'Then heaven help Deadwood,' Mary shuddered. 'I wish I hadn't come.' At which the elder woman laughed again. 'I don't fancy Paul has enjoyed himself either,' she said.
Which was true enough. Outwardly calm, Lesurge was in the frame of mind when murder becomes easy. His ready tongue had provided an explanation of a damning circumstance. but he was fully alive to the fact that it was a poor one--he would not have given it a moment's credence, and though these men were fools ... Gold, in plenty, would alone repair the damage, gold to fling about, to dazzle these boors who valued nothing else. And a girl, a crazy old drunkard, and that cursed cowboy held the secret. But for that ...
When they returned to the cabin he beckoned Lora into the sitting-room. For a moment he stood, his sombre eyes dwelling upon her, and then he said brutally:
'You must be losing your looks.'
'Stark wouldn't agree with you,' she smiled.
'Age doesn't bring wisdom where women are concerned,' was the cynical reply. 'Green appears to be proof against your charms.' The woman bit her lip. 'If you had confided in me a little more, things might have gone better,' she returned quietly. 'Had I known you wanted Green to steal for you ...'
'Who told you that?' he demanded.
'My dear Paul,' she said scornfully. 'It is perfectly obvious --to me--that you expected Green to roo the coach, but not trusting him, you also made other arrangements. Your double plan defeated itself, doubtless because the cowboy saw through it; one of your weaknesses is to underrate others' intelligence.' Lesurge shook his head impatiently. 'I had no definite agreement; I gave him as broad a hint as I dared but apparently he failed to comprehend it. Now, listen! in a day or so we start for the mine and Green will he with us. It will be your opportunity to ensnare him. The fellow baffles me; I don't know yet whether he is simply stupid or deep, but if you can get him on our side, the game is ours.' He smiled disagreeably. 'It will not he easy, my Lora; you are hardly his type; Mary Ducane, with her unspoiled youthfulness ...' As he had intended, the insult seared. 'She's welcome,' Lora flared. 'Let her do your dirty work; I will not.' 'You'll obey my orders,' he replied harshly. 'Green--like Hickok-- is a danger, and must be overcome.' She stared at him with wide eyes. 'You--had--Wild Bill--killed?' she gasped.
'And why not?' he asked coolly. 'He was in my way. I don't permit interference--from anyone. When I see a clod like Stark, revelling in riches, while 1, his superior in every way else, have to toady to him, I come near to madness; I could kill--and laugh.' And indeed, there was a momentary gleam of it in the glance he bent on her. Once or twice recently he had so betrayed himself, and, with all her hardihood, it brought a shiver.
'Well, I'll do what I can,' she promised. 'God knows I'm sick enough of poverty.'
Chapter XIX
In the morning Lesurge had a talk with the prospector; the situation brooked no more delay.
'Time we went after the mine,' he said. 'And since that memory of yours is still asleep, we must get Green to guide us. He can bring Mason if he likes--after the plucky way he took the coach through I'll be glad to have them.'
'That's good hearin', Paul,' Snowy replied. 'I've a notion Jim thinks you don't cotton to him.'
'Nonsense, man, how could that be after the service he rendered my sister?' Paul said heartily. 'I was a little peevedto find my gold had turned to lead, but I've cleared that up.'
'How many men you takin'?'
'Haven't decided yet. I'll see to that; we'll need to be pretty strong. You and Mary seem to get along all right.'
'She's a nice gal,' the old man said.
'No sign of suspicion?'
'Nary a mite. We fit in so natural I sometimes forget '
'That's the one thing you must always remember--it would be fatal to our plans, and she'd never forgive you,' Paul urged. 'No, I reckon she wouldn't,' Snowy agreed. 'Allasame, her real uncle couldn't do more for her than I'm agoin' to.'
'Of course not,' Paul replied, and hid his smile. 'Now you ,go after Green. 1 have to see Stark.' The saloon- keeper did not receive him quite as cordially as usual, and Lesurge guessed he had been discussed after his departure. He plunged straight into his business:
'Just looked in to tell you that I've solved the mystery of that consignment, Reuben.'
'I'm glad o' that, Paul; it didn't look too good.'
'It looked rotten,' Lesurge admitted. 'But it was as I guessed: I let one of my fellows pack the stuff, which was careless of me. The damned fool had a hunch the stage would be robbed, and took a chance.'
'What have you done to him?' Stark asked curiously. 'Nothing--he saved my life once, so l'm in his debt,' Paul lied. 'I made him disgorge, and I'll wager he won't play any more such pranks on me.' He was silent for a moment. 'Lora said she enjoyed last night.'
'What about repeatin' the dose this evenin'?' Stark said eagerly.
'She'll be too busy packing.'
'The hell you say. Ain't leavin' us, is she?'
'Only for a trip into the hills.' He saw the other's eyebrows go up. 'Oh, it'll be safe enough--we'll be in force. Lora is looking forward to it.'
'I'll bet she is--got sand that girl,' Stark complimented. 'Goin' to search out Ducane's mine?'
'He calls it his--I've given hirn a small interest,' Paul smiled.
'Wish I could go with you but I dasn't leave this place. It's a devil of a tie; sometimes I feel like sellin' the whole shebang an' clearin' out.'
'Wait till I come back, anyway,' Lesurge said. 'Perhaps I'll buy it.' * * * Snowy found Sudden alone in the cabin. Gerry and the others had gone to the claim, and Jacob had accompanied them. It did not take long to explain his errand.
'1 want for you to come, Jim,' he urged. 'Things is gettin' on towards a clean-up but we gotta keep the game goin' with that thievin' devil for a while yet.'
'Yu can count me in,' the puncher told him. 'Lesurge has a lot to answer for. I've heard he brought about Hickok's murder.'
'More'n likely. Berg an' McCall was seen together 'bout then. Paul planned an' Stark paid, would be my guess.'
'1f it's true, I'll kill him.' The words came from between shut teeth, and the speaker's bleak eyes showed that it was no idle threat. Snowy thought of Lefty Logan and would not have changed places with Lesurge for all the gold he expected to find.
'You don't have to ask my permission,' he said grimly. 'Jim, are those fellas you got workin' with you, straight?'
'Shore they are.'
'Ain't pannin' much are you?'
'Haven't had to charter a stage-coach yet,' Sudden smiled.
'I reckoned not,' Snowy said. 'Well, here's my proposition; there's enough at the Rockin' Stone for all of us. Take them boys to the spot an' tell 'em to hold on till we come. They'll need plenty grub an' their rifles--Paul will have a band o' barscourin's with him an' he'll raise Cain when he learns he's bin tricked. You can git away from the claim without bein' seen an' be back yorself by the time we're ready to start.'
'What about Gerry?'
'He can come with us if he wants but I'm guessin' he won't,' the old man said, a shrewd twinkle in his eye.
'We'll do it,' Sudden promised. 'Snowy, how long have yu knowed Lesurge?'
''Bout the same time as you, but I know him better,'. came the sardonic answer. 'Yes, sir, I'm wise to the dirty game he's playin' an' I'm goin' to beat it. Get busy, son.' He trudged away, and for some moments the cowboy stood gazing after the stooping, frail figure, with its long, unkempt white hair. To-day, somehow, it had a dignity lacking before, Jacob's dictum anent watching the pawns recurred to his mind; Paul Lesurge should have heard that.
Getting his horse, he rode up to the claim. As he had fully expected, the prospector's offer was received with
