"Never heard " He halted abruptly as the menacing gun lifted an inch.
"One more crack like that an' I'll be diggin' a hole for yu," was the harsh reminder.
"It's up the trail a piece," the other said sullenly.
"Seen anythin' of a fella named Masters?"
"He was locked up all night, an' this mornin' Jake an' four others took him away; they come back with a spare hoss--his'n. What happened, I dunno." Sudden got into his saddle and gestured meaningly with his gun. "Yu an' me is goin' to look for him," he announced. "An' if we don't find him yu'll be outa luck. Lead on."
"I'll do my best, but--knowin' Jake--I figure it's a waste o' time," the man said. He swerved off to the east, forcing a way through a jumble of vegetation, to pull up after a while where a tiny rill from the heights above spread to form a moist patch. "There's tracks here, but o' course ..."
"Yu say Masters was on his own pony?" The guide nodded. Sudden examined the hoof-prints. "We've struck it," he said, pointing to one of them. "Dave allus had a cross cut in one shoe for luck." They rode on, came to a deeper pool in a rock hollow which broke the passage of a larger stream, and paused to drink. Jake's party had evidently done the same, for there were more prints. A few hundred yards brought them to the clearing, and the prostrate form of the man they sought.
"Gawd-a-mighty ! " the rustler breathed. "Ants ! He's a goner." But Sudden had seen a slight movement of the puffed lips, and sprang down, crying, "Cut the ropes, an' lift him up." A moment sufficed for this. "Run him to the pool we just passed." Half dragging, half carrying, they got their burden to the water, leaving the horses to follow, but before they reached it, the rescuers also were having a taste of what Dave had suffered; in scores of places at once their skins were sharply punctured by the voracious little pests, with whom Dave's body was still alive.
"Hell ! " the guide swore. "The beggars must be damn' near all teeth."
"We'll see if they can swim," Sudden replied. "Get right under." Pushing his friend ahead of him, he waded into the pool, and their companion lost no time in following. The cool water was a heaven-sent anodyne for their smarting bodies and speedily relieved them of the unwelcome visitors. Not until they were sure of this did they emerge and spread their saturated garments, and themselves, in the sun to dry. By this time, Dave had regained his wits.
"Jim, yo're a wonder," he said. "I owe yu "
"Nothin'," Sudden told him brusquely. "There's a tree just outa Welcome . . ." Knowing his friend, Dave said no more, and turned his attention to the other man. "Hello, Beautiful, I never expected to see yu again. How come?"
"Rowley's the name," the rustler returned uncomfortably. "I'm right glad we was in time."
"It was him fetched me here," Sudden said.
Dave nodded; he had a pretty clear idea of what had taken place. "Mister, I'd thank Satan hisself for gettin' me out'n that fix," he confessed. "I'm mighty grateful, even if yu are on the other side." He held out a badly-swollen hand; Rowley grasped it gingerly. "I ain't," he replied. "I quit soon as I saw you spread out there. Bumpin' off a fella you don't like is one thing, but my skin's white, an' I got no use for torture."
"I'm goin' to like yu," the deputy said. He regarded himself ruefully. "I must 'a' lost a lot o' weight."
"Yu've put some on, by the look o' yu," Sudden corrected.
He had just finished drying and reloading his guns and that of the rustler, and now he passed the latter's over tohim, and went to see how their clothes were progressing. The man's eyes widened at this proof of confidence. Dave's face was distorted into what was intended to be a grin.
"That's means yo're adopted, Beautiful," he said.
"He was takin' a hell of a chance."
"Jim's used to that, but he don't often guess wrong."
"I'll bet high he can fight."
"Ask Jake Mullins."
"I ain't honin' to see that fella no more."
"Allasame, I'm afraid yu gotta." This from Sudden, who had rejoined them in time to overhear the remark. "As yu know, Rowley, there's a li'l woman in Jake's han's who badly needs a friend. Mc an' Dave can't go back, but yu can, without bein' suspicioned. It won't be long afore we return an' smoke out that swarm o' hornets. Will you do this?"
"Glad to," Rowley replied readily, and turned to Dave. "Say, you ain't got a gun; take mine."
"That's right kind o' yu, but he won't need any," Sudden put in. "What he must have is a mount."
"I can hoof it in. My bronc havin' broke a leg, I just naturally has to shoot it."
"0' course, but yu gotta tote in yore gear, or it'll look phoney. Can yu ride if the hoss don't have a saddle, Dave?"
"I can ride him if he don't have a back," the young man retorted.
"Right, then, we're takin' different trails. yo're ridin' to Welcome to round up some o' the boys. How strong is Jake, Rowley?"
"He had thirteen, countin' him, but he's lost one."
"Better rope in some o' the Bar 0--we may have to reckon with the Dumb-bell outfit as well," the marshal told his deputy.
Dave rose with a bound, grabbed his clothes and began to scramble into them. "Beautiful, I'll give you any price yu name for yore hoss an' gun," he offered.
"Don't notice him, Rowley, he's just a kid," Sudden smiled, and to Dave, "I know how yu feel, boy, but yo're in no state to go shootin' up Sark. Because yu licked him once "
"How d'yu hear o' that?"
"Followed yu there, didn't see Jesse, but his cook told me." Dave chuckled throatily. "Awright, I give in. S'pose yo're goin' to the Dumb-bell, huh? Don't yu touch Sark--he's my meat."
"I ain't layin' a finger on him, but I wanta know what he's doin'. I'll be back by the time yu an' the others arrive." They dressed and left, the black bearing a double burden until they neared the hang-out. There Rowley departed, taking his saddle and bridle. The two friends continued along the trail by which Sudden had entered. Here, the marshal had a parting word.
"Let that cayuse know that yo're wearin' spurs. I'll be expectin' yu early in the mornin', an' that won't be any too soon for Mrs. Gray, I'm thinkin'." The reminder sent the young man scampering away like a scalded cat. Sudden turned his horse towards the Dumbbell range, to learn what he might of its owner's movements.
Chapter XIX
THE owner of the Dumb-bell had spent the day nursing his hurts, both mental and physical. The fact that his hired assassin had not reappeared to claim the price of his villainy did not add to his peace of mind. In the late afternoon a messenger came, bringing a closed scrawl : Yore cousin, Mrs. Gray, is in my hands. She will be released on payment of four thousand dollars, cash. you must come alone, or there's no trade. If I don't git the money, she will--suffer.
MULLINS.
His lips curled as he read. "She will--suffer," he repeated. "Pretty neat, for Jake, that. I guess any woman can savvy what it means, an' my charmin' relative oughta be real pleased to see me. Four thousand, double the agreed figure, huh? Mebbe, Mister Mullins, mebbe." With an added expletive, he thrust the paper into a pocket and went to give certain instructions to his men. He returned to find Lyman awaiting him, an unwelcome sight.
"What's the trouble now?" he asked testily.
"None so far as I'm concerned," the lawyer replied. "You seem to have found some. Has our friend, the marshal, been trying to alter the geography of the face God, or the Devil, gave you?" Sark frowned darkly. He seas almost certain that Lyman knew; he had probably been there some time, and would have wormed the story out of Juba. So, for once, he told the truth.