Part 24 (1/2)

”But Carey is----”

”Send him out,” Beechy reiterated weakly and closed his eyes as though he were again slipping into a coma.

”You'd better go, Jim. There's some deviltry afoot and Beechy knows what it is. Send Mother Eagan down in ten minutes if she can be spared.”

Carey looked down at the motionless figure on the bed.

”I wonder if he knows anything about Small,” he whispered. ”He left early this morning and----”

”You mean?”

”The same,” answered Carey enigmatically and left the cabin. The wind banged the door after him. Benson could see Beechy wince. Then he was conscious of what was going on about him.

”He's gone, Carl,” he whispered.

Beechy's lips twisted in a smile as he opened his eyes, and eased himself on his elbow.

”I reckoned we'd shake him if I played 'possum. I'm feelin' better every minute. Get a paper and pencil, Mr. Benson. I want you to take something down for me. This bogus heart of mine is likely to pound on for years, then again it may shut up shop any minute.”

”I'll do it, Beechy, but first, tell me about Mrs. Courtlandt. I must know that she is safe.”

”She's safe, all right. She started for the X Y Z and Greyson. I kept my brain steady till she got out of sight. She was ridin' her own horse.

I'm not deceiving you. I wouldn't have any harm come to her for her own sake, let alone the Lieutenant's. Now you listen and put down what I tell you, _sabe_?”

Beechy told the story of his acquaintance with Ranlett, with frequent pauses for rest and to get his breath. Someone on the border, he wouldn't tell who, had sent him to the manager of the Double O. Outside the wind rose steadily. It flung itself against the corners of the small building, it shook the window frames as a terrier does a rat; the flame in the lamp flickered and steadied.

”Get me straight, Mr. Benson,” Beechy concluded. ”I ain't excusing myself. I was dead wrong--but Ranlett caught me when I was bitter and discouraged. He set out as how we were to pull off this hold-up on a carful of gold belonging to some 1917-18 millionaires that had made their money in munitions. Then this morning I got a hint 'twas government money. I up an' had it out with Ranlett. I allowed I'd touch nothin' belonging to the government. His eyes got like red-hot coals.

'You don't think for a minute you'll get away with turning goody-goody after hearin' my plans, do you?' says he, his hand twitching. 'No, I don't, Ranlett,' says I, 'but you want to remember that thievin's one thing an' murder's another.' Then crack! It was like a sh.e.l.l burstin'

and I didn't know anythin' more till I looked up into what seemed two s.h.i.+mmery gold stars--the Lieutenant's wife was holdin' me.”

”Who hit you? Ranlett?”

”Not on your life! He ain't takin' no chances. He wasn't even figurin'

in the hold-up to-night; he is to direct operations from a dugout in the rear. It was Carey's range-rider.”

”What!”

”Somewhere he'd found out I was linked up with the Lieutenant. Now you know why I wouldn't tell before----Who's coming?”

The knock preceded the entrance of Mother Eagan. She fairly blew into the room. Her round, s.h.i.+ning face was red; she was panting from exertion. The man on the bed straightened up, smoothed his hair, adjusted the collar of his s.h.i.+rt and turned reckless, smiling blue eyes upon his visitor. She was a woman, therefore to be impressed, irrespective of age or size or charm. That was Beechy, Benson thought as he watched him. He was a curious combination of characteristics. The woman looked from one to the other.

”Where's the man I was sent down to drag back to life?” she asked with a good-natured chuckle. Her eyes lingered on Beechy. ”Sure you don't look sick to me.”

Benson slipped the paper he held into his pocket.

”Make him lie down and keep quiet, Mother Eagan, and put something on that bruise. I'll go on to the X Y Z now that you're being taken care of, Beechy.”

”Righto. Mr. Greyson may need help in that little matter I was tellin'

you about. Mother Eagan, it sure is good to see you. You're the handsomest white woman I've seen since I left the border--you----”

Benson closed the cabin door behind him. Beechy was incorrigible, but Mother Eagan was fool-proof. She'd laugh and volley back at him while she made his poor, racked body comfortable.