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diff --git a/old/60797-0.txt b/old/60797-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 2d92df0..0000000 --- a/old/60797-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4169 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sheriff of Pecos, by Henry -Bedford-Jones - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - - -Title: The Sheriff of Pecos - -Author: Henry Bedford-Jones - -Release Date: November 26, 2019 [EBook #60797] -Last Updated: July 29, 2022 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Al Haines - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SHERIFF OF PECOS *** - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - - The Sheriff of Pecos - - - BY - - H. BEDFORD-JONES - - - - - GARDEN CITY NEW YORK - DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY - 1923 - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY - DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION - INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN - - COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY STREET & SMITH CORPORATION - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES - AT - THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y. - - _First Edition_ - - - - - CONTENTS - - CHAPTER - - I. Jack Robinson - II. Exit Matt Brady - III. Robinson’s Partner - IV. Buck Lays Plans - V. Buck’s Lucky Day - VI. Proof - VII. Masks Off - VIII. Exit Mr. P. Brady - IX. Fisher Rides North - X. The Last Stake - XI. The Trap Is Sprung - XII. The Clean-Up - XIII. Finis - - - - -THE SHERIFF OF PECOS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -JACK ROBINSON - -Besides “Galway” Mike, who was reading the Pahrump County _News_ -behind the bar, there were three men in Mike’s Place. One of the -three was a stranger. He sat drowsily at the corner table, hat -pulled over his eyes, whisky untasted. The other two stood at the -bar. - -The tall, dangerous man who had a rattler skin about his white -Stetson was speaking: - -“It’s like this, Murphy. Right after the old man died, young Shumway -went to the pen. He was caught dead to rights with a runnin’ iron, -y’ understand----” - -“So I heard.” The large, red-faced man chuckled. “So I heard, Buck.” - -Buck grunted. “Well, Frank Shumway went to the pen; I was sorry, -too----” - -“Oh, sure!” commented Murphy sarcastically. “Made you weep a lot, -huh?” - -“Shut your blamed mouth!” retorted Buck, acid in his voice. “Here’s -the point: Young Shumway had mortgaged the hull place to some cussed -bank over in Laredo County--some bank the ol’ man had knowed. Well, -he give Estella the money, y’ understand, and went to the pen. -Estella, she’s run the place since, but it ain’t paid her.” - -“She’s his sister, eh?” Mr. Murphy’s red, aggressive features spread -into a greasy grin. “Well, I reckon it ain’t paid her, with you fer -a neighbor! But go on, go on.” - -“Don’t let your brain git too agile, Murphy,” said Buck, tossing down -his whisky and pouring another drink. “The place has run down. All -she’s got there now is Miguel Cervantes and his woman, helpin’ her. -Not a head o’ stock left.” - -“You done well, then,” put in Murphy, who stood in no awe of his -companion evidently. “You sure done well! Ol’ Shumway had a -powerful lot o’ cattle. Least, he had when I was down here, time the -boy got caught and sent over the road----” - -“Times have changed since then,” said Buck hastily. “As I say, -Stella can’t make the place pay, in spite of everything. -Cervantes----” - -“Done heard of him in the Panhandle. Ain’t he the greaser with a big -rep----” - -Buck emitted a lurid oath. - -“He’s the one, all right--the cussed greaser! Got a rep, and -everybody’s scared to lay into him. Well, they lost stock, y’ -understand; the place is run down; and now it’s near time for the -mortgage to be paid--which it won’t.” - -Murphy touched his companion’s arm cautiously, and glanced at the -bartender. - -“Him?” Buck grinned, then leaned across the bar. “Hey, Mike! Tell -my friend Murphy here who owns a half interest in this joint, you -understand?” - -Galway Mike looked up from his newspaper, grinning. His broad, flat -face was unspeakably brutal, its brutality much aided by wide -nostrils which at some previous date had been crushed flat and had -never entirely recovered their beauty. - -He looked at Buck, roughly elegant in his corduroys, fine boots, and -handsome gun belt; then he looked at Murphy, whose elegance was more -pronounced, but equally rough and ready. - -“Same gent that owns the Runnin’ Dawg outfit, yer honor,” he -responded. “More by token, he’s the only wan, barrin’ yourself, who -does be wearin’ a coat these days.” - -Buck, taking a handful of cigars from his corduroy coat pocket, laid -them on the bar. - -“C’rect, Mike,” he assented proudly. “Smoke. And give us that new -bottle.” - -The bartender obeyed. He cocked an eye at the stranger at the table, -but the latter had allowed his head to droop. His mouth hung open. -He was palpably asleep--dusty, worn out by hard riding, unkempt save -for the gun at his hip, which was excellently cared for. - -“Now, as I was sayin’,” pursued Buck, who was no other than Templeton -Buck, owner of the Running Dog and a big man in Pahrump County, “that -there mortgage is due. I been keepin’ tabs on things, y’ understand? -The place ain’t even able to pay the mortgage interest, and I hear -it’s been advertised for sale likewise. All of which don’t bother me -none, because when I got your Denver wire that you’d come, I done -bought in the mortgage in your name.” - -“Oh!” said Murphy, and nodded heavily. “I s’pose you got reason for -being so roundabout?” - -“Plenty. The reason’s Stella, savvy? I ain’t aiming to figger none -in this, except as the rescue party. Y’ understand, the Shumway -place controls all the water supply on my east section, and I got to -have it; but I got to have Stella, too.” - -“Oh, I savvy plenty,” and Murphy nodded again. “But s’pose anybody -with money buys in the place and pays off the mortgage?” - -“He won’t,” said Buck, his thin, high-boned features showing a slight -grimace. “I’m havin’ it well understood that the place is mine. -Nobody in these here parts is goin’ to start buckin’ my hand, y’ -understand? There’s only one feller might try it; Sam Fisher, a guy -who was a powerful friend of the Shumways in other times. But he’s -clear down to the other end the State, and I’m havin’ him watched.” - -Murphy had straightened up a trifle. - -“You don’t mean young Fisher, the deputy sheriff o’ Pecos County--him -that’s goin’ to be sheriff there next election? I’ll tell the world -you’d better watch him. Buck! That gent is one hell ringer. Yes, -sir, I’ve heard of him.” - -Buck grinned and lifted his glass. “Don’t worry. He ain’t goin’ to -butt into this here show, none whatever! That mortgage comes due the -first of the month--two weeks. I figger to run her slow until then, -watch Fisher so’s he can’t hear from the girl----” - -“Don’t monkey with the mails, Buck!” Murphy frowned uneasily. - -“I ain’t,” and the tall rancher chuckled. “I got plenty friends, y’ -understand. Say, you take it easy here until I see about them -hosses, and we’ll ride out. Mike, you ’tend to makin’ Murphy plumb -comfortable, and I’ll see you in short order.” - -Buck left the place. - -Murphy leaned over the bar and engaged Galway Mike in low-toned -conversation. Of this talk, a few scattered fragments might have -reached the ear of the stranger in the corner, had not the latter -been utterly relaxed in shameless slumber. - -“----that’s the gent to be watchin’, yer honor--ain’t a bad -greaser--divil wid a gun, they do be sayin’--some o’ the byes ought -to be layin’ fer him some night----” - -The swinging doors opened abruptly, silently. A man stood in the -entrance, stepped swiftly to one side, and stood there with his -dark-glinting eyes, looking about the interior. He was tall, rangy, -his skin swarthy of hue; he was coated with dust and perspiration. -Despite the high, sharp lines of his features, they were much given -to smiling. The hair at his temples was gray, and deep lines were -chiseled about lips and eyes. - -Galway Mike grabbed a towel and began to mop the bar. - -“The top o’ the mornin’ to ye, Miguel Cervantes!” he exclaimed. -“What’ll it be now?” - -Murphy started slightly, turned, and surveyed the new arrival with -insolent eyes. - -“Thanks, nothing,” said Cervantes, speaking perfect English--as -indeed he ought to, since his ancestors had lived in the county for a -hundred years. “I was looking for someone.” - -His eyes met those of Murphy. The latter spoke challengingly: - -“Meaning me, maybe?” - -“No, not you,” and Cervantes smiled, seeming to take no heed of the -tone and look. “Another gentleman.” - -He turned away as though to leave. The hand of Murphy dropped like a -flash. - -At this instant there was a crash from the corner where the stranger -had been sitting, followed by a low yell. Murphy abandoned his gun, -quick as lightning, and turned. Cervantes also turned. The stranger -was standing there, rocking unsteadily on his feet, before his -overturned chair. - -“Thunderation!” the stranger cried with a perplexed air. “Blamed if -I didn’t have the worst nightmare you ever heard of, gents; I’m a -terrible person for them things! Sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson, I -was goin’ through a reg’lar gun fight, and me the most peaceable man -ever stepped! Ain’t it awful what can happen in your sleep?” - -With his hat off and standing erect, he was revealed as a tall, slim -young man, garbed in usual puncher style. Beneath his close-clipped -reddish hair beamed a brown, laughing face which compelled smiles -from those who met the steady eyes. That is, sometimes; behind the -smile of those eyes there lurked something deeper. - -His gaze met the scowl of Murphy, and forced the scowl into a half -smile. Then his eyes went to Cervantes, who was staring open-mouthed. - -“Hope I didn’t disturb you none, gents,” he said apologetically. -Then he looked again at Murphy. The smile vanished from his face, -which assumed a look of malicious recognition. - -“Well, well!” he said briskly. “If here ain’t my old friend -‘Pincher’ Brady, what was asked to leave Montana for his health’s -sake five years ago----” - -“Look out you don’t make a mistake, mister,” said the voice of -Murphy, biting and deadly. “What’d you say your name was?” - -“Sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson, I done made a mistake,” said the -other at once, and shook his head. “I’m right sorry about it, -pardner. You looked a heap like a gent named Brady who was up in -Montana one time, but now I see you ain’t him a-tall.” - -“No, he ain’t,” said Murphy, steadily observing him. “Now you’ve -seen the mistake, let’s have a drink, hey?” - -“Cigar for mine, thanks.” Jack Robinson stepped to the bar, picking -up his hat as he came, and his genial smile brought a nod from Mike. -He picked up one of the cigars laid down by Buck and pocketed it. - -Miguel Cervantes unobtrusively left. - -“I’m a stranger here, and mighty lonesome,” said Robinson with an air -of confidential inquiry. “I don’t s’pose you gents could direct me?” - -Galway Mike looked at Murphy, who made, answer: - -“We might. Where to?” - -Robinson leaned one elbow on the bar, and surveyed Murphy with -piercing, laughing, reckless eyes. - -“Upon my word,” he drawled, “your voice sounds a heap like Pincher -Brady’s, pardner!” - -The two men looked at each other. The red face of Murphy became -redder. With a laugh, Robinson flung about as though to face the -bar--and the hand of Murphy darted down. - -Crack! The bursting report of a revolver filled the place. - -“I was looking for that,” Robinson said coolly. “No, Mike, you leave -that gun alone; I’d be right sorry to have to hurt you.” - -Mike straightened up. Clinging to the bar with his left hand, Murphy -looked down at his right, which was wounded. - -“You got quite a reputation for workin’ that play,” said Robinson, -backing away toward the swinging doors. “You’re lucky I didn’t make -it worse, Brady, but bein’s I’m a stranger here I ain’t taking -chances on local prejudices----” - -The swinging doors were burst inward as a group of men rushed into -the place, holding the doors open. Robinson calmly stood behind the -inner door, which had opened against him and held him concealed from -sight. - -“Who’s shootin’ here?” demanded the foremost man. - -“I am,” said Robinson, stepping out. “Got any objections?” - -They faced around to meet his weapon. Over it his eyes held them; no -longer smiling, those eyes were keen and bitter blue. - -“Objections overruled,” he went on coolly. “You gents oughtn’t come -busting into a place o’ business like this. It ain’t proper. Here I -was just showin’ Mike how the draw was done where I come from, and I -get interrupted----” - -“We ain’t strong on learning things, stranger,” said the foremost -man. “I’m sheriff of Pahrump County-- Tracy. These deputies of -mine were in next door with me----” - -“Right convenient, weren’t you?” asked Robinson coolly. “Keep ’em -up--up! That’s right. Right convenient, as I said. And you come in -a-runnin’, gents. Lookin’ for something special, were you?” - -The sheriff changed countenance. - -“Why,” he stammered, “I understood a greaser was makin’ trouble -here----” - -“And who might have gave you to understand such?” shot in Robinson. -The sheriff made no answer, but bit his mustache. “Turned dumb, have -you? It does beat all how things happen, don’t it? Here I come in, -plumb peaceable and lovin’ my neighbors, and, first thing I know, a -ruckus gets started. Now, you gents look at Mr. Murphy, over yonder, -who done got his hand ripped a little. Ain’t even busted, is she?” - -Murphy was not hurt to any great extent, and proved it by his voluble -cursing. - -“Ease off steam; that’s right,” said Robinson soothingly. -“Satisfied, sheriff?” - -“Plenty,” said the officer. - -Robinson put away his weapon. “Glad to meet you, Sheriff Tracy. -Mike, give the gentlemen a drink and charge it to Mr. Murphy. Guess -I’ll be on my way, gents. Got to be in Laredo in two days, and I -sure have lost time here. So long.” - -He was gone. The sheriff and his two deputies looked at each other -irresolutely, glanced at Galway Mike, and then retired likewise, -without their drink. Mike gave Murphy a glance of scorn. - -“You sure bungled it!” he said raspingly. - -Murphy swore appropriately. “Bungled it!” he repeated. “I was a -cussed fool ever to try it on with that gent, I can tell you! Next -time it’ll be a Winchester and a hilltop!” - -A sneer curled the bartender’s lip. “Foine sort of a killer, you -are!” he returned. “Oh, ye needn’t to be scowlin’ at me; I ain’t -bein’ scart o’ no man, and I got me fist on a gun to boot, Mister -Murphy! Niver mind the scowl now. Have a drink an’ forget it.” - -The doors were flung open again, and Buck strode into the place. - -“The greaser!” he exclaimed sharply. “Did you get him?” - -Mr. Murphy cursed. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -EXIT MATT BRADY - -Two men were riding away from the town of Pahrump together. One was -Miguel Cervantes, the other was Jack Robinson. - -“You ran mighty close back there, Cervantes,” said the younger man -soberly. “That fellow was Pincher Brady--a killer. Only, he always -kills in the back, savvy? He was going for you when I jumped up.” - -Cervantes nodded and flashed white teeth in a smile. - -“I was not watching him,” he confessed. “I was looking for someone, -as I said. Every day I have come, but no luck.” - -“Maybe you drew a little luck to-day,” and Robinson chuckled. “I -don’t suppose, by any chance, you were looking for Sam Fisher?” - -Cervantes started. His dark eyes centered upon his companion. - -“You know him?” - -“Pretty well,” said Robinson in an offhand way. “He was being -watched and couldn’t get away. So he deputized me to come along, as -it were. You’re the Lazy S foreman?” - -“I used to be,” said Cervantes bitterly. - -They talked. Cervantes spoke quietly, changing swiftly between -smiles and anger. Three years previously young Shumway had been -railroaded to the penitentiary. Estella, his sister, had run the -ranch since then--and it had gone to ruin. Not her fault or that of -Cervantes, who was devotion personified. - -“Cattle have vanished,” Cervantes said in a hopeless tone. “We have -gone steadily down--let the men go one by one to cut expenses. Last -year what remained of the stock was sold off to pay the mortgage -interest.” - -“I shouldn’t think your friends would let things go that way,” said -Robinson. - -“Friends? We have none. There is only old Jake Harper, who has the -Circle Bar up beyond us. None of the others help us or know us. New -people have come into the country; times have changed. Besides----” - -“Templeton Buck?” suggested Robinson. - -“Yes. They have tried often to get me,” was the statement, simply -given, “but for the sake of Miss Estella I have avoided offense. The -Running Dog punchers make what use they like of our place; their -foreman, Matt Brady, has even dared to fence in the springs adjoining -the Buck ranch.” - -“Brady?” said Robinson suddenly, his eyes narrowing. “Matt Brady?” - -“Yes.” Cervantes gave him a questioning glance. - -“Uh-huh--thought so! Pincher Brady’s brother. That explains how -they came to hire Pincher for their dirty work. But they wouldn’t -bring Pincher here simply to get you, would they? No. Quite a nice, -nifty little scheme on foot, Miguel. By the way, I don’t suppose -this Jake Harper is a decrepit old party who was a scout for Reno -during the Indian wars?” - -“You know him, then?” - -“Know of him, more or less.” Robinson chuckled silently. “Think -I’ll go over to his place and have a chat. What’s that crossroads -ahead?” - -“Straight on to the Running Dog and Harper’s,” responded Cervantes. -“We turn off to the left. You don’t mean you’re not going with me?” - -“Cross my heart and hope to die--I’m not,” and Robinson grinned. -“But I’ll be along in a day or two if I don’t meet bad luck. By the -way, who had anything to do with Frank’s being sent to the pen?” - -A black frown settled on the face of Cervantes. - -“Nobody,” he answered. “We don’t know a thing against any one. Two -detectives----” - -“Oh, I see,” said Robinson airily. “Well, I guess I’ll be moving -straight ahead, so don’t sit up for me to-night. See you later.” - -They parted at the crossroads. Cervantes swung off to the left, -plainly failing to comprehend this queer young man of strange -impulses, and waved his hand in farewell. Jack Robinson jogged along -reflectively, thinking of the man who had just left him. - -“A faithful soul,” he observed to his pinto. “Absolutely devoted -boy, isn’t he? Quick tempered, a wonder with his gun, and yet -backing water all the time because he’s afraid Estella would be left -alone in the world if they wiped him out. Some man, Miguel! But -none too bright. Give the devil his due, Johnny boy; a good man, -only not quite good enough. He couldn’t prevent the ranch going to -the dogs, although he’s ready to die with it. No, they wouldn’t -bring Pincher just to rub him out. Matt Brady could do that. And -they wouldn’t bring Pincher just to handle that mortgage affair. -There’s a nigger in the woodpile, and that nigger is----” - -His meditations were interrupted by sight of a rolling train of dust -in the road ahead. He eyed it sharply and made out the forms of two -riders coming toward him. - -They met, and drew rein with casual nods of greeting, searching -looks, and frank curiosity. Robinson beheld two rangy punchers who -rode with Winchesters booted. Their mounts bore the long sear of the -Running Dog. One of them was a ratty