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Updated: August 27, 2024
"Say, Mister, will yu fight?" he drawled, breathing hard, his broad nostrils quivering. A silence fell. Singularly, the circle parted right and left in a jostle and a scramble. Montoyo surveyed him. "Why?" "For her, o' course." The gambler smiled a slow, contemptuous smile while his gray eyes focused watchfully. "It's a case where I have nothing to gain," said he. "And you've nothing to lose.
I heard him rein sharply beside us and his horse fidget, panting. Not until he spoke did we lift eyes. "Howdy, gentlemen?" "Howdy yourself, sir," answered Mr. Jenks, straightening up and meeting his gaze. I paused, to gaze also. Montoyo was pale as death, his lips hard set, his peculiar gray eyes and his black moustache the only vivifying features in his coldly menacing countenance.
"Shore. There's Montoyo. I don't envy you your job, but damn' if you mightn't work harder and do wuss. She's a clipper, and I never did hear anything 'specially bad of her, beyond cappin'. Whoa, Jinny!" I wrathfully cogitated. Now I began to hate her. I was a tool to her hand, once more, was I? And how had it come about? She had not directly besought me to it not by word.
The eight-team hauled negligent, their mulish senses steeped in the drudgery of the trail; only the wheel pair flopped inquiring ears. When I hailed again, Jenks came puffing. "What's the matter hyar?" He ran rapid eye over wagon and animals and saw nothing amiss. "Mrs. Montoyo wishes to ride." "The hell, man!" He snatched whip and launched it, up the faltering team.
It was dollars to doughnuts that every man in the company had had his eye out for Montoyo, since daylight; and the odds were that every man had sighted him as quickly as we. Notwithstanding, save by an occasional quick glance none appeared to pay attention to his rapid approach. We ourselves went right along hooking up, like the others. As chanced, our outfit was the first upon his way in.
"He might have objections to parting with you." "Montoyo? That snake you fear that snake? He is no husband to me. I could kill him I will do it yet, to be free from him." "My good name, then," I taunted. "I might fear for my good name more than I'd fear a man." "I have a name of my own," she flashed, "although you may not know it." "I have been made acquainted with it," I answered roundly.
"She'll be powerful glad to see you." He sobered. "And I'll say this: I'm kinder sorry I ain't got her, for she'd be interestin' company on the road." "The road to hell, yes," Montoyo coolly remarked. "I'd guarantee you quick passage. Good-day." With sudden steely glare that embraced us both he jumped his mount into a gallop and tore past the team, for the front.
Git, yoreself, or I'll stomp on yu like on a louse." Absolutely, hot tears of mortification, of bitter injury, showed in his glaring eyes. He was but a big boy, after all. "Our meeting here was entirely by accident," I answered. "Mrs. Montoyo had no expectation of seeing me, nor I of seeing her. You're making a fool of yourself." He burst, red, quivering, insensate. "Yu're a liar!
I have nobody in Benton that I can depend upon nobody that I dare depend upon. And by railway, for the East? No. That is too open a trail. I am running free of Benton and Pedro Montoyo, and stage and train won't do the trick. I've thought that out." She tossed back her head, deliberately turned. "Good-night, ladies and gentlemen." Involuntarily I started forward to intercept.
Montoyo consents, that's enough," I informed, striving to keep steady. "I'm not walking with you, sir; I am walking with her. The only ground you control is just in front of your own wagon." "Yu've been told once thar ain't no 'Mrs. Montoyo," he snarled. "And whilst yu're l'arnin' to shoot yu'd better be l'arnin' manners. Yu comin' with me, Edna?" "As fast as I can, and with Mr.
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