CHAPTER XX
ONE TRAIL ENDS
But this deceived no one. They had seen him palpably take water. Amoment of silence followed, while Sandy stared whitefaced down at thetable, avoiding all eyes; but all the elements of good breeding existunder all the roughness of the West. It was Jacqueline who began witha joke which was rather old, but everyone appreciated it--at thatmoment--and the laughter lasted long enough to restore some of thecolour to Sandy's face. A general rapid fire of talk followed.
"How did you do it?" queried Calder. "I was all prepared for agun-play."
"Why, you seen I didn't do nothin'."
"Then what in the world made Sandy freeze while his hand was on theway to his gun?"
"I dunno," sighed Dan, "but when I see his hand start movin' I sort ofwanted his blood--I _wanted_ him to keep right on till he got hold ofhis gun--and maybe he seen it in my eyes an' that sort of changed hismind."
"I haven't the least doubt that it did," said Calder grimly.
At the foot of the table Jacqueline's right-hand neighbour was saying:"What happened, Jac?"
"Don't ask me," she replied. "All I know is that I don't think anyless of Sandy because he backed down. I saw that stranger's facemyself an' I'm still sort of weak inside."
"How did he look?"
"I dunno. Jest--jest _hungry_. Understand?"
She was silent for a time, but she was evidently thinking hard. Atlast she turned to the same man.
"Did you hear Brown-eyes say that the broad-shouldered feller next tohim was his friend?"
"Sure. I seen them ride in together. That other one looks like a hardnut, eh?"
She returned no answer, but after a time her eyes raised slowly andrested for a long moment on Dan's face. It was towards the end ofthe meal when she rose and went towards the kitchen. At the doorshe turned, and Dan, though he was looking down at his plate, wasconscious that someone was observing him. He glanced up and the momenthis eyes met hers she made a significant backward gesture with herhand. He hesitated a moment and then shoved back his chair. Calder wasbusy talking to a table mate, so he walked out of the house withoutspeaking to his companion. He went to the rear of the house and as hehad expected she was waiting for him.
"Brown-eyes," she said swiftly, "that feller who sat beside you--is heyour partner?"
"I dunno," said Dan evasively, "why are you askin'?"
Her breath was coming audibly as if from excitement.
"Have you got a fast hoss?"
"There ain't no faster."
"Believe me, he can't go none too fast with you tonight. Maybe they'reafter you, too."
"Who?"
"I can't tell you. Listen to me, Brown-eyes. Go get your hoss an' feedhim the spur till you're a hundred miles away, an' even then don'tstop runnin'."
He merely stared at her curiously.
She stamped.
"Don't stop to talk. If they're after him and you're his partner, theyprobably want you, too."
"I'll stay aroun'. If they're curious about me, I'll tell 'em myname--I'll even spell it for 'em. Who are they?"
"They are--hell--that's all."
"I'd like to see 'em. Maybe _they're_ real men."
"They're devils. If I told you their names you'd turn stiff."
"I'll take one chance. Tell me who they are."
"I don't dare tell you."
She hesitated.
"I _will_ tell you! You've made a fool out of me with them big babyeyes. Jim Silent is in that house!"
He turned and ran, but not for the horse-shed; he headed straight forthe open door of the house.
* * * * *
In the dining-room two more had left the table, but the rest,lingering over their fresh filled coffee cups, sat around tellingtales, and Tex Calder was among them. He was about to push back hischair when the hum of talk ceased as if at a command. The men on theopposite side of the table were staring with fascinated eyes at thedoor, and then a big voice boomed behind him: "Tex Calder, stan' up.You've come to the end of the trail!"
He whirled as he rose, kicking down the chair behind him, and stoodface to face with Jim Silent. The great outlaw was scowling; but hisgun was in its holster and his hands rested lightly on his hips. Itwas plain for all eyes to see that he had come not to murder but tofight a fair duel. Behind him loomed the figure of Lee Haines scarcelyless imposing.
All eternity seemed poised and waiting for the second when one of themen would make the move for his gun. Not a breath was drawn in theroom. Hands remained frozen in air in the midst of a gesture. Lipswhich had parted to speak did not close. The steady voice of the clockbroke into the silence--a dying space between every tick. For thesecond time in his life Tex Calder knew fear.
He saw no mere man before him, but his own destiny. And he knew thatif he stood before those glaring eyes another minute he would becomelike poor Sandy a few minutes before--a white-faced, palsied coward.The shame of the thought gave him power.
