Rathburn

“ Night had descended when Rathburn came in sight of the little town on the edge of the foothills. He rode slowly toward it, staring moodily at the flickering lights between interlaced branches which waved and weaved in the wind blowing down from the mountains. In all the distance he had traveled from the lonely ranch where he had met the girl and the boy he had encountered no one. He surmised that the trail to the desert hills to eastward was not a popular one. ”

“ The afternoon wore on as Rathburn followed the road at an easy jog. He quickened his pace somewhat when he passed through aisles in thick timber, and, despite his careless attitude in the saddle, he kept a sharp lookout at all times. For Rathburn was carrying some gold and bills in a belt under his shirt––which had been examined and returned to him at the order of the deputy––and he had no intention of being waylaid. Moreover, the man’s natural bearing was one of constant alertness. He rode for more than two hours without seeing any one. ”

“ The mine manager’s eyes glowed eagerly.
“Yes?” asked Rathburn calmly.
“I’m going to hire, or, rather, I’m going to try to hire a man I believe is just as tough, just as clever, just as quick with his gun as the men who’ve been robbing the Dixie Queen. I’m going to hire him to carry the money to the mine!”
“So that’s why you got me out of jail,” said Rathburn, drawing the inevitable tobacco and papers from his shirt pocket.
“Yes!” whispered Sautee eagerly. “I want you for the job!” ”

“ A Four-Footed Faith and a Two
On Monday Rathburn took the dog far up the trail. Stub was no blue-ribbon, petted dog of records and pedigree; he was a vicious-looking little yellow cur of mixed ancestry and bad habits—that is, he had been all this when Rathburn found him six months before and championed his cause in a quarrel with a crowd of roughs in Mike Swaney's saloon. Since then he had developed into a well-behaved little beast with a pair of wistful eyes that looked unutterable love, and a tail that beat the ground, the floor, or the air in joyous welcome whenever Rathburn came in sight. ”

“ The fingers of his right hand relaxed, and the gun fell to the ground. Rathburn swung low in the saddle and scooped it up, thrusting it into a pocket of his coat.
“Now beat it up over that ridge ahead,” Rathburn ordered. “And be quick about it. That posse may be close behind us.”
The other’s eyes lit up with surprise. “You––you’re not an officer?” he stammered.
“Shut up, you fool!” cried Rathburn. “You want to stay here an’ talk when there’s a score or two of men after us? I’m worse than an officer. Slope for that ridge now. Hurry!” ”

“ Rathburn went with him out into the little office. It was broad day. Mannix picked up a pistol from his desk and extended it to Rathburn.
“Here’s your gun, Rathburn. You can go,” he said, pressing his lips close together.
“Well, now, sheriff, that’s right kind of you,” Rathburn drawled, concealing his astonishment.
“Don’t thank me,” snapped out Mannix. “This gentleman asked me to set you loose.”
For the first time Rathburn looked squarely at the other man in the office––a thin man, with a cropped mustache, beady eyes, and a narrow face. ”

“ Rathburn's career, but now, for the first time in his life, this sentiment of disapproval was backed by money, and he was aware that several bands of men were patrolling the country and that the various individuals composing those bands were anxious to get within speaking, or, to be more exact, shooting distance of him. ”

“ Miss Rathburn had managed to remain immaculate, while their faces were smudged and streaked with soot and car dust, their hats awry and hair dishevelled. Cool, serene, with a filmy veil thrown back from her hat brim, she rocked idly, utterly unconscious of the eyes of the populace.
“The scenery is grand—Wagnerian! Out here one forgets one’s ego, doesn’t one?” the lady in the Alpine hat was saying when, leading the party like a bewhiskered gander, the gentleman from Canton, Ohio, dashed to the end of the veranda with his camera ready for action. ”

“ Rathburn’s right hand and wrist moved with incredible swiftness, and Brown found himself staring into the black bore of a six-gun. Still he saw the eyes above the weapon. His face blanched.
“There are six winning cards in my right hand,” Rathburn said slowly. “You can start shoutin’ for those hundred men you mentioned just as soon as you want. Brown, it’s you an’ your kind that’s made me desperate––dangerous, like you said in that printed notice. ”