individual with protruding -teeth, the other was a large man, red-faced, of aggressive aspect. - -“Must be a heap o’ war in this country,” opined Robinson with a -friendly grin as he rolled a smoke. “More rifles’n I ever seen -before at one stretch!” - -“You must ha’ come from quiet parts, then,” said the big man. “That -cayuse bears a brand strange hereabouts.” - -“That’s true. Sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson, friend, that’s true! -Still the old SF has been supportin’ me for two years or so--down in -the south country.” - -“I’m Matt Brady, foreman; this here’s ’Lias Knute,” introduced Brady. -“If you’ve come out lookin’ for a job at the Runnin’ Dawg, we’d be -right glad to have you turn in, Robinson. Need a few extry hands -right now.” - -Robinson blew a cloud of smoke and shook his head regretfully. - -“Later, mebbe. Me, I got business over to Laredo.” - -“Laredo?” The foreman stared. “This ain’t the Laredo road, ye -numskull!” - -“Ain’t it, now?” said the other sweetly. “I never ’lowed it was, did -I?” - -Brady scowled. “Where ye headin’ for?” he demanded bluntly. - -“Did I say? Guess I forgot to mention it.” Robinson’s slow grin was -irritating in the extreme. Ratty little Knute edged his cayuse a -trifle to one side. - -“Better remember it pronto.” Brady’s tone was significant. His eyes -were stormy. - -“Well,” said Robinson gayly, “I done voted twice already, I ain’t -roped to any brand, and, far’s I can see, my skin’s white. This here -ain’t no private road, is it?” - -Brady stared at him murderously. Knute edged a trifle farther to the -side. Robinson appeared quite unruffled and innocent of offense. - -“Stranger, are you jest plain fool, or ignerant?” demanded Brady. - -“Both,” Robinson said with a grin. “By the way, I s’pose you ain’t -related to Pincher Brady? He was havin’ considerable excitement in -town when I come through.” - -The big foreman settled into a deadly calm. “Yes? How come?” - -“Bein’ a stranger and peaceable, I didn’t stop to ask,” returned -Robinson idly. “Seems like some feller named Buck sent him to get a -gent. He got the wrong gent, and him and Buck were shootin’ it out.” - -From the two men broke startled oaths. The ratty little Knute saw -the twinkle in Robinson’s eye, and cried out shrilly: - -“He’s stringin’ us, Matt! Somethin’ fishy about this guy----” - -Robinson was in the center of the road, Brady before him, Knute off -to his left. He appeared entirely careless and off guard, cigarette -between his fingers. - -“Tryin’ to ride me, are ye?” Brady queried. “Want trouble, do ye?” - -“I’d welcome it,” said Robinson. - -“Then take it----” - -Brady’s gun flashed up. The miracle happened; Robinson’s six-shooter -seemed to leap out of itself, jump into his hand, spit fire. The two -guns spoke almost together. Brady swayed in the saddle, clutched at -the pommel, and rolled down. - -But it had been a murder trap. Robinson had no chance whatever. -Even as he fired, he saw from, the corner of his eye that Knute, to -the left, was tugging at a gun. He saw the gun come up, and tried to -swing himself around in time. Too late! The gun in the hand of -ratty little Knute belched once. - -Incredulously, bewildered, deeming himself already a dead -man---Robinson found himself unharmed. Nor was he given any chance -to shoot. The whole affair had passed in the fraction of a second; -Matt Brady’s vicious attack and death, the third shot echoing -treacherously from the side, almost with the first two. As he turned -to the assassin, Robinson was amazed to see Knute sink forward, the -weapon falling from his hand. - -Knute said no word, but followed his gun to the dirt. He lay -motionless, one spur in the stirrup; a splotch of red grew upon his -chest. He had been shot---how? Not by himself; nor by Robinson. - -As the fraction of a second passed Robinson’s head jerked up to a -sound. He heard the crack of a rifle lifting to him--so swiftly had -the whole affair passed! It was the shot which killed Knute; the -rifle crack that followed the bullet. - -Robinson stared around. The country appeared empty, the rolling -hills desolate, the brown strip of road quite bare of any person. -Whence had come that shot? - -“Somebody quite a distance off had the pleasure of saving my life,” -said Robinson reflectively. “Well, if he doesn’t want to show -himself--I’m satisfied! I wasted a good lie on Matt Brady; too bad -he didn’t get to go to town and investigate his brother’s trouble. -Murder trap? Not the first these two gentlemen have laid, I’ll bet! -They sure caught me, all right. Would have had me, except for the -unknown friend. Friend, I thank you!” - -He swept off his black Stetson, waved it to the nearest hill, and -rode on his way. - -“Here’s hoping the verdict will be that Knute and Brady killed each -other,” he thought. “Maybe it won’t and maybe it will, depending on -who the jury are and how well they can read tracks. Chances are that -I won’t be mentioned; this country seems to favor direct action -rather than legal inquiry. Ho, hum! Matt came near to spoiling my -nice new black hat by putting his bullet through it. That’s what -happens to a slow man. I’d sure hate to be slow around here, you -bet! But I’d admire to know who handled that rifle in the brush. -Couldn’t even make out where it was, what direction. Interesting -country, Pahrump! I certainly think the geological formations are -fine.” - -Two men dead--well, it was a serious matter enough, and promised to -grow darker with time. Matt Brady and Knute were evidently used to -working together; their trap had been well prepared, well sprung. -Only the presence of some unknown watcher had saved Robinson from -that side bullet. Who was the person? Not Miguel Cervantes, for the -native had carried no rifle. - -Robinson jogged along, his mind busy with the situation of Estella -Shumway. There were some things he did not understand, but -comprehension would come in course of time. Templeton Buck seemed to -be the big power in the county, to judge from that conversation in -Galway Mike’s place, and Buck apparently had it all fixed to take -over the Shumway ranch in the near future--and Estella likewise. - -Upon passing the turnout that led to the Running Dog, Robinson drew -rein and studied the ground in some surprise. He had followed the -back trail of Brady and Knute, but to his astonishment saw that they -had not come from the Running Dog at all. They had come from some -point beyond it--and the only point beyond it that Robinson knew of -was Jake Harper’s ranch. This looked queer. - -Robinson passed on, wondering why these Running Dog men had come from -the Circle Bar, particularly as Jake Harper and Templeton Buck were -not friends. That would mean bad blood between the two outfits. - -“Time will tell that, too, and the afternoon’s drawing along,” -thought Robinson. “We’d better travel along, little doggies! Hit -her up, Johnny boy, and we’ll feast to-night with the Injun fighter -and frontier guardian. Oh, shucks! Here’s another guy coming with a -rifle and looks like business in his eye, too!” - -He drew up at sight of a horseman who had suddenly appeared in the -road ahead, riding toward him. On closer sight, this man appeared to -be a young fellow, whose right leg had been freshly bandaged above -the knee; chaps and trousers were bundled behind him on the saddle, -and from waist to boots his costume consisted of red flannel. He -reined in before Robinson and nodded greeting, his eye running over -the stranger critically. - -“Howdy, pilgrim! Jest out from town?” - -“C’rect the first shot, sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson!” was the -cheerful response. “And I’d admire to know who’s settin’ the new -range styles this-away! I never did see such fine red color in all -my days. I’ll have to get me some underwear that same shade.” - -The young fellow chuckled. “My name’s Arnold,” he offered. “By that -brand, you must ha’ come up from the south, Robinson? Used to be -down in Pecos County my ownself, last year; was ridin’ for ol’ man -Zimmer.” - -“Then,” drawled Robinson, “I reckon you done heard of Pete Hendricks?” - -“Friend of yours?” queried Arnold. - -“Yep.” - -“Shake.” Arnold suddenly beamed in a wide grin and extended his -hand. The two shook vigorously. “Me and Pete was sure some bunkies. -Say, I most forgot! Did you meet a couple of riders back a ways?” - -Robinson inspected him quizzically. - -“Friends of yours?” he retorted. Arnold flushed violently and -pointed to his underwear. - -“Does that look like it?” - -Robinson began to roll a cigarette. “If I was you, cowboy, I’d waste -no more time lookin’ farther for them two gents. No, sir, it’d be an -awful waste of time, and, accordin’ to looks, you got no time to -waste.” - -“Meaning what, pardner?” Arnold inspected him, narrow-eyed, cautious. - -“Just this.” Robinson finished his cigarette and tucked it between -his lips. “Feller named Buck was in Pahrump to-day, meetin’ a friend -on the stage. Friend called himself Murphy, but his real handle was -Pincher Brady, savvy? Them two gents was due to leave town shortly -behind me, riding thisa-way. Now, when they get to where I got, back -apiece, they’re going to meet up with them same two gents you made -mention of--same being Matt Brady and a little rat name o’ Knute. Do -you foller?” - -“Right behind,” said Arnold, thin-lipped, watchful. “Elucidate!” - -“Why, that’s about all of it, I reckon!” Robinson touched a match to -his cigarette. “Only, when the first two meet up with the last two, -there’s going to be a heap of grief spilled. I don’t guess Pincher -Brady has much fraternal affection to spoil; same time, it’s bound to -be a shock, meetin’ his brother like that.” - -“Oh!” said Arnold. “By gosh, d’you mean to say----” - -“I ain’t sayin’ at all,” and Robinson smiled whimsically. “Only I -darned near got this new hat ruined. Somebody’s goin’ to get blamed -for what happened. Maybe it’ll be me, and maybe you, accordin’ to -which one Buck sees first. By the way, ain’t that a Circle Bar brand -on your hoss?” - -“So taken and accepted.” Arnold was staring at him hard now. -“S’pose you and me ride back a ways, Robinson--same way you was -heading.” - -“How come?” Robinson surveyed him with lifted brows. - -“I got orders to keep with you, that’s all.” Arnold did not appear -hostile--quite the contrary, in fact--but his attitude was -determined. “You ain’t been using your eyes real good, have you?” - -“Seems not.” Robinson frowned. “Orders to meet me? How in thunder -did you get ’em?” - -Arnold grinned. “Smoke signal. Do you agree? I’d sure hate to have -any trouble with a red-headed gent that had knowed Pete Hendricks, -but at the same time I aims to obey orders----” - -“No apologies necessary.” Robinson laughed softly. “Arnold, I guess -you and I will hitch without any trouble. So Jake is using Injun -smoke signals, is he? Same old boy as ever. Where is he?” - -“Comin’ behind you, I reckon,” said Arnold dryly. - -Robinson uttered a low whistle. “The darned old fox! So that’s who -it was! Let’s ride, cowboy; let’s ride.” - -Arnold turned his horse, and they rode stirrup to stirrup. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -ROBINSON’S PARTNER - -Jake Harper had once been a very large man. Now he was a little -bowed with age, a bit heavy with superfluous flesh, his hair quite -white, his face seamed with heavy lines. The old eyes were keen as -ever; the heavy mustache, fresh dyed a lustrous black, gave the -beholder a decided shock when contrasted with white hair and brows. -He rode a huge, rawboned beast whose eye was roving and vicious--a -brute named Celestine. No man but Jake had ever ridden her, and no -man wanted to. Celestine had a reputation. - -When he came upon Arnold and Robinson waiting in the road, Jake -Harper drew rein very abruptly. At sight of Robinson’s laughing -gaze, a shock of surprise crossed his seamed features. His eyes -opened wide. - -“For the love of Mike!” he uttered. “_You!_” - -“C’rect the first shot as usual, Jake. Sure’s my name’s Jack -Robinson, it’s me! I been having quite a bit o’ talk with Arnold; -friendly and peaceable. How’re you, Jake?” - -They shook hands warmly. Suddenly old Jake broke into a storm of -affectionate curses. His huge paw pounded Robinson on the back again -and again. - -“Boy, I’m glad to see ye!” he cried, lustily roaring the words. -“Dog-gone it, I’m the happiest man in the Territory--State, I mean. -Hurray! By gosh, if I’d knowed it was you under that black hat----” - -“Uh-huh.” Robinson’s eyes crinkled. “I thought you was layin’ up -there in the brush, most likely. Right here and now, Jake, I utters -heartfelt thanks. Sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson, I ain’t a bit -scart to explore the other world, but I don’t aim to do it any sooner -than I have to. If you hadn’t attended to Mr. Knute, I’d certain -sure be wandering lonesome and lonely the other side Jordan this -minute. That’s what comes of bein’ a stranger, now. Say, Sam Fisher -said to tell you he couldn’t get away, so I come instead.” - -“Huh?” Jake Harper puffed out his cheeks. “Oh, he did, did he? -Durned fool, that Sam Fisher! Got a big repytation and ain’t got the -nerve to live up to it! Hey, Arnold! What in time are you exposin’ -your flannels for thataway?” - -Arnold grinned. “I got swiped by a long-distance bee, thirty-thirty -caliber,” he said. “If you ain’t got no objections, Jake, where’s -Matt Brady and Knute?” - -Jake Harper twirled his vivid black mustache. “I dunno,” he -responded thoughtfully. “I could make a blamed good guess where they -ain’t, though; they ain’t reposin’ on no fleecy clouds with a harp in -each hand! This here Jack Robinson is severeal seconds faster’n Matt -Brady was, Arnold; yes, sir, severeal! Guess I’d better give him a -job, hadn’t I?” - -Arnold put out his hand to Robinson again, and they shook. “Guess -you had, Jake,” he responded. “They tried the old game on the -stranger, eh? Knute off to one side?” - -“Uh-huh--blamed near got him, too, only I was watchin’ the trail. -Let’s travel, gents. We got to git home ’fore dark.” - -“You seem to have met before,” observed Arnold. - -“Once or twice,” said Robinson, and chuckled. A huge billow of -laughter shook the big frame of Jake Harper, as though there were -some unuttered joke. - -After this they rode on in silence. Jake Harper, old Indian fighter, -ex-scout, plainsman, and borderer, was plainly in high fettle over -the day’s events. Every now and again his eye rested upon the slim -figure of Jack Robinson, and a vast good humor rolled into his -features. The presence of this young man appeared hugely gratifying -to him. - -“Ain’t been so happy,” he blurted, breaking the silence only once, -“since me and ol’ John Parker met up with Gen’ral Reno one day in San -Francisco, all three of us plumb lonesome, and not knowin’ they was a -friend in ten miles. Sure is good to see ye, boy.” - -Robinson nodded, but did not respond. - -It was dusk when they reached the Harper ranch. Robinson left his -pinto at the corral, shook hands with half a dozen punchers whom he -could scarcely see, and followed Jake Harper to the big house on the -knoll. As soon as he set foot in the porch, Jake turned. - -“The house is yourn!” he said emphatically. “Set an’ talk! We eats -with the boys when supper’s ready. Meantime, talk!” - -“Suits me.” Robinson dropped into a chair. “You weren’t in town -to-day?” - -“Nope.” Jake Harper lowered his bulk into a groaning rocker. “I got -so danged much rheumatiz lately it’s knocked me up. You didn’t meet -Mig Cervantes?” - -“Uh-huh. Met him and Buck and Mike and a man calling himself Murphy, -only he was Matt Brady’s brother--Pincher. Maybe you remember him? -Bad to the backbone.” - -“You met ’em?” asked Jake Harper. “All of ’em?” - -Robinson laughed softly. “Yep. Also Sheriff Tracy. I left town in -a hurry. Pincher Brady has a sore hand, but no one was hurt. By the -way, I had quite a long talk with Frank Shumway last week.” - -“My lord! You did?” Jake Harper was eager, incredulous, astonished. -“How come? Thought Buck was keeping a close watch on things.” - -“Sam Fisher sent me up to the pen,” Robinson chuckled. “Frank gets -out next spring. He’s in pretty fair shape, but badly worried. I -bucked him up and promised we’d take care of everything here. By the -way, Jake, Templeton Buck has a fine scheme lined out. He got -Pincher Brady here to handle it. He bought the Shumway mortgage in -Pincher’s name--assumed name, I should say, of Murphy. He aims to -let Murphy foreclose, then to step up and rescue Estella. I don’t -understand it all myself. Isn’t Estella wise to him?” - -Jake Harper tugged at his mustache. - -“She is, and she ain’t,” he returned, rumbling his words. “Buck, -he’s played his cards mighty cute with her, allowing he’s done all in -his power to git Frank out of jail and so forth. Between you and me, -I suspicions that Buck has got a friend in the post office, and that -he ain’t above monkeying with letters.” - -“That’s old stuff,” said Robinson calmly. “You folks up here have a -fine county organization, looks like.” - -The insistent banging of a tin pan interrupted them, and they hastily -departed. - -Seated about the chuck table with the half-dozen Circle Bar boys, -Robinson sized up things without much trouble. Except for Arnold, -the Circle Bar had no young blood at all. An old Swede and his wife -took care of the place. The foreman was a grizzled, crippled person -who had helped to run down Geronimo--and held his job on the strength -of it. - -The other men were much of the same stamp, all of them elderly, one -or two efficient, but working for Jake Harper because they had -appealed to his soft side, not because they were first-class range -men. Jake introduced Robinson as a new hand who was going to do some -special work for him, and let it go at that. Few of the men paid -much attention or seemed interested. - -To Robinson the meal was tragic. He had looked for help here, and -found none. When it was over, he pushed back his chair and left. -Out in the open air, he found Arnold at his elbow, with a quiet -chuckle. - -“Live bunch, ain’t it?” opined Arnold. “Looks to me, Red, like you -was some disappointed.” - -“What at?” queried Robinson. - -“Ain’t my business.” Arnold rolled a cigarette with elaborate -carelessness. “Only, I ain’t seen you throw no war bag into a bunk. -I been thinkin’ more or less about quittin’ here anyhow, and applying -for a job over to the Lazy S.” - -“Oh!” said Robinson. “Call you Mister Arnold over there, would they?” - -“It’s always been Steve around home.” - -“Oh! All right, Steve. You and me, what say we go ridin’ for a -change?” - -“Your hoss look plumb wore out, Red.” - -“Maybe we can get Jake to lend us a bit o’ flesh. What about it, -Jake?” Robinson turned, as Jake Harper joined them under the stars. -“Steve, here, he allows there’s too much excitement around these -parts to suit him. I agrees with him plenty. Can I put my rope on a -couple of your broncs and get Steve to take me out and show me the -country?” - -Jake Harper inspected the two slender figures, hands on his hips. - -“Dog-gone it!” he broke out plaintively. “Here I been ridin’ and -crawlin’ in the bresh all day, and now you-all aims to go away, and -figgers I’m too blamed wore out to trail along! Why don’t you stick -around and talk a while, Robinson?” - -“What you want to go for, Jake?” queried Robinson softly. “S’pose -Buck and Pincher Brady, or Murphy, comes ridin’ along here in about -half an hour to inquire about the red-headed stranger what took the -wrong road to Laredo and met up with Matt Brady and Knute--huh? If -you wasn’t here, where’d I be? That’s a conundrum.” - -“And what’s the answer to the durned thing?” asked the old plainsman. - -“That you’re the fanciest liar ever I did see, Jake, when it’s plumb -necessary. Also, that you don’t give a hoot for Buck--and if you was -setting on your front porch with the lights out and a Winchester -handy, Buck and his friends would be mighty slow about startin’ any -ructions with you.” - -“Oh!” said Jake, fingering his very black mustache. “I see! You -think I’d lie to save your worthless neck?” - -“You seen Matt Brady draw first, didn’t you?” - -“Uh-huh, now I think about it--he done so.” Jake Harper chuckled. -“That’s all right, boy; I know what’s stirrin’ in your fool brain, -too. Ye think the Circle Bar bunch is too old an’ helpless to stir -much, huh? Well, jest you go along. Take anything you fancy in the -corral, boys, and remember me to Estella. I’ll be over myself in a -day or two.” - -Arnold and Robinson started away together, and lost themselves in the -shadows near the corral. Robinson touched his companion’s arm. - -“Steve, any time you think old Jake is slow, guess again! Friend -Buck is coming along here pretty soon, and he’ll run into a surprise -party. Meantime, we’ll be elsewhere.” - -Steve Arnold grunted. “What you want to run for, then?” - -“Me? I ain’t running,” and Robinson laughed. “I’m off to see the -country, that’s all. Maybe Miss Shumway will sort of take to me -more, if you introduce me.” - -Arnold glanced at him suspiciously. - -“You tryin’ to run some joke on me, Red?” - -“None a-tall, Steve; cross my heart! Sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson, -I’m a quiet and peaceable stranger what always gets took in. When -Jake Harper gets done orating to Buck, that affluent gentleman will -give up lookin’ for me, except by accident. He won’t be real sure -whether I’m workin’ for Jake or not, and the Circle Bar boys won’t be -sure neither. In fact, nobody will be sure of anything, except you -and me. That’s the best way to play her, ain’t it?” - -“Looks all right,” vouchsafed Arnold. “Got your saddle handy?” - -Ten minutes later the two were quietly drawing away from the Circle -Bar without making any effusive farewells. They had been riding for -perhaps five minutes more, when both pulled up their horses suddenly. -Across the night lifted the faint bang of a shotgun. - -“That’s Jake’s old Brown Bess,” said Steve. “Trouble back of us!” - -Robinson held up a hand for silence. They sat motionless, listening. -No further shot came, and Robinson relaxed with a soft laugh. - -“Nope, no trouble. We slid out just in time, Steve. Buck comes -riding up, and old Jake salutes him out of the darkness, then -apologizes for the mistake. Savvy? Buck accepts the -apology--otherwise we’d have heard real trouble a-starting. Let’s -go, cowboy!” - -They merged into the darkness. The moon would not be up until -midnight. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -BUCK LAYS PLANS - -Templeton Buck did not particularly enjoy his call at the Circle Bar, -nor did he find its occupants very slow in their reception. He did -not see any one, in fact, nor did the dozen riders behind him. The -buildings were dark and apparently deserted, until the blast of a -shotgun ripped the night and Jake Harper’s voice accosted the -arrivals boomingly. - -The ominous darkness, the more ominous silence, held the Running Dog -men bunched up and nervous. Harper’s words made them more nervous, -when it became evident that Jake had witnessed the shooting on the -road and was perfectly willing to testify to the fact. Buck made up -his mind to go home and went. - -With him went Pincher Brady, alias Murphy, and the dozen riders. -Murphy displayed no great grief for his defunct relative, but he was -savagely disposed toward one Jack Robinson. - -Once at the rangy, rather unkempt buildings which served the Running -Dog as headquarters, Buck called Murphy into consultation. He also -summoned the newly promoted foreman, one “Sandy” Davitt, a sour -individual marred by a cast in one eye. - -“We’ve made a mess of things since this morning, y’ understand,” Buck -said glumly. “Murphy failed in town, and this here Robinson gent ran -into a heap of luck headfirst. He’s a flash gunman from somewhere, -and Harper has put him in the bunk house.” - -“Old Jake has got his back up sudden,” observed Sandy Davitt with a -sneer. “Hope you ain’t lost any nerve lately, Buck? He sure handed -you a mouthful to-night.” - -Buck swore under his breath. His thin, raw-boned features were -etched with red. - -“He pays for that,” he responded. “You hear me tell it! They’s two -things to be done ’fore Murphy can foreclose on that mortgage. -First, the greaser Cervantes has got to be ’tended to. Next, Jake -Harper.” - -“Jake ain’t what you’d exactly call a social favrite,” said Davitt -dryly. “Same time, Buck, he’s considerable well known as an old boy -and crippled up some. Public opinion ain’t goin’ to favor his sudden -demise, none whatever.” - -“Oh, that’s all right,” grunted Buck. “You and Slim and Doggy take -some grub about to-morrow afternoon, and lay up the trail a ways. -Jake will be ridin’ over to the Lazy S to-morrow night or next -morning. You boys rope him, fetch him over here, and we’ll let him -cool off a spell while we run that outfit of hisn off the range, -savvy?” - -“That’s good as she lays, Buck.” Sandy Davitt looked relieved. “I -thought you was goin’ to remark that I might go wrastle with -Cervantes, which same I ain’t got no longin’ for. Me, I got a wide -sense of my limitations. Any gent what undertakes the greaser in -sober earnest has got to be born real lucky, and I wasn’t.” - -“Who’d you suggest?” asked Buck, a lurking devil in his eye. - -“You,” said the foreman, grinning sourly. “Looks a whole lot like -whoever wants the work done had ought to be able to handle some part -of it his ownself, don’t it?” - -Buck was lounging in his chair as this veiled insinuation was -uttered. Like a streak of light, he was up and in the air. Powerful -as Sandy Davitt obviously was, he was taken by the throat and laid -back across the table, gasping and strangled. Holding the man’s lean -throttle in one hand, Buck glared down at him. - -“Some stuck up over sudden promotion, ain’t you, Sandy?” inquired -Buck’s voice. “Feelin’ your oats a heap, eh? That’s twice you got -sassy--ain’t goin’ to be no third time, Sandy. Or is they?” - -“N-no,” gasped the half-choked man. Murphy looked on the scene with -interest, his red features quite calm, a cigar between nis teeth. -“Lemme up, Buck!” - -Buck released his hold suddenly, and stepped back, smiling nastily. - -“Sure. Git up, boy, and beat it. You can tell the others that -Cervantes is my meat--quick meat, likewise. You and Slim and Doggy -light out of here to-morrow, and if you miss bringin’ in Jake Harper, -I’ll skin the three of you one-handed! Git!” - -Sandy Davitt departed hurriedly. - -“I see,” observed Murphy, shifting the cigar in his mouth, “I see you -ain’t backward when it comes to action, Buck. What’s the program?” - -“You ride over to the Lazy S in the morning,” Buck ordered, who was -indeed suddenly displaying a new and alert manner. “Pull the -mortgage stuff on Estella, polite but firm, savvy? I know about -where Cervantes will be. When I’m done with him I’ll drop along to -the house and fire you off the premises. Now set still till I get a -drink.” - -Buck departed. Murphy glanced after him, then lighted his cigar -thoughtfully. - -“Humph!” he growled. “I’ve heard biggity talk ’fore this, Mister -Buck! If I knows you, which I’d ought to, you ain’t ridin’ up to -that greaser and pullin’ no gun on him--no, sir! If you git him, -it’ll be ’cause he ain’t armed, maybe. Well, let her ride! All I -want is to git another chance at that smart Aleck, Robinson, who -recognized me for Pincher Brady, cuss him! He’s run up a big day’s -score, and I aim to pay him. By Godfrey, I’d come close to givin’ -him an even break, I would!” - -With this admirable sentiment, Mr. Murphy inspected his right hand, -whose back was crossed by a big piece of sticking-plaster. He was -not really injured--the bullet had only scraped his hand slightly. -His black scowl was perhaps induced by memory of the fate which had -overtaken Matt Brady that same day. - -Buck was uneasy, and remained uneasy. He had gone to great lengths -to stage his final play for the Shumway girl and ranch, and saw -himself verging on disaster. It was all due to that fool Robinson. -He had met Murphy and had drawn him into Mike’s place for conference. -He had taken the snoring stranger for granted--and the stranger had -wakened in sudden nightmare, according to the story told by Mike and -by Murphy. What did it mean? Had Robinson overheard much of the -talk? How had he chanced to recognize Murphy as Pincher Brady?-- - -The fellow had not gone to Laredo at all, but to Jake Harper’s. That -was suspicious. Where had Robinson come from? The south, beyond a -doubt; but Buck was unable to discover anything about the man. Being -thus uneasy, Buck issued stringent orders to his men, and regarded -Robinson’s fate as settled. - -Upon the following morning, Mr. Murphy mounted and rode away from the -Running Dog by his lonely. A little later Buck and two of his riders -departed in company. Later still Sandy Davitt, Slim, and Doggy rode -away together. The day was clear, brilliant, fairly warm. - -Buck and his two men did not follow the road, but made their way by -easy stages to the rolling and wooded section of the Running Dog -which adjoined the fine water springs on the Shumway ranch. They -knew about what they would find there; it had been the same story day -after day since Matt Brady had undertaken to fence in the Shumway -water. - -Every morning Miguel Cervantes rode over that way and spent an hour -cutting fence. If any of the Running Dog men showed up, Cervantes -would smile and take all that was said and would allow himself to be -ordered away. If they did not show up, he would finish cutting the -fence and then depart. Later, Matt Brady would repair the fence. - -By this mute and inglorious scheme of tactics, Cervantes caused the -Running Dog some irritation, avoided a row, and registered protest -against high-handed work. It gained very little, but it was at least -a protest. It was about all Cervantes had to do on the place, since -the remnant of the Lazy S stock was safely rebranded and herded with -the Running Dog cattle. - -Upon this particular morning, Miguel Cervantes was busily cutting -wires while his pony cropped the lush grass about the springs, when -he observed a single horseman approaching from the hills. At the -same time his pony lifted its head and whinnied--in another direction -where nothing appeared. Cervantes was puzzled, but, centering his -gaze on the rider, he recognized the figure of Jack Robinson. He -ceased work, lolled against a fence post, and began to roll a -cigarette. He looked up with a flashing smile as Robinson drew rein. - -“_Buenos dias!_” cried the rider gayly. “How goes it this morning, -Miguel?” - -“Well, señor. I am glad to see you again.” - -“The gladness is all mine,” said Robinson cheerfully. “If you knew -how close I came not to seeing you again you’d get me. How is the -señorita?” - -“Frying doughnuts.” Cervantes chuckled. His keen eyes darted over -the other’s figure. “You slept out last night, yes?” - -“C’rect, sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson! Look rumpled, do I? Oh, -I’ve been taking a squint at the country, Mig. Need any help here?” - -The other shrugged. “No, thanks. It would be better if you rode on -to the ranch.” - -Robinson gathered up his reins. “Then, _hasta la vista_! See you at -dinner time.” - -Cervantes gestured assent, and watched the slender figure go riding -off. Once more his pony lifted its head, cocking its ears toward -another quarter. Cervantes glanced at the hills, saw nothing, and -returned to his labor. - -The figure of Robinson rode out of sight. For a space Cervantes -worked on, rolling up the wire with painstaking care. For the third -time his pony looked up, and flung a whinny of greeting into the -sunlight. Cervantes halted, straightened up, and surveyed the empty -landscape with one hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun. - -As he stood thus, motionless, a tiny puff of white spat out from a -hillside to his right; a second puff became visible to his left. Two -rolling reports followed. Cervantes, dropping his shielding hand, -stood for an instant and then quietly fell on his face. - -Jack Robinson meantime rode up to the old adobe house beneath wide -cottonwoods that view the Shumway domain from its rounded knoll, and -dismounted. The house had been built Mexican style, even to the -flat, stone-rolled adobe roof; it was cool and restful, with its -vines and flowers. - -Since no one came forth to greet him, Robinson unsaddled, took his -horse to the corral to one side, and then tramped around the house to -the rear. He turned the corner and paused. - -Before him portly Señora Cervantes was pinning clothes to a line, -while from the near-by doorway of the kitchen issued a voice that -made Robinson turn a trifle red. - -“I do hope he’ll come soon!” was saying Estella Shumway. “I don’t -see why he went on to Harper’s, when he must have known we were dying -to see him. Well, that’s the last of the batch; I’d better bring -them outside to cool.” - -The señora turned, beheld Robinson, and stood with open mouth. He -made a gesture of silence, and stepped forward to the doorway. In -this, a moment later, appeared a young lady who held a great platter -of new-sugared doughnuts in both arms. As she came out, Robinson -stepped forward and took the platter from her. - -Something happened swiftly. - -“Oh!” cried the girl, surprise and indignation in her voice. Her -freed hand slapped Robinson’s cheek smartly; then she stared at him -with widening eyes and flushed cheeks. “Oh!” Her voice was suddenly -different, vibrant with eager welcome. “Oh, it’s you! My goodness, -is that the way you show up?” - -Holding the platter, Robinson surveyed her with twinkling eyes. - -“That’s sure the way to show up, isn’t it?” he drawled. “I was -afraid you might not give me the right kind of welcome, so I took it. -Sort of forgot what I look like, since you and Jake were down in -Pecos County last fall, haven’t you? Who’d you think was kissing -you, anyway?” - -The girl’s cheeks reddened again, then she broke into a glad laugh. - -“If I’d known it was you,” she cried, “why----” - -Hastily Robinson set down the doughnuts and turned to the -doorway--but Estella had changed her position and now stood outside, -laughing at him. - -“Too late!” she exclaimed, and then held out her hand. “Goodness, -but I’m glad to see you. I knew from what Miguel said that----” - -“You see, Stella,” broke in Robinson, “there was a lot o’ trouble -down below. The sheriff had been killed and Sam Fisher was filling -out the job; he’ll prob’ly be elected anyhow. So Sam being sheriff, -he couldn’t get away, and sent me up instead.” - -Estella frowned sharply at him for a moment, studying his face. She -was brown-haired, hazel-eyed, healthily brown of cheek and arm. -Robinson returned her gaze innocently. - -“I always did admire the way those tendrils of brown hair sort of -break loose and curl down around your ears,” he said, cocking his -head to one side and surveying her with critical stare. “Yes, ma’am, -I always did, sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson! I met Miguel back -yonder, where he’s powerful busy with some wire, and he allowed you -would be glad to see me----” - -“You met Miguel this morning?” repeated the girl. - -“Yes. Stopped for a chat, then came on. I’ve been doing -considerable running around since yesterday.” - -Señora Cervantes came up, and Robinson was introduced. Then, -grabbing doughnuts in each, hand, Robinson followed Stella around to -the wide veranda and with a sigh of relaxation settled down in a -comfortable chair at her side. - -“Sam was right worried over not hearing from you,” he observed. - -“Not hearing?” Estella regarded him with wide eyes. “Why, I wrote -only two weeks ago--wrote a long letter and begged him to come up at -once if he could! He knew all about the mortgage, and had promised -to try and sell the ranch if he could----” - -Robinson’s eyes narrowed. “Who posted that letter for you?” - -“I gave it to Mr. Buck to mail, as he was going to town.” - -“Oh! Well, I guess it got lost in the shuffle somewhere,” said -Robinson. “Anyhow, Sam hasn’t heard from you in a month. Anyhow, he -sold the ranch.” - -“Sold it! Sold this ranch?” The girl stiffened. “For how much? -Who to?” - -Robinson shook his head. “I dunno, ma’am. Sam, he made me promise -not to say a word about it until he could get up here his ownself.” - -“Oh!” A trace of anger flamed in the girl’s eyes. “I’d like to -shake you----” - -“I’d sure like to have you,” Robinson said with a grin. “Go ahead, -ma’am!” - -Instead, Stella settled back in her chair and regarded him narrowly. - -“What kind of a game are you playing, anyway?” she demanded. - -“None whatever. Me, I’m a innercent pilgrim, a stranger, plumb -peaceable,” and his grin was more exasperating than ever. “As I -remember it, Sam Fisher sold an option on the place, and the feller -was coming up to look it over. He had your power of attorney to -sell, but seemed like you had to consent to the deal.” - -“I had!” repeated the astonished girl. “Why, nothing of the sort! I -wrote Sam that he had full power----” - -“Sure, sure, but this was different. Seems like this feller wanted -you to go with the ranch,” averred Robinson innocently. - -Stella looked at him a moment, then sprang to her feet. “What do you -mean? How dare you! Oh, I wish I knew when you were serious! Who -bought the place? Tell me!” - -“Feller name of Robinson--Jack Robinson. Got any objections?” - -They looked at each other for half a minute, a slow tide of color -sweeping over the face of the girl. As she was about to speak, there -came an interruption: - -“Hello the house! Anybody home?” - -Both turned. There, sitting upon his borrowed horse, was Mr. Murphy, -whose approach had been unobserved. Robinson hastily dropped out of -sight, concluding that he had been unseen. - -“Oh, Lord!” he murmured. “Stella, bring in this gent quick; I’m -going to slaughter him. Friend of mine, sure. Bring him in and give -him a doughnut.” - -“Good morning,” said the girl, somewhat perplexed at the whole -affair. “Weren’t you looking for me?” - -“Lookin’ for Miss Shumway, if you’re her,” returned Murphy. He -dismounted and came forward toward the veranda. “My name’s Murphy, -ma’am. I done bought a mortgage over to Laredo City las’ week, -coverin’ this place, and, bein’, in the vicinity, thought I’d drop in -and ask about it comin’ due the first of the month.” - -The girl’s face whitened a trifle. “The--mortgage?” she stammered. -“Why--why, I thought the bank held it----” - -“Yes’m.” Murphy took a paper from his pocket as he mounted the -steps. “But I done bought her in. Maybe you’d like to look over -this----” - -He broke off suddenly, for his eyes had fallen upon Robinson. The -latter grinned at him cheerfully. - -“Step right up, Mr. Murphy; step right up. We’re a whole lot glad to -see you. Try a doughnut? Finest you ever seen, I’ll bet.” - -Murphy looked paralyzed, and in this case looks did not lie. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -BUCK’S LUCKY DAY - -Murphy really looked as though about to have a stroke. His red face -purpled deeply, and his plastered right hand gave a slight, spasmodic -jerk. - -“You want to watch that there hand real careful,” said Robinson with -a solicitous air. “Real careful! Don’t let it jerk thataway; it’s a -right bad sign, Mr. Murphy! Step up and have a seat, won’t you? -Hello--you must ha’ scratched that hand or hurt it somehow; all -plastered up, ain’t it?” - -“I--I didn’t expect to be findin’ you here,” said Murphy, glaring -viciously. - -“Don’t doubt it,” was the cheerful response, while Stella Shumway -looked from one to the other with suspicious scrutiny. “That’s my -specialty, bein’ where I ain’t expected. But don’t let me interrupt -your business talk none whatever. I’ll just set quiet and be a good -feller. Mr. Murphy’s an old friend of mine, Stella; known him since -yesterday afternoon. Set and rest yourself, Murphy. No ceremony -here.” - -Murphy compressed his thick lips, removed his hat, and finally shook -his head. - -“I ain’t settin’, thanks,” he returned, then faced the girl. “You -don’t mind if I look over the place a bit, ma’am? Ain’t aiming to -make myself obnoxious none, if----” - -“Why, certainly,” faltered Estella, handing back the paper she had -taken. “Since you bought the mortgage, you have a right to look over -the property.” - -“Wait a minute,” broke in Robinson. “It’s awful to have a tongue -like mine; just can’t keep quiet two minutes. You started in a while -ago, Murphy, to say something, then you switched off and started to -look over the place. Let’s finish and get cleaned up all fine. What -was it you started to orate about the mortgage?” - -Murphy gave him a savage glance. - -“I was goin’ to say,” he said sullenly, “that we could make -arrangements about it’s bein’ paid off at the Pahrump bank.” - -“Oh!” Robinson stretched out comfortably. His hand caressed the gun -at his belt, and Murphy watched that hand with attention. “Oh! But -s’pose it can’t be paid off? Was you about to offer to renew the -note?” - -“I’m right sorry,” and Murphy ignored his questioner, addressing -himself to Estella Shumway. “Right sorry, ma’am, but I can’t very -well renew. Ye see----” - -“Never mind goin’ into the matter, feller,” said Robinson. His voice -had a sting to it. “You turn around and address them remarks to me. -It looks mighty funny about you bein’ so anxious to look around the -place, after you got a glimpse o’ me settin’ here. What’s your rush -to look at land, huh? What you tryin’ to kill time for? Expectin’ -to meet somebody else here?” - -Murphy regarded him with veiled hatred. - -“I dunno what you’re talkin’ about, Robinson,” he said. “I rode over -here square and open to transact business. That business ain’t with -you----” - -“Oh, ain’t it?” jeered Robinson. “Look here, you! I don’t like your -looks, and I don’t like the name you’re sailin’ under, savvy? If I’d -known as much yesterday as I know now, I wouldn’t ha’ scratched that -hand of yours, not a bit of it! I was a blamed fool. Now, if you -expect me to turn my back on you any more, you got another guess -coming. You’re the one that’s going to turn your back, and do it -pronto!” - -“Are you threatening me?” demanded Murphy belligerently. - -“Threaten you? My gosh, no!” Robinson chuckled. “You ain’t worth -it, you red hawg! I want to see you ridin’ away from here in a -hurry. Oh, never you mind, Stella! This gent isn’t going to act as -mad as he looks. That isn’t his style. Murphy, go grab for your gun -if you want; I’ll give you till you grab it. Hurry up! Grab for it!” - -Murphy looked down into those deadly blue eyes and made no move for -his gun. His fat red features were perspiring a trifle. Robinson -mocked at him. - -“Oh, you ain’t reachin’ for it, huh? S’pose ye’d like me to turn my -back, would ye? Nope, not no more, feller. Besides, they’s ladies -present, and I sure hate to expose my back and start you to shootin’.” - -“Two men coming up the road,” intervened Estella quickly. - -At these words a flash crossed the face of Murphy--a flash of untold -relief. Robinson did not miss the look. Then he glanced at the -road, and saw the corduroy-clad figure of Buck, followed by another -rider. - -“Don’t mind if I smoke, Stella?” he drawled. “Thanks. Set down, -Murphy. I’m real anxious to hear what Buck has to say to you.” - -Murphy did not sit down, but eyed the approaching riders uneasily. -Buck slid from his horse, looking visibly excited, and strode toward -the veranda. He glanced at Robinson without surprise, then his gaze -fell on Murphy. He doffed his hat to Estella. - -“Morning, ma’am! You sure look fresh as ever. Got visitors, I see.” - -A smile on her lips, Estella stepped forward and shook hands. - -“Just in time for lunch, Mr. Buck. Yes, we have visitors. My -friend, Mr. Robinson, from the south, and this is Mr. Murphy----” - -Buck glanced at Robinson, then turned to Murphy suddenly. A look of -recognition came into his eyes. He was acting his part well. - -“Murphy!” he said slowly. “That ain’t the name you went under when I -seen you before. What you doin’ here?” - -At this challenge, the girl started in astonishment. Robinson smiled -thinly. - -“Me?” Murphy faced the rancher aggressively. “None of your business, -is it? But if you want to know, I done bought a mortgage on this -place, and I aim to foreclose if she ain’t cleared off first of the -month.” - -“Oh, you do!” Buck’s hand flashed down and his gun looked at Mr. -Murphy. “All I got to say to you is--git, and git quick! The -mortgage’ll be paid. I’ll lend Miss Shumway the money my ownself. -Git, you varmint!” - -Murphy turned and strode down the steps, passed to his horse, and -rode away. - -Buck gazed after him with narrowed eyes until he was well away. -Then, without a bit of warning, he whirled and threw down his gun at -Robinson. - -“Hands up, you! Quick!” - -There was deadly intent in his voice. Robinson, absolutely -surprised, put up his hands. Buck leaned forward and jerked away his -gun. - -“Here! How dare you, Mr. Buck!” exclaimed Stella, darting forward. -“What do you mean by this----” - -“Miss Stella,” said Buck gravely, “I got mighty bad news for you. Me -and two of my riders was comin’ here this morning by way of the -spring. We were up on that knoll behind it when we crossed the track -of a horseman, and a moment later we seen this gent,” he motioned -toward Robinson with his ready gun, “ridin’ up to the spring. -Cervantes was standin’ there smokin’ a cigarette. What passed we -dunno. All we heard was two shots, and then this gent rode away -quick. When we got up, Cervantes was dead. We come on here quick.” - -Horror filled the eyes of the girl, and a terrible grief. - -“Dead--Miguel dead?” - -“Shot twice, Miss Stella,” answered the latter, regret in his tone. -“We seen the whole thing. I left ‘Chuck’ Hansom to bring Miguel in, -then I come on. Ye see, ma’am, we’d been lookin’ for this gent since -yesterday. Seems like he met my foreman, Matt Brady, and shot him -down, out o’ pure cussedness.” - -“Don’t forget Knute,” intervened Robinson, smiling a thin smile. -“Don’t forget him, Buck.” - -“Oh!” Estella turned to the speaker swiftly. “Tell me--tell him, -you must! This isn’t true!” - -“Sho, of course it ain’t true,” said Robinson calmly. “Sure’s my -name’s Jack Robinson, it ain’t got a word of truth--except maybe that -poor Miguel’s dead. That’s liable to be true.” - -The girl shrank away from him; then, with a burst of tears, ran from -the veranda. - -Instantly the manner of Robinson changed. He looked at Buck from -narrowed steely eyes that burned. - -“Buck,” he said softly, “I’m tellin’ you here and now--you’d better -shoot while you got me, for you ain’t goin’ to have me long. You’d -better shoot, Buck. I’m warnin’ you, it’s your best chance. After -this, you and me----” - -“None of your big talk, Robinson,” sneered the rancher. “We have you -dead to rights, and we’ll see that the law attends to you. Hey, -there! Come up and rope this gent! We’ll take him in to the sheriff -right off.” - -Buck’s companion swung from the saddle, took his lariat, and came to -the veranda. From inside the house came a shrill high scream of -grief; the señora had learned the news. Then Estella appeared again, -and saw the puncher with the rope. - -“Oh, you mustn’t!” she cried out, running forward. “He didn’t do it; -he couldn’t have done it, Mr. Buck! Why----” - -“Ma’am, we seen the whole thing,” said Buck regretfully. “And this -gent is mighty slick, but we’ll turn him in to the law to be dealt -with. That’s all we aim to do.” - -“Oh, tell them, tell them!” Estella turned her tear-stained eyes to -Robinson. “You can make them believe when----” - -“I’m afraid Mr. Buck is right stubborn and set in his ways,” sighed -Robinson. “Nope, they ain’t a bit o’ use in me spillin’ any talk to -him, Stella! Sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson, there ain’t. I met -Miguel on the way here, as I said, but----” - -Buck nodded to his rider, who approached Robinson and deftly knotted -his wrists behind his back. - -“Put him on my horse,” said Buck quietly, “and take him into town. -Hand him over to Sheriff Tracy--and see that nothing happens to him. -Don’t tell any one but the sheriff what’s happened, savvy? We don’t -want to rouse up any necktie party in town. This is a matter for the -law--open-and-shut case.” - -“Quite so,” observed Robinson ironically. “Quite so! We’ll get to -town all right, Buck--won’t we, cowboy? Lead on, and don’t pull too -hard on that cord. My wrists is real tender lately. See you later, -Stella; don’t you worry none whatever about this deal. Trust Jake -Harper to see that the cards are dealt honest.” - -The girl stared after him, stricken in her grief. - -Without attempt at protest, Robinson mounted into the saddle of Buck, -and allowed the puncher to tie his ankles beneath the horse. Then -the puncher mounted, and started for town. The two figures rode away -from the ranch, and lessened in the distance. - -Buck, meantime, was speaking to Estella Shumway. - -“This is a terrible thing, Stella,” he said, his voice soft and -pleading. “Poor Miguel and my boys has had some trouble, but it -wa’n’t nothing to mention. Gosh, this is pretty bad! And then this -feller Murphy comin’ along. - -“Now look-a-here, Stella! You got to let me handle things for you a -spell. I’ll get rid o’ this cuss Murphy in a hurry. Don’t let the -money part of it bother you a mite. I’ll send in to town to-day and -git the preacher, and we’ll attend to a real funeral for poor Miguel, -savvy? There ain’t nothin’ I wouldn’t do for you, li’l girl, and you -know it.” - -“Oh!” The girl turned to him desperately. “Are you sure--are you -sure about what you saw? It isn’t possible, I tell you!” - -Her vehemence shook Buck despite himself. - -“Why, Stella! You ain’t friends with this gunman Robinson? He’s a -stranger up here--sure, you don’t know him?” - -The girl shivered slightly and turned away. She was silent for a -moment; then: - -“No,” she said. “I never saw Robinson before to-day, Mr. Buck--only -he seemed such a nice man! And he knew some friends of ours----” - -A flash of relief crossed the features of Buck. - -“Well, looks is deceivin’,” he averred stoutly. “Now, Stella, you -leave things to me. Chuck will be in pretty quick with the body, and -I’ll take care of it. Poor Miguel! This here news will be a mighty -big shock to everybody who knowed him. Want me to send for Jake -Harper? Him and me ain’t overly friendly, but he’s mighty true to -you, I guess. We’ll overlook our differences and ’tend to your -affairs.” - -“It’s--it’s good of you, Mr. Buck,” and the girl glanced at him -quickly, then turned to the doorway. “Yes, send for him, please. -You--you must excuse me now; I’ll have to be with poor Tia Maria----” - -She vanished into the house. - -For a moment Buck stood motionless. His gaze followed the tiny dots -that were the figures of his puncher and Robinson, and a smile curved -his wide lips. Then he glanced down and picked up one of the -doughnuts that Robinson had dropped. He regarded it, then bit -strongly into it. - -“Gosh, these is sure fine doughnuts!” he observed. “I’ll sure be -playin’ in luck when Stella comes to cook for me. Lucky catchin’ -Robinson thataway, too, y’ understand. And darned lucky Stella -didn’t think to look if his gun’d been fired twice. Plumb lucky!” - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -PROOF - -After leaving the Lazy S behind, Robinson rode in silence for some -time. He was in the lead. The puncher behind held the lariat which -bound Robinson to his horse. - -“You got that gun of mine with you?” asked Robinson. No answer from -behind. “Well, I seen Buck hand her to you. Be mighty careful with -her; she’s got a special easy pull. I’d be right sorry to have you -point her my way.” - -No answer. The puncher was a sullen brute of a man. - -“You fellers made one real mistake,” went on Robinson, undaunted by -the silence, his voice cheerful as ever. “You should ha’ fixed that -gun o’ mine. Miguel was killed by two bullets, wasn’t he? But that -gun ain’t been fired, cowboy. You’d better set that right ’fore -turning me in to the sheriff. Otherwise Tracy would have to fix the -gun his ownself, and he might forget it.” - -An oath from the rider behind apprised Robinson that his words had -taken full effect. He grinned slightly. A moment later his horse -started as a gun was fired in the air. Looking over his shoulder, -Robinson saw the puncher in the act of firing the second time. - -“Two shots is plenty,” he observed. “That’s real friendly of you, -cowboy. I’d hate to spoil everything by not havin’ fired that there -weapon.” - -The sullen rider gave him a malevolent glance and motioned ahead. -Robinson turned and made no further overtures. - -They jogged on in silence, the hoofs raising a slow cloud of dust -that followed and drifted over them with the breeze of noonday. For -half an hour neither man spoke a word, and then Robinson again -ventured an effort: - -“You three gents must ha’ been planted when I rode by and spoke with -Cervantes. Ain’t that the way of it now?” - -No response at all. Robinson chuckled. - -“I guess that’s it, feller. Buck seen me, and got a great idea. -Looks like he was dead right about it, too. Only thing that worries -me is this: Who fired the two shots? Each o’ these hosses has a -rifle, but they was a third puncher along with you. However, that -don’t matter right now. The three of you was planted, seen me, and -let me go past. That was actin’ real clever toward me, as they say -down south. Ever been down thataway, feller? You come down some day -and get you a job on the SF Ranch below Pecos City. I’ll help you -get it any old time. Sam Fisher owns her. He’s a smart young -feller, they do say, only he don’t justify his reputation much. -Least, that’s what Jake Harper says.” - -“Hold your jaw!” came the savage command from behind. - -Robinson glanced over his shoulder and beheld another cloud of dust -far behind them. His captor jerked on the lariat, and continued: - -“Robinson, you start any talkin’ and you’ll never reach town alive. -I means it. When that gent comes up, if he ain’t Buck you lay low.” - -“Conceded,” returned Robinson. “I’ll not say a word, providin’ you -tell me where Murphy went to.” - -“What you so dummed curious about Murphy for?” - -“Born that way and can’t help it. Tell me, and I won’t say a word.” - -“Well, Murphy he went to town, I guess. Satisfied?” - -“Plenty.” Robinson looked straight ahead at the road, and grinned to -himself. - -Behind the two the cloud of dust moved rapidly closer. The Running -Dog rider turned often in his saddle with uneasy scrutiny, but to -make out the figure of the rider was impossible, for the breeze was -stiffly behind them and blew the dust ahead. - -Thus it was not until the drum of hoofs behind was distinctly audible -that Robinson heard a low oath issue from his captor. - -“It’s that fool Arnold from the Circle Bar! You, Robinson, keep your -trap shut!” - -Robinson grinned and made no response. But a moment later he looked -over his shoulder, and remained looking. - -Arnold was spurring his cayuse after the pair. Now he sent a hoarse -yell ahead--a yell which caused the Running Dog man to jerk up his -mount and turn, hand on gun. - -“Put ’em up!” yelled Arnold again. - -“Take it, if ye want it,” growled the puncher, and drew. - -Before his gun spoke, Steve Arnold fired--and fired again. Then -Arnold came riding up to the plunging horse and fallen man, swearing -huge oaths as he did so; the vivid flame of hatred in his face was -terrible to see. - -“Steve, I’m right s’prised in you,” said Robinson calmly. Arnold -whirled on him. - -“You didn’t see it!” he cried, his voice cracking. “You didn’t see -it--I did! This here guy was one of the two--him and Buck done it. -They shot down Miguel, murdered him, never said a word, jest let -drive from the brush! By gosh, it was all I could do not to let -drive on ’em--not a mite of warning, but two shots!” - -The face of Robinson was grave, sternly set, ten years older. - -“Was it as bad as that?” he queried. “Turn me loose, Steve!” - -Arnold came up and fumbled at the knots. Tears of excitement were on -his dusty cheeks. - -“The dirty skunks!” he cried. “It was low down, Red--the worst I -ever dreamed of. This guy was one of the two. But I give him -warning; you heard me? I warned him ’fore I shot him down.” - -“You done so, Steve,” affirmed Robinson, rubbing his freed wrists. -“What happened after they shot Cervantes?” - -“They left Chuck Hansom with him, and follered you. I snuck past -Chuck and follered them, lay up and circled around the Lazy S house. -Seen Murphy go, then seen you put into the saddle. After that I -follered along until I heard the two shots, and that was all.” - -Robinson reached for the rifle that was booted at the saddle before -him. - -“This is Buck’s horse, Steve,” he said gravely. “And Buck’s rifle. -Now, lookin’ down the barrel, you’ll agree with me that she’s been -fired real lately--and there’s a trace o’ fumes to prove it. That’s -proof aplenty for Buck. Let’s look at this gent’s rifle.” - -The rifle from the other saddle had also been fired recently. -Robinson looked down at the dead man and shook his head sadly. - -“You fellows,” he observed, “have been sowing the wind up in this -county--and now you’re going to reap the whirlwind. You’ll reap it -good and plenty, and she’ll strike sudden; she always does. Steve! -Can you swear to it that Buck fired one of the shots?” - -“I seen him rise up with his gun a-smokin’,” averred Steve Arnold. - -“Then let’s you and me lay off of Buck entirely.” Robinson smiled -harshly at the dead man. “We’ll get him when the time comes--and let -the law deal with him.” - -“Law?” Arnold swore scornfully. “Lot o’ law in this county! You’d -never get Tracy to arrest Buck even!” - -Robinson regarded him a moment, the blue eyes keen and hard. - -“C’rect the first shot, sure’s my name’s Jack Robinson! But I don’t -aim to have Tracy do any arrestin’. The main thing right now is that -Buck is back at the Lazy S fillin’ Stella full o’ fancy lies, and she -thinkin’ I’m in jail for the murder of poor Cervantes.” - -“Oh! So that’s why they had you tied up?” queried Steve Arnold. - -“Somethin’ like that.” Robinson smiled. “Steve, can I trust you to -turn in back there and say nothin’--keep your head level--just be -nice and polite to Buck and his man Chuck Hansom? Can ye do it, -cowboy?” - -“Can if I got to. Why?” - -“Then go do it, and stick around till you gets a chance to wise up -Stella to the facts of the case. Take Buck’s rifle; we may need a -real gun ’fore we get through. I’ll ride this feller’s hoss and take -his Winchester. Buck’s hoss we’ll send home by his ownself.” - -Suiting action to words, Robinson took the bridle of the dead man’s -mount, then with a slap and a wave of his hat sent Buck’s beast -careering down the road. Arnold sat looking down at him darkly. - -“Where you goin’, Red?” - -Robinson’s old quizzical smile broke forth. “Me? I got to get to -town in time to call for some mail----” - -“To town, ye durned fool! Ridin’ a Runnin’ Dog cayuse? Here, you -take this hoss o’ mine and I’ll take--” - -“And give our game away to Buck? Not on your young life, cowboy! I -want Mr. Buck to think I’m safe behind the bars--until he gets home -and finds his own hoss, anyhow. Nope, you amble along and don’t -waste worry over me. Your job is to take the worry off Stella’s -mind, savvy?” - -“You’ve got mighty well acquainted, Red. Callin’ her Stella, huh?” - -“That’s my specialty.” With a laugh, Robinson was in the saddle and -turning his horse toward town. “See you later. If you take a -notion, I’ll prob’ly be in town until about eight o’clock to-night. -And mind, you leave Buck be! He’ll hang for that murder!” - -With this he put spurs to his cayuse and careered down the road in a -cloud of dust. Steve Arnold looked after him, scowled down at the -dead man, then reined about and started on the back trail. He was -quivering, tremulous with a stern excitement. - -“My first man!” He looked back at the motionless figure, then -straightened in the saddle. “Well, I s’pose it had to come some -time--and I’m glad I paid out the cuss for what he done at the -spring. Question is, can I git to town ’fore eight o’clock to-night? -Red, he’s sure aimin’ to raise Cain with somebody there.” - -When at length he dismounted at the Lazy S, he was met by Buck and -Chuck Hansom, the latter a cheerful scoundrel who sported an Indian -beadwork vest and was credited with an aptitude for any deviltry. - -“Howdy, Steve!” greeted Buck. “Jest come from town? Meet anybody?” - -“Uh-huh.” Arnold busied himself unsaddling. “Done heard the news. -Met that hombre of yourn with his pris’ner in tow. Brought in -Cervantes, have you?” - -Buck nodded gravely. “Where’s Jake Harper, d’you know?” - -“Home, I reckon. His rheumatiz was right bad this mornin’,” said -Arnold coolly. “Miss Stella inside? I got a letter for her.” - -“I’ll take it in,” proffered Jake. “She’s right cut up about Miguel. -I don’t guess you’d better bother her now, Steve----” - -Arnold’s hand fell to his gun. So deadly was his face in that moment -that Buck instinctively took a step backward. - -“I’m carryin’ my own mail,” said Arnold. “You fellers object?” - -“Of course not,” said Buck hastily. “What ye tryin’ to do--stir up -trouble a time like this? Miss Stella wants to git Jake here. Goin’ -over to the ranch real soon?” - -“I don’t aim to.” Arnold gave him look for look. “If she’s done -asked you to fetch Jake, you fetch him. I got business of my own; I -ain’t ridin’ for Jake no more.” - -“You ain’t!” exclaimed Buck, staring. “Listen! I got room for -you----” - -“Not for me, you ain’t!” and with a slow laugh Steve Arnold went into -the house. - -The other two looked after him, then glanced at each other. Chuck -Hansom uttered a chuckle, and touched Buck’s arm. - -“I guess you ’n’ me had better go find Jake ourselves, Buck. What -say?” - -Buck nodded. His work here was done for the moment. He was well -satisfied with it. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -MASKS OFF - -It was late afternoon when Jack Robinson rode into the town of -Pahrump, county seat of the county of the same name. The town was -deserted apparently; somnolent and sleepy. The afternoon stage was -not yet in with the mail. The courthouse square, with its long -hitching rail, seemed abandoned to flies and sunlight. Even the jail -and sheriff’s office looked desolate; across the street from this -last, Mike’s Place showed not a sign of life. - -Robinson went to the hotel and turned his horse into the corral -there, leaving his saddle and bridle in the hotel office for -safe-keeping. He then made his way to Main Street and sought the -telegraph office. There was no line in Pahrump, but the telephone -exchange handled messages. At the exchange, Robinson smiled at the -young woman in charge. - -“I left a message here yesterday, ma’am, askin’ you to hold up any -answer. Name of Fisher.” - -Without comment the young woman handed him a message. Robinson -pocketed it, returned to the street, glanced at the message, and -chuckled. - -“What I need is grub, a bath, and a shave,” he reflected. “Fresh -shirt wouldn’t hurt anything, not to mention a clean handkerchief. -Grub can come last.” - -The stage and express office, an integral unit with the Johnson -Merchandise Company, lay across the street. Robinson betook himself -thither and confronted a listless clerk. - -“What’s all the excitement about in town?” he demanded. The clerk -saw no humor in the question, but answered it seriously: - -“Two men shot up yesterday; sheriff’s gone out with a posse. Dunno -why.” - -“I don’t know why, either,” said Robinson cheerfully. “You ought to -have a pair of saddlebags sent up by express from Pecos City. Name -of Fisher.” - -“Come in last night,” was the response. - -The saddlebags over his arm, Robinson went to the barber shop. There -he obtained a shave, followed by a bath, and from the saddlebags he -spruced up with a clean shirt and handkerchief--also a second gun. - -His pilgrimage now took him to the nearest and only restaurant, where -he put away a huge order of ham and eggs, with other things. This -done, he dropped his saddlebags at the hotel, loosened his belt, -bought a cigar, and sauntered down the street again. Thus far he had -seen no signs of Mr. Murphy, and he rightly concluded that the -gentleman was sequestered in or about Mike’s Place. - -These errands had taken up considerable time. The stage was nearly -due, and the town showed some symptoms of animation. Horses fringed -the long hitching rail in the square. A number of loungers about the -sheriff’s office showed that the posse had returned. Unhurried, -Robinson sauntered to the post office and presented a smiling face at -the window. - -“Mail for Fisher, please,” he requested. - -The postmaster fished several long envelopes from a box, glanced at -them, then gave Robinson a hard look. - -“Nothin’ fer you, I guess.” - -“Your mistake, mister,” and Robinson smiled. “Those letters are for -me, I believe.” - -“These here is for Sheriff Sam Fisher o’ Pecos County.” - -Robinson drew a flat metal object from his pocket and laid it on the -shelf. - -“Does that satisfy you? If not, I’ll come around and get my own -mail.” - -The postmaster glanced at the sheriff’s badge, silently shoved out -the letters, and stared at Robinson as that young man departed. - -Without looking at his mail, Robinson took his easy way to the -sheriff’s office. He nodded to the loungers outside, and passed in. -At the door which bore the sheriff’s name he paused. Turning the -handle, he walked in. - -Sheriff Tracy was seated at a desk, alone in the room. He looked up, -saw who his visitor was, and gasped. Then his hand slid across the -desk. - -“Don’t!” said Robinson, and Tracy looked into a gun. “Set back; I -dropped in for a quiet talk. Also, I aim to use your office a spell.” - -“You impudent scoundrel!” gasped the sheriff. “Look here! What -d’you know about that shooting on the north road yesterday?” - -“Know all about it,” responded Robinson coolly, closing the door and -drawing up a chair opposite the sheriff. He sat down and laid the -gun before him. “In fact, I done it. Now, set still and don’t call -in anybody just yet. We got to have a talk. First, I want to look -at this here mail, if you don’t object.” - -He put the letters on the desk and spread them out. Tracy’s glance -fell to them. A start of surprise, and his gaze returned to -Robinson’s face. - -“Whose mail you got there, Robinson?” - -“My own.” Robinson smiled thinly, knowing that Tracy had read the -name on that mail. - -There was a moment of silence. Tracy surveyed his cool visitor with -frightful uneasiness, licked his lips, tugged at his mustache. Then: - -“Well, what you want here?” - -“Several things, sheriff. I’ll be real busy to-morrow, so I thought -we’d better get all fixed up to-day. Got to go out to the Lazy S -to-night with the preacher and attend to the funerals to-morrow.” - -“Funerals? At the Lazy S? What in time d’you mean?” - -“Shootin’; somebody murdered Miguel Cervantes this mornin’. Shot him -twice in the back.” - -The sheriff leaped from his chair. Robinson’s hand went to his gun, -and Tracy sat down again, breathing hard. - -“Who done it?” - -“Now, sheriff, don’t go to askin’ me unpleasant questions. One of -the gents that done it is real dead. The other gent is going over -the road for it--in my care.” - -Tracy bristled. - -“You may be Sam Fisher and you may not,” he said aggressively, “but -you ain’t walkin’ into my county and givin’ no orders, stranger. -That’s plumb final. You got no authority here; not a mite.” - -“I know it,” said Robinson sweetly. “But I aim to get that authority -real sudden. Now don’t go to causing any trouble, Sheriff Tracy. In -about ten minutes from now you got to saddle up and take quite a -journey, and I’d hate to make you take a longer journey than is -necessary.” - -“Saddle up! Me?” queried Tracy, red-faced. - -“Yep. First thing, you look over this here telegram. It’s about a -gent named Murphy, which same is sojournin’ in our midst. Since -somebody wants him bad enough to offer three hundred dollars for him, -you’d ought to be interested in picking up the money.” - -He laid his telegram on the desk. Tracy read it. His face was a -study in mingled emotions. Finally he looked up at Fisher with a -complete change of front. - -“I guess you’re Sam Fisher, all right,” he observed. “They say he’s -got the devil’s own nerve, and you sure show it. But you’re making a -terrible mistake butting into things like this, Fisher. You don’t -know this here county----” - -“Here’s my badge for proof, and my mail,” said Robinson. “I’m Sam -Fisher--fact is, I never said right out that I was Robinson. Folks -just took that for granted. You and the old gang are plumb out of -luck, Tracy. I got no hard feelings against you, and I’m going to -give you the chance to slide out of town, avoid trouble, and pick up -three hundred iron men. In other words, take Mr. Murphy to the -railroad and go away with him. By the time you get back the trouble -will be all over and you’ll have a clean slate.” - -Tracy, breathing hard, surveyed his visitor with anxious eyes. - -“Don’t get hasty now,” warned Robinson--or, to use his real name, Sam -Fisher. “And don’t get to thinking about Templeton Buck and how much -power he has. He ain’t going to have much left when I get through -with him, Tracy. I s’pose he’s given out orders that poor Jack -Robinson has got to be eliminated. Fact is, he thought he had me -eliminated a few hours ago. That’s all right; we’ll leave Jack -Robinson out of it. Sam Fisher has drawn cards in this game, and -he’s going to stick for the pot.” - -“Why don’t you take Murphy, if you want him, and go?” demanded the -sheriff. - -“I don’t want him. Three hundred bones means nothin’ in my young -life. Also, and moreover, I don’t aim to go in that direction.” -Fisher’s smile was cherubic. “You are gettin’ off mighty easy, -Tracy. All you got to do is to swear me in as a deputy and turn over -the jail keys to me, then start travelin’ with Murphy. I’ll even go -so far as to help you arrest him.” - -Tracy reddened again. - -“Leave you here?” he said. “Not much! I ain’t going to do no such -thing----” - -“I said not to get hasty, didn’t I?” Fisher’s eyes hardened into -blue steel. - -“You can’t run no riffle on me, Fisher!” blustered Tracy. “If I -don’t do it, then what?” - -Fisher surveyed him a moment with that bitterly cold gaze: - -“If you don’t do it,” he returned slowly, “then you got to make a -heap big war talk, and do it sudden. Balance her up now, and make -your play. I’m talkin’ turkey.” - -In those tense features Tracy read the truth--this man was in to play -the limit. And Tracy dared not back his hand; he could not trust his -own cards. There was too much he did not know. He had been unable -to find Buck that afternoon, and he was facing this crisis on his own -backbone--which did not amount to much. - -He had heard of Sam Fisher often and often. The sheriff of Pecos had -a reputation, and stood behind it hard. Tracy could not tell just -what this man would dare do, and he did not care to take chances on -finding out. - -On the other hand, he was offered a trip with a prisoner which would -net him three hundred dollars reward money. He would be safely away -while Fisher was playing his game. It would be certainly all right -to leave Fisher, the sheriff of the next county, in charge of Pahrump -while he was gone. And if Fisher got killed, what loss? None. If -he did not get killed, he was apt to kill off several people who were -behind Tracy. That would be no great loss either. - -A grim smile curved the lips of Tracy. - -“Sam, your arguments are powerful good,” he said. “There’s a couple -o’ deputies outside. If you want to have the ceremony over right -away----” - -Fisher nodded, rose, and went to the door. - -“Hey, fellers!” he called to the group outside. “Come inside; -sheriff wants you.” - -Five men trooped in, eyeing Fisher with uneasy glances. Sheriff -Tracy, having made his decision, lost no time in putting the job -through. - -“This here,” he said, motioning to his visitor, “is Sam Fisher, -sheriff o’ Pecos County. I’m about to swear him in as deputy and -leave him in charge of things here. Fisher, you want these deputies -to work with you?” - -Sam Fisher eyed the group and smiled. - -“Nope, I’m satisfied to play a lone hand, Tracy. Much obliged for -the offer.” - -“Very well. You boys can bear witness to this here affair, then -you’re free. Hold up your hand, Fisher--” - -Sam Fisher was duly sworn as deputy sheriff, and Tracy handed him a -badge. Fisher put it in his pocket with a grin. The startled, -staring men behind him were dumfounded. Tracy then shoved over the -jail keys. - -“They’s four brand-new cells,” he said, “just installed, all the -latest fittin’s. The others ain’t worth much ’cept for looks. Four -will be plenty, I guess?” - -“One,” said Fisher significantly, “is all I figger on using. I’d -hate to cause the county a lot of expense, Tracy, when you’re -treatin’ me so wide and handsome.” - -“You want to move into the office here while I’m gone?” - -“Nope, thanks. I’ll just lock her up; I expect to be plumb busy for -a few days. Now what say to you and me going after that bad guy? I -reckon we’ll find him down to Mike’s Place. Boys,” and he turned to -the ex-deputies, “Sheriff Tracy has discovered that there’s a feller -here badly wanted for a holdup and murder--and he aims to light out -with him right off. That is, providin’ we gather him in without any -gunplay, which we hope to do. You might spread the news, so folks -won’t think it funny that Tracy is out o’ town.” - -“What about that killin’ up on the north road?” asked somebody. -“Matt Brady?” - -Fisher looked at the speaker. - -“Oh, him?” he asked in surprise. “Why, I done that myself. No -objections?” - -“Gosh, no!” was the response, hastily rendered. - -Sam Fisher smiled grimly as he left the office with Tracy at his -elbow. - -“Any of the Running Dog outfit in town?” he asked when they were -crossing the street. - -“Not that I know of,” said Tracy, jingling the handcuffs in his -pocket. “But if I was you, Fisher, I’d sort of keep my eye skinned -for Buck.” - -“Thanks.” Fisher chuckled. “That’s the best little thing to do, -Tracy. Well, here goes for the big show! Bet you a dollar we don’t -even have a rumpus.” - -He pushed open the swinging doors of Mike’s Place. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -EXIT MR. P. BRADY - -The saloon was deserted, except for Galway Mike and Mr. Murphy, who -were closely engaged in conversation across the bar. In another half -hour the place would be rushed; the stage would be in, and the usual -evening’s business would be opened up. - -Sam Fisher wasted no time on preliminaries. When he stepped inside -the place it was with a drawn gun. - -“Hands up, gents!” he said quietly. “Move quick, Mike!” - -Two pairs of hands were swiftly elevated. Murphy saw in the bar -mirror who had come in, and he stood petrified. Mike grimaced -angrily. - -“This ain’t a holdup, is it?” he uttered. “Sure an all----” - -“Nope, and you aren’t in it, Mike,” responded Fisher. “So long as -you keep out of it, you’re not in it; get the idea? All right. -Better iron this gent, sheriff.” - -Tracy appeared, to the amazement of Mike. He produced handcuffs and -stepped forward. From Murphy broke a string of oaths. - -“Shut up!” ordered Fisher. “One more word out of you, Pincher Brady, -and I’ll drill your hand--should ha’ done it yesterday. You’re going -to the capital for robbery and murder. Guess I’ll take a look at his -pockets, Tracy, if you don’t mind.” - -Gyved and backed against the bar by Tracy, the prisoner was helpless. -Sam Fisher stepped forward, removed his gun, and then swiftly -searched him. He took from Murphy’s breast pocket a number of -papers, and hurriedly glanced over them. - -“Most of these have bearings on my case, Tracy,” he announced. -“You’ll have no objections if I take charge of ’em?” - -“None whatever, Fisher,” said the sheriff amiably. - -At this response Murphy gave a violent start. Galway Mike, behind -the bar, opened his mouth and started with a drooping jaw. - -“Fisher!” stammered Murphy. “Who you callin’ Fisher, sheriff? This -here gent----” - -“Is the sheriff o’ Pecos County,” said Sheriff Tracy. “And he’s -takin’ my place here for a few days, gents. Now, Brady, march along!” - -“I’ll run along and see you off,” said Sam Fisher languidly. - -Tracy grinned. He was beginning to feel that he had chosen the wiser -way out of a very bad dilemma, and was fully as anxious to depart -from Pahrump as Sam Fisher was to have him gone. He had nothing to -gain by staying, and much to lose. - -“If I’d knowed you was Sam Fisher,” said Murphy ruefully as they went -out, “I wouldn’t have monkeyed with you no ways.” - -“But you didn’t, and you did,” returned Fisher cheerfully. “And now -you’re in the soup, Pincher. But cheer up; you’ll meet some friends -of yours before long, as soon as I get time to round ’em up and send -’em along. Where are your hosses, Tracy?” - -“I got a couple in the hotel corral.” - -Sight of the two men with their obvious prisoner quickly assembled a -small crowd, which drifted along to the hotel. On the porch Sam -Fisher seated Mr. Murphy in a chair and stood guard over him while -Tracy went for the horses. The crowd eyed the two men and offered -many comments and questions, to which Sam Fisher only replied with a -smile. News of his identity having been spread by the ex-deputies of -the posse, he was at length confronted by a direct question. - -“Are you Fisher o’ Pecos County?” demanded one of the crowd about the -porch. - -“C’rect the first shot, pardner,” responded Sam Fisher. - -“What ye doin’ here?” - -“Workin’,” was the laconic retort. “Any objections?” - -“You wait till Buck hears about this!” came in quick response. “Him -and the Runnin’ Dawg will certainly take down your hide. Hey, -fellers! Let’s run this Pecos sheriff out o’ town! We don’t want -him here!” - -There was a general, although by no means hearty, assent to the -proposal. At this moment Tracy rode up with a spare horse. He -grinned at Fisher and addressed the crowd. - -“Gents, I’ve swore in Sheriff Fisher as special deputy and am leavin’ -him in charge of things here. Adios! Gimme the prisoner, Sam.” - -Fisher led the wilted Mr. Murphy to the waiting horse and assisted -him into the saddle rather energetically. He waved the pair an -ironic farewell. - -“Hearty travelin’ to you gents! See you later, Tracy.” - -The two rode down the street. Sam Fisher turned to the crowd -surrounding him, and all the laughing