CHAPTER IV.
M'KIBBEN'S TIP.
"Howdy, Matt!" cried McKibben. "Just dropped in to see you on a littlematter of business. Mrs. Spooner wanted to come up and announce me, butI told her that wasn't necessary. Know where Tom Clipperton is?"
This point blank question struck Matt "all of a heap." If there wasone thing he hated more than another it was a lie. Only a coward willside-step the truth. However, Matt couldn't very well tell McKibbenthat Clip was in the closet, and he didn't see how he could refuseto answer McKibben's question without arousing his suspicions.Fortunately, the official did not wait very long for Matt to reply.
"I've just come from the place where Clipperton boards," said he, "andhe wasn't there. I can have a little talk with you, though, and maybeit will do just as well."
Matt and McKibben were very good friends, and the sheriff dropped intothe chair recently vacated by Clip.
"What's happened, Mr. McKibben?" queried Matt. "Has some one turned upto claim that red roadster?"
"No, and I don't believe any one ever will. The fellows who own thatcar know when to let well enough alone. What I want to see you about,Matt, is an altogether different matter, although the roadster isindirectly concerned. You were out this afternoon with Clipperton,McReady, and Perkins, and you got away from a cattle stampede by theskin of your eye-winkers, at the same time saving Josh Fresnay, of theFiddleback outfit."
"It wasn't much of a getaway," laughed Matt. "When you open that redroadster up she can go about ten feet to a steer's one."
"Of course," returned McKibben, "with a cool head and a steady hand,like yours, there wasn't much danger. Fresnay was telling me about it.He also told me how his horse was stopped by a half-breed, and how hehad a notion that the half-breed was Pima Pete, one of Dangerfield'sold gang. Fresnay has only seen Pima Pete once or twice, and onehalf-breed looks a lot like another, anyhow, so Fresnay didn't thinkvery much about it at the time he got his horse back. While he wasriding into Phoenix though, he got to turning the matter over in hismind, along with something else he saw, and he got a bit suspicious.As soon as he'd finished his business at the bank he came to see me. Iheard what he had to say and went to see Clipperton, but he wasn't athome. Knowing you were a chum of Clipperton's, I headed for here."
Matt was startled, although he tried not to show it. Fresnay was asource of peril for Clip--that point went home to Matt in a twinkling.
"Naturally," resumed the sheriff, taking a whole lot for granted, "youwouldn't know Pima Pete from Adam, but Clip might know him. Anyhow,on the supposition that Fresnay's suspicions were well grounded, Ihave sent a couple of deputies out into the hills to look for thehalf-breed; but I'd like a little more information, if I could get it.There's another point, too, which looks a little bit queer, in caseFresnay has got it right. He said he saw the half-breed hand Clippertonsomething that looked like a scrap of paper. Fresnay may have beenwrong in this--I hope he is--for if the half-breed really proves to bePima Pete, that note business will have an ugly look for your chum.See? What I want you to do, Matt, is to find Clip, if you can, and sendhim to me. I've only got the boy's best interests at heart, and I wantto talk with him. A little heart-to-heart talk, just now, might savehim some trouble."
McKibben got up.
"I reckon that's all," he finished, moving toward the door. "If you canfind Clipperton you'll ask him to come and see me?"
"Yes," answered Matt.
Just then he was in a situation that was mighty unpleasant. How was hegoing to play square with the sheriff and at the same time be loyal toClipperton? Certainly he could not tell what he knew about Clippertonand Pima Pete.
As soon as the sheriff had gone, and the front door of the house hadclosed behind him, Clip emerged from the closet. His face was set andstern as he confronted Matt.
"Fresnay has made much trouble!" muttered Clip. "He recognized myuncle. And he saw him smuggle that note into my hand. More than that,two deputies are in the hills looking for Pima Pete."
Clip scowled his dissatisfaction over the prospect.
"You can see, old chap," said Matt, "what it means to tangle up withPima Pete in this business of Dangerfield's. Cut Pima Pete out. Itisn't safe for you to have anything more to do with him."
"_You_ needn't, Matt. You can't, after this. But I've got to. PimaPete's my uncle. Blood's thicker than water, even if it _is_ Indianblood." The fiercely resentful look gleamed in Clip's eyes. "Pima Petecame here on Dangerfield's business. But for that, he'd have beenacross the border and safe by now. I'll see him to-night and warn himto clear out."
