Shoot-out at Split Rock Read online

  "Bein* a kid I s'pose you gotta talk like one," he said. "If you think it's all to be like this you got another guess comin'. An' that kind o' yap is shore unlucky. Ol' Man Trouble alius camps on the tail of a trail herd, an' we'll hear from him soon enough without askin' for it."

  "That's so," agreed another, who, being reputed to be the biggest liar in Texas, was called "Truthful." "I remember once..."

  "Forget it twice," Jeff snapped. "What's come o' Sands? He ain't with the herd!"

  No one seemed to know. He had eaten with the rest of them and then slipped away. Sudden had seen him go and smothered an impulse to follow because he had a feeling that the boy had avoided him of late. He glanced round the camp, but there was no sign of the missing man. Against the dark background of the trees the little tent used by the women gleamed whitely. A few yards away from it, Sam Eden leaned on the wagon tongue and chatted witii the cook. Then, out of a thick tangle of bushes some forty paces from the wagon came a spurt of flame, followed by the vicious crack of a gun, and the sturdy figure of the rancher staggered and fell.

  "Hell's bells!" Jeff cried, and ran to the stricken man.

  The others followed, all save Sudden, who raced for the spot whence the shot had come. Noiselessly he searched, peering into the gloomy depths of the brush, listening for

  the snap of a breaking twig which would tell of a stealthy retreat, but he saw and heard nothing. Then came a careless foot step, a slouching figure swung into view and halted at Sudden's curt command.

  " 'Low, Jim, What's the bright idea, stickin' up yore friends?" asked a familiar voice.

  It was Sandy, and despite himself, a note of suspicion crept into Sudden's question. "What are you doin' here?"

  "Goin 'back to camp; what you reckon?"

  "Where you been?"

  *'Pickin' flowers," came the ironic reply.

  "Quit foolin'," Sudden said sternly. "Sam Eden was shot from 'bout here less'n a quarter of an hour back."

  "Sam—Eden—shot?" Sandy repeated. "God! An' yo're guessin' I did it?"

  "I ain't doin' any guessin'," Sudden told him. "I came to catch the skunk an' bump into you. Come clean."

  "Is he hurt bad?"

  "I didn't wait to see; Jeff an' some o* the boys is there. You ain't answered my question."

  "I had nothin' to do witii it, Jim," the boy said hoarsely, "but it's hkely I saw the fella. Mebbe ten minutes or so ago, a mere shadow sUppin' through the bush. I didn't give it much attention—reckoned it was Lasker, goin' after his bosses—^but it may not have been him atall. Hell! it'll break his gal's heart." Sudden's silence told him there was more to say. "You hear an owl hootin' while we fed?" he asked.

  "Yeah, an' judged he was a pretty early bird," Sudden said.

  The other nodded. "Overlookin* details like that'll land Rogue's neck in a noose some day," he remarked. "Yeah, I saw him."

  Sudden's eyes narrowed. "When did he leave you?'*

  "Mighty near half an hour back—I didn't hurry."

  "Then he mighta done the shootin'?"

  "Could have—^he had time, but it don't fit with his plans."

  "We better get backbit won't look too good for us to be absent an' together," Sudden suggested. "We'll have a pow wow later."

  They had almost reached the camp when Lasker pound-

  w

  "That goes for me, too," Sandy rejoined. "We'll beat that gang o' chaparral thieves yet."

  Immediately after breakfast, the foreman called a meeting of all the men in camp to discuss what should be done. Lasker was the first to speak:

  "Nothin' for it but to turn back, fur as I c'n see."

  "Then yore eyesight ain't whfet it oughta be," Sudden put in. "I'm for goin' on; the OV Man'U want that, I'm bettin'.*'

  Other opinions, for and against, were expressed, and in the middle of the argument a hail from the cook apprised Jeff that his employer wanted him. From his bed in the , wagon the rancher glared at his foreman.

  "What's all the chatter about?" he asked in a weak but angry voice. "Why ain't you startin' the herd?"

  "We was sorta settlin' which way to go," the foreman excused.

  "There's on'y one, you ol' fool—north'ards," Eden snapped.

  Jeff looked uneasy. "Well, you see, Sam, we figured you oughta have proper medical attention," he explained.

