CHAPTER XIII.
UNWELCOME CALLERS.
Once more, during the course of that eventful day, Ping was to becongratulated on his quickness and wit. McGlory had gone to the door tomake his survey of what was transpiring inside the sod shack, and Pinghad approached a window. The revolver shot caused the Chinese boy tojump, and to debate in his startled mind whether it would be better torun, or to hold his ground. He held his ground and used the stone--tothe lasting benefit of Joe McGlory.
Now, at last, it seemed, the brawling and the violence was over.Murgatroyd lay in the place where Matt had lain, Newt Prebbles wasbathing his injured head in a basin of cool water, and Matt, McGlory,and Ping were sitting down and explaining to each other how everythinghad happened.
"You were foolish to talk like you did to Murgatroyd, when he had thebest of you, Matt," said McGlory.
"He didn't have the best of me," asserted Matt. "I had made a friend bythat talk, and the friend was Newt Prebbles."
"That's the truth," spoke up Newt, turning his head for a look at Matt.
"Well, then," bristled McGlory, "maybe you'll explain why you helpedMurgatroyd down Matt, in the first place?"
"I was to blame there," answered Newt, "but I didn't understand thesituation. Everything had been sprung on me all of a heap, as you mightsay, and I was dazed and bewildered. Murgatroyd had come here because Ihad written and asked him to. He had money for me, as I supposed, and Iconsidered myself in duty bound to help him. Later, when Motor Matt didhis talking, I discovered some things which put up the bars betweenMurgatroyd and me. That last thump on the head, of course, topped offthe whole affair. Murgatroyd was crazy mad, that's all. He hit me withsomething harder than his bare knuckles. Was it the handle of hisrevolver?"
"Maybe it was this," and McGlory leaned forward and picked a pair ofbrass knuckle dusters off the clay floor.
"That's what he used," declared Prebbles.
"I have always feared," said Matt, "that our dealings with Murgatroydwould end in some violent work, like this. And it was all for a hundredand sixty acres of coal land, which would have netted Murgatroyd only afew thousand dollars, at the most!"
The broker's anger had vanished with his capture, and left himmiserable in spirit; but, even now, while his fortunes were at lowestebb, his crafty mind led him to think of some way out of his troubles.
"You've got me," said he, with a bitter laugh. "I didn't think you ladscould do it, but you've turned the trick. Are you any better off?"
"Speak to me about that!" muttered McGlory. "Matt's a heap better off.I don't know what you were going to do, when Ping and I showed up, butI'm feeling a whole lot easier to have this matter just as it is."
"So am I better off," put in Newt Prebbles. "I've led a hard life, andI've been a hard man, but I'm the only one to blame for that. And Iknow this: Association with Amos Murgatroyd, for any length of time, isan excellent passport to the penitentiary."
"That's right, Newt," said the broker scathingly. "You know on whichside your bread is buttered. Get on the side of the winning team, byall means. But I wasn't talking to you or McGlory, but to Motor Matt."
His voice changed to a pleading tone.
"I'm wrecked, Motor Matt," he went on, "if you turn me over to theauthorities. There's nothing in my past life that's so very criminal.Of course, knowing what I did about the Traquair homestead, I wasanxious to get hold of it. But that's out of my power, now. You've beenput to a good deal of inconvenience, but I'll make that all up to youin dollars and cents if you'll take these ropes off me and let me clearout."
"You say," said Matt, "that there's nothing in your past that is sovery criminal. If that's so, why are you afraid to face the music? Whydo you want to shirk the consequences?"
"Even a short term of imprisonment will ruin my loan business,"answered Murgatroyd. "I have built that business up very carefully,and I hate to see it go to smash. I tell you what I'll do. If you'llrelease me, I'll wipe out that mortgage of one thousand dollars whichI hold on the Traquair homestead, and I'll give you and your friends athousand apiece, all around. What do you say?"
"I'm sorry for you, Murgatroyd," said Matt, "but I haven't anyauthority to set you free, even if I was inclined that way. It's thegovernment that wants you; and the government wants you so much that aprice has been placed on your head. You've danced, and now you've gotto pay the fiddler."
"He says he hasn't done anything so very criminal," remarked NewtPrebbles, as he tied a handkerchief around his head. "I'd like to knowwhat he calls criminal."
"Well," sneered the broker, "I haven't been bribed for keeping what Iknow away from the authorities."
"As I was bribed," retorted Newt hotly, "with money my own father paidyou for forged duebills!"
Murgatroyd laughed, and it was the laugh of a wretch utterly devoid ofconscience.
