CHAPTER IX
LEAVE IT TO ME
Rathburn had recognized the ranch long before they came close to it.It was the place where he had stopped for a meal with the girl and thefreckle-faced boy two days before--the day he had gone on into DryLake. He saw no sign of the girl or the boy or any one else as theyreached the front door and hurried inside.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lamy look hurriedly about and stepinto the kitchen. He followed him.
Lamy grabbed part of a loaf of bread and some cold meat on a shelfabove the kitchen table.
"There's usually a cellar under the main room in these square houses,"he said, hurrying back into the larger room.
Rathburn stepped after him, and Lamy pulled back the rug before thetable and disclosed a trapdoor. He raised the door, held out the foodto Rathburn, and whispered: "You better get down there. Take this gruban'----"
"What's the matter? Isn't there room for both of us?" Rathburn put thequestion in a voice which conveyed surprise.
"I thought it might be better if we--if we didn't both hide in thesame place," whispered Lamy. "Then they'd only get one of us, an'whichever it was they'd think he was the one they wanted, see?" Heappeared excited.
Rathburn's eyes narrowed. His right hand darted to his gun in a flash,and the muzzle of the weapon was pressed into Lamy's ribs. "Get downthere!" commanded Rathburn. "Get down."
Lamy hesitated with a wild look in his eyes. The muzzle of Rathburn'sgun pressed harder against his midriff. He dropped lightly into thecellar. Rathburn pulled the rug against the trapdoor as he followed,then let down the door, certain that the rug would fall into place.
The pair sat upon some gunny sacks in the little cellar until theireyes became accustomed to the darkness; they could dimly see eachother by the faint light which came to them through some cracks in thefloor above.
They heard steps at the rear of the house; then the pound of hoofsfrom in front. Rathburn saw Lamy staring at him fixedly with a puzzledlook. He frowned at him. Rathburn still held his gun in his hand. Bothhad forgotten the food which Lamy had in his lap.
"Say," whispered Lamy. "What was your idea in givin' me back my gun?"
He moved closer to get the reply.
"Shut up!" said Rathburn, cocking an ear toward the trapdoor.
The sound of footsteps now was in the kitchen. They heard horsessnorting and men dismounting at the front door. After a brief spacethere were light footsteps in the room above followed by the tramp ofheavy boots.
"Good morning, ma'am," came a deep voice.
"Good morning," was the hesitating reply. Rathburn recognized thevoice of the girl who had fed him.
"Ma'am, I'm Sheriff Neal of San Jacinto County," continued the deepvoice, as several feet shuffled slightly. "These men with me aremembers of my posse. Maybe you know Judge Brown?"
"I--I've seen him," answered the girl.
Rathburn could feel Lamy's knees shaking against him in excitement.
"I believe we've met some time," Brown put in. Rathburn thought thejustice's voice sounded tired.
"Ma'am, we're looking for a man--or two men." It was the sheriffspeaking again. "Have you seen any one around here this morning--anystranger, or strangers, I mean?"
"Why, no," replied the girl with a breathless catch in her voice. "Ihaven't seen any one."
"You're sure?"
Rathburn frowned at the sheriff's tone, although he kept his eyes onLamy's white face.
He smiled as he remembered that the sheriff had mentioned two men.This doubtless was the cause of Lamy's agitation. Nor did he thinkLamy had forgotten that he, Rathburn, had pointed out that he couldprove he didn't rob the place in Dry Lake.
"You're sure?" the sheriff asked again.
"Why, yes," replied the girl. "I am sure."
"Maybe she can get us some breakfast," said Brown hopefully.
"Can you feed five men, ma'am?" asked the sheriff in a softer tone.
"Just sit down, and I'll get you some breakfast," said the girl.
The two men in the little cellar could hear some of the men takingchairs and one or two going out to look after the horses. The girl'slight footsteps retreated into the kitchen.
Rathburn smiled mysteriously at Lamy who was shivering with a case ofnerves.
"I can't understand who that was with him--or following him," cameBrown's voice. "Somebody must have seen him getting away and set outon the trail while it was hot."
"Either that or saw him beating it somewheres on the trail east oftown an' took after him on suspicion," drawled the sheriff. "'Specteverybody around here has seen those reward notices you put out."
