J. Allan Dunn

“ A MAN on a rangy roan came out of a clump of pines and reined in on the edge of the steep slope, looking down into the little valley with eyes puckered at the corners from much gazing in the sun, eyes that were as gray as the rocks, cropping out here and there on the rim of the valley and on the sides, where they were not covered with clumps of quaking asp, scrub oak and choke cherry. ”

“ Steele swept belts and the shells he had ejected from the guns into a drawer of the table. His voice held authority, crisp and resolute. “Come over to this desk, Hines,” he ordered and Hines obeyed. “Don’t try to make a break for that table, Red or Shorty,” he warned. “You’ll never touch the handle of the drawer. Hines, I was afraid you might have rummaged around a bit, but I see you stopped at the whiskey and the cigars. Now I’ll turn up my buried cards. Take a look at those letters on top of the little drawer to the right as you open the desk. There’s a paper or two that may interest you.” ”

“ A big man, enormous of shoulder, bowed of leg, bearded heavily, a gun at each hip, came out slowly, forcing a grin. Steele relieved him of his weapons, gave one to the girl, tossed the other into the creek. Followed a sandy-haired man with the face of a trapped fox: Hull, the assayer. He had an automatic in each back pocket.
“One of those is mine,” claimed young Deming.
“You’re better off without one, son,” said Steele, and the automatic splashed into the pool. “One more gun to account for. Keep your arms up, Arkwright. ”

“ Give me your gun, Hines, an’ hand me your cartridge belt.”
“What in hell do you take me for?”
“A wise man. Hand ’em over or I’ll come an’ take ’em. You Red an’ Shorty, likewise. Pronto!” Steele rose to his feet lithely as a cougar rises from a crouch, his two guns with their muzzles slightly raised, muscles flexed, man and weapons ready for instant action, backed by a will that made itself felt. “Do you suppose I am sucker enough to fall for your idea, Hines?” he said. “Expect you to help me hold up these high-graders without your givin’ me the double-cross? ”

“ Steele laid her tenderly on the shingle, raced to the creek, scooped up water in his Stetson and spilled it on her face. She was already reviving as the cold drops struck her.
“I’m all right,” she said, sitting up, struggling to her feet, Steele helping her. “It missed fire. I thought he’d kill you.”
“You’re the pluckiest girl I ever met,” said Steele emphatically. “You didn’t know it was unloaded. Usually it’s the other way round,” he jested. ”

“ Steele, leaving the dark of the trees before the valley began to lighten, leaving his three recently enlisted henchmen awake and ready for signal or emergency, crept down the creek and, none too willingly, took a position between two boulders that hid him from view of all but the birds, provided he lowered his body flat into the chilly water. ”

“ He snooped about the barn and found, at the end of an alley, between empty swingracks for cows, a feed-room. It was substantially built, without a window, with a sturdy door that fastened with a good padlock. There were bins built in, partly filled with grain. Satisfied, he left the barn and approached the back of the house. There was a light in the kitchen. He advanced under the cover of bushes close to the window, then snaked his way up to the logs of the house, rising, inch by inch, until he could peer in. The man Jim was busy at the stove with a frying pan. Steele grinned. ”

“ He took away the second gun and backed the still astounded Pete into the high fireplace where he was forced to crouch in the opening while Steele gave brief attention to the unconscious figure of Jim, sprawled in the chair.
“Miss Deming, there’s a barn out back. Will you slip out there and see if you can find a rope or two for our friends here. If you run across some baling wire—know what that is?—that’ll be better. Take a look to see if Hines is in sight. If not, we’ll have our meal before we light out.” ”

“ Steele had learned what he most wanted to know. Hines was at Twin Knobs with the other two men. And the roan was there also. He swung the door wide and, as the two eaters turned peering into the darkness beyond the threshold, he stepped into the light, his gun covering them.
“Sorry to disturb you, hombres. But I gave you one helping of grub. Keep your hands above the table cloth.”
His gun spat viciously as Jim dropped his right hand, farthest from the door, to his holster, and brought it up again. Jim screamed an oath. A gun, one of Steele’s own blued Colts, thumped on the table. ”