"That _was_ rather a neat play of mine," said he. "But you haven'tgiven me your answer yet, Motor Matt."
"Yes, I have," said Matt. "You're going to Fort Totten."
"And so am I," put in Newt Prebbles, "just as quick as I can get there.I'll take Murgatroyd's horse and ride to Bismarck. There's a nighttrain I can catch for Jamestown, and I ought to be at the post sometime before noon, to-morrow."
"You can't get there any too quick," observed McGlory caustically.
He had no liking for Newt Prebbles. A man who would do what NewtPrebbles had done could never stand very high in the cowboy'sestimation.
"You'd better watch that fellow, Motor Matt," called Murgatroyd. "He'llnot go to the post, but will clear out for parts unknown."
"He'll go to the post, I'm sure of it," said Matt.
"I will," declared Newt. "My father and I never agreed very well, butI guess that was my fault, too. When you leave here, Motor Matt, justlock the door and bring the key. I don't know whether I'll ever comeback to this shack or not--I don't think I will, as I feel now--but itwill be well for me to have the key. Good-by."
He stepped toward the king of the motor boys and extended his hand.
"Haven't you forgotten something, Newt?" inquired Matt.
Prebbles gave him a blank look. The next moment he understood what Matthad reference to, and pulled a jingling bag from his pocket and tossedit upon the table.
"That's the whole of it," he said. "You'll see that it is returned?"
Matt nodded.
"That means that I'll have to walk to Totten, or ride Murgatroyd'shorse," Prebbles added, as he moved toward the door.
Matt was about to lend him the money for his railroad ticket, when aform darkened the door and stepped into the room.
"Goin' somewheres?" queried a voice. "Well, I wouldn't, George--notjest yet."
It was Jed Spearman. Behind him came Slim, and back of Slim trailed thecowboy who had been referred to as "Hen."
Matt, greatly alarmed, sprang up and stepped forward.
"Don't lay a hand on that man, Spearman," said Matt. "His father issick at Fort Totten, and he's got to go there in a hurry."
"Oh, ho!" guffawed the foreman. "If here ain't Motor Matt, who wasflyin' this way on gov'ment bizness! An' the chink that run off withthe guns, an' t'other chap as lit out with our live stock. Waal, now,ain't this here a pleasin' surprise--fer us? Don't git vi'lent, anyo' ye. Three o' us is in here, and thar's three more watchin' on theoutside. I reckon the boot's on the other leg, this deal, hey, Slim?"
"I reckon," agreed Slim. "This is a whole lot funnier than that othergame, over on the coteau."
"Don't ye ask us ter put down our guns an' do no more pushin'," saidSpearman. "Ye kain't work that joke on us twicet, hand-runnin'. We'vecut our eyeteeth, we hev. Got any weppins among ye?"
Newt Prebbles, glaring at the Tin Cup men, had backed into a corner. Hehad his eye on the broken window, and Spearman observed his intention.
"Don't ye never try _that_, George," he grinned. "Ye'd be riddled likea salt shaker afore ye'd hit the ground."
"Spearman," said Matt, "you don't understand this ma
tter. If youdid----"
"Thar was some parts o' it I didn't onderstand none too well, backthar on the hill, a few hours ago. But ye heered me say we'd cut oureyeteeth, didn't ye? I meant jest that."
"I came here on government duty, just as I said," went on Matt, "and ifyou interfere with me in any way, you'll regret it."
"Will I? Waal, life is plumb full o' sorrers an' regrets. Who's thegent on the floor?"
"I'm a helpless victim of these young scoundrels," said Murgatroydplaintively. "Release me, gentlemen, and do an act of simple justice!"
"His name is Murgatroyd," corrected Matt, "and the government hasoffered a reward of a thousand dollars for his capture."
"That's your story fer it, young man. I ain't takin' your word fernothin'. Slim, step over an' cut the gent loose."
Slim started. Matt stepped in front of him.
"Leave that man alone!" ordered Matt. "You fellows, I suppose," hecontinued, turning to Spearman, "have come here after the moneyPrebbles took from you at the ranch. He was leaving it with me todeliver to you, just as you came."
"Likely yarn," scoffed Jed Spearman, taking a chair in the doorway."Consider yerselves pris'ners, all o' ye. We ain't so terribly het upover Motor Matt, and we ain't so mad at t'other feller or the chink aswe mout be, seein' as how they left us our hosses an' guns an' thentrailed straight fer this place whar we diskiver George Hobbes. It'sHobbes we want, an' I tell ye plain we're goin' ter play bob with himafore we're done. That's flat."