  The patient's pale face grew red with rage. "Medical attention, huh?" he sneered. "D'you reckon I've never been shot afore? Pretty fine outfit I got if yo're goin' to turn tail an' run at the first bit o' trouble."

  "That's not fair. Dad," Carol reproved. "TTiey are thinking of you."

  "Yo're right, honey,'* Eden said. "I didn't mean that, Jeff, but you can cut out the doctor talk-:—I don't*need no, help to die. An' let me hear no more o' goin' back; we'll take this herd through come hell or high water. Now, git them cows movin', or I'll be up an' see to it my own self."

  "An' by Christmas, he'd 'a* tried it," Jeff said when he * reported the conversation to the others. '

  The only man who did not seem pleased was Lasker. "It's a fool play," he said sullenly. "He'll never make the trip—^we'll have to plant him."

  "Awright, we won't ask you to dig the hole," Jeff retorted. "Take care o' yore bosses—we're shorely goin' to need 'em."

  Sudden had a smaU investigation to make. In a patch of bare earth in the brush from whence the shot had comctfe

  found clear prints of a pair of moccasins, and scorched shriveled leaves showed where the weapon had been fired through the foUage. With a strip of rawhide he measured marks, making knots to indicate the width and length. His search for further footprints proved fruitless.

  "Either made his getaway over grass or wanted them tracks to be seen," was his muttered conclusion.

  Dismissing the matter for the moment he rode to the river, where preparations for crossing were in full swing. Conditions were favorable, shelving banks, and not much current. Already the cattle, grazed and watered, were being strung out and headed for the stream. Jeff, bawling orders right and left, was watching the operation.

  "Shouldn't be difficult to git the cows an' bosses over— the river's lower'n I ever see her," he remarked. "That damn wagon'll be the troublemaker; with Sam an' the women aboard she'll be overweighted for floatin'."

  "How about stringin' a stout log along each side?" Sudden suggested. "Oughta help keep her outa the water."

  "That's an idea," the foreman admitted, and dispatched a couple of men to cut down the necessary trees.

  "Don't rush 'em boys," the foreman instructed. "Haze 'em along gradual-like but k^ep 'em movin'. We want to be over befctfe the sun gits too high, an' these damn streams is hable to rise mighty sudden."

  There was. little trouble; the leading steers, when they felt the cold water -sweeping beneath their beUies, tried to retreat, but the watchful riders, with quirts and the ends ol their ropes kept therh from turning and soon they took the plunge and swam steadily for the opposite bank.

  The crossing took time but went without a hitch, and Jeff breathed a sigh of relief when the last steers climbed the far bank, shook themselves, and went to grazing peace-rully. The remuda followed, and then the wagon came lumbering up, a sizable trimmed tree trunk lashed along each side. Drawn by its full team of six mules, it rocked and slithered down the slope to the stream. The leaders balked at the water but the biting lash of the long whip stung their flanks and threw them into the collars again. With a final lurch, the clumsy vehicle slid into deep water and, to the jelief of all, floated. With a couple of riders on either side steadying it with their ropes, the wagon proceeded slow-

  ly across, to be greeted with a cheer when the dripping team hauled it safely up the bank.

  "One less river, one less river to cross," chanted the Infant, as he detached his rope, turned his mount loose, and lay down to let the sun d^ his pants.

  The foreman, who had followed the vehicle over, poked his head through the flaps at the back. "How'd she go, Sam?" he asked anxiously,
>
  "Fine—never jarred me none," the invalid lied stoutly. "Get agoin' soon as you like; it does me good to feel we're movin'."

  The long line of men and beasts moved like a sluggish stream over the apparently unending area of brown, sun-dried earth, cracked and fissured by the fierce heat. •*' Uneventful days had shd by since they crossed the Colorado, and the outfit was making the most of an easy time. Even the foreman's lined, leathery countenance wore an unwonted smile as he rode to Sudden's side and nodded at the surrounding scene.

  "All like this an' it'd be easy, but it ain't goin' to be," he remarked, "We got most of our trouble ahead of us."

  Sudden told of the moccasin marks and mentioned the Indian who had escaped when he rescued Carol. Jeff shook his head.

  "Might be, o' course, redskins is vindictive devils, but I don't think it an' neither do you," he said shrewdly.

  To this the other made no reply. He was studying the broad, trampled track they were following.

