Part 38 (1/2)
”Then they wanted you to hear. Guess they know yo're a friend of mine.”
”Guess they do now,” Rod Rockwell said, grimly.
”What do you mean?”
”Oh, nothin'. I just talked to 'em a li'l bit.”
”And you wasn't shot? Didn't they do anything?”
”h.e.l.l, no,” Rod denied, disgustedly. ”Kansas Casey come in just at the wrong time, and throwed down on the four of us and said he'd do all the shooting they was to be done. And when he went he took me with him. Said he'd arrest me if I didn't go peaceable. Ain't that just like Kansas?”
”Wearing the star sh.o.r.e means a lot to him.”
”Aw, since he's been deputy he's gotten too big for his boots. And Jake the same way. The country's played out, that's whatsa matter.
Law and order, law and order, till a feller can't turn round no more without fallin' into jail.”
”She's one lucky thing for you, cowboy,” said Racey, seriously, ”that Kansas did come. Three of 'em! You had yore gall. Lookit here, next time you let 'em talk. Names don't hurt less they're said to a feller's face.”
”They knowed you was my friend,” said Rod, simply. ”Anyway, you keep away from McFluke's.”
”Maybe I will take yore advice. It has its points of interest, as the feller said when he sat down on the pork.u.mpine. And speakin' of pork.u.mpines, have you seen Lanpher?”
”Sh.o.r.e. Him and Alicran pulled in a hour ago. Guess he's in the office--Lanpher.”
”See anything of Tweezy lately?”
”Luke seems to be living with us _lately_.”
”I never knowed him and Lanpher was good friends?” Racey cast at a venture.
”I didn't either--till lately.”
”Jack Harpe ever come out here?”
”Long-geared feller--supposed to have capital? Hangs out in Farewell?
The one that Marie girl tried to down? Bo, he ain't been here as I know of, but then he could easy drift in and out and me not know it.”
Racey nodded. ”Marie jump Jack again, do you know?” he asked.
”Damfino. Don't guess so, though. I seen her pa.s.s him on Main Street, and she didn't even look at him.”
”I'll bet he looked at her.”
”You can gamble he did. He ain't trustin' her, not him. I wonder what was at the bottom of the fuss between him an' her?” A sharp glance at Racey accompanied this remark.
”I dunno,” yawned Racey. ”They say Mr. Harpe has had a career both high, wide, and handsome.”
”That's what I'd call one too many,” grinned Rod Rockwell.
”You can put down a bet the career has been one too many, too.”