'Take him to Fair Play and turn him over to Elbert.'
'We'll have to tie him. There's a rope in my car.' Wall started to get it.
'Better bring your car back here. I'd rather get away without being seen.'
'All right.' Wall went to get the car.
The unconscious man stirred. His eyes flickered open, as Stevens was removing his weapon. He digested the situation silently, in his eyes hatred and the fury of defeat.
'Why don't you cut loose with that gun?' he demanded.
Hal did not answer. The young desperado cursed him with deep malignant rage, in a low monotone that spaced the epithets dripping from his thin lips.
Wall drove up in his car and joined them, a rope in his hand. Fenwick fought savagely to keep his hands from being tied behind him. Both of the others were physically more powerful than he, but it was all they could do to rope their prisoner securely. Even after his arms were bound, it was difficult getting him into the automobile.
Tom drove and Hal sat beside Fenwick to watch him. They followed the dirt road through the desert that led to Fair Play, swallowing dust most of the way. The clock in front of a jewelry store registered twelve o'clock as they reached the courthouse square. Sheriff Elbert had to be routed out of bed to receive the prisoner.
'I'll fix you both for this,' Fenwick threatened, with tight-lipped venom as they turned to leave.
As they tramped back to the car, Wall made a sour comment. 'He'll do just that, too, if we're not careful. Black will get him out of jail somehow, and he'll be raring to get us. The hell of it is that we can't go gunning for him, but he can for us. The law is quite a protection for criminals, looks like.'
Hal agreed that being a law-abiding citizen carried its penalties.
AS FRAWLEY was driving in to Big Bridge, his car was stopped on the edge of town by Black.
'Did you find Brick?' Frawley asked.
'Yes,' snapped the ranchman. 'Found him and lost him again.'
'What you mean?'
'What I say. Brick had some kind of run-in with that fellow Wall over a girl. Someone stopped it before they got to shooting. As we were coming out here, Wall and some other man crossed the street. Like the damn fool he is, Brick shut off the switch and got out, hell-bent to go after Wall and get him. I haven't seen him since. That was more than an hour ago.'
'What do you think became of him?'
'How would I know? I heard a shot. Just one. If that spells anything.'
They talked the situation over and decided to wait in Big Bridge till morning, by which time Fenwick would probably show up. Without any more data to go on, it was impossible to know what had happened. Brick might have killed Wall, been recognized by the companion of his victim, and fled to the hills to avoid arrest. Or he might have been killed himself. Wall was a tough nut to crack and might have ambushed the man pursuing him.
They ate next morning at the Barnes restaurant. While waiting for the ham and eggs to be served, Black walked to the cashier's desk. The young woman making change for a customer was the one Brick Fenwick had been attentive to, and the ranchman thought it possible she might have some information about him. He mentioned that it was a nice day and then put his question.
The steady eyes of the red-headed girl took in with distaste the soiled and dirty hill man. 'I don't know where he is, and I don't care. My only hope about him is that I never see him again.'
Black's smile was bland and oily. 'You've got that boy wrong, Miss Barnes. I grant you he's a bit wild and sometimes too impulsive, but he has a kind heart.'
'I don't care to discuss him,' she said, and turned to ring up an eighty-five-cent tab paid by another customer.
The cattleman went back to his table. 'No soap,' he told Frawley. 'She is plenty sore at Brick. Likely the rambunctious fool got fresh with her. I dunno why I put up with that boy.'
Frawley's splenetic laughter was derisive. 'You put up with him because he'll do yore dirty work. What's the sense in trying to run any flubdub on me? I know you.'
Into the restaurant walked Hal Stevens and Tom Wall. They took a corner table near the kitchen. After they were seated, Tom said in a murmur, 'Look who is with us.'
Frawley was bristling like a turkey-cock. His face had turned purple with rage. Black said something to him in a low voice. The big man flung out a rough answer loud enough for anybody in the room to hear. 'I don't have to keep still, Tick. I'd as lief tell the so-and-so what I think of him, right damn now.'
Manuel brought the bill of fare to the corner table and left it with Hal, who discussed breakfast with Tom and wrote down their choice. He had got as far as orange juice and oatmeal when Helen walked down the aisle to them.
'I think you'd like the bacon,' she said, and added in a whisper: 'Mr. Black asked me where Fenwick is.'
Hal replied, 'On your recommendation, Miss Barnes, we'll take the bacon.' He wrote on the paper below the word oatmeal, 'Brick is in jail at Fair Play.'
'How do you like your eggs?'
'Sunny side up,' Hal answered. On the breakfast order he scribbled, 'We trapped him last night.'
'Coffee, of course?'
'Without cream for mine,' Wall replied.
Helen took the order and walked into the kitchen.
At the adjoining table Black had been pouring remonstrances into Frawley's ear. He rose and stepped back to the one where the M K men sat.
'I'm a little worried about that boy Fenwick,' he said. 'The kid was to have met us here and he hasn't showed up. I don't suppose either of you have seen him.'
'I wouldn't worry too much about him, Tick,' Hal replied, eyeing his neighbor from the hills coolly. 'A fine young fellow like that wouldn't get into trouble.'
'He flies off the handle too quickly,' Black submitted. 'Like he did the other day with you and young Frank Lovell. I wouldn't blame you if you don't lie him. But I'm kinda responsible to his mother for him. His wildness worries me.'
'Boys will be boys. You must make allowances for high spirits, Tick. Maybe he is a little quick on the trigger, but it is all nice clean fun.'
The hill man slid a quick look at Hal's innocent face. 'I thought perhaps you or Wall might have seen him.'
'You're too conscientious and get disturbed when there is no need. I'll bet that right now he isn't in any mischief at all. Very likely he is studying his Sunday School lesson.' Hal sprinkled sugar on the oatmeal Manuel had just put in front of him, poured cream in the dish, and started to eat.
Black watched the breakfasters, in doubt as to the value of further conversation. 'I suppose
'I've been with Hal all night,' Wall said, wooden-faced. 'I haven't seen any more of him than Hal has.'
The oldtimer went back to his table and sat down.
'Well!' rasped Frawley. 'I'll bet you didn't find out a thing.'
The ham and eggs had arrived. Black jerked his plate toward him irritably. 'They've got something up their sleeves. They sat there laughing at me, making but they were dead serious.'
'He'll laugh on the other side of his mouth before I'm through with him,' the big ruffian growled.
'Referring to Stevens, I judge.' The old man's sneer was obvious. 'Better not fool with him, Jim. Even when you have a dead center shot on him, like you had the other morning, all you do is miss. I reckon you had buck fever.'
Frawley thumped on the table angrily. 'Don't ride me, Tick. I won't take it. Not for a minute. How come I to miss was because the sun was in my eyes.' Even in his rage he kept his voice low.
'All right. I ain't riding you. Better luck next time.'
They finished their breakfasts and left. Helen joined her friends quickly. There was nobody else in the room