"That's so," said Brown. "I had the right hunch when I got the tiphe'd left his Arizona hangout, sheriff. I figured he'd head this way.Then he had the nerve--well, you know what happened in my office."
The sheriff chuckled. Then he spoke angrily. "He can't pull any of hisstunts in my territory," he said growlingly. "I'll hunt him down if Ihave to put every man I've got on the trail an' keep 'em there. Ifigure, though," he added hopefully, "that we've got him cornered inor around this valley. We traced 'em here, and we got sight of 'emyesterday. We'll have 'em before night!"
"I hope so," said Brown grimly.
"I've given orders to shoot to kill and not to miss," thundered thesheriff. "But I guess the rewards offered for him would kind of steadythe aim of the man that got a crack at him."
Rathburn's face went white, and his eyes shot fire as he listened tothe sheriff's cruel laugh in which the others in the room above nowjoined.
Lamy signaled that he wished to whisper in his ear, and Rathburn benthis head, although he kept the gun handy.
"I'm not goin' to risk shootin' anybody if we should be found orcornered," Lamy whispered. "I thought you ought to know----"
"If we're cornered you leave it to me," Rathburn came back. "I havereasons for everything I'm doing. An' don't forget that I'd rather begrabbed for this simple trick of yours in Dry Lake than for one ortwo jobs over in Arizona. If things go wrong keep your mouthshut--don't talk! If you start talking any time I'll try to killyou!"
Lamy drew back from the ferocity in Rathburn's tone and manner. Thatmenacing message was again in Rathburn's eyes.
"Who's that boy out there?" the sheriff called sharply.
"Go in and say how-do-you-do," came the girl's voice from the kitchen."It's my brother, Frankie."
"Come here, Frankie," said the sheriff.
The pair below heard light footsteps on the floor above.
"That's a fine crop of freckles you've got," said the sheriff.
Rathburn saw Lamy put a hand to his face and make a grimace.
"Listen, Frankie, did you see anybody around here this morning?" askedthe sheriff.
"Who--who you looking for?" asked the boy.
Rathburn started; his body suddenly tensed.
"I'm looking for an outlaw they call The Coyote," returned thesheriff. "Ever hear of him?"
"Y-e-s. Ed brought home a notice about a reward for him."
"That's the man we're after. Rides a dun-colored horse; tall,light-complexioned. Seen anybody like that around here?"
"He was here day before yesterday," said the boy truthfully. "Sis gavehim something to eat, an' he went on into town. He didn't seem likesuch a bad man to me. Told me never to lie."
"He was here? Ate here?" The sheriff's voice was excited.
Rathburn saw Lamy's eyes widen.
"Frankie," the sheriff said soberly, "that Coyote went into town an'robbed a place. He's a bad, dangerous man no matter how he looks orwhat he says. Have you seen anybody that looked like him since?"
The question was followed by a deep silence.
Rathburn alert, his eyes gleaming, heard the sheriff rise.
"Answer me, boy. I'm the sheriff of this county!"
"'Tain't that--'tain't that," said the boy in a tremulous voice."Only--I'd rather not tell, Mr. Sheriff."
"You must answer me!" said the official
sternly. "Have you seen anyone around here--yesterday or this morning?"
"Ye-e-s."
"When?" demanded the sheriff. "Don't lie!"
"This--this morning," stammered the boy.
"Where? Tell me about it, quick."
"Two men ran across from the timber to the house," replied the boy."He--he said not to lie for him--but----"
The sheriff stepped quickly to the kitchen door. "I thought you saidno one had been around here, ma'am."
"Why--I didn't see any one," came the girl's voice.
"I saw 'em from the pasture," the boy confessed.
"Then they're here!" cried the sheriff. "Search the house an' thebarn!"
In the dim, narrow cellar Rathburn was holding his gun aimed at Lamy'sheart.
"You remember what I said about keepin' your mouth shut?" he asked ina low voice, his steel-blue gaze boring into the other's eyes.
Lamy gasped. Then he slowly nodded his head.
"That's your bond!" said Rathburn, as tramping feet soundedoverhead.
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