geniality had fled out of his -face. - -“Boys,” he said gravely, “I don’t blame you for not wanting strangers -butting into your affairs. I’m not going to do it for long--but -while I’m doing it I aim to do it thorough and proper. Miguel -Cervantes was murdered this morning; shot from ambush. I’m going to -get the man who did it, and I’m going to send him to the pen. That’s -all. Now will some gent kindly direct me to where the nearest or -next preacher resides?” - -Dumfounded by this information, the crowd split before him. Somebody -volunteered the desired direction, and Sam Fisher strode off to -arrange for the funeral at the Lazy S on the following day, also for -a coroner’s jury. The latter gave him some trouble, but mention of -his name and present position proved sufficient to obtain what he -desired. Also, tale of the murder of Cervantes and the manner -thereof was a tremendous shock. Sam Fisher was careful to make no -mention of the murder, and merely shook his head to all queries. - -It was seven o’clock that evening when Chuck Hansom, rider for the -Running Dog, came into town from the north alone. Before he had -ridden a block he was hailed eagerly and brought to a halt, where a -small crowd gave him the astounding information about Sam Fisher. -Now Chuck was a quick-witted rascal. He readily saw the general -sentiment of puzzled wonder and resentment against Fisher’s intrusion -into Pahrump, and inside of two minutes he took prompt advantage of -it. - -“Listen here!” he cried out hotly. “This here guy ain’t Sam Fisher -at all. He’s a feller named Robinson, pretending to be Fisher. He’s -the guy that murdered Mig Cervantes. Me and Buck seen him do -it--seen him! You boys go git your guns and we’ll ’tend to him.” - -There was a howl as his words became understood. - -Meantime, from the south, two other men came riding into town on -jaded, staggering beasts. They were two Running Dog riders who had -been absent from the community for some weeks; so unkempt, so dust -covered and weary were they that they arrived at Mike’s Place without -recognition. - -Sliding out of the saddle with groans of relief, they staggered into -Mike’s Place, which was comfortably crowded. They were too fearfully -tired with hard riding to note the startled silence which fell on the -crowd as they were recognized. - -“Liquor, Mike!” croaked the foremost, wiping his dust-rimmed eyes. -“A drink! Buck been in town to-day?” - -Galway Mike set out a bottle and made a grimace, but neither man -noticed it. Both seized for the bottle at once, pouring drinks with -shaking hands. - -“Nope,” said Mike at last. “Ain’t been in.” - -“Gosh, that feels good goin’ down!” rejoined the foremost man. “Say, -you got to get word out to Buck to-night; we can’t ride another mile. -Done killed two hosses on the way up. Tell Buck we done lost our -man----” - -At length the dead stillness of the place struck home. The two -riders glanced at each other, then turned to survey the crowd. -Despite the fact that the general sympathy was with them, nobody -could keep back a grin at their perturbed wonder. Then, from the end -of the bar, a voice spoke up--a drawling, whimsical voice: - -“You ain’t lost him, cowboy. You just follered him. Ain’t it the -truth?” - -There, thumbs in his vest and leaning back in his chair, was Fisher. -The two stared at him, petrified. Fisher sat at a table just beyond -the lower end of the bar, where he was practically hidden from view -of any one at the door, yet had a clear field of vision. - -“Sheriff Fisher!” exclaimed the two astounded riders in unison, as -though they were staring at a ghost. - -There was dead silence for a moment. - -Every one in the room sensed the peculiar tenseness of that moment--a -moment of crisis, of taut nerves, of impending disaster, as the two -riders stared at Sam Fisher and he smiled back at them. Perhaps he -saw how their fingers stiffened, yet he did not move. If he did not -see it, Galway Mike did. Mike’s hand fell, inch by inch, below the -edge of the bar on which he leaned. - -These were the two men who had been keeping watch on Fisher down in -Pecos City. They knew without telling that the presence of Sam -Fisher here meant danger to the Running Dog. Perhaps they had been -too closely in touch with Fisher down below to retain much awe of -him, and, besides, they were dead tired, nerves on edge, and reckless. - -As with one accord they reached for their guns. - -Sam Fisher came to his feet, gun in hand. He had no intention of -shooting unless so compelled, but he was watching the two riders and -not Mike. - -Before any shot sounded Mike’s hand had completed its motion--a -swift, underhand fling of deadly accuracy that sent his bung-starter -down behind the bar unseen. It crashed into Fisher’s forehead and -sent him down like a felled steer. - -Two shots came. That bung-starter saved Fisher’s life, for it -dropped him beneath the bullets. He lay quiet, momentarily stunned. -In another five seconds the crowd had fallen upon him; he was trussed -hand and food and bound in a chair. - -Amid the pandemonium that ensued, with wild yells for ropes and much -loud cursing, Galway Mike mounted the bar with a gun in each fist, -fired into the ceiling, and evoked comparative silence. - -“Byes, this gent is my meat!” he roared. “’Twas me dropped him, and -it’s me that’ll have the say, moind that! There’ll be no lynchin’ -party yet a while. Two of yez carry him into the storeroom behint -and lave him rest a bit. We’ll be talkin’ this over, and maybe Buck -will be in town to-night.” - -The mention of Buck’s name carried weight. Besides, Sam Fisher had -opened his eyes and was looking around. It was one thing to tie up a -man--it was another thing to murder a bound and helpless prisoner. -The crowd hesitated. - -“Take him into the back room wid ye now,” repeated Mike, flourishing -his guns. The gaze of Sam Fisher dwelt upon him for a moment. - -“Mike,” said the prisoner calmly, “you’re interfering with justice, -and you know it. Inside of an hour I’ll get you for this. Be ready.” - -That was all. The brutal features of Galway Mike reddened, then -turned deathly pale under the intent gaze of Fisher. One of his -hands jerked up; for an instant it looked as though he would shoot -the bound man. Perhaps he would have done so but for the crowd. -Instead, he motioned to the back room with his weapon, and jumped -down from the bar. - -Two men picked up Sam Fisher, still bound to his chair, and carried -him into the storeroom behind the main room of the saloon. It was a -good-sized room, stacked with barrels and cases of liquor, with a -single window. A lantern, hung to a peg, illumined the place dimly. -Stowing the prisoner here, the men closed the door again and joined -the clamorous throng around the bar. - -The two arrivals from the south were hurriedly apprised of -events--the departure of Sheriff Tracy, the killing of Matt Brady and -’Lias Knute, the rumored murder of Miguel Cervantes. In the midst -Steve Arnold pushed open the doors and entered. At sight of him -everyone pressed forward eagerly. - -“Here’s Arnold of the Lazy S now! Hey, Steve, is it true Cervantes -was shot to-day?” - -Arnold swept the place with his eyes, nodding curtly. He saw nothing -of Robinson. - -“Yes,” he said. “Not shot--murdered.” - -“Who done it?” went up a mad clamor of voices. “How? Where?” - -“Ain’t for me to say,” returned Arnold. - -His attitude would have provoked instant hostility had not two men -rushed into the saloon at this moment with a loud shout. - -“Hey! Chuck Hansom of the Runnin’ Dawg is comin’ a-smokin’ with a -crowd; he says this feller ain’t Fisher at all; says he’s a feller -named Robinson; murdered Cervantes! Chuck says him an’ Buck seen it -done----” - -Uproar filled the place, and mad confusion. For two minutes -pandemonium reigned supreme. Then somebody thought of appealing to -Steve Arnold to confirm the tidings, but when things quieted down -Arnold proved to have vanished. - -Hot upon the heels of this arrived Chuck Hansom and a yelling crowd. -Standing in the entrance, Chuck showed a gun in each hand. - -“Where’s the feller calls himself Sam Fisher? I’m lookin’ for him.” - -Finding no prey awaiting him, Chuck strode forward, greeted his two -brethren, and found himself confronted by Galway Mike, who held a -sawed-off shotgun across the bar. - -“Far enough, Chuck! We got Fisher in the back room, tied up. Hold -on, you byes in the doorway! L’ave us be, will ye?” - -Silence was obtained, leaving the center of the floor to Mike, Chuck -Hansom, and the two Running Dog riders. - -“Now, me lad,” pursued Mike over his shotgun, “what’s this tale ye -been tellin’?” - -“It was Robinson murdered Cervantes, and we’re aiming to ’tend to -him,” returned Chuck. “He ain’t Sam Fisher at all, ye numskull -Irisher! His name is Robinson----” - -“It ain’t!” spoke up one of the two returned men. “He’s Sam Fisher, -all right. Ain’t we been follerin’ him for two weeks? You’re -locoed, Chuck!” - -This staggered Chuck for a moment, then he recovered. - -“You durned fools!” he cried wrathfully. “Let him be Fisher, for all -I care. Anyhow, we seen him shoot down Miguel Cervantes. Shot him -in the back, I’m tellin’ ye. You, Mike! Lay down that gun!” - -From behind Hansom went up a low, surging growl. Every man there saw -red at the tale he heard; the story of Miguel Cervantes shot in the -back. For only an instant did Galway Mike hesitate; then his shotgun -fell. - -“You win, byes,” he cried. “If he done that, go git him and have a -party!” - -There was a swelling roar as the crowd surged to the doorway of the -storeroom. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -FISHER RIDES NORTH - -Mike’s Place was lighted into the semblance of day by two huge -acetylene lamps in the center of the ceiling. - -As the foremost of the crowd entered the storeroom there came to the -others a howl of baffled rage. The entire rear of the long room was -a surging mass of men, all fighting to be first. The front of the -place was quite deserted, except for the figure of Mike, who stood -behind the bar, hand still on his shotgun. - -About the rear doorway centered a wild struggle. Nobody knew just -what was taking place until Chuck Hansom leaped to a chair and -dominated the mob. - -“He’s gone!” roared the cowboy with the gay beaded vest. “Gone! -Somebody’s cut him loose. Got out the windy----” - -“C’rect the first shot, Chuck,” drawled a quiet voice from the front. - -Every man there turned, to behold Steve Arnold in the doorway, a gun -in each hand. To one side of the swinging doors, thumbs in his vest, -was negligently posed Sam Fisher. - -“I’ve come for you, Mike,” he said in the moment of dead silence. -“Chuck, you and your friends will be attended to by Mr. Arnold, here, -so be careful. Mike, go for your gun----” - -Mike had already gone for it, merely switching around the shotgun -atop the bar. It burst into a shattering, deafening roar that -drowned the words of Sam Fisher. Under the roar came the whiplike -crack of a revolver. - -There was a crash and crackle of falling glass; the double load of -buckshot took out the front window with admirable unanimity. Silence -fell, dread and ominous. Galway Mike had fallen over his bar, and -lay there motionless. Sam Fisher jerked his gun into its holster -again, his face hard and flinty, his eyes burning. - -“Sorry about this, boys,” he said, “but it’s time that Mr. Buck and -his friends were put out of business.” - -“Who killed Cervantes?” yelled somebody. Sam Fisher held up his hand. - -“I’ll tell you,” he said, and there was silence. “Three men hid in -the brush and shot Cervantes, ambushed him, murdered him without a -chance. Two of those men did the shooting. The third man was Chuck -Hansom, yonder. One of the actual murderers is dead. The other was -Templeton Buck--and I’m going to send him to the pen for it.” - -“You lie!” cried the shrill voice of Chuck Hansom. “You lie! You -done it yourself----” - -“You devil, I seen the whole thing!” shouted Steve Arnold, breaking -loose. “I seen it all----” - -Chuck Hansom flung up his gun. Arnold shot him before the hammer -fell. - -Two shots echoed--Fisher fired twice at the ceiling, blew out the -lights, and was gone through the doorway, dragging the raging Arnold -with him. Behind them the crowd began to mill in wild confusion, not -realizing what had happened, engulfed in darkness, fearing more shots -from the doorway. - -“Confound you!” exclaimed Sam Fisher as he dragged his companion -along. “What’d you drop him for? We’d have had a confession out of -him later.” - -“I seen red,” panted Steve. “I jest couldn’t help it, thinkin’ of -the way they’d downed Miguel. He was one o’ the three.” - -“Duck in back o’ the hotel, Steve; hurry up! We got to make those -horses; there’s going to be a string of hornets on our trail in a -hurry.” - -Five minutes later the two had ridden out of town. Behind them the -lights and confusion died down, but both knew that parties of riders -would be on their trail ere long. For a space they pushed their -horses in silence, then Fisher reined in. - -“Long trail ahead, Steve; no use overdoin’ it,” he said. “I got to -thank you for snaking me out of that storeroom. How’d you find out?” - -“Heard ’em talk in the front.” Arnold drew in at his stirrup. -“Listen! Why in thunder didn’t you tell me you was Sam Fisher?” - -“I was aiming to keep it dark a while, Steve,” returned the other -apologetically, “only things got to moving too lively and I had to -make the play. Did you see Stella?” - -“Yep! And say! I ain’t had a chance to tell you yet; things have -busted loose aplenty! Buck must ha’ got Jake Harper.” - -“What!” The word broke from Fisher like an explosion. “What? How -come?” - -“I ain’t certain.” Steve became calmer as he spoke. “Right after I -got back to the Lazy S, Buck and this feller Chuck rode home, savvy? -I aimed to come right to town, only Stella was badly broken up about -Miguel, so I had to stick around a while. Finally I had a chance to -tell her the rights of the whole business, so she up and tells me -that you was Sam Fisher himself. It took us quite a spell gettin’ -straightened out. Then the poor ol’ señora took to throwin’ fits and -I had to give Stella a hand with her, which ate up considerable time. - -“Well, I was gettin’ saddled up, when in rode one of our veterans -from the Circle Bar, seekin’ Jake. Seems like Jake had started for -the Shumway place early this mornin’ alone. Must ha’ clear dropped -out o’ sight. Stella told me to ride in and git you, which I done. -That’s all we know.” - -Sam Fisher studied over this information for a time, gravely -perturbed. - -“Steve, we’re in for it, up to our necks!” he said at last. “Buck is -makin’ a great play for the Shumway place and Stella; at least, he -started that way. - -“He knows nothing of what’s happened in town. He thinks that I’m in -jail, safe to be put away for the murder of Cervantes. Cervantes is -dead and out of his way. The only other obstacle in his path was -Jake Harper, and he must have arranged to handle the old man. If he -has, by Heaven, I’ll get him! No--I won’t get him. I’ll still send -him over the road.” - -“A bullet would simplify things a heap,” and Arnold sighed. - -“No, Steve.” Fisher’s voice was grave, heavy, stern. “Buck is the -prime mover behind all the deviltry up here. It was Buck who sent -Frank Shumway to the pen--and that fellow Murphy, or Pincher Brady, -framed the deal from the capital. I found a letter in Murphy’s -pocket from Buck referring to it--clear enough evidence to free -Shumway.” - -“Glory be!” ejaculated Arnold with a sudden yell of delight. “Is -that the truth?” - -“It’s the truth. That letter is locked in the sheriff’s desk--and -nobody knows about it. Now, Murphy is safe out of the way, and we’ll -get Frank loose from the pen in no time. But Buck--give him a quick, -hot bullet? Not much! That devil is going behind the bars for life, -if I can send him!” - -“I’m right sorry about Chuck Hansom, Red,” Steve said slowly. - -“Don’t worry. I don’t believe Chuck would have squealed, anyhow. -Now, I have to be at the Shumway place to-morrow to handle that -coroner’s jury; so do you with your evidence. If we’re going to -clean up this county, we have to do one thing at a time. This affair -to-night has mussed up everything pretty badly. If that gang from -town is allowed to come after us, it means a lot of shooting and -killing--which I want to avoid if possible. Chuck and Mike deserved -what they got, but we can’t shoot up a lot of hysterical fools who -think they’re chasing a murderer. With Buck and his gang it’s -different. Where Buck made his mistake was in murdering Cervantes; -that murder is going to cost a lot of blood.” - -“What about Jake Harper?” exclaimed Steve suddenly. - -“I’m thinkin’ about Jake right now--but if he’s dead I can’t help -him. If he ain’t, he’s all right. That coroner will be out -to-morrow morning with his jury; so will the preacher. Until noon -to-morrow, I’m tied up. And we’ve got to stop that mob. Here, -Steve, let’s tie the hosses and have a smoke.” - -Fisher dismounted abruptly and began to lead his horse off the road. -Arnold reined in and stared at the darkness. - -“My gosh, have you gone crazy or what, feller? We got no time to -smoke----” - -“All the time in the world, cowboy!” came the whimsical, laughing -response. “Get down and roll me one, will you? Done lost my makin’s -in the confusion back yonder.” - -With a sigh of resignation to what he considered utter folly, Steve -dismounted and joined his friend. Fisher said nothing until a -cigarette was rolled and lighted; then: - -“Steve, I’ve been thinking about those boys who are behind us. Who’s -leading them? Nobody. They’ll cool off mighty quick after leaving -town. They ain’t sure just what has happened or who I am. When they -strike trouble in the darkness they’ll be all confused and imagining -things. Now, all we got to do is like this----” - -He spoke for a moment, low-voiced. - -The crowd of men who rode out from town on the north road was headed -by the two Running Dog riders, who now had Chuck Hansom to avenge. -Only their savage spurrings had availed to rouse the crowd, in fact; -nobody was quite certain whether Miguel Cervantes had been murdered -by Fisher or by Templeton Buck. The fall of Galway Mike and Chuck -Hansom had considerably cooled the enthusiasm of the mob, and by this -time many tales of Sam Fisher were being circulated. - -Thus, by the time the crowd of riders came toward the crossroads, not -a few of them had trailed off back to town. Under the starlight the -men rode in a clump at a steady jog. Hereabouts the road was edged -by a dense thicket of manzanita. From this thicket came a drawling -voice that caused every rein to jerk sharply at the bit. - -“That’s far enough, boys; halt! You fellers from the Circle Bar--got -the front ones covered? We’ll attend to the rear.” - -“We got ’em, sheriff,” came a deep bass voice. - -“Leave ’em to us!” said a sharp falsetto. Steve Arnold laughed from -somewhere. - -“Sure, Fisher; sure! Go ahead with your palaver.” - -The crowd halted as one man. Their imaginations painted a dozen -voices from the clumps of brush. They saw themselves trapped, -surrounded. Men cursed and drew rein. - -“I want a little talk, boys,” said the invisible sheriff of Pecos. -“We don’t aim to have any more bloodshed than we got to, and you -fellers are honest enough in your convictions. Willing to listen a -minute?” - -“Sure,” said a nervous voice from the crowd. - -“That’s sensible.” Fisher’s tone was grave, steady, holding them -spellbound. “I’ll be at the Lazy S to-morrow to meet the coroner and -the preacher. This Cervantes murder is going to be handled by the -law. You may think I did it; all right. To-morrow the coroner’s -jury will decide that little matter, and I’m spilling no secret when -I say their verdict is going to be hard on Templeton Buck. - -“But I don’t want a mob of you out there, messing things up and -starting trouble. I want to propose a fair and square deal all -around. You boys elect a committee of three to accompany the -coroner; the rest of you stick around town and wait. If that suits -you, go on back home. If it don’t, then ride ahead--and take your -medicine. - -“You two Running Dog men! Come on alone a dozen steps. I want a -personal word with you boys, and I’d advise you not to pull for any -guns. Come on!” - -There was a moment of hesitation. Then the two punchers urged their -horses forward. Into the road ahead came the figure of Sam Fisher on -foot. Cowed, startled, fearful, the crowd watched to see what would -happen. - -“If you two boys want to go on to the Running Dog,” Fisher said -quietly, “you’re free to go ahead. But I warn you here and now that -your boss is facing trouble. Every man with him will become an -accessory. You know me, boys, and you know I mean what I say. I’m -giving you fair warning. Buck, it appears, got Jake Harper to-day, -and the Circle Bar outfit is behind me to the limit. You know what -that means--every man of ’em a sharpshooter, out to kill! The roads -are watched; your outfit will be shot down the minute you reach the -Running Dog buildings. Ride on if you want to--but you can’t come -back, boys.” - -The two riders sat motionless, drinking in his words. Most of those -words had reached the crowd. News that Buck had “got” Jake Harper -was paralyzing; it meant war to the finish with the Circle Bar. Few -in the crowd doubted any longer that it was Buck who had murdered -Cervantes. This sheriff of Pecos was too steady, too composed, too -certain of his position. He was no murderer. - -The two Running Dog men glanced at each other. A word passed between -them; they knew full well what it meant if they rode forward. But -they were men, unafraid. - -“Much obliged, sheriff,” said the foremost coolly. “You’re sure -actin’ white. Jest the same, we’re workin’ for the Runnin’ Dawg and -we don’t aim to lay down on the job.” - -“All right, boys; I’m sorry.” Fisher stood aside. “The road’s -yours! Let these two boys pass, fellers--and plug the first to -follow.” - -“All right, Sam,” came the voice of Arnold. - -The two cowboys rode on. Not a man followed them. When they had -vanished into the darkness, Fisher stepped up and addressed the crowd. - -“Well, gents? Going to break through, or take my advice about -sending that committee?” - -There was un uneasy laugh from the crowd. - -“Guess we’ll send the committee, sheriff.” - -With a surging of turned horses, the crowd headed about and started -back for town. Fisher gazed after them until the darkness had -swallowed up the mob; then he turned, and found Steve Arnold at his -elbow. - -“Red, you’re sure a wonder!” exclaimed Steve admiringly. “You done -it. What next?” - -“Riding,” replied Fisher. “Hard riding, Steve. You know the country -better than I do. You have to go ahead to the Circle Bar and get -every last one of Jake Harper’s boys out around Buck’s place; no -fighting, understand, but the Running Dog outfit must be cooped up. -Tell ’em to drop any man that rides out.” - -“Ain’t enough of ’em,” objected Arnold dubiously. - -“Sure there is.” Fisher laughed. “Those old fellows are dead shots, -Steve; you don’t know ’em. They’ll circle out around the Running Dog -buildings and close up things tighter than a drum. Anyhow, they have -to do it. Tell them I’ll be over to-morrow, after getting cleaned up -at the Lazy S. And tell them to wait, understand? Wait! No -foolishness. Then you come ahead to the Lazy S yourself. I’m going -there now.” - -“S’pose Jake’s all right?” suggested Arnold. “We ain’t certain that -Buck got him----” - -“The orders stand. If Jake’s there, tell him it’s a clean-up of the -Running Dog.” - -“Suits me, feller. Adios!” - -Arnold climbed into the saddle and was gone. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE LAST STAKE - -Templeton Buck might have a dirty streak in him, but he was no coward. - -If the man’s make-up held a large amount of deliberate criminality, -of cold and unscrupulous evil, it also held a large amount of -strength and resolute purpose. Otherwise, Buck could never have -remained the leader of such men as followed him. - -And on this bright and sunny morning Templeton Buck was facing the -hardest battle he had ever faced--a battle with himself. - -On the previous night he had learned of the disaster which had -overwhelmed all his craftily laid plans. True, he had Jake Harper a -prisoner, tied into the big chair before the fireplace. But Robinson -had turned out to be Sam Fisher--and the roads were watched by the -Circle Bar men. - -The story told by the two men on the previous night had been utterly -incredible, but with daylight it had been backed up when Sandy Davitt -undertook to ride forth. Sandy’s horse had been killed under him. -No one else tried to leave the Running Dog buildings. - -Here in the living room of the ranch house, alone with the old man -tied into the chair, Buck paced up and down, fighting out his battle. -Would he lie to his men, or tell them the truth? That was it. - -From the chair old Jake Harper watched him with terrible, intent eyes. - -“Give me your word to act gentle, and I’ll loose you, Jake,” said -Buck. - -“I’ll give you my word,” said Jake, his voice deadly, “that all I -want is to git my hands on a gun, and I’ll fill ye full o’ lead, ye -mis’able coyote!” - -So Jake Harper remained where he was. Buck continued his steady -pacing back and forth, then suddenly came to a pause before his -captive and shot out a remark: - -“Where I made a mistake was in killing Cervantes. I should have -given him a chance.” - -Jake Harper swore at him angrily. - -“Where you done made your mistake, Buck, was in tryin’ to covet the -Shumway place. You stole the Lazy S cattle, and you should ha’ -stopped there.” - -Silence again. Buck went on with his uneasy stride. It was a -difficult decision which faced him. - -At this moment, while he stood on the brink of disaster, Templeton -Buck for the first time saw clearly how things had come to this pass. -He was rich in money and land. He did not need the Shumway land -added to his own. He was powerful. - -Being rich and powerful, he had thought himself secure, had -determined to get both Stella and the Lazy S, and had been careless -as to his methods. Back in the old days, when Frank Shumway had -knocked him down, he had revenged himself by sending young Shumway to -the penitentiary--deliberately framing him. - -He had not stopped there. One thing had led to another--little -things, most of them. Like a rolling snowball, the affair had gained -impetus. The one man Buck had feared was Sam Fisher, the sheriff of -Pecos, and he had tried desperately to keep Fisher out of the way. -Even now, he perceived, Fisher was the one man who threatened him. - -If he could only be rid of Fisher! With Fisher out of the way all -would yet be well. The murder of Cervantes could be met and faced -down; with Sheriff Tracy handling the affair, no jury in the county -would dare to convict Buck. Jake Harper could be held a prisoner -until the mortgage was foreclosed. Lies and false witnesses would -still serve to smooth the way. - -Buck strode from the room, left the building, and passed over to the -corrals. Here his entire outfit was lounging about as though waiting -for his coming. Not until he met their nods and greetings did Buck -come to a full decision as to what he would do. - -For, as yet, these punchers knew nothing of the Cervantes killing -beyond what had been reported from town. None of them had witnessed -it. All of them, beyond a doubt, held strong suspicions. It had -been a despicable act, even in their eyes. - -Buck came to a halt, beckoned to the men, and met their curious -stares with a flame of resolution in his eyes. - -“Boys,” he said quietly, “the story that Sam Fisher told in town was -true. Steve Arnold must have seen the killing of Cervantes. We -could have made it stick on Fisher, at that, if he hadn’t been too -smart for me.” - -Every man there appreciated what this confession meant to Buck. - -“Now, boys,” went on the rancher, “Sam Fisher is no fool. As things -stand right now, he’s playin’ a strong game and a winnin’ game. He’s -got us blockaded here, and the only thing left for me is to take my -med’cine without a whine. I aim to do it. Still, that’s no reason -for draggin’ you boys into the same noose, so I’m here to give each -of you his time. You ain’t workin’ for me no more.” - -An outburst of protest was quieted by Buck’s uplifted hand, in which -was a roll of bills. - -“Sandy Davitt! Come an’ git it, puncher.” - -Davitt stepped up, started to speak, reddened, and checked the words. -He took the money placed in his hand, and waited. One by one the -other Running Dog men stepped up to Buck and received their wages. -When it was finished Buck smiled thinly. - -“Now, I reckon, you-all can git past the Circle Bar men.” - -Nobody moved. Of the eleven men who stood there in the sunlight -around the tall figure of Templeton Buck, none budged. Sandy Davitt -glanced around, hitched up his belt, and grinned at the rancher. His -cast eye gave the grin a baleful aspect. - -“Buck,” he said, “I opine we ain’t workin’ for you no more. Is that -c’rect?” - -“You said it, Sandy.” - -“Then, far as I’m concerned, I don’t give a durn about Cervantes. -You’ve spoke out to us like a man, Buck, and by thunder I’m stickin’ -right here!” - -“And me!” chimed in a voice. Then a chorus: “Me, too! We stays -here, Buck!” - -Buck stood in silence a long moment, his thin, high-boned features -flushed darkly. It was a magnificent tribute these men paid him--a -tribute of which he was unworthy. To the last one they were men; -reckless, scoundrelly if you like, but men unafraid. - -“Ain’t none of you ridin’ to town?” asked Buck. - -“Nary one, I guess,” Sandy Davitt made response. A growl of assent -backed him up. - -“I appreciate this, boys; I sure do!” Buck’s tall figure -straightened up. “Well, I give you the worst end of the talk on the -start. It’s true that Sam Fisher is playin’ a winning hand so far, -but he ain’t raked in the pot by a long sight! He’s bluffed out -Tracy, and he’s got Pahrump buffaloed--but all he’s got behind him is -the Circle Bar, and we’ve got Jake Harper here. That means we got to -wipe out Sam Fisher to win the pot!” - -“And Steve Arnold,” corrected Davitt. Buck nodded. - -“Yep. Them two, y’ understand. They’re over to the Lazy S, as I get -it, while Harper’s bunch has us held up here. Also, we can’t afford -to drop Fisher when, he comes to arrest me; it’d look too much like -he was killed in the performance of his duty, y’ understand? We want -to fix it so nobody won’t know jest what happened. Do you foller me?” - -“You bet!” came the admiring response. “How ye goin’ to work it?” - -Buck was silent for a moment, his eyes searching the surrounding -country. Not a sign of the Circle Bar men was in evidence, but well -he knew that they were waiting, grimly hidden. - -Almost any man, given the opportunity, will shoot rather than be sent -to the penitentiary, and Buck was now perfectly cool and steady in -his resolute air. He had everything to gain and nothing to lose, and -a single bold, well-planned stroke might yet save him from the brink -of disaster. - -“Twelve of us,” he murmured. “We might work it! How many horses in -the corral, Sandy?” - -“Close to thirty,” returned Davitt at once. - -“And the Circle Bar lays right up the valley from the Lazy S. -Anybody at Shumway’s would be sure to see the Circle Bar if she was -burnin’, I guess?” - -Davitt straightened up in surprise. - -“Certain, Buck, certain! They’d see the smoke sure. But how ye -goin’ to reach the Circle Bar to fire her?” - -Buck smiled weakly. “That’s the easiest part of it, Sandy. This -here Sam Fisher, he never wants no crowd; it’s always a lone-hand -play with him. If him and Arnold seen the smoke from the Circle Bar, -what’d they do?” - -“Light out to investigate where we were,” was the response. “They’d -know we’d got away from here and was busy. And they’d come -a-smokin’.” - -“Exactly, Sandy,” was Buck’s triumphant return. “Jest what I figger -my ownself.” - -“But how in time are we goin’ to git away from here?” - -Buck laughed and clapped his ex-foreman on the shoulder. - -“Jest ride, cowboy, ride!” he exclaimed. “All right, boys; rustle up -some grub and git saddled. Bring out every hoss in the corral, rope -’em together, and wait. Saddle an extry hoss for Jake Harper. -Sandy, come along and give me a hand with Jake.” - -Comprehending, at least in part, the bold scheme which Buck planned, -the men leaped into action. - -Thirteen of the horses were saddled, the others were hastily strung -together; rifles were booted, packets of grub made up, canteens -filled. By the time the punchers were mounted they had not long to -wait; Sandy Davitt and Buck appeared, shoving forward the figure of -old Jake Harper, hands firmly bound behind his back. They could not -bind his tongue, however, and he cursed the entire gang with -vitriolic emphasis as he came. The hearers smiled and grinned, -making no response. - -“Climb or we boosts you, Jake,” said Buck, reaching the spare saddle. - -The boost was necessary, and was given; following which the old scout -was firmly lashed in the saddle. At Buck’s orders a reata was put -about his neck, the loose end of which Buck took over when he had -mounted. Then, revolver in hand, Buck gave the word to ride north. - -“Take it easy, boys,” he ordered. “No hurry.” - -His strategy became only too apparent to friend and foe alike. Any -shots from ambush would draw an instant bullet into the body of Jake -Harper; the menace of the rope and Buck’s drawn revolver were -entirely obvious. - -Buck himself rode in the van, Jake Harper a little in front. Behind, -the Running Dog men spread out, the extra horses crowding up in the -rear. As they wound out on the way, Jake Harper perceived how he was -being used, and he sent a booming roar of command at the empty spaces -around, where he knew his men were hidden. - -“Fire into ’em, boys! Shoot! Don’t ye mind me! Shoot!” - -No response was made. None could be made; the Circle Bar outfit -dared not call the silent bluff that Buck was running. Well they -knew that the bluff would be backed up. - -Without a shot being fired, without an enemy being sighted, the -Running Dog men rode off in peace. After them, undoubtedly, would -trail Harper’s men, but it would take some time for the latter to -collect and follow. - -Immediately upon reaching the highway, Buck halted and lifted a hand. - -“I want two of you boys to take all the spare hosses and ride on to -the Circle Bar. Fire her, barns and all, and kill your beasts -gettin’ there. It’s got to be done quick. Harper’s outfit will -likely foller your trail. Four stays here to hold ’em up half an -hour, no more. The rest goes with me.” - -Two of the men at once gathered in the lines of the spare horses, -waved an adios, and went north at a gallop. To the four who -announced themselves as ready to hold up the pursuit, Buck gave a few -brief words. - -“No killin’ if ye can help it. Shoot the hosses. Then make your -get-away to town and wait for news. If I win I’ll join ye there -to-night. If not, then beat it into Laredo County and lay low. Good -luck to ye, boys!” - -“Same to you!” they rejoined, and scattered out to take position. - -Five men with him, besides their captive, Buck turned from the road -and led the way toward the hills. - -Old Jake Harper cursed luridly as he perceived the really admirable -strategy that was under way, although its object was hidden from him. -When the Circle Bar came up, they would be delayed appreciably by the -four men. When at last left free to take the trail, they would -naturally follow that left by the largest number of horses, leading -toward their home ranch. And in the meantime Buck would be somewhere -else. - -“What’s the big idea, Buck?” asked Sandy Davitt, riding at the -rancher’s stirrup. “Where we off for?” - -“Git through the hills, hit the valley trail beyond, and lay up,” -said Buck with a grin. “Sam Fisher and Arnold are bound to come that -way from the Lazy S when they see the smoke, ain’t they?” - -Sandy Davitt slapped his thigh with a loud guffaw. - -“Whoop-ee! Buck, you sure wins the deal! And while we gathers in -the sheriff o’ Pecos and his pal, the Circle Bar outfit is millin’ -around tryin’ to find out what’s done happened, eh?” - -“Somethin’ like that, Sandy,” and Buck grinned confidently. - -Jake Harper fell silent from sheer desperation. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE TRAP IS SPRUNG - -In less than an hour Buck and his party were assured that they had -nothing to fear from any trailing Circle Bar riders. They rode -through the hills and gained the farther slopes of the divide, with -the rolling river flat beyond. - -Here Buck drew rein, pointing. - -There was no need for words, although Jake Harper, with recovered -vocabulary, spilled pardonable curses upon the air. To the-north was -ascending a stream of heavy smoke that rose straight into the -windless sky. - -“They done it,” said Sandy Davitt briefly. - -“Two of you boys stay here with Jake,” ordered Buck to his five. “If -you don’t get no word from me by dark, turn Jake loose and make your -getaway. If I win, I’ll send word to ye ’fore dark.” - -Nobody wanted to remain, so straws were pulled. The losers, -disgruntled, took over the prisoner’s bridle and sat their horses -while Buck, Sandy Davitt, and the remaining two men rode on. - -“Good luck!” they called. Buck responded with a wave of his white -Stetson. - -The four men who were left in company now pushed their horses ahead -at a good clip. Two miles away was the river trail, which Arnold and -Sam Fisher would follow, provided they did the expected thing. - -“Gosh, she’s sure a-smoking!” observed Sandy Davitt, his squint gaze -flitting to the smoke in the north. “They done it, all right. Fired -everything in sight! I’ll bet Jake will curse over losin’ his first -cuttin’ of alfalfa. He only laid it in last week.” - -Buck smiled weakly, but made no response. If he lost his stake, he -would lose more than alfalfa. - -Knowing to what manner of work they rode, the four pressed on warily, -eyes searching the landscape ahead. They were unlikely to meet any -one here. The Lazy S and Circle Bar lands ran together at a short -distance, and the river road was only a trail used by the few riders -of the two ranches. - -They came upon it at last, and simultaneously drew rein. The trail -told them a plain story; no one had passed this way within the past -few hours, at least. - -“What you aim to do?” asked one of the punchers as they sat -motionless. “Rope him?” - -“Rope him?” Buck spat a vicious oath. “We’d look fine ropin’ that -gent--and Arnold! What would we want to rope ’em for?” - -Sandy Davitt laughed harshly. He swung up his arm to a bend in the -road fifty yards to their left. - -“Stick right here, Buck, and drop ’em as they come around that bend. -Don’t need the rifles to do it. Better hobble the cayuses in this -bresh.” - -Buck nodded assent. A better place for the ambush could not be found. - -The four men dismounted. One of the punchers led off the animals. -The other three went to the river bank, here a scant hundred yards -distant, and slaked their thirst. Upon rising, Buck gave his orders. - -“We’d better spread out jest far enough to keep an eye out in both -directions. I’ll watch the south for ’em, Sandy, attend to the -Circle Bar end; ain’t likely any one will come, but we’d better watch -that way, too.” - -Sandy Davitt swung off, followed by his companion. - -Buck sought a position whence he could obtain a fair view of the -valley in the direction of the Shumway ranch. He did not need to -have the winding road in view. Even this slightly used trail was -deep in dust, and any rider would leave a brown smudge that would -rise into a trailing wedge to be discerned afar. - -The horses were hidden away from sight among the trees that fringed -the river. To the north the great splotch of smoke had lessened into -a thin trail; Harper’s place was burned out. It could not be long -now before Fisher would come--if he came at all. - -“Hey, Buck!” rose the cautious voice of Davitt. “Rider from the -north!” - -“Comin’,” responded Buck hastily, and ran to join his men. - -The north trail was nearly hidden from them, but they could make out -a trail of dust, and presently the swiftly moving object which had -drawn the attention of Davitt. As this object came closer Davitt -uttered an impatient exclamation. - -“Ain’t no rider at all! By gosh, it’s a hoss!” - -“It’s Jake Harper’s hoss, Celestine,” added Buck, watching the -approaching beast. - -“He got away from us when we nabbed Jake yestiddy,” said Sandy -Davitt. “Git a rope, boys----” - -“Stop!” ordered Buck. “Git off the trail, quick; leave the brute go -through! It’ll fetch Sam Fisher jest that much quicker.” - -They hastened to clear the way. A moment more and the pound of hoofs -came to them, and along the trail dashed the rawboned brute at a mad -gallop, his vicious eyes rolling wildly, panic driving him. He was -past them like a whirlwind, and went pounding away to the south. - -“Fire scart him,” said Davitt, emerging into the road again. “Good -idee to let him go, Buck. Scatter out, everybody! Keep yer eyes -skinned!” - -It was only a moment later that Buck’s voice rose warningly: - -“Dust a-comin’, boys! Git together!” - -Excitement spurred them as they ran in to the place of ambush. From -here they had a view of the road farther down the river; they stood -motionless, guns drawn, tense with expectation. Davitt and Buck were -together on one side of the road, the other two men opposite them. - -Into the patch of road down the river crept a moving object, dust -trailing it. From Davitt broke one astounded oath. - -“Look out thar, boys! It’s Stella Shumway comin’; out o’ sight, -quick! Duck, you devils, duck! Let her go through; likely they’ll -be behind her.” - -Davitt and Buck plunged down into the brush, the others following -suit. Hoofs came pounding; around the bend just ahead plunged Stella -Shumway, wildly spurring her horse forward. The Circle Bar smoke had -drawn her as well as others. Her strained and drawn face showed the -girl’s inward anxiety. - -“Hurry, boy, hurry!” she cried to her mount. “We’re ahead of them -yet; we’ve got to find Uncle Jake! Hurry, hurry----” - -Her voice died into the distance. Almost before she had gone, Davitt -was out in the road, then swinging himself into a tree for a swifter -view of the lower valley. - -“They’re comin’ behind her,” said Buck, his voice steady. “Now the -only question is--who’s a-comin’? If it’s a hull blamed crowd, we -got to lay low. If it’s them two----” - -“Hey, Buck!” Davitt came sliding down, plunged into the dust, sprang -eagerly to his feet again. “Two comin’--no more that I can see. -Likely they stopped to halt Harper’s hoss, or try to, and the gal -went on ahead. Them two’ll be our meat; couldn’t be no others. -Watch the road now----” - -The four craned forward, intent. Into the patch of road down the -river slid the forms of two horses, galloping neck and neck. - -“Got ’em!” cried Buck triumphantly. “Git set, boys; let ’em have it -as they come around this here bend.” - -They scurried to their places, eager with the trembling thrill of the -man hunt, fired out of themselves by the hot lust for blood, careless -of the thing they were about to do. Hidden, they waited, guns at the -level, bloodshot eyes trained on the bend of the trail. - -Came a furious drive of hoofs pounding the dusty trail. Through it -lifted the voice of Steve Arnold gayly, boyishly: - -“Whoop-ee! Out o’ my way, cowboy! I’m crowdin’ you for room; gimme -air! Go git a good hoss if ye want to ride with me----” - -Buck’s lips curved cruelly; they were coming together, racing neck -and neck! - -And then--they came. Plunging around the bend together, Sam Fisher -and Arnold, low in the saddle, driving their white-flecked horses, -racing to catch up with the girl ahead and reach the cause of that -smoke reek in the sky. - -_Crack_! Pistols roared from either side the road. The two riders -caromed together, a horse sent up its horrible scream, men and beasts -went flinging down in a terrible crash. - -Mad with the killing, Buck’s two punchers leaped into sight across -the road, ran forward. From the great cloud of dust cracked a shot, -and another. The foremost man fell on his face; the second coughed, -spun around, and dropped. - -“Got you!” yelled Arnold. - -At the same instant Buck shot, Davitt close behind him. Arnold, -dimly visible amid the dust, fell back and straightened out. But, as -though in echo to those two shots, came another from the dust. -Buck’s hat jerked from his head. - -“By gosh, Fisher’s still klckin’!” cried Sandy Davitt in stark -amazement. - -An oath burst from Buck. He fired into the dust again and again, -frenzied. One shot answered him, and one only; the bullet seared -across his face, sent him down into the grass wiping at his cheeks, -swearing, death frightened. Yet he was unhurt. - -Both Davitt and Buck crouched low, peering forward, waiting for the -dust to settle. It seemed impossible that Fisher could have gone -down in that awful welter of death and yet have remained alive; but -he was not dead. The shot had shown that. - -Little by little the dust subsided. Arnold’s horse, its shoulder -smashed by a bullet, raised a shaking head and emitted another -frightful scream, then fell back. The other horse lay behind, -kicking feebly, trying to grip the ground with its fore hoofs; the -poor beast’s back was broken. - -Midway between the two animals lay the body of Steve Arnold, face to -the sky. But of Sam Fisher there was no sign. - -“My gosh!” breathed Davitt incredulously. “He ain’t there. Ah, -behind his hoss, Buck! There he is!” - -Buck fired, and swore at the miss as he ducked to escape an answering -shot. None came. Sandy Davitt, unable to bear the sight of what had -been done, deliberately leaned forward and shot the two horses. He, -too, ducked low, but no shot answered. - -“The son of a gun!” muttered Buck hoarsely. “He’s playing possum, -Sandy. Watch out! He wants a good shot at us.” - -“I’ll bet he does,” assented Davitt fervently. - -For long moments the two men crouched there, peering forward, seeking -any sign of movement. None came. The sun beat down on the scene, -flooding with pitiless light each terrible detail on the shot-up -Steve Arnold, the two horses, the two Running Dog men who had paid -the price. And still Sam Fisher remained silent. - -At last Buck, unable to stand the strain, went suddenly to his feet. - -“All right, you can have your chance!” he cried, and flung himself -forward. - -Davitt watched, ready to fire at Fisher’s shot. But, to his -amazement, he saw Buck check his rush, lower his pistol, and turn. - -“All right, Sandy.” Buck’s voice was hoarse. “It’s all over. We -got ’em.” - -Davitt slowly rose, still half fearful of a trap. Then he put up his -gun and stared at his work in silence. - -“We win,” said Buck softly, and there was none to say him nay. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE CLEAN-UP - -A little later Buck and Sandy Davitt sat in the dust, cigarettes in -their still tremulous hands, and watched their victims. - -“After all, we bungled it a heap,” said Davitt morosely. “Now -there’ll be hell to pay and no pitch hot! Buck, we’d ought to finish -it.” - -Before them lay Steve Arnold, shot through the leg and with an ugly -scalp wound; unconscious, but far from dead. The sheriff of Pecos -lay beside Arnold, and was equally unconscious. His right knee had -been dislocated in the fall, he had a bullet through the right -shoulder, another had broken his right wrist. - -“We’d ought to finish ’em for our own sake now,” repeated Sandy -Davitt. - -Buck shook his head. He was white to the lips. - -“Do it if you can, Sandy. I can’t.” - -Sandy Davitt picked up his gun, compressed his lips, then with an -oath thrust the weapon away. It was more than he could do. Buck -smiled ironically. - -“It ain’t so bad, at that,” he observed. “They’re both put out o’ -business and in our hands; anyhow, it’s better’n if we’d killed them, -Sandy. Here’s the story. They come on us and started shooting; -downed them two boys yonder ’fore we could git into action. Savvy? -So we let ’em have it in self-defense. How you goin’ to prove -otherwise?” - -Davitt nodded, and his face cleared. “All right. But I see plain -how come Sam Fisher missed us with them two shots; he done the work -with his left hand.” - -“He didn’t miss far at that.” Buck shivered a little. - -“Thanks,” said Sam Fisher, opening his eyes. “So it ain’t a dream -after all, Buck? Say, I’d appreciate it a lot if you gents would do -somethin’ to my right knee.” - -Buck looked at his companion. By tacit consent they rose and -approached their victims, who had been thoroughly disarmed. Fisher -turned his head and inspected Steve Arnold. - -“Well, this ain’t so bad!” he observed. “Look after Steve first, -Buck. His leg is sure pumping out a lot o’ blood. Tie him up good.” - -“You shut up,” said Buck roughly. “Catch on here, Sandy.” - -They rudely bandaged Arnold’s leg, found that his scalp wound was not -serious, and turned to Sam Fisher. Investigation confirmed his -previous schedule of injuries. - -“She’s dislocated,” announced Sandy. “Buck, catch hold of the ankle; -I got the thigh. Go to it.” - -Sam Fisher lay back, his fingers gripping at the dirt, a sweat of -agony beading his brow. It was done. He said no word as the two men -effected a hasty bandaging of his broken right wrist and wounded -shoulder. Then they stood erect above him. - -“Sandy,” said Buck, steady and calm once more, “you got to ride on -the back trail in a hurry. Find the boys we left with Jake Harper -and bring ’em on.” - -“You can’t stay here with ’em,” said Sandy Davitt roughly. - -“I don’t aim to. We got two extra hosses. Tie Arnold in one saddle; -Fisher can ride without bein’ tied, I reckon. Anyway, he’s got to! -You help me with ’em, then ride on hard for the boys. We’ll put -these two with Jake and hold ’em safe for a spell, then I’ll clean up -everything here and light out. A week will do it.” - -“You aim to light out, do you?” asked Davitt in surprise. Buck -nodded. - -“Yep. It’s that or kill Sam Fisher, and I guess I’ve gone my limit -to-day, Sandy. We’ve done a-plenty.” - -“Suit yourself.” Sandy Davitt shrugged. - -“Besides, Tracy will be back soon. We’ll lay charges o’ this -murder,” and Buck pointed to the two dead men, “against ’em both and -lock ’em up. We’ll git clear off ’fore they are able to travel. -Dog-gone it! If Fisher was whole, I’d say shoot, but he’s too much -shot up, Sandy. Dogged if I can do it now!” - -They led out the horses. Into one saddle they lifted the unconscious -Arnold, and then lashed him firmly in place. With an effort, Sam -Fisher gained his feet, his right hand dangling in its bandage. The -ghost of his old whimsical smile touched his lips. - -“Put me up, gents, and I guess I can ride,” he said quietly. “And I -still got one good hand for the reins----” - -“The reins ain’t goin’ to trouble you none,” intervened Buck. -“Ready, Sandy!” - -Once he was placed in the saddle, Fisher clung to the pommel, his -face livid; the pain of the operation was intense. However, he would -be able to ride fairly well. - -“All right, Sandy,” said Buck as he strung together the reins of the -two horses. “Git off and on your way, cowboy! And use them spurs.” - -Sandy Davitt leaped to his saddle, yelled at his cayuse, and was gone -in a mad rush. - -For a little Sam Fisher could only cling to his pommel, faint with -pain, his head swirling. When he came to himself he found himself -riding beside the still senseless Steve Arnold. Buck rode in front, -their reins fastened to his saddle, his rifle across the pommel. He -glanced back and glinted a hard smile at the sheriff of Pecos. - -“You’re luckier than most, Fisher. Yes, sir, you sure are. If it’d -been anybody else you’d be dead this minute.” - -Sam Fisher tried to smile. “I don’t see, Buck, why in thunder you -didn’t finish the job. It isn’t like you to weaken at killing a man.” - -“I may yet.” Buck eyed him morosely. “Reckon I got sentimental for -a spell.” - -“Then you’d better do it quick,” said Fisher, “for I’ll sure get you, -Buck. Yes, sir, I’ll sure----” - -His words ended in a groan of anguish and he clutched at the pommel. - -Buck smiled. “I reckon you won’t do no gettin’ for some while to -come, sheriff; you with a bum laig, a busted arm, and a bullet -through the shoulder!” - -“I’ve still got one good arm.” Fisher tried to smile, but his lips -twisted in pain. A groan was torn from him again. “This knee! I -can’t ride with it, Buck.” - -“You got to,” said Buck shortly. - -At this time, from the wooded hills ahead of them, came a single -rifle shot that echoed and died away. Buck frowned and vainly -searched the hills with his eyes. Nothing was in sight. - -For ten minutes the three pursued their slow course. Fisher clung to -his saddle; every movement of his horse caused him torture. At last -a cry burst from his lips--a cry so bitter, so desperate in its -suffering that Buck drew rein. - -“Buck! I can’t do it! I can’t do it! You got to put your coat or -somethin’ under my knee; it’s more’n I can bear.” - -The man reeled in the saddle as he spoke; he was bent, broken, all -his iron nerve shattered by the agony of his tortured body. His blue -eyes, dulled with pain, stared horribly at Buck. - -The rancher, a trace of pity in his harsh features, silently nodded. -He put the rifle in its boot and took off his corduroy coat. This he -rolled loosely, then edged his horse beside that of the swaying -Fisher. - -“Ease up on your laig now while I shove her underneath.” - -Fisher reeled, caught at the shoulder of Buck as the latter stooped. -Another groan broke from his lips when Buck thrust the rolled -corduroy beneath his leg. Then suddenly---- - -Fisher’s left hand caught the revolver from the holster of the -stooping rancher. Swift as light he slashed the front sight across -the head of Buck. - -“Still got one hand, Buck!” lifted his voice. - -Buck hardly knew what had hit him. That front-sight blow stunned -him, raked his skull almost to the bone, left a grisly wound. -Blindly putting one hand to his head, Buck uttered a hoarse cry, -plunged forward, and rolled to the earth senseless. - -For a moment Fisher sat gazing down, the revolver in his hand. - -“Good work, Sam!” lifted a roaring voice from the trees. “Good work! -I was jest gettin’ a bead on the skunk when you riz up.” - -Jake Harper urged a horse into sight, uncocking his rifle as he came. -Fisher stared at him weakly, hardly realizing what the man’s -appearance here meant. - -“You got away?” he murmured. - -“You bet! Any time I can’t git out o’ buckskin thongs when they’s -water handy to stretch ’em---- Good gosh, Sam! What’s happened?” - -Sam Fisher reeled a little. Jake looked at the limp figure of -Arnold, perceived that Fisher himself was swaying in the saddle. - -“Me, I’m about all in, Jake,” said the whimsical voice. “You got to -do the rest. Don’t hurt Buck, mind; he’s got to go to the pen. I -have the goods on him. You have to take us back to the Lazy S--but -look out! Look out for that man Sandy----” - -Jake Harper dismounted, rushed to Fisher’s side, and caught the -sheriff of Pecos as he went limp. - -“Don’t you worry none about Sandy Davitt,” he said grimly. “That’s -his hoss I’m ridin’ now. Didn’t ye hear a shot a while back?” - -But Sam Fisher could make no response. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -FINIS - -In a room of the Lazy S ranch house Sam Fisher lay upon a cot; -another held Steve Arnold, both men bandaged, splinted, and smoking -cheerfully. Beside the sheriff of Pecos sat Estella Shumway, in her -eyes a glow of happiness such as they had not known for months. - -Jake Harper, caressing his glossy black mustache, stood in the center -of the room. He was just leaving for town. Behind him stood his -half-crippled foreman, surveying Sam Fisher with a wolfish smile on -his ancient features. - -Jake clapped his foreman on the shoulder. - -“Listen, Sam!” he said earnestly. “This here old relic, which same -has fit more Injuns than kids like you ever seen, is agoin’ to camp -outside the door of that there cell we puts Mr. Buck into. Three -more of my outfit camps in the jail likewise, until you gits there in -person. If you figger Buck gittin’ away from them four you guess -again.” - -“C’rect; Jake,” and Sam Fisher laughed softly. “Hold Buck there -until I can reach town, that’s all. You don’t think any one will try -to rescue him?” - -Jake Harper pursed up his lips. - -“Rescue him? Not much. The coroner’s verdict will guarantee him a -quick trial for the murder of Miguel, won’t it? And I’m goin’ to -stick around town my ownself. Don’t you worry none about any rescue. -Them decrepit Injun fighters of mine is runnin’ his whole outfit, or -what’s left of it, out the county.” - -“All right,” said Fisher, nodding. “You take the keys to the -sheriff’s office--they’re with the others I gave you--and look inside -the sheriff’s desk for those papers about Buck and Murphy. They must -go to the governor at once; I’ll have to go with ’em, I guess, so -that puts it off a few days. Those papers are more important than -anything else, Buck; they prove that Frank Shumway was framed and -that it was done through Murphy. We’ll get a full confession out of -Murphy, beyond a doubt. So we want to get the matter up to the -governor and get a pardon for Frank at the earliest moment.” - -“I’ll attend to them,” promised Jake. He stepped forward and held -out his hand. “So long! _Hasta la vista!_” - -“Say, Jake!” Over their clasped hands Fisher looked up, a twinkle in -his eye. “One thing more! Send that preacher out here to-morrow, -will you?” - -“What for?” demanded Jake in surprise. - -“Never mind. You send him.” - -“All right. So long, Stella; see you later!” - -Jake and his foreman stamped out. Stella Shumway looked at the -sheriff of Pecos, her face very red. - -“Sam, what do you want that preacher for?” - -“Wait a minute.” Fisher lifted himself on his good elbow, and looked -at the adjoining cot. He met the grinning features of Steve Arnold, -and made a fierce grimace. “You, Steve! If I was you, cowboy, I’d -look the other way--right at that wall. It’s a heap interesting.” - -With a chuckle Steve obeyed and turned his head. - -Fisher dropped on his pillows, and reaching out, seized the hand of -the girl. - -“Stella, I done bought the ranch, and I’ll pay that mortgage, -too--but you ain’t told me yet if it’s done with your consent. You -know, Stella----” - -The girl’s eyes met his in a smiling glory. - -“I don’t aim to leave the old place, Sam,” she said softly, and bent -her lips to his. - - -THE END - - - - - - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SHERIFF OF PECOS *** - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/7/9/60797/ - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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