“ Rathburn had left Denver the morning previous in great and pressing haste, and with a careful avoidance of human kind. He had never been a social man and the reward of five thousand dollars that was “out” for the man who would bring him in only served to intensify the natural austerity of his character. ”

“ Rathburn glanced casually about. “Now it seems to me,” he resumed, “that most of these fellows who gum up their jail breaks make a mistake by hurrying. Suppose you just walk natural-like through that door and into the cage I just had the foresight to leave. That’s it––right on in.”
He turned the key which the jailer had left in the lock. “Now you’re all right unless you start hollering,” said Rathburn.
He stood quietly in the doorway between the office and the cages. The man from the desert studied him. ”

“ Rathburn stole across the street to the side on which the big resort was situated, and slipped behind a building just as the muffled reports came from within the jail. After a short interval, five more shots were heard, and Rathburn grinned as he realized that the jailer had fired the remaining bullets in his own and the sheriff’s guns.
He heard men running down the street. So he hurried up street behind the buildings until he reached the rear of the large resort, which was the place Lamy had held up. ”

“ Do not tell any one of our deal. I’ll get your room number from the register. I’ll bring the package of money to you between nine o’clock and midnight. Now, Rathburn, maybe I’m mistaken in you; but I go a whole lot by what I see in a man’s eyes. You may have a hard record, but I’m staking my faith in men on you!”
“I’ll be there,” Rathburn promised.
He left Sautee at the entrance to the restaurant and strolled around the hotel barn to see that his horse was being taken care of properly. He found that the barn man was indeed looking after the dun in excellent shape. ”

“ Both Rathburn and Eagen looked up and saw Mallory leaning out of a window over the kitchen, and the stock of a rifle was snug against his cheek and shoulder.
“Acts like he’s scared you can’t take care of yourself,” said Eagen with a sneer. “The way you ditched that posse to-day I didn’t think you needed a bodyguard.”
“I don’t,” Rathburn retorted. “The old man is acting on his own hook. You was watching the sport to-day?” ”

“ Rathburn laughed, and the mines manager shivered as he heard.
“Now, Sautee, we’ll quit beatin’ around the bush,” Rathburn said through his teeth. “We’ll get down to business together, or I’ll begin to search your place here. But if I have to search, I’ll search alone. There ain’t so much chance of a shot bein’ heard way up the street; an’ there ain’t much chance of me bein’ caught on that hoss of mine if I don’t want to get caught. ”

“ Gradually the whines and barks gave way to the more silent appeal of wistful eyes, and Stub learned that life now was a thing of little food and less joy, and that existence was a thing of long motionless watchings of a master who would not understand.
Weeks passed and a cold wind swept down from the mountains. The line of snow crept nearer and nearer the clearing about the cabin, and the sun grew less warm. Rathburn came home each night with a deeper frown on his face, and a fiercer oath as he caught sight of the dog. ”

“ But no, Gomez had said he did not play well.
Rathburn tried to recollect where he had seen this man Doane before. The blond face and mustache were vaguely familiar. Again he strove to place the man without result.
He shrugged his shoulders, drew out his gun, and replaced the empty shell with a fresh cartridge. He dropped the weapon back into his holster and went outside to see about his horse. The dun still was feeding. Rathburn contented himself with looking over his saddle and readjusting the small slicker pack on its rear. ”

“ Rathburn frowned and built another cigarette.
“If you’ll carry this package of money up to the Dixie Queen for me, Rathburn, I’ll pay you five hundred dollars. Then, if you want to stay and act as our messenger right along, we’ll make a deal. But I’d like to have you do this this time––make this one trip, anyway, I mean. They may try to stop you. If they do I don’t believe they can get away with it. I’m banking on your ability to get through, and I think the proposition will appeal to you in a sporting way if for no other reason. Will you do it?” Sautee’s eyes were eager. ”

“ Rathburn stuffed the paper into a pocket. Then he pulled a chair in front of the mines manager and sat down. He took out paper and tobacco from his shirt pocket and began to fashion a cigarette.
“It sure looks bad for me, doesn’t it, Mr. Sautee?” he asked as he snapped a match into flame.
“I thought you were going to return the money,” Sautee said sneeringly.
“It looks bad two ways,” Rathburn went on as if he hadn’t heard the other’s comment. “First, if that package the holdups got had contained the money you could have swore it was a put-up job. ”

