Chapter XII
Kenneth Keith looked up as the latest addition to his outfit stepped on to the verandah. A week had passed since he learned of the cowboy's sinister history, and nothing had happened to change his first impression.
'I'd like to be foot-loose for a day or so, seh,' Sudden said. 'Where do yore fellas go when they got coin to spend an' aim to have a good time?'
The rancher's face darkened at this unexpected request; it was more than a little early for a new hand to be seeking a holiday. But he knew the breed; when the urge for a spree possessed them, they would sacrifice their positions to ;ratify it.
'Work-shy already?' he asked sarcastically. 'Red Rock kill clean you out quickly enough; women, drink, and cards, with a probable gun-fight thrown in; you'll find them all here.'
'Thank yu, seh,' Sudden replied. 'That tale will do for the boys, but the truth is, I'm goin' to Hell City.'
If the puncher had suddenly developed horns and a tail his employer could not have appeared more astonished.
'Are you tired of life?' he cried. 'Why, they'll shoot you on sight.'
'Yo're forgettin' my past,' the puncher pointed out, and when Keith remained silent, 'Didn't yu get the news' I warned yu about?'
'yes, but I decided to ignore it, and I'm asking no questions.' a o d. Well, fella will be glad to see me.'
'That is possible, if he knows who you are.'
'Black Sam claims he's a wizard--finds out everythin'.'
'That nigger is a superstitious old lunatic, saturated with witchcraft, voodoo, and like nonsense. To risk your life on that ...'
'Not any; the outfit is wise, an' I'm bettin' one of 'em is in Satan's pay.'
'Which one?' the rancher asked sharply.
'Couldn't say,' Sudden replied, and grinned. 'It ain't Frosty nor Lazy--they's allus most amazin' broke.'
Keith was silent for a space, considering this singular proposition, and a little suspicious. He reminded himself, however, that had the cowboy wished to desert he could have done so without warning, and the Red Rock fable was unnecessary unless he intended to return to the ranch.
'Why are you going, Green?'
There was a shade of anxiety in his tone which Sudden knew was not there on his account.
'Just to have a look at the fella an' his hide-out,' he explained. 'Sort o' spyin' out the land, yu savvy; I ain't gettin' no place, hangin' about here. He'll take it I'm ready to double-cross yu, an' that's what I'm gamblin' on.' He hesitated for a moment. 'Yu don't happen to have a picture o'--yore On?'
Keith frowned. 'No, I--destroyed them,' he said harshly. 'Take care of yourself, Green; I will explain to Lagley.'
As the puncher walked away, a low voice called from a window at the end of the building.
'These wooden walls are not sound-proof,' Joan smiled. 'I happened to hear your last question. Is this what you want? It was taken only a few months before he--went away.'
Sudden scrutinized the photograph, which seemed oddly familiar. The costly cowboy clothes, ornate belt and weapons were there, but the face of the wearer was younger, smiling, and the eyes did not lack expression. A mark showed on the right side of the chin. He pointed to it, and the girl nodded.
'A faint scar, the only thing about him that hasn't altered,' she said sadly. 'You see, I was the cause of that. It happened when we were children: I had teased him, and running after me, he fell on a stone; the wound healed badly. All along I have been persuading myself there must be some mistake, but when I saw that ...'
The quiver in her voice and the trembling fingers as she took back the picture told him that she was very near tears.
'A fella who takes the wrong trail can come back an' start again,' he consoled.
'Yes,' she said, and her eyes met his meaningly. 'I would like Jeff to have that chance.'
Sudden understood--she was asking him not to kill. To his great relief, the Colonel called her, and he was spared the necessity of replying.
At supper that evening, he asked questions about Red Rock, and casually mentioned his holiday. The announcement met with a mixed reception.
'Why, yu ain't been here no time,' one of the older men commented. 'How'd yu work it, Green?'
'Held a gun on the 01' Man, I should think,' Turvey sneered.
'Yeah, that's yore trouble, Turvey,' Sudden retorted. 'Yu should, but yu don't. I just asked, that's all.'
'Ken must be drunk or loco; strike while the iron's hot is my motto,' Frosty grinned, as he made for the door. 'I'd like to go with yu, Jim.'
He was back in ten minutes, still wearing the grin, but hisred face told a different story. A dozen eager voices put the same question.
Frosty shook his head. 'Said he was mighty sorry, but he couldn't have two of his best men absent at the same time, which shows he's in his senses all right. 0' course, that don't shut out all o' yu.'
A yelp of ironical mirth greeted this modest explanation and in the midst of it, Lagley entered. He shot a sour look at Sudden.
'Why didn't yu come to me if yu wanted to lay off?'
'Thought I'd save yu the trouble of askin' the boss,' was * the careless reply.
The implication that he had not the power to give permission only deepened the foreman's frown, but it was Turvey who spoke.
'Allus did hate a ranch where the owner keeps pets,' he said viciously.
'Well, yu ain't tied to it, are yu?' Sudden enquired acidly.
Lagley averted a possible storm by calling the new hand outside.
'Keith said yu were goin' to Red Rock. How long d'yu aim to stay away?' he asked.
'Two-three days, mebbe.'
'Have yu told--him?' He jerked a thumb towards the hills.
'Lord, no. I ain't sold him my soul.'
'Wait an' see,' was the reply, and the puncher could have sworn there was a tinge of bitterness in the tone. 'D'yu figure that he won't know?'
'I ain't carin', but shore he will,' Sudden said. 'Why, yonder goes Turvey, takin' the glad tidin's.'
Even as he spoke, a hunched-up little horseman shot away from the corral, heading through the gloom towards the hills. The foreman swore.
'Damnation, yo're way off the target, Green. That hombre has to night-herd the bunch o' three-year-olds yu an' Frosty have rousted out'n the brush.'
Sudden accepted the explanation but did not believe it. 'A fella can't allus hit the mark,' he said. 'Got anythin' else to tell me?'
'On'y this,' Lagley replied. 'Yo're sittin' in a bigger game than yu savvy; don't over-value yore hand.'
'Oh, I'm growed up an' got all my teeth,' the puncher returned lightly. 'Any messages for Red Rock?'
He got no answer to this flippant enquiry. Seated on the bench outside the bunkhouse, he smoked, and turned things over. Despite the fact that they were supposed to be working together, the foreman did not like him. That he had guessed correctly as to Turvey's errand he felt positive.
'Steve don't want me in neither camp,' he reflected. 'Probably he's plannin' to play me some scurvy trick right now. Wonder if that little rat is goin' on to Red Rock to make arrangements?'
The possibility sent him to bed chuckling.
Sudden's reception in the morning at Black Sam's was not the one he had expected, for though the negro professed to be glad to see him, it was very evidently untrue. His hands shook as he supplied the drink ordered, and his anxious gaze was never off the door. A blunt enquiry elicited that nothing had been seen of Scar and his friends, but that other denizens of the bandit stronghold had visited Dugout and behaved themselves decorously.
'Then what's yore trouble, ol'-timer?' the puncher demanded. 'Why treat me like I had a catchin' complaint?'
The saloon-keeper furtively pushed a piece of paper the bar. 'Done foun' it dis mawnin', shove undeh de do', quavered. 'I silo' gotta leave heah.'
