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Updated: May 17, 2025
I ain't but forty-two, Pete, an' I can whip my weight in wild cats." The father's heart sank. He knew Houck. The man would get by hook or crook what he wanted. He could even foretell what his next move would be. "She's only a kid, Jake, not thinkin' none about gettin' married. In a year or two, maybe " "I'm talkin' about now, Pete this week." Tolliver wriggled, like a trout on the hook.
And that the boys would be mighty glad to see him again; concluding with an explanation of his own presence there that he had been over to the T-Bar-T to see Houck about some of his stock that had strayed through some "down-fence" "She's all fenced now," he explained and had run into a bunch of wild turkeys, chased them to a rim-rock and had managed to shoot one, but had had to climb down a cañon to recover the bird, which had set him back considerably on his home journey.
His flight was a signal for the others who had been marshaled out of the bank. They scattered in a rush for cover. Instantly Houck guessed what would follow. From every side a volley of bullets would be concentrated on him and his men. He too ran, dodging back into the bank. He was not a tenth part of a second too soon. A fusillade of shots poured down.
To look at her was to know the truth of what she said, but he could not help trying to dominate the girl, both because it was his nature and because he needed so badly her help. "Sho! You're not so goshalmighty. You're jes' June Tolliver. I'm the same Jake Houck you once promised to marry. Don't forget that, girl. I took you from that white-livered fellow you married "
You see yoreself how it would be, Pete. Her a li'l' trick with nobody but me. I ain't no great shakes, but at that I'm all she's got. I figured that 'way off here, under another name, they prob'ly never would find me." "Pretty good guess, Pete Purdy." "Don' call me that," begged Tolliver. Houck showed his teeth in an evil grin. "I forgot. What I was sayin' was that nobody knows you're here but me.
She turned in the chair, deliberately, steadying her voice. "Better come out from there. I see you," she said quietly. From under the bed Jake Houck crawled. June was the first to speak. "So you're here. You didn't get away." "I'm here," Houck growled. "No chance for a getaway. I ran out the back door of the bank an' ducked into the hotel. This was the first door I come to, an' I headed in."
"Mornin', fellas!" he called as the cowboys swept up. "What's the idea?" "This!" snarled Simpson as he took out his rope. "Hold on!" cried Houck, dismounting and covering White. "This ain't our man! It's young Andy White!" "You might 'a' found that out before you started shootin'," said Andy, lowering his hands. "My gun's on the saddle there."
The boss of the outfit came in leisurely after the rush. He brought a guest with him and they sat down at the end of the table. "Beans!" demanded a line man, his mouth full. "Headed for you!" promised the flunkey. The guest of the boss was a big rangy fellow in the early forties. Bob heard the boss call him "Jake," and later "Houck."
Ask him who Jasper Stuart was. An' where he lived whilst you was stayin' with yore aunt at Rawlins." "I ain't afraid to," she retorted. "I'll do it right now." Houck was sprawled on a bench in front of the cabin. He grinned impudently. His manner was an exasperating challenge. Evidently he did not believe she would. June turned and walked to the stable.
After all he was her first lover. A queer shame distressed the girl at the memory of his kisses, for through all the anger, chagrin, and wounded pride had come to her the first direct realization of what sex meant. Her alarmed innocence pushed this from her. Without scruple Houck used all the weapons at hand. There came a day when he skirted the edges of the secret.
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