Part 12 (1/2)

”Well, I don't want to talk to a n.o.body!” was the retort.

CHAPTER X

DAVE WONDERS

Giving utterance to this sneering remark Len Molick began to urge his horse forward, but, though his face flushed, and a sense of anger choked him, Dave remained cool as he put out a hand and caught the bridle of the other's steed.

”Not so fast, Len Molick!” Dave exclaimed.

”You may not want to talk to a n.o.body--that's your business--but you're going to talk to a somebody right now, and that somebody is I!”

”Huh! you don't even know your name!” Len sneered, but he did not try to break away.

”Names don't matter,” said Dave, trying to retain his calmness. ”You can call me Injun Jack if you like, but I want to ask you a few questions.”

”Well, I'm not going to answer them,” snapped Len, ”and I want you to let me go! If you don't--”

He raised a riding quire he carried, and seemed about to lash it into Dave's face.

”Look here!” Dave cried. ”If you try to strike me with that I'll pull you off your pony and give you the best drubbing you ever had.” He s.n.a.t.c.hed the quirt from Len's wrist, breaking the thong, and flung the little whip far out on the prairie.

”Oh!” mumbled Len, and he shrunk away in fear.

”I won't touch you--at least not now--if you don't try any more of your underhand work,” promised Dave. ”But I'm going to converse with you right here and now. Why did you cut the posts of our special corral? Answer me that!”

”I didn't cut any posts!” was the sullen answer.

”You didn't; eh? Well, I think you did, and I'll prove it too, sooner or later. What are you hanging around here for now?”

”Isn't this a free range? Haven't I a right to ride it if I want to?”

”Yes, you have, but you must have some object in it, and I believe you want to see our cattle stampede. But I fooled you that time, Len Molick, and I'll fool you again. Now I want to know something else. Is Whitey Wa.s.son the only one who told you I--that I wasn't Mr. Carson's son?”

For the life of him Dave could not help the falter that crept into his voice.

”Yes; he's the only one who told me,” was Len's sullen answer.

”How did he find out about it?”

”Huh! How should I know? Ask him!”

”I intend to after I get through with you.”

Len winced again.

”Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to thrash you--at least not now,” said Dave, grimly. He was willing that Len should get what satisfaction he could out of that promise.

”Well, if you're through with me, you let me go!” the bully demanded. ”You haven't any right to hold me up this way.”

”I've just as much right as you have to take a saw and cut through our fence posts, so that the least pressure by the cattle would crack 'em off short,” retorted Dave.