“ Rathburn looked up at him in understanding. “They’ll have me mixed up with this stage holdup,” he said earnestly. “From what I gathered they killed the driver, an’ they’ll say that was my part.”
“That’s the trouble, boy,” said the old miner. “If a fellow’s handy with his gun somebody’s sure to get jealous of him an’ make him draw. If he gets his man because he has to, he’s a killer. When he’s known as a killer he ain’t got a chance. You had to drop the two men you dropped aroun’ here, boy; but they ain’t forgettin’ it.”
“Bob Long was headin’ that posse,” said Rathburn thoughtfully. ”

“ Why, I didn’t need a gang to rob the bank, Eagen, an’ I didn’t have anybody in with me. The trouble with you is that you’ve got too much imagination.”
The drawl in which Rathburn concluded his speech drove Eagen to a frenzy.
“You lie, Rathburn!”
Rathburn smiled. “I might as well tell you that I intended to get away with that money that’s on the table, Eagen. That’s what I took it for. I’m making this little statement because something’s liable to happen to one, or both of us. I didn’t know Doane was cashier of the bank when I took it. I only recently learned that fact. ”

“ You’re a fugitive, but you have your liberty. Perhaps you can get away clean, though I doubt it. But there’s that chance, and you’ve naturally got to take it into consideration. And you’re not sure of anything if you go to trial on the charges there are against you. But it would count like sixty in your favor, Rathburn, if you’d give yourself up.”
Rathburn stared at the official speculatively. His thoughts flashed back along the years to the time when he and Laura Mallory had played together as children. ”

“ Rathburn was taken immediately to the cage on the left of the office door. Sheriff Neal hesitated as he stood in the cell with him, thought for a minute, then removed the handcuffs.
“That’s right fine of you, sheriff,” said Rathburn sleepily, but cheerfully, nevertheless.
“Oh, you’ll be watched well enough,” said Neal as he closed the barred door behind him and locked Rathburn in. “You’ll find somebody around if you try to tear the place down.” ”

“ Rathburn suddenly grasped him by the throat. “What are you tryin’ to say?” he asked sternly, shaking the Mexican like a rat.
Gomez broke away, his black eyes darting fire. “You are a fool!” he exclaimed. “You get nothing. Even your woman, she is stole right under your eyes. Doane, he goes there, and he gets her. She fall for him fast. Then she talks to you with sugar in her mouth, and you believe. Bah! You think the Señorita Mallory–––”
Rathburn’s open palm crashed against the Mexican’s mouth. ”

“ Rathburn swung his hat to his head and rose. He walked toward the door, but Joe Price got in his way.
“Where you goin’?” he asked.
“To the Mallory ranch!”
“You can’t get there!” said Price hoarsely, pushing him back.
“I’ve got to get there!” answered Rathburn grimly, pushing the old man aside. “I must see Laura.”
“You got here just by luck,” Price pointed out. “An’ there’s more men in by now. Maybe they know you’re here. But wait till I get your horse––he’s hid.”
“Get him,” Rathburn commanded. ”

“ There he slipped the gun in his holster and put on his coat. The jailer reckoned better than to try to leap upon him while he was thus engaged; the prisoner’s speed with a six-gun was well known.
Rathburn drew a peculiar leather case from within his shirt, put the knife in it, and stowed it away in a pocket. Then he turned on the jailer.
“Maybe you think that was a mean trick––resorting to a knife,” he said pleasantly; “but all is fair in love and war and when a man’s in jail. You better sort of stand in one place while I look around a bit.” ”

“ Just now I ain’t forgetting that crazy fool with that rifle up there.”
“You didn’t come here for a gun play, Eagen,” said Rathburn. “You ain’t plumb loco every way. I take it you saw me makin’ for this place an’ followed me here. What do you want?”
“I want to talk business,” said Eagen with a hopeful note in his voice; “but you won’t let me get started.”
“An’ I won’t have dealings with you,” said Rathburn crisply.
“That’s what you think,” sneered Eagen. “But you’re in a tight corner, an’ we can help you out. ”