The darkness hid the cowboy's smile; he knew the man was lying, and had his answer ready. In an aggrieved tone, he said: "So that's his sort? All right, I'll take the trail straight away; Black Sam'll put me up."
This, as he had expected, was not to Lagley's liking. "Hold on," he cried. "Hell, they got yu named right. I spoke up for yu--told Ken he was doin' a damn-fool thing, seein' yo're the kind o' fella we can use. He give in--usually does, when I stand up to him," he concluded boastfully.
"Why, that's mighty good o' yu, Steve. Who put him wise?"
"I dunno; all he said was that one o' the boys reckernized yu, an' that don't tell much--we git 'em from all over."
Sudden nodded. "I'm obliged to yu. I warn't honin' to travel; this is a good ranch."
"It would be a better one if young Jeff was in charge," the foreman said meaningly. "Some of us would like to see it. Keith has changed a lot of late; goin' loco, I'd say. If anythin' happened to him, well, I don't fancy bein' bossed by a gal."
"Wouldn't suit me neither," Sudden replied. "Yu figure the boy ain't such a hard case, huh?"
"Oh, he's tough all right, an' yu can't wonder. But he's a swell leader an'--generous. I ain't askin' yu to take my word; go see for yoreself."
The puncher laughed grimly. "I guess I wouldn't be very popular in Hell City."
"That needn't to worry yu. If yo're there to see him, nobody will dare cock an eye at yu; he's got the whole b'ilin' waitin' on his word."
"Yu seem to know him."
"Know him?" Lagley repeated. "Shore I do, since he was a pup; worked with him on the range, an' hope to again. Now, see here, Green, I didn't cotton to yu right off--mebbe it was that trick yu played when we first met, but a fella's a fool if he can't change his mind for good reason. I guess we understand one another better now. Think over what I've said, an' if yu wanta see Satan, I can fix it. Yu sabe?"
Sudden did. He had learned what he wanted--that the foreman was a traitor, willing to double-cross his employer, and that he and others of the outfit were already planning to put the son in the father's place. The idea of Lagley interceding with Keith on his behalf amused him; either he was making the best of what he regarded as a bad job, or setting a trap for a man he did not like.
"An' that man is goin' to walk right into it," he told himself. "But not with his eyes shut, Mister Steve."
When he returned to the bunkhouse, he found the atmosphere altered, evidently the foreman had been talking. Genial looks greeted him from all save one--Turvey's warped, malignant mind retained its rancour despite the instructions he had received.
"I'm told yu come from Texas, Green," he said, in his high-pitched, reedy voice. "A fine country."
"Shore is," Sudden replied, and waited.
"Over-run with sheriffs, though--fair lousy with 'em," the other went on.
Sudden smiled sweetly. "Well now, I was wonderin' why yu didn't stay."
A ripple of laughter proclaimed that he had scored and Turvey's expression was not pretty.
"Who told yu I ever was there?" he grated.
"Why, yu seemed to know the place," Sudden retorted, and shot a shaft at a venture, "Didn't meet up with Rogue's Riders, I s'pose?"
He saw the man's eyes flicker, but the denial came promptly. "Never heard of 'em," and the sneer, "Friends o' yourn?"
"I knew Rogue," was the quiet reply. "He was as crooked as they make 'em, but he played straight with those who trusted him. I've met worse men, an' how that fella could use a six-gun!"
Turvey laughed scornfully. "Rogue shoot?" he jeered. "Why, he couldn't hit a barn 'less he was inside it."
He saw the snare into which he had stumbled when Sudden said, "I expect yu !mowed him better than I did."
"I was told that--I never seen the man," he protested.
"Yu said yu hadn't heard of him," Lazy pointed out. Turvey scowled, but showed no desire to continue an argument in which he had very obviously been worsted.
For some time that night Sudden lay awake, trying to place this man who had apparently played a part in a page of his own past, but without success; after all, he had not seen all the members of Rogue's gang of bandits.
Chapter X
In the morning, on the pretence that he needed another shirt, Sudden again searched his belongings, but the telltale notice was not there. Either the thief had destroyed, or could find another use for it. The circumstance did not worry him; he had a shrewd suspicion it would be put to the purpose he had intended. On his way to the corral, the rancher stopped him.
"You and Homer get along all right?" he asked. "Good, I've told Steve you are to work together."
"I'm thankin' yu," the puncher replied.
As he threw the saddle on Nigger, and tightened the cinches, he was puzzling over Keith's attitude, unburdening himself to his four-footed friend.
"Either Steve was lyin' complete, or the 01 Man is playin' ignorant, Nig," he muttered. "The on'y certain thing is they ain't trustin' me; Frosty is to keep cases. Wonder where the chucklehead has got to?"
"Stick 'em up !" hissed a low voice, and something hard was jammed in the small of his back.
Sudden froze for an instant, and then, with lightning speed, whirled on the balls of his feet and flung himself on the man who had cat-footed up behind him. They went to the ground together, Sudden on top, but at once he was erect again, brushing the dust from his clothes.
"yu perishin' idjut," he said. "I might 'a' broke yore fool neck."
Frosty rose also, filled his depleted lungs, and spoke feelingly. "Namin' yu `Sudden' was shorely an inspiration."
"So yu know?"
"All of us knows--Turvey, for once, was plenty chatter-some."
"Was it him put Keith wise?"
"Dunno, but if he did, why ain't yu been sent packin'?"
"Mebbe they'd rather have me here than in Hell City."
"Which would be sound reasonin'. Let's go."
For several miles nothing was said, but Sudden was conscious that his companion was covertly observing him. Presently the boy blurted out: "Jim, I just can't believe it; vu don't seem that sort o' man."
Sudden divined his thoughts. To be a famous gunman was one thing, and murder for money was another. Moved by an impulse he did not attempt to analyse he told the story of his notorious nickname.' Charged with a crime of which he :new nothing, forced to fight to free his neck from the noose, hunted like a beast of prey and driven to take refuge with the type of outcast the world had made him. Baldly, briefly, the f acts were stated.
"I ain't squealin'--a man has to play the cyards he gets," he said in conclusion, "but I reckoned yu'd a right to be told, case yu--"
"Forget it," Frosty said gruffly. "I'm proud to know yu. I figure yu can't choose yore friends--either yu like a fella or vu don't, that's all there is to it. Luck has played yu some scurvy tricks, Jim. Can I tell the boys?"
"No, keep it behind yore teeth--I ain't carin' what the others think--an' there's another reason to that. I'm told that some o' the outfit would like to see Jeff ownin' the ranch. Yu one of'em?"
Frosty shook his head. "Ken Keith hired me, an' that goes for most of us," he said. "Mebbe the 01' Man's rasp of a ongue has roughed up a few o' the older men."
Soon afterwards they separated, riding in opposite directions. Sudden had said nothing of the foreman's proposal. He believed that Homer could be trusted, but he was playing in a desperate game and dared not add to the risks. Also, he wanted to learn if he was watched. So he kept under cover, weaving his way through thickets of tall grass, thorn and mesquite.
Presently the clink of iron against stone sounded faintly. Forcing his mount further into the undergrowth, he waited, a bitter sneer on his lips; his "friend" was spying upon him. To his amazement, however, the rider who came into view was Lagley, sitting slackly in his saddle, and with no attempt at concealment. He was apparently heading for Coyote Canyon, and, after a mental apology to Frosty, Sudden decided to follow.