`I hadn't seen her then,' Tarman grinned, and several of the others laughed.

The Y Z foreman did not join in. Standing in the middle of the room, slightly crouching, with head thrust forward and malevolent eyes, he was indeed the human presentment of a reptile about to strike. Even his voice had a hiss in it.

`She was promised to me an' I mean to have her--an' a share in the ranch,' he said. `Double-cross me, Tarman, an' I'll put a crimp in yore schemes if I have to give myself up to the Governor o' the Territory to do it.'

Tarman regarded him curiously, alert for the slightest movement; he knew the man meant what he said and that tragedy threatened. He had expected trouble over the girl, but not that Blaynes would push it to the point of open insubordination. In a moment he had made his decision.

`Hell's bells, there's plenty o' pretty girls, Blaynes,' he laughed, `but if yo're set on this one, well, yu shall have her--when I've done with her.'

The taunt was deliberate, intentional; it was a challenge, and a deadly silence followed it. For a heart- stopping half-minute Blaynes stood as though frozen, only his eyes glaring hatred at the man who mocked him. Then the fingers of his hanging right hand slowly opened claw-like, and with an almost inarticulate oath he snatched at his gun. To the onlookers the reports seemed to be simultaneous, but then, through the swirling smoke, they saw the Y Z foreman stagger under the shock of the heavy bullet, and, as his knees gave way, pitch forward to the floor, his weapon clattering beside him. Twisting in a last agony, he shook his fist at Tarman and cried :

`Damn yu, Webb, yu got me, but yore own time ain't far off, yu treacherous hound.'

He rolled over and was silent. Tarman, his gun poised for a second shot, watched him with narrowed, relentless gaze. Then, seeing that all was ended, he thrust the weapon back into the holster.

`Well, boys, yu all heard what he threatened an' seen him go for his-gun,' he said. `Anybody want to take up his end of it?'

`Even break; he got what was comin' to him, the sneakin' cur,' said Pete, and that seemed to be the general opinion.

`Good enough,' Tarman resumed. `His share goes into the main fund--I don't want none of it.'

Two of the men carried the corpse into another room, and on their return Tarman said, `Now we gotta settle what to do with our friend here,' and he waved a hand towards the prisoner. `Hands up for stretchin' him right away.'

Every man in the room, save one, elevated a paw, several jocularly put up both. Tarman looked round with a grin.

'Hell! yu don't seem to he none popular in this community, Sudden,' he commented. `There's on'y one as ain't anxious to see you dance on nothin'. What's yore objection, West?'

`Well, boss,' replied California, who alone had kept his hands down, `here's how I look at it. This feller's worth ten thousand wheels alive, an' nothin' dead, an' it 'pears to me a waste o' good money to swing him when there's folks who'll pay that amount an' do it for us.'

`Yes, an' give him a chance to tell his little tale,' interposed Dexter. `Where'd we be then?'

`Where we are now,' retorted West. `Yore head's about as useful as it is ornamental. Who's goin' to take the word of an outlaw agin the fellers who gave him up? Why, yu couldn't find a better way o' stoppin' any gab there may be. I can see a public vote o' thanks bein' passed to our prominent citizen an' landowner, Mr. Tarman, for accomplishin' what half-a-dozen sheriffs have fallen down on.'

`By God, he's right, boys,' Tarman cried, his imagination caught by the prospect. `That's a tally for yu, West, an' when we come to cuttin' up the beef I'm not forgettin' it.' He turned and grinned at the captive. `Yu have a few more weeks to live, Mr. Sudden.'

Green did not answer; the last words of Tarman's latest victim were still ringing in his ears. He knew now that this was the man for whom he had searched so long. He was bigger, for he had filled out, and with the addition of a beard, and his dyed hair, it was not to be wondered at that Green had failed to recognise him under his assumed name, for he had seen him but a few times at Evesham's ranch. `The Spider' might have suggested something but curious nicknames were the rule rather than the exception in the West. Tarman stepped in front of him.

`I take the pot, my friend,' he jeered. `Thought yu could play a hand against me, did yu? As for the girl...'

`Keep yore foul tongue off her,' blazed the bound man. `If yu had the courage of a coyote, yu'd turn me loose an' fight it out, but yu haven't; swindlin' old men an' bullyin' unprotected girls is yore limit.'