"Clip," said Matt, in a low, earnest tone, "if you'll take my adviceyou won't go near Pima Pete, but you'll go to the sheriff and make aclean breast of the whole thing."
Clip made a gesture of savage dissent.
"If it was _your_ uncle," said he, with a bitter note in his voice,"you'd see this thing differently. Suppose Pima Pete's captured andbrought in here. Suppose it becomes known he's a relative of mine--he,one of Dangerfield's gang!" Clip's eyes became points of flame, and hisbreath came hard and fast. "Why," and his voice was husky and thickwith passion as he spoke, "they might try to take me out of the publicschool and send me to the Indian school. I've--I've stood all I can onaccount of my blood. I'm not ashamed of it!" His head went up again andhis shoulders went back proudly. "But I'm not going to be an object ofcontempt for the whites of this town. At the high school they've beentrying to down me because I'm part Indian. They couldn't have treatedme worse if I'd been a nigger. You were my only friend." His voicesoftened. "You have made friends for me. Now I'm not going to lose allI've gained by having Pima Pete brought in, and letting everybody knowwhat he is to me. Besides, he's my uncle. I'm not going to turn my backon him while he's in trouble."
Clip's words came whisperingly, but with an undernote of firmness anddetermination there was no shaking.
Matt was in a quandary. He could see Clip's side of the question, andhe knew how resolute he always was when he had made up his mind to acertain course.
"Look here," said Matt, "you go and see the sheriff. Tell himeverything. He's a good friend of mine, and of yours, and he'll respectyour confidence. While you're doing that, I'll get onto the _Comet_, goout into the hills, and warn Pima Pete myself. It will be safer for methan for you."
Clip stared at Matt for a moment, then walked up to him and gripped hishand.
"That's like you," he returned. "But it won't do. If there's danger inmeeting Pima Pete, it's _my_ danger. Besides, it's my duty. Anotherthing. I'll not tell McKibben, nor any one else, what Pima Pete is tome. I'll die first. And as long as you're my friend, you'll not breathea whisper of it to any one."
The last words were spoken slowly and deliberately.
"No matter what happens, Matt, that shot goes as it lays," went onClip. "I'm going to see Pima Pete and warn him. I'll start as soon as Ileave here. But I'll put on some other clothes so no one will know me.And I won't take my motor-cycle. That would be a give-away. I'll walk."
Matt hardly knew what to do.
"If it wasn't for that confounded note," he muttered, "this businesswould have a different look. I didn't think Fresnay saw that."
"He said he'd be a friend of ours," frowned Clip gloomily. "Now he'smaking me trouble."
"Fresnay meant well. He thought he was doing the right thing to carryhis suspicions to the sheriff. In any other circumstances, Clip,you'd have done the same thing, and so would I. I'll go with you outthere. Then, if anything should come of it, I'll have something tosay. Governor Gaynor is a friend of mine, and so is McKibben. I'm surethey'd both of them listen to _me_."
Clip shook his head.
"I'll do this alone. I'm not going to ring you in. If I ever meantanything in my life I mean that. You say you're a friend of mine. Thenprove it by staying right here in town. Don't say anything about me toany one. That's all, Matt."
Clip glided to the door, opened it softly, and made a cautious surveyof the stairway and the hall.
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bsp; "The coast is clear," he whispered, turning back for a moment, "and Ican get out without being seen. Good-by, pard."
"So-long, Clip."
Clip vanished from the room. Matt, looking from the front window, sawhim emerge from the house and start for a back street on his way to theMexican quarter. His Indian blood never showed in him more than it didthen. There was savage wariness in every movement.
Heavy-hearted and full of foreboding, Matt dropped into a chair. Hisjudgment told him that Clip ought not to go into the hills, but therewas no way Matt could prevent it. His hands were tied.
For an hour Matt sat in his chair; then, for an hour longer, he pacedthe floor. After that he tried to read, but his gloomy thoughts wouldgive him no peace.
It was about nine o'clock when he pulled covers, but for a long timehe could only toss about sleeplessly and think of Clip. He heard theclock in the court-house tower chime the hours up to midnight, and thendropped into heavy slumber.
The gray dawn was looking in at his windows when he was aroused.Somebody was pounding on his door. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes,he jumped up, unlocked the door, and pulled it open.
Chub McReady staggered in. His face was gray in the dim light, and hewas breathless from running and excitement.
"What do you think, Matt?" he puffed. "Clip's been arrested. He's overin the jail, now."