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He had made his own list of foods and tobaccos and alcohols; he had selected men for his work. Down in San Juan men said: 'Jim Courtot is playing his luck again. For though information was garbled long before it reached the mission town, yet always it was understood that Jim Courtot was playing to win heavily he and Sanchia Murray.
No doubt they were True and Bettins; still neither had spoken and in this uncertain light either might be Courtot. 'Hello, True, said Howard shortly. True's voice answered him. 'Hello, Bettins, he said, and it was Bettin's voice replying. 'Where did Jim go? he asked. 'Search me, retorted Monte Devine. Then, a hint of a jeer in his voice, 'Going to stay out there in the dark all night?
There seemed nothing concrete that he could lay his hands on; again Jim Courtot had come and gone. To drive the men off the land, even could he succeed in doing it would so far as he could see be barren of any desired result. There was a law in the country, and that law would see the man through who had properly filed on his claim.
There was but one matter further about which Howard wondered, and he asked his question point-blank. Point-blank Kish Taka answered it. Jim Courtot, with lies in his mouth, had come to these desert folk several months ago.
That his former simple kindness would have awakened any serious affection had failed to suggest itself to him. But swiftly he forgot Sanchia and her vindictiveness. She had mentioned Courtot; for a little as he rode into the hills he puzzled over Courtot's recurrent disappearances. He recalled how, always when he came to a place where he might expect to find the gambler, he had passed on.
'Damn you, he said savagely. Jim Courtot drew up his chair and sat down. There was a strange sort of swiftness and precision in the man's smallest acts. Now he brought from his hip pocket a handful of loose coins and set the heap on the table before him. For the most part the coins were gold; he stood ready to put into play several hundred dollars. 'Heeled, kid, he repeated.
He did not believe that the man knew how to smile. To imagine Jim Courtot laughing was to fancy a statue laughing. 'When there's a big game pulled off and I'm not there, kid, he answered when he was good and ready to answer, 'it's because there's a bigger game somewhere else. And I'm heeled to play in your little game if you think you're man enough to take me on. Barbee snarled at him.
Howard nodded gravely, considered briefly, and in ten minutes bought the herd, agreeing to take them at ten per cent. less than Tony's bargain price provided they were delivered in Desert Valley within a week. Now all of his business of buying and selling was done and there remained but to go home or to look further for Courtot. He rode back into Las Palmas and breakfasted at the lunch counter.
What then? Why, Sanchia and Devine and Courtot and a crowd of hangers-on have their eyes on him. They'd oust him again with not the shadow of a doubt or a second's hesitation. Helen nodded and they went in together. Carr stayed on to supper. Longstreet looked rested from his nap, bright and eager and as usual interested in everything in the world.
'I imagine you'll spill an earful when you get going, Alan, said Courtot. 'I'd like to listen in on it. Straightway the two Mexicans rose and left the table. Barbee, though he scorned to do so, pushed his chair back a little and kept his eyes upon the faces of the two men. Longstreet went from confusion to bewilderment.
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