The big man's face grew purple with rage and he ground his teeth. `For a busted nickel I'd ante up ten thousand no the boys for the pleasure o' blowin' yu apart,' he snarled.

`If I had a busted nickel I'd shore give it yu,' Green retorned, adding contempnuously, 'Yu'd only rob me of it if I didn't.'

But Tarman had got himself in hand again. `Yu don't get off that easy,' he said. `Live, damn yu, with a rope in sight, an' to comfort yu, the knowledge that the girl is in my power an' I don't intend to marry her, savvy?'

The prisoner remained unmoved. `Tarman or Webb or whatever yore name may be, I figure yo're the poorest pretence of a man I ever struck--an' I struck yu once good an' plenty, didn't I?' he jeered.

Tarman's face went livid and his fists clenched. `Here, West, yu an' Durran lock this feller up an' keep an eye on him,' he gritted, `or I'll be savin' the hangman a job yet.'

Assisted by West and followed by Durran, the outlaw shuffled up the stairs. On the way, West managed to whisper: `It was a close call, partner; I couldn't think o' no other way. I ain't forgettin' that rattler.' Then he thrust him violently through a door, slammed and locked it upon him.

Chapter XXII

EARLY the following morning, Stiffy, returning from Hatchett's, heard a drumming of hoofs behind him and being of a suspicious nature, forced his mount into the brush at the side of the trail and waited. The drumming grew louder and then a band of riders galloped past. In the half-light he recognised several of them. He saw too that the horses had been hard-ridden, and that the faces of the riders were set and determined.

`Looks like the Frying Pan outfit, fifteen of 'em, an' they ain't on no joy-ride neither,' he muttered. `Headed for the Crossed Dumb-bell shore enough. I gotta take the short trail an' warn Jeffs.'

Mounting again he rode for about half a mile and then turned off to the left at a point where there was a faint, narrow trail, little more than a run-way for wild creatures. A glance showed him that the horsemen ahead had kept straight on, and with a sigh of relief he plunged into the narrow pathway, stooping to avoid the branches which threatened to sweep him from the saddle.

The next half hour proved cruel work, and but for the fad that both knew their business, either man or beast must have come to grief. Through thickets and gullies, over rock-rimmed ridges, along a trail which wound like a ribbon amidst seemingly impassable undergrowth, slipping, staggering, the nimble little pony keeping its feet by a miracle of agility, they pressed on until at length they emerged on an open stretch and with a last burst of speed, reached their objective. All was quiet, but the man knew he could not be far ahead of the visitors and wasted no time. Limping, for the wild ride had tried his wounded leg severely, he ran to the door and hammered on it with his quirt. It was Jeffs who opened it.

'Lo, Stiffy, what's eatin' yu?' he asked. `Thirsty?'

`The Frying Pan outfit's on its way here an' liable to arrive any minit,' panted the other. `I come the short trail but--well, yu know what that is. There's fifteen of 'em, an' I reckon they're painted for war.'

`Hell,' cried the foreman, the grin fading from his face instantly. `Come an' tell the Spider.'

They went into the big room where Tarman, Pete, and most of the others were getting breakfast. The leader took the news calmly, and was clever enough to let it appear that he welcomed the change in his plans.

`Fine,' he said. `We clean up now instead o' later on, an' if they come askin' for it, we can't be blamed. Fifteen of 'em, eh? Well, there's twenty of us an' we're under cover. Rustle in plenty grub, water, an' cartridges-- we'll hold this place. The Frying Pan outfit, boys, is the last ditch we gotta straddle; after that, it's easy goin' for all of us.'

Laughing and joking, the men set about the task of putting the ranch-house in a state of defence. Built of stout logs which would resist any bullet, it was admirable for the purpose. The vulnerable spots were the doors and windows, the latter, however, being protected by heavy shutters loop-holed to enable the attacked to retaliate. On

Добавить отзыв
ВСЕ ОТЗЫВЫ О КНИГЕ В ИЗБРАННОЕ

0

Вы можете отметить интересные вам фрагменты текста, которые будут доступны по уникальной ссылке в адресной строке браузера.

Отметить Добавить цитату