Part 36 (1/2)

”The longer you stay the more you will lose.”

She showed it to Beck and after he had read and re-read and turned the single sheet of paper over in his hands he looked up to see her eyes tear filled.

”It isn't worth it!” she cried with a stamp of her foot. ”This is only the start. Do you know what they are saying in town? The word has been pa.s.sed that first you are to be driven out and that then I will have to go. People are saying that the others are too many and too ruthless for you, that they are bound to drive us away. It is being said that you are too straight to win a crooked fight!

”I could risk losing the things I own, my property, but I wouldn't risk you, Tom dear ... I wouldn't do that!”

”And there's somethin' else you wouldn't do,” he said lowly, stroking her forehead. ”You wouldn't let 'em drive you out. You didn't start that way. You come out here to beat the game and if you quit cold you wouldn't think much of yourself, would you? We didn't want trouble, but we've got to go and meet it!”

”But you!” she moaned, putting her arms about his big shoulders. ”What of you?”

”Don't worry about me when the only danger is from men that won't come into the open! Maybe I'm a bigger crook than I'm given credit for.

Besides, you've given me lots of luck....

”I don't know what's in this thing,”--holding out the locket--”but I've got a lot of faith in it ... and in you, Jane!”

Where, before he gave his love recognition, he had taken pains to bring Jane into contact with adversities, he now was impelled to s.h.i.+eld her from all that he could. In the natural role of her protector he did everything possible to allay her apprehension. He could not blind her to the broad situation but he could and did withhold the seriousness of some of its detail, even keeping some things that transpired, such as the attempts on his life, to himself.

But he did worry about the enemy that worked from cover, that shot at sleeping men, that broke ditches and burned property and sent unsigned threats to women. That made his fight a battle in the darkness and his strength was the strength of light, of frankness, of honesty. His mind was not adapted to scheming and skulking.

To drive his foe into the open was his first objective and that night he set out.

”You call it recognizing a state of war, I believe,” he told Jane with a twinkle in his eye when she queried his going.

”Tom! You're not going--”

”Not going to take a chance,” he said soberly. ”It's just a diplomatic mission, you might say.”

He put her off and rode out of the ranch gate. It was dark and when he had progressed a mile he halted his horse, dropped off, loosened the cinch so the leather would not creak when the animal breathed, and stood listening. Aside from the natural noises of the night, the world was without sound.

He drew his gun from its holster and twirled the cylinder. Usually he carried the trigger over an empty chamber; tonight it was filled. And inside his s.h.i.+rt was another gun.

CHAPTER XVI

THE WARNING

The fire in Webb's cook stove was not all that furnished warmth to the three men sitting about it that night, for they drank frequently from the bottle which, when not pa.s.sing from hand to hand, was nestled on d.i.c.k Hilton's lap, his hands caressing its smooth surface lovingly ...

save the word!

Sam McKee and three other men played solo on the table, noisily and quarrelsomely after the manner of their kind. Engrossed in the game they gave little heed to the talk of the others. It was shop talk, of plots and schemes, of danger and distrust.

Webb's little b.u.t.ton eyes were even more ugly than usual, Hilton's mouth drawn in lines that were even more cruel, but Hepburn, under influence of the liquor, only became more paternal, more deliberate as the evening and the drinking went on. He was not nettled by Webb's disfavor, and even smiled on the rancher indulgently as he listened to the querulous plaint.

”If you'd only used yer head an' stayed there,” Webb went on, ”then we'd hev had it all easy-like. You could've stole her blind an' she'd never knew. Then you had to git on the peck about _him!_” He sniffed in disgust.

”Now, Webb, you're too harsh in what you say,” the other replied blandly. ”I done all I could but Beck wouldn't be blinded! He's got second sight or somethin',”--with a degree of heat.

”We had him scotched all right, but we hadn't figured on the girl.