Part 20 (2/2)

”Say, Sunny's woke up an' bin thinkin',” he cried. ”I allow his brain is shockin' wonderful. Guess he's got sick o' restin' an' reckons he got a notion for makin' a trust lay-out.”

”The Zip Trust,” added Sandy, with a laugh, in which Toby joined heartily.

”Yes. He guesses Zip needs lookin' after,” declared the remittance man in the midst of his mirth, glancing round for appreciation of the joke.

But the encouragement he received fell short of his expectations, and his laugh died out quite abruptly. There was no responsive smile on Minky's face. Sunny was glowering sulkily; while Bill's fierce brows were drawn together in an angry frown, and his gimlet eyes seemed to bore their way into the speaker's face.

”Wal?” he demanded coldly.

”Wal, I think he's--”

But Bill cut him short in his coldest manner.

”Do you?” he observed icily. ”Wal, I'd say you best think ag'in. An'

when you done thinkin' jest start right over ag'in. An' mebbe some day you'll get wise--if you don't get took meanwhiles.”

Bill flung himself into the chair and crossed his long legs.

”Sunny's on the right lay,” he went on. ”Ther' ain't many men on Sufferin' Creek, but Zip's one of 'em. Say, Toby, would you ride out to James' outfit to call him all you think of the feller whose stole your wife?”

”Not by a sight,” replied Toby seriously.

”Wal, Zip did. He's big,” went on Bill in cold, harsh tones. Then he paused in thought. But he went on almost immediately. ”We got to help him. I'm sure with Sunny.” He turned on the loafer with a wintry smile. ”You best organize right away, an'--count me in.”

Sunny's eyes glowed with triumph. He had feared the man's ridicule. He had expected to see his lean shoulders go up in silent contempt. And then, he knew, would have followed a storm of sarcasm and ”jollying”

from Sandy and the others. With quick wit he seized his opportunity, bent on using Bill's influence to its utmost. He turned on Minky with a well calculated abruptness.

”You'll help this thing out--too?” he challenged him.

And he got his answer on the instant--

”I sure will--to any extent.”

Sandy and Toby looked at the storekeeper in some doubt. Bill was watching them with a curious intentness. And before Sunny could challenge the two scoffers, his harsh voice filled the room again.

”I don't know we'll need any more,” he said, abruptly turning his gaze upon the open window, ”otherwise we'd likely hev ast you two fellers.

Y'see, we'll need folks as ken do things--”

”Wot sort o' things?” demanded Sandy, with a sudden interest.

”Wal, that ain't easy to say right now, but--”

”I ain't much seein' to kids,” cried Sandy, ”but I ken do most anythin' else.”

A flicker of a smile crept into Bill's averted eyes, while Sunny grinned broadly to see the way the man was now literally falling over himself to follow the leaders.h.i.+p of Wild Bill.

”Wal, it ain't no use in saying things yet, but if you're dead set on joining this Zip Trust, I guess you can. But get this, what you're called upon to do you'll need to do good an' hard, an'--without argument.”

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