"Silent," he said, "there's a quick end to the longest trail,because--"
His hand darted down. No eye could follow the lightning speed withwhich he whipped out his revolver and fanned it, but by a mortalfraction of a second the convulsive jerk of Silent's hand was fasterstill. Two shots followed--they were rather like one drawn-out report.The woodwork splintered above the outlaw's head; Tex Calder seemed tolaugh, but his lips made no sound. He pitched forward on his face.
"He fired that bullet," said Silent, "after mine hit him."
Then he leaped back through the door.
"Keep 'em back one minute, Lee, an' then after me!" he said as he ran.Haines stood in the door with folded arms. He knew that no one woulddare to move a hand.
Two doors slammed at the same moment--the front door as Silent leapedinto the safety of the night, and the rear door as Whistling Danrushed into the house. He stood at the entrance from the kitchen tothe dining-room half crouched, and swaying from the suddenness withwhich he had checked his run. He saw the sprawled form of Tex Calderon the floor and the erect figure of Lee Haines just opposite him.
"For God's sake!" screamed Gus Morris, "don't shoot, Haines! He's donenothin'. Let him go!"
"My life--or his!" said Haines savagely. "He's not a man--he's adevil!"
Dan was laughing low--a sound like a croon.
"Tex," he said, "I'm goin' to take him alive for you!"
As if in answer the dying man stirred on the floor. Haines went forhis gun, a move almost as lightning swift as that of Jim Silent, butnow far, far too late. The revolver was hardly clear of its holsterwhen Whistling Dan's weapon spoke. Haines, with a curse, clapped hisleft hand over his wounded right forearm, and then reached after hisweapon as it clattered to the floor. Once more he was too late. Dantossed his gun away with a snarl like the growl of a wolf; cleared thetable at a leap, and was at Haines's throat. The bandit fought backdesperately, vainly. One instant they struggled erect, swaying, thenext Haines was lifted bodily, and hurled to the floor. He writhed,but under those prisoning hands he was helpless.
The sheriff headed the rush for the scene of the struggle, but Danstopped them.
"All you c'n do," he said, "is to bring me a piece of rope."
Jacqueline came running with a stout piece of twine which he twistedaround the wrists of Haines. Then he jerked the outlaw to his feet,and stood close, his face inhumanly pale.
"If he dies," he said, pointing with a stiff arm back at the prostratefigure of Tex Calder, "you--you'll burn alive for it!"
The sheriff and two of the other men turned the body of Calder on hisback. They tore open his shirt, and Jacqueline leaned over him witha basin of water trying to wipe away the ever recurrent blood whichtrickled down his breast. Dan brushed them away and caught the head ofhis companion in his arms.
"Tex!" he moaned, "Tex! Open your eyes, partner, I got him for you. Igot him alive for you to look at him! Wake up!"
As if in obedience to the summons the eyes of Calder opened wide. Th
elids fluttered as if to clear his vision, but even then his gaze wasfilmed with a telltale shadow.
"Dan--Whistling Dan," he said, "I'm seeing you a long, long ways off.Partner, I'm done for."
The whole body of Dan stiffened.
"Done? Tex, you can't be! Five minutes ago you sat at that theretable, smilin' an' talkin'!"
"It doesn't take five minutes. Half a second can take a man all theway to hell!"
"If you're goin', pal, if you goin', Tex, take one comfort along withyou! I got the man who killed you! Come here!"
He pulled the outlaw to his knees beside the dying marshal whose facehad lighted wonderfully. He strained his eyes painfully to make outthe face of his slayer. Then he turned his head.
He said: "The man who killed me was Jim Silent."
Dan groaned and leaned close to Calder.
"Then I'll follow him to the end--" he began.
The feeble accent of Calder interrupted him.
"Not that way. Come close to me. I can't hear my own voice, hardly."
Dan bowed his head. A whisper murmured on for a moment, broken hereand there as Dan nodded his head and said, "Yes!"
"Then hold up your hand, your right hand," said Calder at last,audibly.
Dan obeyed.
"You swear it?"
"So help me God!"
"Then here's the pledge of it!"
Calder fumbled inside his shirt for a moment, and then withdrawing hishand placed it palm down in that of Dan. The breath of the marshal wascoming in a rattling gasp.
He said very faintly: "I've stopped the trails of twenty men. It tookthe greatest of them all to get me. He got me fair. He beat me to thedraw!"
He stopped as if in awe.
