Part 36 (2/2)
n.o.body'd thought she was sweet on him!”
Hilton stirred uneasily and the color in his face deepened. He looked at Hepburn with an ugly light in his eyes.
”That upset everything,” Hepburn went on. ”There wasn't no use tryin'
to play a quiet game after that. They both know we want to get rid of 'em worst way and now we've got to keep under cover an' use our heads harder'n ever.”
”There's too many in it,” Webb whined. ”I tell you the's too many in it! If you'd let me alone, just me an' the boys, I'd felt safer. But now there's Cole an' his daughter an' ... half the country!”
He flashed an indecisive glance at Hilton who studied the bottle, frowning.
”Lots in it,” Hepburn said heavily, ”but they've got to hang together or....”
”Separately,” added d.i.c.k cynically.
Hepburn nodded and Webb s.h.i.+fted and jerked his head petulantly.
”But there's nothin' to fret about,” Dad went on. ”None of us will be a leak. Cole can't because we could put him behind bars by just lettin'
on that he'd used his homestead rights under another name an' had no right on this place, let alone other things.
”We can use his brand, which is why I brought him in here. I've spread the news that he's bought cows of you an' between workin' over the HC and ventin' your marks we'll have a herd here in a couple of seasons that'll make us rich!
”An' we'll have range for 'em, too. She won't stand up under a range war!”
”But Beck will,” Webb protested.
”He will if you don't get rid of him!” with slow anger behind the words and a cunning glitter in his eyes. ”I don't see how in h.e.l.l you missed him. You must've been drunk!”
”He wasn't in his bed, I tell you. He couldn't 've been!”
”Well, if _I_ had against him what you got, I'd get him,” Hepburn stated emphatically, well satisfied, and showing it, that this was a masterly stroke. ”He made you laughed at by the whole country.”
”You wait,” Webb snarled. ”My time's comin'!”
”Deliberately, I'd say,” Hilton put in ironically.
”Oh, you're always kickin'!” Webb protested. ”I don't see why you stay on if things don't satisfy you. You've got to have sheets on your bed, you've got to have grub cooked different, you've got to sleep late an'
you've got to have hot water to wash and shave always when th' kettle's cold! You've got into this deal an' you'd like to run it your way.
”What the h.e.l.l do you stay on for?”
Hepburn looked at Hilton's face as though he, too, wondered just why he stayed on, but, pursuing his usual tactics, he said:
”Why, if Mr. Hilton can pay for it, why can't he have his way? He has the money. He's willing to spend it. I'm sure his willingness to stake Cole to fence and hired help means a lot to all of us, Webb. That's goin' to drive her out of the Hole entire this summer.
”The booze has made you irritable, Webb.”
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