  "You figure this is John Chisholm's trail?" he asked.

  "I'm hopin' so. Anyways, she's good goin' an' pointin' north, which is all we want," Jeff told him.

  That evening, before supper. Sudden drew Sandy apart.

  "What did Rogue tell you of his plans?"

  "Nothin' definite, but I gathered that he aimed to hold up the herd; get what coin he could outa Eden, bust up the drive later on, an' collar the cows. It's a-plenty."

  "Shore is," Sudden said soberly, and then his eyes twinkled. "I'm takin' it you don't still propose to help him in them projects?"

  "Yo're damn right," the boy returned hotly, "an' the sooner he knows it the better."

  "That's somethin' we'll let him find out," Sudden de-

  cided. "Our handU be hard enough to play without showin' it"

  Cheerfuhiess was in evidence at supper that evening; the easy going and the improving health of the wounded man had put everyone in a good humor.

  Early on the following morning the camp had visitors, six mounted men, weU-armed, and range-riders by their rig. One, who appeared to be the leader, signed to the others to halt, and rode forward. Peg-leg was busy loading his vehicle for the dajr's march. Carol, who had just mounted her pony to join the herd, halted at a word from Sudden, the only other man in camp.

  'Tell Jeff to fetch in some o' the boys," he told her. "I ain't lildn* the look o' these hombres."

  The girl nodded and rode away. Sudden waited, his fingers concerned with a cigarette but his eyes taking in the newcomer.

  "Momin'," Sudden said laconically.

  The other man returned the greeting, adding brusquely, "Whose outfit is this?"

  "You got any right to ask?" the S-E rider retorted.

  The visitor shot a glance at his escort and smiled grimly. "I reckon," he replied. "A full-house' alius beats a 'pair,' " with a significant look at the other's guns.

  Sudden smiled too. "We ain't come to the 'draw' yet," he said. "However, if it'll ease yore mind any, this is the S-E from San Antonio way drivin' north, an' I don't like talkin' to a fella on a boss when Fm afoot."

  "Fair enough," the stranger replied, and got down, keeping his horse between himself and the cowboy—in itself a hostUe action. "I wanta see the boss."

  "He's sick. I'm speakin' for him. You ain't told me who I'm talkin' to yet."

  "Name's Dale, foreman o' the Double O; yo're nearly across our range now."

  Sudden weighed the answer and found it wanting; they had seen no cattle bearing that brand. Out of the comer of his eye he saw an approaching dust cloud and knew that help was on the way.

  "What's yore trouble?" he asked.

  "Ain't got none, but yore herd musta picked up quite a few of our cows an' we want 'em back. Sabe?"

  The S-E man did. It would mean a couple of days' delay, to say nothing of the hard work involved. He wondered if this was one of Rogue's moves. He did not know who the man before him was, and the others were too far off and had their hat brims pulled down.

  "We ain't seen any Double O cows," he said.

  *'The outfit ahead o' you told us the same an' we found near a hundred when we combed the herd," Dale coim-tered.

  In a flurry of flying sand, Jeff and four riders pulled their panting ponies to a stop. The foreman was on the point of riding forward when Sandy put in a word:

  "Leave it to Green. I'm bettin' he can handle it—now."

  The fact that the sides were no longer unequal brought a change in Sudden's attitude, but he showed no hostility.

  "We ain't got time to waste," he said. "Anyways, what you gotta grumble about? We're drivin' north, where cows —they tell me—is worth four of five times what you can sell 'em for here. You'll be paid what it fetches for every Double O steer we find, an' we won't charge you nothin* for handlin' 'em either."

  "Mighty generous," sneered the other. "Now FU make you a better offer. Call it fifty of our beasts you got, which is lettin' you off easy. Well, pay me ten doUars a head for 'em now, an' when you sell you get a nice profit. How about it?"

  Sudden laughed at him. 'T)idn't I tell you we're from the South?" he asked. "Where'd we raise all that coin, d'you reckon?"

  "We'll 'cut' yore herd, then," Dale said angrily. "It's that or fight." He glanced at Jeff and his companions. "I've got more men within call."

  "You'll need 'em," Sudden told him. "But where's the sense in a ruckus which may cripple two outfits? Here's me, an' there's you; why not state a case for Judge Colt an' settle it between ourselves?"