“ A gun in his left hand, Steele opened the door, passed in, his second pistol coming out of the holster in a flash of blue steel as he kicked the door shut behind him and smiled at the astonished trio, starting to rise from their chairs and reaching for their guns.
“No sentry, Hines? Careless. Be seated gents. I’ve come to talk business.” He had the drop on them. Hines dropped back in his seat with a nod to his deputies, who followed his example.
“Ready to talk turkey, are you, J. J.?” asked Hines. “You know what you say may be used against you. I’m not promising anything.” ”

“ Your manners to’ards ladies need parin’, bad; an’ your judgment concernin’ ’em is mighty poor. But that’s mebbe the result of your bringin’ up. Now then, Red an’ Shorty is in this game, bein’ interested in your stake money; an’ me needin’ ’em after a bit. Jim an’ Pete, they’re out of it. Thrown up their hands. Go easy, gents,” he rapped out sharply as Red shifted in his seat and a dull red flushed under Hines’s skin. “I ain’t talkin’ just to listen to myself. I’m goin’ to show you a few of my cards, Hines. Make it stud poker ’stead of draw.” ”

“ He stuffed his shirt pocket from the humidor on the mantel and, unperceived by the girl, picked up something which he concealed inside his shirt.
“Now then, we’re off,” he said.
“Our horses are gone,” she told him.
“Hines is a horse thief as well as sheriff,” he answered. “We’ll have to hoof it. My regards to Hines, Jim. Pete, you should have shared that sandwich with him. It’s a serious fault to be greedy. Adios, hombres.” ”

“ You’re in trouble, whether it’s the fault of your brother or not. I’m a trouble breaker. Let’s foller the crick down a ways. We’ll keep in the timber. I’ve a notion Hines an’ his pardners worked back along this way after they got rid of them extry horses. We’ll see. One advantage of bein’ afoot is we can keep out of their sight better than they can out of ours. ”

“ He grinned at Hines. “Hines and Red there, likewise Shorty, are my deputies, sworn in last night. Hines was just playin’ at bein’ sheriff. That star of his is a trick star. Got all the sacks, Deming? Good; we’ll load ’em on the horses. Your’s is back a way, Miss Deming. You hombres’ll hoof it to the ranch house. Then we’ll let Jim an’ Pete out of the barn an’ git Jim to cook us some breakfast.”
VI
“YOU see,” said Steele to the girl later, “I spotted Hines for a fake almost as soon as I saw him. That star of his is out of date, for one thing. ”

“ Steele saw that her hands trembled slightly though she strove to conceal her nervousness.
The sheriff looked at her with the suspicion of a snarl.
“My name is Hines,” he said. “Sheriff Hines. If you should happen to see your brother, Miss, before I do, you give him a bit of advice from me. You tell him to come clean. The more he talks the less he’ll get.”
The girl’s chin went up and she turned her back on Hines.
“Reckon that advice ’ud work fine for you, Sheriff,” drawled Steele. “If you take it backwards.” Hines wheeled and advanced threateningly. ”

“ He ate quickly, with front and back doors open, listening intently all the time, a napkin spread over the offending blood spots. In some ways Steele was more fastidious than others. “Ham and eggs twice a day ain’t too much,” he said aloud as he finished what remained of the hot coffee. ”

“ The sun lifted, began to gain warmth, to scorch down between his boulders, and still he saw no sign of what he believed must happen. The others were comparatively comfortable in the shade, couched on the coarse fern. ”

“ Hines glared at him but turned away with a swagger.
“Better make up your mind to come through, too, J. J., as you call yourself,” he said. “I won’t promise to make it easier for you, but I’ll sure make it harder if you don’t. Jim, you an’ Pete stay here an’ chaperon this couple. I’m goin’ with Red and Shorty to pick up the trail. We’re likely to get back a bit late, because we aim to get ’em, one way or another.”
Steele saw the girl’s shoulders quiver for a second. He shifted in his chair and the man called Jim immediately raised his gun. ”

“ So did I. You come over to Twin Knobs thinkin’ I may trail over here with the lady, an’ you make yourselves considerable to home. Now I’m here.
“Hines, I don’t see you’ve got even a pair in sight. I know you ain’t got a thing buried. I have. Before I turn up I’ll tell you what I want. I’ve got a hunch I can find that high-gradin’ crowd. I’ve got a hunch they’d be out of the country to-night if you hadn’t taken their horses. They ain’t the kind used to walkin’, cept mebbe the Chink, an’ one man, who’s a miner, by the look of his boots. Also they hate to leave the stuff where they’ve cached it. ”

