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Updated: May 7, 2025
"Funny you're so anxious to take my word for things now, when a minute ago you said you couldn't know but what I'd told that holdup story for a blind so's I could get away with this!" The wrappings fell away, revealing a wad of blank paper. Rathburn's face froze. Sautee stared white-faced at what the other held in his hand.
However, Rathburn's knowledge of the range and the secrets of the mountain trails gave him a distinct advantage over the inexperienced members of the posses. True, there were deputies and some others who were experienced; but they were in the minority. Rathburn realized that the sheriff must have been released some hours before, and that his escapade of the morning would stimulate the man hunt.
"If you have, Carlisle, you've got a winning number," he said evenly. "Whatever your play is here, I dunno," said Carlisle; "but you won't get away with it as easy as you did over the range in Dry Lake." Rathburn's eyes never flickered as he coolly lit his cigarette with a steady hand. "You're plumb full of information, eh, Carlisle?"
Rathburn nodded and walked over to the bar. "Just get in?" asked the porter, as he put out a bottle of white liquor and glanced at the dust on Rathburn's clothes. "Just in," replied Rathburn, pouring and tossing off one drink. "Where's everybody? Too early for 'em?"
He explained how Carlisle had pointed out that they had a club over Rathburn's head in their knowledge of his real identity. He complained that Carlisle had intended to double cross him, and how he had double crossed Carlisle in turn. He ended with a whining plea for consideration at the hands of Mannix. The men with Carlisle came down the trail. Carlisle was astride his own horse.
Neal hesitated, notwithstanding the fact that he had Rathburn covered and that several other guns were covering him. Then he stepped forward, never taking his eyes from Rathburn's, and secured the other's weapon. "That's better, sheriff," said Rathburn with a queer smile. "You can see how I have my pride an' little superstitions. No man has ever took a gun from me but what I've got it back!
I suppose I'm worth at least ten thousand as I stand here." "That would be cheap for a man of your reputation!" said the justice bravely. "We don't want you across the line in California, Coyote. We won't put up with your depredations, and if you murder one of our citizens you'll hang!" Rathburn's chilling laugh hung upon the justice's words.
His voice trembled as he spoke again: "Hand it over and get out of here. I've had enough trouble with you. I'll take your word for it." But Rathburn was undoing the paper wrappings. Again Sautee made a leap, but this time he met Rathburn's left fist and staggered back, dropping into a chair. Rathburn looked at him coldly.
"You seem mighty proud of your books, Frank Frost," said he with a sneer. "We all know that you're old Rathburn's favorite. It didn't make much difference what you wrote, as long as you were sure of the prize." "For shame, John Haynes!" exclaimed little Harvey Grover impetuously. "You only say that because you wanted the prize yourself, and you're disappointed."
Thus a web of mystery and suspicion was cleverly woven about Rathburn's movements. It was not until afternoon, however, that Rathburn began to realize on his intimacy with the barn man. Then they began to talk of trails, and for more than an hour the barn man, caught in the spell of Rathburn's personality, divulged the secret of the trails leading to and from the Dixie Queen.
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