"He played square--he's a better man than I. Dan, when you get him,do it the same way--face to face--with time for him to think of hellbefore he gets there. Partner, I'm going. Wish me luck."
"Tex--partner--good luck!"
It seemed as if that parting wish was granted, for Calder died with asmile.
When Dan rose slowly Gus Morris stepped up and laid a hand on hisarm: "Look here, there ain't no use of bein' sad for Tex Calder. Hisbusiness was killin' men, an' his own time was overdue."
Dan turned a face that made Morris wince.
"What's the matter?" he asked, with an attempt at bluff good nature."Do you hate everyone because one man is dead? I'll tell you what I'lldo. I'll loan you a buckboard an' a pair of hosses to take Tex back toElkhead. As for this feller Haines, I'll take care of him."
"I sure need a buckboard," said Dan slowly, "but I'll get the loanfrom a--white man!"
He turned his back sharply on the sheriff and asked if any one elsehad a wagon they could lend him. One of the men had stopped atMorris's place on his way to Elkhead. He immediately proposed thatthey make the trip together.
"All right," said Morris carelessly. "I won't pick trouble with acrazy man. Come with me, Haines."
He turned to leave the room.
"Wait!" said Dan.
Haines stopped as though someone had seized him by the shoulder.
"What the devil is this now?" asked Morris furiously. "Stranger, d'youthink you c'n run the world? Come on with me, Haines!"
"He stays with me," said Dan.
"By God," began Morris, "if I thought--"
"This ain't no place for you to begin thinkin'," said the man who hadoffered his buckboard to Dan. "This feller made the capture an' he'sgot the right to take him into Elkhead if he wants. They's a reward onthe head of Lee Haines."
"The arrest is made in my county," said Morris stoutly, "an' I've gotthe say as to what's to be done with a prisoner."
"Morris," said Haines earnestly, "if I'm taken to Elkhead it'll besimply a matter of lynching. You know the crowd in that town."
"Right--right," said Morris, eagerly picking up the word. "It'd beplain lynchin'--murder--"
Dan broke in: "Haines, step over here behind me!"
For one instant Haines hesitated, and then obeyed silently.
"This is contempt of the law and an officer of the law," said Morris."An" I'll see that you get fined so that--"
"Better cut it short there, sheriff," said one of the men. "I wouldn'tgo callin' the attention of folks to the way Jim Silent walked intoyour own house an' made his getaway without you tryin' to raise ahand. Law or no law, I'm with this stranger."
"Me too," said another; "any man who can fan a gun like him don't needno law."
The sheriff saw that the tide of opinion had set strongly against himand abandoned his position with speed if not with grace. Dan orderedHaines to walk before him outside the house. They faced each other inthe dim moonlight.
"I've got one question to ask you," he said.
"Make it short," said Haines calmly. "I've got to do my talking beforethe lynching crowd."
"You can answer it in one word. Does Kate Cumberland--what is she toyou?"
Lee Haines set his teeth.
"All the world," he said.
Even in the dim light he saw the yellow glow of Dan's eyes and hefelt as if a wolf stood there trembling with eagerness to leap at histhroat.
"An' what are you to her?"
"No more than the dirt under her feet!"
"Haines, you lie!"
"I tell you that if she cared for me as much as she does for the horseshe rides on, I'd let the whole world know if I had to die for it thenext moment."
Truth has a ring of its own.
"Haines, if I could hear that from her own lips, I'd let you go free.If you'll show me the way to Kate, I'll set you loose the minute I seeher."
"I can't do it. I've given my faith to Silent and his men. Where sheis, they are."
"Haines, that means death for you."
"I know it."
Another plan had come to Dan as they talked. He took Haines insideagain and coming out once more, whistled for Bart. The wolf appearedas if by magic through the dark. He took out Kate's glove, which thewolf had brought to him in the willows, and allowed him to smell it.Bart whined eagerly. If he had that glove he would range the hillsuntil he found its owner, directed to her by that strange instinctof the wild things. If Kate still loved him the glove would be moreeloquent than a thousand messages. And if she managed to escape, thewolf would guide her back to his master.
He sat on his heels, caught the wolf on either side of the shaggyhead, and stared into the glow of the yellow green eyes. It was as ifthe man were speaking to the wolf.
At last, as if satisfied, he drew a deep breath, rose, and dropped theglove. It was caught in the flashing teeth. For another moment Bartstood whining and staring up to the face of his master. Then hewhirled and fled out into the night.