“ Won’t be safe for us to try.”
“I thought you said you had some papers there you didn’t want him to find.”
“Did I say papers? I’ve got to let that go for a while. I’ve got things tucked away. There’s a bottle or two of real Scotch whiskey up there an’ while I sure hate to think of it bein’ wasted on Hines an’ his pals, it may keep ’em occupied a bit. Now, if I don’t find anything up above, this is as good a place to camp as any. Sun’s gettin’ down. If you don’t shoot anything I aim to trail back to the house after dark an’ rustle some grub an’ blankets.” ”

“ A sleuth? Shucks, Miss Deming, a cowman natcherally has to learn trail. It’s a part of his job. I’m goin’ up above the fall. Won’t be long. No sense in you comin’. Here—”
He handed her one of the guns taken from the two deputies.
“Why?” she asked.
“No especial reason. Just as well to go ahead. Hines might take a notion to come back. If you see a cottontail or willow grouse, try your luck for supper.”
“Supper? I had forgotten about food.”
“It don’t pay. You see”—he viewed her closely—“you see, Miss Deming, if we’re goin’ to find your brother—why—we’ll likely have to camp out to-night. ”

“ If so, I’m in wrong.”
“Jim,” he said, at last. “No sense in goin’ hungry, is they, with a house full of grub? I reckon there’s more ham and eggs an’ coffee, anyway.”
“By gun!” said Pete, hitherto so silent as to suggest he might be a mute, “he’s right. I cu’d eat the hind laig of’n a mule.”
Jim looked dubious, but he also looked hungry. He licked his lips.
“I kin cook,” said Pete.
“I’ll get a meal for you,” said the girl. Steele looked up with surprise at the offer. He read the answer in the look in her eyes. She was snatching desperately at a chance to get away. ”

“ I’ve a hunch Hines may have loaned ’em to Jim an’ Pete, seein’ they’re shy of hardware. But it’ll have to be after dark. We may be right hungry before we eat. You won’t be afraid to be left in the dark? ”

“ We can get along without ’em. One saddle on the horse I borrowed from Jim, or Pete. Pick up your guns an’ git busy.”
He finished the Scotch and selected another cigar while the three talked in whispers. Only two of the minutes were needed for decision. Red and Shorty were surly, but cowed. Hines regarded Steele with a reluctant look of tribute. Ten minutes later the four men, Steele on his roan, rode out of the Twin Knobs gate and proceeded along the road that led to the valley holding. Red herded the four unsaddled horses. Shorty led the girl’s. ”

“ Once, in a while the man opened up primitive gates in the wire and closed them again without effort, the horse taking position to make the work easiest, as if thoroughly accustomed to such expeditions. ”

“ He ought to have sense enough to savvy your brand. A kid is apt to trail someone he thinks is smart. Don’t stop to think an’ gits in too deep. But, even if he can’t swim, maybe someone’ll give him a helpin’ hand—like you. ”

“ He won’t again.” Her eyes flashed. “He was always telling Frank he was a fool to settle down to work for a salary. Talked about using one’s brains. This is what happened, to make me know what he was. He proposed that Frank should pose in Denver as a cattle rancher, open an account at the bank. Then there was to be a draft presented, after others had gone through.”
“Savvy,” said Steele. “You needn’t go into details. This Burton was to be the monkey, your brother pussy. Draft was forged. If it went through Burton would get most of it, your brother a quarter, mebbe. ”

“ As for the rest I don’t aim to see any woman put in a calaboose or otherwise imprisoned by the kindest-hearted sheriff that ever signed a warrant. An’ that’s a long way from describin’ Hines. You”—he gave her a look that held cordial goodfellowship but was shrewd with world wisdom—“if I figger I know any thing about humans, an’ I do, it bein’ in a way in my line of business, I know a thoroughbred from a bad cross. ”

“ Cook gone, too. That was a Chink’s blouse atop, that kitchen bunk. Looks like something had scared ’em worse ’n a ha’f grown cottontail with a coyote sayin’ good mornin’. They cud hardly have seen me come out of the pines. No winders that way. Nothin’ about me to send ’em off with empty stomachs. Main point is, where did they go? Too much of a hurry to saddle up. If they’d kep’ to the trees I might not have seen ’em,” he added reflectively, moving towards the door.
Then he stiffened and his hands sought his gun butts as he stooped and peered out of a window towards the road. ”