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Both Rathburn and Eagen looked up and saw Mallory leaning out of a window over the kitchen, and the stock of a rifle was snug against his cheek and shoulder. "Acts like he's scared you can't take care of yourself," said Eagen with a sneer. "The way you ditched that posse to-day I didn't think you needed a bodyguard." "I don't," Rathburn retorted. "The old man is acting on his own hook.
Even Handy Solomon, practical as he was, had a scruple or two of superstition in his make-up, on which one might work. Only Eagen Slade, I mean was beyond me there. You puzzled me not a little in those days, Slade. Well.... "Did I say that I was sometimes annoyed by the doctor's attitude?
"This has been a queer case for me," he said slowly, with an attempt at harshness. "I knew Eagen was up to a lot of dirty work, but I never could fasten anything on him till to-night. I'll get some of the rest of the gang now. Doane showed in his face that he was guilty. Those things don't worry me none. But you are the hardest character I ever had to handle, Rathburn!"
"You have arms enough to give your crew about two magazine rifles apiece unless you filled all your berths forward!" Captain Selover looked me direct in the eye. "Talk straight, Mr. Eagen," said he. "What is this ship, and where is she bound?" I asked, with equal simplicity. He considered. "As for the ship," he replied at length, "I don't mind saying.
The Mexican left the bar and walked up to him. "We are not afraid to come in town, Mr. Coyote," he murmured. "Drop that name," said Rathburn sharply in an undertone. "Is Eagen here?" "He is here," replied Gomez with another display of his white teeth. "You want to see him? He is up talking with Mr. Doane." Doane!
She heard them speak in an undertone, and then Rathburn came back into the room. "I ain't much elated over my visitor," he said slowly. "I wish you hadn't asked me what you did until well, until this caller had come an' gone." She looked straight into his eyes in an agony of dread. "Who is it, Roger?" she asked, wetting her lips. "Mike Eagen is out there," he answered calmly.
"It was a bold business, an' what could you expect?" "Oh, I don't know. I can't seem to understand. All this trouble is coming so suddenly. Father, are you sure you heard Roger refuse to aid that man Eagen in some shady scheme last night?" "Ab-so-lutely," declared Mallory. "I've been wondering, daughter, if he didn't turn Eagen down because he had this scheme of his own."
Perhaps he could get more information from him than he had suspected. "What job is it Eagen is planning?" he asked in a low voice. There were several men at the bar now, and both Rathburn and the Mexican were keeping an eye upon them. "Oh, that he will have to tell you himself when you are ready," Gomez replied. Rathburn snorted in keen disgust. But Gomez sidled up to him.
"I want to talk business," said Eagen with a hopeful note in his voice; "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.
"And we'd have 'em afore mornin'," said Rathburn grimly. "Eagen will see to it that Bob Long knows I was out here, right pronto. But I aim to stop any posses from botherin' around your place. If there's one thing 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.
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