  Through his shtted eyelids the Double O foreman glared at the young fellow who had so coolly challenged him to single combat, and now stood, teetering on his heels, waiting for an answer. There was a sardonic, almost hopeful, gleam in the half-veiled grey-blue eyes; the butts of the two guns were shiny with use; the hand that lifted the

  cigarette to the firm lips was as steady as a rock. Dale h^ killed several times, was noted for his speed with a six-gun, and nothing would have given him greater pleasure than to shoot down this nonchalant obstacle to his plans, but doubt assailed him, and he evaded the issue.

  **You talk about sense," he sneered. "Why not show some an' let us take our cows like them fellas in front o' you?"

  "How long was you cuttin' 'em out?" Sudden asked casually.

  "Coupla days," was the answer.

  **They were that much ahead of us, an' we ain't been delayed," the S-E man said musingly. "Funny we didn't catch 'em up, ain't it?"

  Too late Dale saw the trap he had stumbled into. HQs face flushed as he said savagely:

  "Meanin' I'm a Uar?"

  "Just that," Sudden told him, half-tuming as though the interview was ended.

  Passion swept the other man's caution to the winds, and he did not stop to think that he had been jockeyed into doing what his opponent had already proposed.

  "Why, you damned young squirt," he rasped, and grabbed at his gun. He got it clear of the holster but before he could press the trigger there came a flash and a roar from Sudden's side. Dale dropped his weapon and clutched a ripped forearm.

  "You ain't hurt much an' you got another gun. If yo're wishful to try the left hand ..."

  The Double O man looked at him, stark hatred in every line of his face. He was nearly mad with pain and humiha-tion, and for an instant, it seemed he might take up this second challenge. The cowboy had an idea.

  "I'm advisin' you not to," he said quietiy. "Further south, they call me Sudden."

  The fellow's eyes widened and something very like fear took the place of the ferocity in them. He picked up his pistol, and grabbing the horn of his saddle with his left hand, hauled himself up.

  "Well be meetin' again an' mebbe 111 be lucky," he growled.

  "You've been lucky this time," Sudden repUed. "Keep

  on thinkin' that. Now roll yore tail, an* take that bunch o' trail robbers with you."

  Watching them ride away, he became aware of JefiE at his elbow asking what it was all about. The foreman's face when he heard the particular
s was a picture of puzzlement.

  "Mebbe we have got some o' their cows," he suggested.

  "Shucks, then we can turn over what they fetch," Sudden argued. "Any o' you boys seen the Double O brand?"

  Not one of them had. "Me neither, an' I've been lookin' pretty constant for strays," Sudden went on. "I'd risk a ht-tle that there ain't such an iron hereabouts—his boss wam't wearin' it. No, sir, it was a plain holdup."

  "If they'd combed the herd an' hadn't found any..." the foreman speculated. "Why should they want to hang up our drive?"

  These holdup gents will be watchin' the used trail," the cowboy pointed out. "S'pose we was to bear away to the west for a spell an' then strike north again, nosin' out a road for ourselves; wouldn't that razzle-dazzle 'em?"

  "It'll mean a longer an' harder drive, but that'll be better than losin' men scrappin', an' it's possible Chisholm didn't pick the best path after all. Now, go an' get them steers started."

  Notwithstanding Jeffs approval, Sudden did not feel too comfortable. The step he had suggested was dangerous and might well plunge the expedition into all kinds of difficulty. On the other hand, there was the chance that it would dislocate Rogue's designs on the drive, and this had been his main reason. That Dale was one of the outlaw's men he felt sure, and he was relieved by the thought that he had now declared himself.

  The new plan was not to be put into operation immediately, and dusk found them camped again on the trail they had been following. They had another visitor that evening. The herd had been bedded down, four men left in charge, and the others were grouped around the fire awaiting Peg-leg's intimation that supper was ready, when a figure materialized out of the gloom and came toward them, right hand raised, palm foremost.

  "Evenin', folks," greeted a high, reedy voice. "Saw yer fire an' it made me feel kind o' lonesome."

  "Step right up, friend," the foreman called out.

  The man came on, movmg with the easy, tireless stride of a redskin. His tattered doeskin garments, raccoon-skin cap, and moccasins proclaimed that he was a trapper.