The Max Brand Megapack. Max Brand
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pocket to raise the price on your head!”
“An’ this Whistlin’ Dan,” said Silent. “I s’pose they’re makin’ a hero out of him?”
“Rogers says every man within ten miles is talkin’ about him. The whole range’ll know of him in two days. He made a nice play when he got in. You know they’s five thousand out on Haines’s head. It was offered to him by Rogers as soon as Dan brought Lee in. What d’you think he done? Pocketed the cheque? No, he grabbed it, an’ tore it up small: ‘I ain’t after no blood money,’ he says.”
“No,” said Silent. “He ain’t after no money—he’s after me!”
“Tomorrow they bury Calder. The next day Whistlin’ Dan’ll be on our trail again—an’ he’ll be playin’ the same lone hand. Rogers offered him a posse. He wouldn’t take it.”
“They’s one pint that ain’t no nearer bein’ solved,” said Bill Kilduff in a growl, “an’ that’s how you’re goin’ to get Haines loose. Silent, it’s up to you. Which you rode away leavin’ him behind.”
Silent took one glance around that waiting circle. Then he nodded.
“It’s up to me. Gimme a chance to think.”
He started walking up and down the room, muttering. At last he stopped short.
“Boys, it can be done! They’s nothin’ like talkin’ of a woman to make a man turn himself into a plumb fool, an’ I’m goin’ to make a fool out of Whistlin’ Dan with this girl Kate!”
“But how in the name of God c’n you make her go out an’ talk to him?” said Rhinehart.
“Son,” answered Silent, “they’s jest one main trouble with you—you talk a hell of a pile too much. When I’ve done this I’ll tell you how it was figgered out!”
CHAPTER XXII
THE WOMAN’S WAY
It was a day later, in the morning, that a hand knocked at Kate’s door and she opened it to Jim Silent. He entered, brushing off the dust of a long journey.
“Good-mornin’, Miss Cumberland.”
He extended a hand which she overlooked.
“You still busy hatin’ me?”
“I’m simply—surprised that you have come in here to talk to me.”
“You look as if you seen somethin’ in my face?” he said suspiciously. “What is it? Dirt?”
He brushed a hand across his forehead.
“Whatever it is,” she answered, “you can’t rub it away.”
“I’m thinkin’ of givin’ you a leave of absence—if you’ll promise to come back.”
“Would you trust my honour?”
“In a pinch like this,” he said amiably, “I would. But here’s my business. Lee Haines is jailed in Elkhead. The man that put him behind the bars an’ the only one that can take him out agin is Whistlin’ Dan. An’ the one person who can make Dan set Lee loose is you. Savvy? Will you go an’ talk with Dan? This wolf of his would find him for you.”
She shook her head.
“Why not?” cried Silent in a rising voice.
“The last time he saw me,” she said, “he had reason to think that I tried to betray him because of Lee Haines. If I went to him now to plead for Haines he’d be sure that I was what he called me—Delilah!”
“Is that final?”
“Absolutely!”
“Now get me straight. They’s a crowd of cowpunchers gatherin’ in Elkhead, an’ today or tomorrow they’ll be strong enough to take the law into their own hands and organize a little lynchin’ bee, savvy?”
She shuddered.
“It ain’t pleasant, is it, the picture of big, good-lookin’ Lee danglin’ from the end of a rope with the crowd aroun’ takin’ pot-shots at him? No, it ain’t, an’ you’re goin’ to stop it. You’re goin’ to start from here in fifteen minutes with your hoss an’ this wolf, after givin’ me your promise to come back when you’ve seen Whistlin’ Dan. You’re goin’ to make Dan go an’ set Lee loose.”
She smiled in derision.
“If Dan did that he’d be outlawed.”
“You won’t stir?”
“Not a step!”
“Well, kid, for everything that happens to Lee somethin’ worse will happen to someone in the next room. Maybe you’d like to see him?”
He opened the door and she stepped into the entrance. Almost opposite her sat old Joe Cumberland with his hands tied securely behind his back. At sight of her he rose with a low cry. She turned on big Silent and whipped the six-gun from his hip. He barely managed to grasp her wrist and swing the heavy revolver out of line with his body.
“You little fiend,” he snarled, “drop the gun, or I’ll wring your neck.”
“I don’t fear you,” she said, never wincing under the crushing grip on her wrists, “you murderer!”
He said, calmly repossessing himself of his gun, “Now take a long look at your father an’ repeat all the things you was just saying’ to me.”
She stared miserably at her father. When Silent caught Kate’s hand Cumberland had started forward, but Kilduff and Rhinehart held him.
“What is it, Kate,” he cried. “What does it mean?”
She explained it briefly: “This is Jim Silent!”
He remained staring at her with open mouth as if his brain refused to admit what his ear heard.
“There ain’t no use askin’ questions how an’ why she’s here,” said Silent. “This is the pint. Lee Haines is behind the bars in Elkhead. Whistlin’ Dan put him there an’ maybe the girl c’n persuade Dan to bring him out again. If she don’t—then everything the lynchin’ gang does to Haines we’re goin’ to do to you. Git down on your ol’ knees, Cumberland, an’ beg your daughter to save your hide!”
The head of Kate dropped down.
“Untie his hands,” she said. “I’ll talk with Dan.”
“I knew you’d see reason,” grinned Silent.
“Jest one minute,” said Cumberland. “Kate, is Lee Haines one of Silent’s gang?”
“He is.”
“An’ Dan put him behind the bars?”
“Yes.”
“If Dan takes him out again the boy’ll be outlawed, Kate.”
“Cumberland,” broke in Kilduff savagely, “here’s your call to stop thinkin’ about Whistlin’ Dan an’ begin figgerin’ for yourself.”
“Don’t you see?” said Kate, “it’s your death these cowards mean.”
Cumberland seemed to grow taller, he stood so stiffly erect with his chin high like a soldier.
“You shan’t make no single step to talk with Dan!”
“Can’t you understand that it’s you they threaten?” she cried.
“I understan’ it all,” he said evenly. “I’m too old to have a young man damned for my sake.”
“Shut him up!” ordered Silent. “The old fool!”
The heavy hand of Terry Jordan clapped over Joe’s mouth effectually silenced him. He struggled