CHAPTER XXIX
GUNMEN
For a moment Rathburn waited at the kitchen door. He heard Mallorygoing upstairs from the next room. All was still outside, save for thestamping of several horses. Then he suddenly opened the door andstepped out. There was no sound or movement, as he accustomed his eyesto the dim light without. He moved across the threshold and walkedstraight to a bulky figure standing beside a large horse.
"You want to see me, Eagen?" he asked coldly.
"Watch out there, Eagen!" came Mallory's voice in a strident tone froma window above them. "I've got you covered with this Winchester!"
Both Rathburn and Eagen looked up and saw Mallory leaning out of awindow over the kitchen, and the stock of a rifle was snug against hischeek and shoulder.
"Acts like he's scared you can't take care of yourself," said Eagenwith a sneer. "The way you ditched that posse to-day I didn't thinkyou needed a bodyguard."
"I don't," Rathburn retorted. "The old man is acting on his own hook.You was watching the sport to-day?"
"Couldn't help it," said Eagen. "It was me an' some of the boys theywas after. You sort of helped us out by coming along an' attractingtheir attention. I pegged you when I saw you ride for it, an' I knewthey wouldn't get you."
"You mean you hid an' let me stand the gaff," said Rathburnscornfully. "That's your style, Eagen. You're plumb afraid to come outfrom under cover."
He noted that there were three men with Eagen. They were quietlysitting their horses some little distance behind their leader.
Eagen muttered something, and Rathburn could see his face working withrage. Then Eagen's coarse features underwent a change, and he grinned,his teeth flashing white under his small, black mustache.
"Look here, Rathburn, there's no use in you an' me being on the outs,"he said in an undertone. "We've got something in common."
"You've made a mistake already," Rathburn interrupted sharply. "Wehaven't a thing in common I know of, Eagen, unless it's a gunapiece."
"Maybe you think that's all we need," said Eagen hoarsely; "an' ifthat's the way you feel you won't find me backin' down when you startsomething. Just now I ain't forgetting that crazy fool with that rifleup there."
"You didn't come here for a gun play, Eagen," said Rathburn. "Youain't plumb loco _every_ way. I take it you saw me makin' for thisplace an' followed me here. What do you want?"
"I want to talk business," said Eagen with a hopeful note in hisvoice; "but you won't let me get started."
"An' I won't have dealings with you," said Rathburn crisply.
"That's what you think," sneered Eagen. "But you're in a tight corner,an' we can help you out. Long said to-day, I heard just now, that he'dput every deputy he had an' every man he could swear in as a specialon your trail, and he'd get you."
"The thing that I can't see," drawled Rathburn, "is what that's gotto do with you. I suppose you're here as a missionary to tip me off.Thanks."
Eagen had calmed down. He stepped closer to Rathburn and spoke in alow tone.
"Here's the lay: They're after you, an' they're after us. I knowyou're no stool pigeon, an' I know I ain't takin' a chance when I tellyou that we've got a big job comin' up--one that'll get us a prettyroll. It takes nerve to pull it off, even though certain things willmake it easier. You might just as well be in on it. You can make it alast job an' blow these parts for good. You don't have to come in, ofcourse; but it'll be worth your while. You've got the name, an' youmight as well have what goes with it. I'll let you head the outfit an'shoot square all the way."
Rathburn laughed scornfully. "When I heard you was out here, Eagen, Iguessed it was something like this that brought you here. Maybe you'restatin' facts as to this job which, you say, is coming up. But youlied when you said you'd shoot square, Eagen. I wouldn't trust you asfar as you could throw a bull by the tail, an' there's half a dozenother reasons why you an' me couldn't be pardners!"
Eagen stepped back with a snarl of rage. "I don't reckon you'reentitled to what rep you've got!" he blurted hoarsely. "Right downunder the skin, Rathburn, I believe you're soft!"
"That's puttin' it up to me all fair an' square," Rathburn repliedevenly. "I'll give it right back to you, Eagen."
"Get that gun out of the window."
"Mallory."
"Right here, Rathburn, an' all set," came Mallory's voice.
"Get that gun out of the window."
"What's that? Don't you see there's three of 'em? You----"
"Get that gun out of the window!" rang Rathburn's voice.
"Let him play with it," Eagen said harshly.
Mallory withdrew from the window, as Eagen reached for his leftstirrup and swung into the saddle.
"I see you ain't takin' it," Rathburn called to him with a jeeringlaugh.
"An' I ain't forgettin' it?" Eagen shouted, as he drove in his spurs.
His three companions galloped after him, and Rathburn caught sight ofa dark-skinned face, a pair of beady, black eyes, and the long,drooping mustaches of one of the men.
"Gomez!" he exclaimed to himself. "Eagen's takin' up with theMexicans."
Mallory appeared in the kitchen door, holding a lamp above his head."What'd he want?" he demanded of Rathburn.
"More'n he got," answered Rathburn shortly. Then he saw Laura Mallorystanding behind her father.
"I mean to say he made a little proposition that I had to turn down,"he amended, with a direct glance at the girl. "An' now I've got to dosome more ridin'."
"You leavin' to-night?" asked Mallory in surprise. "We can put you uphere, Rathburn, an' I'll keep an eye out for visitors."
"And we'd have 'em afore mornin'," said Rathburn grimly. "Eagen willsee to it that Bob Long knows I was out here, right pronto. But I aimto stop any posses from botherin' around your place. If there's onething I don't want to do, Mallory, it's make any trouble for you."
The girl came walking toward him and touched his arm.
"What are you going to do, Roger?" she asked in an anxious voice.
"I'm goin' straight into Hope," Rathburn replied.
"But, Roger," the girl faltered, "won't that mean--mean----"
"A show-down? Maybe so. I ain't side-steppin' it."
A world of worry showed in the girl's eyes. "Roger, why don't you goaway?" she asked hesitatingly. "Things could be worse, and maybe intime they would become better. Folks forget, Roger."
For a moment Rathburn's hand rested on hers, as he looked down ather.
"There's two ways of forgettin', girlie," he said soberly. "An' Idon't want 'em to forget me the wrong way."
"But, Roger, promise me you won't--won't--turn your gun against a man,Roger. It would make things so much worse. It would leave--nothingnow. Don't you see? It takes courage to avoid what seems to be theinevitable. That terrible skill which is yours, the trick in this handon mine, is your worst enemy. Oh, Roger, if you'd never learned tothrow a gun!"
"It isn't that," he told her gently. "It isn't what you think at all.I'd rather cut off that right hand than have it raised unfairlyagainst a single living thing. They call me a gunman, girlie, an' Ireckon I am. But I'm not a killer. There's a difference between thetwo, an' sometimes I think it's that difference that's makin' all thetrouble. I'm still tryin' to steer by that thing you call the compass,an' that's why I've got to go to town."
He stepped away from her, waved a farewell to Mallory, who waswatching the scene with a puzzled expression, and ran for his horse. Aminute later the ringing hoof beats of his mount were dying in thestill night.
Laura Mallory swayed, and her father hurried to her with the lamp andput his arm about her.
"What's it all about, sweetie?" he asked complainingly.
"Nothing, daddy, nothing--only I love him."
A puff of wind blew out the light in the lamp, and father and daughterstood with arms about each other under the dancing stars.