Atlanta Daily World

CHAPTER 22

WHEN I REACHED our house, I ran inside. I wasn't thinking coherently. I buckled my gun belt around me and picked up my father's Winchester. I got my twelve dollars out of the bureau drawer, found a flour sack and filled it with food. When I went outside, Bess was waiting for me.

I tied the sack behind the saddle, not wanting to talk to Bess. At that moment I hated her the same way I hated Gil and Ma. Right then I hated everybody.

"Get out of my way. Bess. Don't argue with me. I'm leaving!"

She grabbed the reins of my horse. "You're so mad you don't know what you're doing. There's something I want you to do."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to help me find your father's killer."

I said, "If I knew how to do that-"

"I think I know. but you have to realize you've got to come home after you do what I want you to. Your mother will be awfully sorry about what she said. I didn't come here to argue. I'm trying to say that if you're gone a little while, you'll have your mother and Gil awfully glad to see you when you get back. I want you to get a job with Vic Toll."

She saw how it hit me. She said: "Now wait before you blow up. The man we want lives in the park. I thought that when your father was shot. After Elder Smith was killed the same way. I was sure of it. If I'm right, Toll will hear about what happened today. He'll think you're so sore at Gil and your mother and the rest that he can use you, and you've got to fix it so he can.

You know the old Harris cabin?"

I nodded. and she went on:

"You hole up there for a while. It hasn't been used for a long time, but you can make out. It'll be dangerous because it's on Rafter 3 range. Sooner or later they'll come around to see who's there. You tell them you're finished in the park and you're hanging around waiting for a chance to get square for us blaming you for not getting your father's killer. Toll will believe you because that's the way he thinks. I think he'll take you on. Then you'll just have to watch."

"All right, I'll try it," I said, and taking the reins from her, stepped into the saddle.

She laid a hand on my arm. Dave, don't get yourself killed. I'd never forgive myself if that happened. I'm next in line. I'm asking you to save my life. I guess that's what it amounts to."

That surprised me more than anything else she'd said. She was as scared as anyone else except Matt Colohan.

The Harris cabin had been built by a bachelor long before we came to the park. It was in better shape than I had expected. There was a broom inside, so I was able to get it cleaned up reasonably well. I found an old ax back of the cabin, so I chopped up a dead cedar, built a fire, and cooked supper. After that I settled down to wait, and wait I did for two days. I sat in front of the cabin and stared at the land that reached from my ridge to the horizon, all Rafter 3 range.

Bess came one night after dark. She gave me a sack of grub, but she wouldn't get down. Somebody might be watching, might even have trailed me. I just wanted to tell you I've talked to your mother and she's sorry. She wants you back, Dave."

I didn't say anything. I stood looking up at Bess in the moonlight, sour-tempered because she'd brought up something I didn't want to think about.

I said, "Nothing's happened, Bess."

"They'll come," she said.

"I'll wait a little longer," I said. "So long."

She sighed. "I'll be back to see you in two or three days," she said, and rode away.

The thing worked out, but not in the way Bess expected it to. The next afternoon two Rafter 3 riders showed up. I saw them coming a long time before they reached the cabin.

I checked my revolver and slipped it back into the holster. I left the Winchester just inside the door and stood in front of the cabin until the two riders came out of a bunch of cedars below me and started up the slope. Then I retreated one step so I stood in the doorway where I could grab the rifle if I wanted it, or jump back inside.

I recognized them when they reined up: Dick Price and Slim Jim. They recognized me too. Price said: "Well, I'll be doggone! Look who we've got here, Slim."

"Yeah, it's the Gunslick Kid," Slim Jim said. "Busted Sammy Blue's arm. Remember, Dick?"

Price laughed. "I heerd about it. Sammy remembers. I'll bet on it."

"I quit the park," I said. "Didn't you hear about it?"

"Yeah. seems like I did. now that you mention it," Price admitted.

Slim Jim grinned. "You ain't told us what you're doing here. If you're figuring on taking up a homestead, you're a goner."

"Me homestead?" I laughed. I just had to have some place to hole up and this was handy. I've been so mad I didn't know what to do. Been figuring on going back and having it out with Gil."

"He handles a gun purty fancy. don't he?" Price asked.

"That's why I haven't gone back." I said. "Say, you reckon I could get a job with the Rafter 3?"

"You serious?" Price asked incredulously.

"You bet I am," I said. "I can't keep living off hot air. I've got to get a job somewhere, and I'd rather hang around here and see what happens in the park. Do any of them offer me a place to stay? Johnny Strong or Frank Dance or any of them? No, sir."

Price scratched his long nose and glanced at Slim Jim. "Sounds like he means it."

"Can't blame him none," Slim Jim said. "A scummy lot down there. Purely scummy." He looked at me. "Vic's in Rock Springs. I'll tell him about you."

Price glanced at Slim Jim again, slyly, I thought, then brought his gaze to me. He said, "You hang around here, will you, Munro? I'll ride over and tell you when Vic gets back."

"I'll be here," I said. "Long as my grub holds out, anyway."

They rode away. I watched them until they disappeared out there in that maze of gullies and ridges. They had something up their sleeves, all right. but I couldn't figure it out.

I found out the following day. A rider showed up about the middle of the afternoon, coming in the same way Dick Price and Slim Jim had come the day before. It was Sammy Blue

Sammy Blue, certain he is going to kill Dave, reveals the identity of the murderer in tomorrow's tense installment of "Desperate Man."