Part 17 (1/2)
Purdy scowled: ”Well, what if she is? What you drivin' at? If you got somethin' to say, why the h.e.l.l don't you say it?”
Grimshaw cleared his throat: ”They ain't never no good comes from mixin'
up with women--in our business. If they're good women they ain't goin'
to have no truck with such as us, nohow--an' if they ain't, they'll double-cross you sure as h.e.l.l sometime or other. I've read where most of the crooks an' outlaws that's caught, is caught 'cause they was stuck on some woman--either the woman double-crossed 'em, or the sheriffs or officers watches the woman, an' nabs the man when he goes to see her.
'Twas a woman got Billy the Kid caught--an' I could name some more right here in Montana.”
”Guess ridin' over to git McWhorter to fetch me out some tobacco from town ain't goin' to hurt none.”
”No. Only McWhorter won't be goin' to town till after lambin', an' it looks like he could remember tobacco with one tellin', instead of six in ten days.”
Purdy's anger flared up: ”Keep pretty close cases, don't you? Whose business is it if I was over there sixteen times? I ain't in jail, am I?”
”No--not yet, you ain't.” Grimshaw's voice was low and hard. The game had ceased, and the four others were watching the two. ”An', by the way things is framin', I don't expect you'll ever git there.” There was something ominous in the man's words, and Purdy s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably.
”I didn't s'pose it mattered what a man done--between jobs,” he muttered.
”It don't--so long as he leaves women alone, an' don't do nothin' that puts this gang in bad.”
”I never told her nothin' about the gang. I ain't goin' to marry her.”
”I know d.a.m.ned well you ain't. She despises you because yer a horse-thief.” Grimshaw's voice suddenly dropped lower, ”an', if she know'd what I know--an' what all Wolf River knows she'd know that yer horse-thievin' is the best thing about you.”
Purdy laughed nastily: ”Cinnabar Joe spilled a mouthful, did he? I fell down on that job--maybe I'll have better luck, next time.”
Grimshaw nodded: ”Mebbe you will. But, McWhorter's like Cinnabar Joe, an' all the rest that's friends of mine--he's safe, an' his stock's safe, an' By G.o.d, his _girl's_ safe!” The leader paused and allowed his eyes to travel slowly over the faces of his five companions, ”That goes--an' whatever else I say goes.” And Purdy, watching narrowly from the corner of his eye, saw that, of the other four only Bill's eyes stood Grimshaw's gaze unflinching, and in the dim shadow his lips twisted into a sardonic grin. What Purdy did not see was that Grimshaw had seen exactly what he saw, and not only that, he had seen Purdy's smile, but with a perfectly impa.s.sive face, the leader spread his blanket and stretched himself upon the floor.
CHAPTER XV
PURDY MAKES A RIDE
Purdy's altercation with Grimshaw occurred on the night Alice Endicott and the Texan spent on the river. A raid on a bunch of Flying A mares had been planned for the following night, and early in the morning Grimshaw and the man called Bill, pulled out to the northward to locate the mares, while the other outlaws separated to skirmish the surrounding country and make sure that the coast was clear. Purdy's patrol took him into the vicinity of Red Sand Creek, and as he rode the outlaw smiled grimly: ”Grimshaw's busted,” he muttered, ”this one job an' he's through. It'll be the Purdy gang, then--an', believe me, we ain't goin'
to stop at runnin' off a few head of horses. This country's lousy with money, just layin' around for someone to reach out an' take it--an' I'm the bird c'n do it! They'll be four of us, an' that's a-plenty. We'll clean up the Wolf River bank, an' the Zortman gold stage, an' the Lewiston bank, an' a train or two--then it's me for South America--an'
to h.e.l.l with 'em all!” He pulled up abruptly and sat gazing down upon the buildings of McWhorter's ranch. The cabin door opened, a woman stepped out, emptied a pan of dishwater, and entered the cabin again.
”So, my pretty,” sneered the man, ”you carry yer nose high. Yer too good for a horse-thief, eh? If you had your way McWhorter would have a posse camped on the ranch till they'd wiped us out. Guess I'll just slip down an' give you one more chanct. When Purdy's boss of the gang you won't be so d.a.m.n _safe_! I ain't afraid of losin' no friends. Friends never got me nothin'. d.a.m.n the nesters! There won't be no deals when I'm runnin'
the gang. It'll be every man for himself an' the devil take the hindmost. If a nester's got anything I want I'll reach out an' take it--nesters, or banks, or railroads--they all look alike to me. An' if McWhorter's huzzy don't throw in with me willin', she'll come along unwillin'. I'll break her. I'll take the snap out of them eyes, an' the sneer offen them red lips--she's the purtiest thing I've laid eyes on sence--sence Wolf River--an' I'm goin' to have her!” He swung down into the creek bed, spurred his horse into a run, and pulled up before the door with a flourish, heedless of the fact that one of his horse's hoofs ground a tiny lamb into the dirt. The door flew open and Janet McWhorter appeared. Her eyes rested for a moment on the little dead lamb, deep red mounted to her cheeks, and when she met Purdy's glance, her eyes blazed.
The man laughed, and reaching into his pocket, tossing her a gold piece: ”What's lambs worth?” he asked, ”that had ought to pay for two or three of 'em. Why didn't the fool thing git out of the way?”
”You brute!” The girl's voice trembled with pa.s.sion, and s.n.a.t.c.hing the coin from the ground she hurled it into his face.
Purdy caught it in a gloved hand, and again he laughed: ”Plenty more of these yeller boys where this come from,” he announced flipping the s.h.i.+ning disk into the air and catching it, ”I'm goin' away fer a few days, jest you say the word, an' when I come back I'll bring you a--a diamon' ring--diamon' as big as yer thumb nail--I'll treat you swell if you'll let me.”
The girl cuddled the dead lamb in her arms: ”I despise you! I utterly loathe you!”
”Purtier'n ever when yer mad,” he opined. ”I'll make you mad sometimes jest for fun----”