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Evidently he had expected another sort of greeting and was slightly puzzled over Hollis's manner. He remained motionless and Hollis had an opportunity to study him carefully and thoroughly. His conclusions were brief and comprehensive. They were expressed tersely to himself as he waited for Dunlavey to speak: "A trickster and a cheat dangerous."
Norton had repeatedly referred to Hollis's absence, and each time Potter had assured him that Hollis would come soon. Shortly before nine o'clock, when the clouds lifted and the stars began to appear, Potter rose and paced the gallery floor.
But now he looked at it, took it and held it for an instant, his bruised and swollen face taking on an expression of lugubrious self-pity. "I reckon I've got it in the neck all around," he said finally. "But I ain't no squealer and I've got " His gaze met Hollis's and his eyes gleamed with a reluctant admiration. "By God, you're white!
One of these boxes Norton opened, taking therefrom several articles of wearing apparel, consisting of a pair of corduroy trousers, a pair of leathern chaps, boots, spurs, two woolen shirts, a blue neckerchief, a broad felt hat, and last, with a grin of amusement over Hollis's astonished expression, a cartridge belt to which was attached a holster containing a Colt .45.
For an instant both men lay silent, panting from their exertions. Then Yuma succeeded in getting one leg over Hollis's body and one arm around his neck. With a quick motion successful because of Hollis's injured wrist he turned the latter over on his back. His eyes alight with an exultant, malevolent fire, he gripped Hollis's throat with one hand and drove at his face with the other.
The sheriff would be held responsible for him. He said this much to the men. There was no other lawful way. He was not surprised that they agreed with him. They had had much experience in dealing with Dunlavey; they had never been successful with the old methods of warfare and they were quite willing to trust to Hollis's judgment.
He used to hire a compositor from Las Vegas to set the type, a man named Potter a worthless sort of fellow, but a genius in his way when sober. I suspect that much of the matter that went into the Kicker emanated from the brain of Dave Potter." Hollis's smile revealed just a trace of derision.
Hollis's smile was no less bland as his gaze met Dunlavey's. "Not the slightest objection, Mr. Dunlavey," he returned. "I congratulate you upon the manner in which you have trained your servants!" He ignored Dunlavey and smiled at Norton. "Mr. Norton," he said with polite mockery, "I feel certain that you agree with me that we have no wish to contaminate this temple of justice with our presence."
Clark, of the Circle Y, sarcastically declared it to be his belief that some meddler in things firmamental was paying the owner of the sun to work it overtime. Hollis's daily twenty mile ride from the Circle Bar to Dry Bottom and return became a trial to him.
At the office all the afternoon, where every moment business of one kind or other about the fire-ships and other businesses, most of them vexatious for want of money, the commanders all complaining that, if they miss to pay their men a night, they run away; seamen demanding money of them by way of advance, and some of Sir Fretcheville Hollis's men, that he so bragged of, demanding their tickets to be paid, or they would not work: this Hollis, Sir W. Batten and W. Pen say, proves a very..., as Sir W. B. terms him, and the other called him a conceited, idle, prating, lying fellow.
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