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Updated: June 19, 2025
There were a dozen men with Deveny she had seen them, counted them when they had been racing down the shelving trail on the other side of the valley. And she knew they were following Deveny, for she could hear the thudding of hoofs behind. Deveny's big arms were around her; she could feel the rippling of his muscles as he swayed from side to side, balancing himself in the saddle.
Looks like they was figurin' on grabbin' the Rancho Seco without payin' anything for it Haydon intendin', I reckon, to put dad an' me out of the way an' marry Barbara. Then he could have cut the ranch up into town lots an' made a mint of coin." "An' Deveny?" "Deveny's a wolf. Haydon brought him here from Arizona where he'd terrorized a whole county, runnin' it regardless.
Deveny was a fast man with the big Colt that swung at his hip, a deadly marksman, and he needed but little provocation to exhibit his skill. For that reason his men kept the distance Deveny had established between them never attempting familiarity with him.
She had known, of course, that real danger from Deveny existed, for the incident in Lamo had convinced her of that, but she felt that Harlan's fears for her were rather extravagant it was rather improbable that Deveny would come boldly to the Rancho Seco and attempt to carry her away by force.
The girl caught the malignant note in his voice, and she leaned outward a little, trying to see his face, while she shivered with dread. "Yes," laughed Lawson; "a man can cash in without any excuse, usual; all he's got to do is to cross Deveny. You're a damned fool, Strom, to go to takin' a shine to Barbara Morgan, when Deveny wants her.
For Deveny had seen the bullet from Laskar's gun throw up sand at Harlan's feet after Harlan's weapon had sent its death to meet Laskar. And Deveny had discovered the secret of Harlan's "draw." The pause was a trick, of course, to disconcert an adversary. But the lightning flash of Harlan's hand to his gun-butt was no trick.
Not even when Haydon told him that his acceptance of Harlan had been forced by circumstances, and that he was tricking Harlan into a state of fancied security in which he could the more easily bring confusion upon him did Deveny agree. "You're a damned fool, Haydon!" he told the other, his face black with passion. "That guy is slick as greased lightning and faster.
Apparently, if Deveny now elected to draw and shoot, his chances were as good as Harlan's. And yet Deveny knew they were not as good.
Deveny was strangely silent, glowering toward the desert; Rogers folded his arms and faced the oncoming rider and the somber-coated animal he bestrode; Lawson scowled; and Laskar nervously estimated the distance that stretched between himself and the steady-eyed man who had told him certain things in a voice that had been entirely convincing.
We'll play him along, making him believe he's regular and right, until we get what we want. Then we'll down him!" At about the time Haydon was talking with Deveny, Harlan was dismounting at the Rancho Seco corral.
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