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He came out of the Hope So with some of his gang. They lined up and watched me. But I went right on." "He's here looking for trouble, Steele." "Yes; and he'd have found it before this if I just knew his relation to Sampson and Wright." "Do you think Blome a dangerous man to meet?" "Hardly. He's a genuine bad man, but for all that he's not much to be feared.
Excitement, greed, appetite were rife in them. I marked, however, a striking exception to the usual run of strangers I had been in the habit of seeing. The Sneckers had gone or were under cover. Again I caught a vague rumor of the coming of Jack Blome, yet he never seemed to arrive.
For a space that must have been short, yet seemed long, everybody stood tight. Steele with both hands out and down, leaned a little, in a way I had never seen him do. It was the position of a greyhound, but that was merely the body of him. Steele's nerve, his spirit, his meaning was there, like lightning about to strike. Blome maintained a ghastly, stricken silence.
I want to explain to you girls that this was the first time in my life I was backward at the prospects of a fight. The shock was the jump of my pulse. My nerve came back. To line up with Steele against Blome and his gang that would be great! "'All right, old man, I replied. 'We're going after them, then? "He only nodded. "After breakfast I watched him clean and oil and reload his guns.
I said that let Miss Sampson think it all meant fatality to the Ranger. But, Sally, I don't believe that Blome can kill Steele any more than than you can." "Why?" she asked; and she seemed eager, glad. "Because he's not man enough. That's all, without details. You need not worry; and I wish you'd go tell Miss Sampson " "Go yourself," interrupted Sally. "I think she's afraid of my eyes.
"'If you heard I was lookin' for you, you sure heard what for, replied Blome. "'Blome, my experience with such men as you is that you all brag one thing behind my back an' you mean different when I show up. I've called you now. What do you mean? "'I reckon you know what Jack Blome means. "'Jack Blome! That name means nothin' to me. Blome, you've been braggin' around that you'd meet me kill me!
Why'd you want to blurt out that Jack Blome was here to kill Steele?" "I'm ashamed, Sally," I returned, with hanging head. "I've been a brute. I've wanted her to love Steele. I thought I had a reason, but now it seems silly. Just now I wanted to see how much she did care. "Sally, the other day you said misery loved company. That's the trouble. I'm sore bitter.
He smoked fiercely and drank continually. All at once he straightened up as if listening. "What's that?" he called suddenly. The talking and laughter ceased. My own strained ears were pervaded by a slight rustling sound. "Must be a rat," replied Sampson in relief. Strange how any sudden or unknown thing weighed upon him. The rustling became a rattle. "Sounds like a rattlesnake to me," said Blome.
Almost I loved her myself; I did love her truth, the woman in her that scorned any subterfuge. Instantly she inspired me to command over myself. "Listen," I said. "Jack Blome has come here to meet Steele. There will be a fight. But Blome can't kill Steele." "How is that? Why can't he? You said this Blome was a killer of men. You spoke of notches on his gun.
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