whether he’ll be willing to tell us, if he does.”
Timberline shrugged and said, “I could get it out of him in five minutes if the little lady here would let me talk to him my own way!”
Kim Stover shook her head and said, “I said there’d be no hanging and no torture and I meant it. We’re poor but decent folks in Crooked Lance.” Then she spoiled it all by adding, “Besides, they’ll have ways of getting him to talk, once they pay us for him. I reckon once they’ve paid us the ten thousand, they’ll get him to say whether he knows or not!”
By now they were moving down the main street of the settlement and further argument was broken off as the railroad dick groaned, “Oh, no, that’s all we need!” A buckboard was parked in front of the general store. A woman in a canvas dust smock and feathered hat was being helped down from her seat by a midget dressed in dusty black. Little Cedric had abandoned his disguise and was puffing a two-bit cigar under his black porkpie hat.
Timberline choked and asked, “Jesus! What is it?”
Longarm said, “Meet Mister and Mrs. Hanks, but don’t play cards with them.”
As Mabel looked up at the party reining in around them, Longarm touched the brim of his Stetson and said, “Evening, ma’am. I see you got here after all. I asked around for your kin but nobody here seems to know ‘em.”
Cedric Hanks said, “Oh, stuff a sock in it, Longarm! We’re here fair and square with an honest business proposition.”
Before they could go further into it, the Northwest Mountie moved up beside Longarm and asked, “Did you see where du Val was heading, Deputy?”
Longarm twisted around in his saddle to count heads as he frowned and replied, “Never saw him drop out. Not that I was watching.”
The army agent said, “I was, but I didn’t think it was important when he dropped back. Who cares about the old drifter, anyway?”
“I do!” snapped Longarm, kicking his bay into a sudden lope as he tore over to the jail and slid from the saddle, drawing as he kicked in the door. The startled jailer, Wade, jumped up from his seat with a gasp, even as Longarm saw the jail was empty except for Pop Wade and the prisoner.
Longarm put his sidearm away with a puzzled frown, explaining, “That old Canuck is up to something. I thought he was heading for here.”
