With a dexterous contortion of his nether lip, the man gathered an end of his huge moustache into the corner of his mouth: "What would it be?"
he asked noncommittally.
"Hurry to Mr. Cameron"s and tell my husband and Mr. Colston to come down here quick!"
"Y Bar Colston?" he asked, with exasperating deliberation.
"Yes. Oh, please hurry!"
His left eyelid drooped meaningly, as he audibly expelled the moustache from between his lips, and jerked his head in the direction of the saloon, "Y"ain"t helpin" his case none by draggin" Y Bar into it," he opined. "Hod hates Y Bar on account he trades over to Claggett. Hod, he runs the main store here besides bein" marshal."
"Oh, what shall I do!"
Making sure they were out of earshot, the man spoke rapidly. "They ain"t only one way to work it. You hustle back an" tell him to slip down cellar an" climb up the shoot where they slide the beer-kaigs down. It opens onto the alley between the livery barn an" the store. Hod ain"t thought of that yet, an" my horse is tied in the alley. Tell him to take the horse an" beat it."
For an instant the girl peered into the man"s eyes as if to fathom his sincerity. "But why should you sacrifice your horse?"
The man cut her short: "I"ll claim his"n, an" it"s about an even trade.
Besides, he done me a good turn by not shootin" me in there when he had the chanct, after I tried to help Barras hold him. An" I"m one of these here parties that b"lieves one good turn deserves another."
"But," hesitated the girl, "you were shooting into the saloon at him. I saw you."
"Yup, I was shootin", all right," he grinned, "but he"d of had to be"n ten foot tall fer me to of hit him. It wouldn"t of looked right fer me not to of be"n a-shootin"."
"But, won"t they shoot him when he tries to get away?"
The grin widened: "They won"t. Tell him to come bustin" right out the front way on the high lope, right into the middle of "em. I know them _hombres_ an" believe me, it"s goin" to be fun to see "em trompin" over one another a-gittin" out of the road. By the time they git in shootin"
shape, he"ll be into the dark."
"But, they"ll follow him."
"Yes, mom. But they ain"t goin" to ketch him. That horse of mine kin run rings around anything they"ve got. Better hurry now, "fore Hod thinks about that beer-kaig shoot."
"Oh, how can I thank you?"
"Well, you might set up a bra.s.s statoo of me acrost from the post office--when the sun hit it right it would show up clean from the top of the divide."
Alice giggled, as the man extended his hand: "Here"s a couple more matches. You better run along, now. Jest tell that there Texas cyclone that Ike Stork says this here play is the best bet, bein" as they"ll starve him out if a stray bullet don"t find its way between them kaigs an" git him first."
She took the matches and once more paused in the doorway and lighted her candle. As she disappeared into the interior, Ike Stork shifted his position upon the edge of the horse trough and grinned broadly as his eyes rested upon the men huddled together in the darkness in front of the saloon.
The girl crossed to the bar, and reading the question in the Texan"s eyes, shook her head: "He won"t do it," she said, "he"s just as mean, and stubborn, and self-important and as _rude_ as he can be. He says he"s going to arrest you, and he"s going to hold you for a few days in jail to see if there isn"t a reward offered for you somewhere. He thinks, or pretends to think, that you"re some terrible desperado."
The cynical smile twisted the Texan"s lips: "He"ll be sure of it before he gets through."
"No, no, Tex! Don"t shoot anybody--please! Listen, I"ve got a plan that will get you out of here. But first, you"ve got to promise that you will see Win. We"ve set our hearts on it, and you _must_."
"What"s the good?"
"Please, for my sake, promise me."
The man"s eyes devoured her. "I"d do anything in the world for your sake," he said, simply. "I"ll promise. Tell Win to drift over to Claggett day after tomorrow, an" I"ll meet him somewhere along the trail."
"Surely? You won"t disappoint us?"
The man regarded her reproachfully: "You don"t think I"d lie to you?"
"No, forgive me, I--" she paused and looked straight into his eyes, "and, will you promise me one thing more?"
"Tell me straight out what it is, an" I"ll tell you straight out what I"ll do."
"Promise me you won"t drink any more until--until after you"ve seen Win."
The Texan hesitated: "It"s only a couple of days. Yes, I"ll promise," he answered, "an", now, what"s your plan?"
Alice glanced toward the door, and leaned closer: "It really isn"t my plan at all," she whispered, "but there"s a man out there with a big, drooping faded-looking moustache, he said you did him a good turn by not shooting him, or something----"
"Ike Stork," grinned the Texan.
Alice nodded: "Yes, that"s his name, and he said to tell you it was the best bet, whatever that is."
"I get him. Go on."
"Well, he says there"s some kind of a chute that they slide the beer-kegs down into the cellar with, and for you to go down and climb up the chute. It will let you out into the alley between this building and the livery stable. The marshal hasn"t thought of posting any guards there, and Ike"s horse is tied in the alley, and you"re to take him and make a dash out the front way, right through the crowd. He says they"ll all fall over each other and be so scared that they won"t think to shoot till you"ve had a chance to get away."
As the girl talked she could see that the Texan"s eyes twinkled and when she finished, his shoulders were shaking with silent mirth: "Good old Ike!" he chuckled. "You tell him I say he"s a bear!"
"He said it would be fun to see them trample over each other getting out of the way."
"I"ll sure see that he gets his money"s worth," grinned the Texan.
A troubled look crept into the girl"s face: "You won"t--_hurt_ anyone?"
she asked.
The man shook his head: "Not onless some of "em don"t get out of the road. Might knock down a few with the horse, but that won"t hurt "em to speak of. It wouldn"t pain me none to knock that marshal about half ways down the street--not for anything he"s done to me, but because I"ve got a hunch he talked pretty rough to you."
"Oh, I hope it"s all right," whispered the girl, "do you really think it will work?"
"Work! Of course it"ll work! I"ve got it all pictured out right now.
It"s a peach! Just you get off to one side far enough so"s not to get caught in the rush, an" you"ll see some fun. Tell Ike not to forget to put up an awful howl about losin" his cayuse, just to make the play good."
"Do you think he"s really sincere--that it isn"t just a trick to get you out where they can shoot you? How long have you known this Ike Stork?"
"Dead sure." The Texan"s tone was rea.s.suring, "known him a good half-hour. You ought to seen those eyes of his when he thought I was goin" to shoot him--never flinched a hair. He"s a good man, told me to hurry up an" make a job of it."
The girl held out her hand: "Good-bye, Tex--till day after tomorrow."
The cowboy took the hand and pressed it fiercely: "You"re goin" to be there, too? That"ll make it harder--but--all right."
"Remember," smiled the girl, "what I said about there being loads of other girls."