The Coyote

by James Roberts

  CHAPTER XXIV

  THE SHOW-DOWN

  A wild chorus of yells greeted him. He had surmised that the men hadseen him coming back down the trail to the powder house with his humanburden. Now he called Sautee into view. They would most naturallyassume that it was the mine manager he had been carrying.

  "Come to the door where they can see you," he called to Sautee.

  The ring in his voice brought Sautee, white-faced and shivering, tothe doorway beside Rathburn.

  Another round of yells followed the mine manager's appearance. Thenthere was a sudden stillness. Rathburn saw that the crowd was made upmostly of miners. They paused in the wide place in the trail justbelow the powder house, and Mannix pushed to the fore.

  "I want you, Coyote," he called sternly.

  "Now, don't you think I know it?" replied Rathburn in a voice whichcarried to all the members of the mob. "You don't want me for robbingthis mine, Mannix; you want me for something you don't know anythingabout--because I've got a record. Wait a minute!"

  He shot out the words as the mob pushed a step forward.

  "If you fellows take a couple more steps in this direction I'll put abullet into this box of dynamite!"

  The movement stopped instantly. Men stared up at him breathlessly, forthey realized that he meant what he said.

  Mannix's face was pale, but his eyes glowed with determination.

  "Do you think it's worth it, Coyote?" he asked.

  "Step up here, Mannix, an' listen to what this fellow has to say," wasRathburn's reply. "Men," he called in a loud voice, "I'm lookin' toyou to give your mine boss an' your deputy sheriff a fair deal."

  There was a murmur among the men. Mannix, after a moment ofhesitation, stepped forward.

  Rathburn swung on Sautee. "Tell him!" he commanded in a voice whichstung like the crack of a whip on still air.

  "I--I had a hand in the business," said Sautee frantically. "It wasCarlisle and me. We--we framed the robberies."

  Mannix's eyes narrowed.

  "Tell him where I got that money last night," Rathburn thundered."Tell him, Sautee, or, so help me, I'll drill a hole through you!"

  Sautee cowered before the deadly ferocity in Rathburn's voice. "I hadit in the--office--downtown," he stammered. "There was blank paper inthat package, Mannix. Let him go--let him go, Mannix, or we'll all bekilled!" Sautee cried.

  Rathburn was looking steadily at the deputy. "Carlisle is roped an'tied up the trail by the big rocks," he said. "Send up there for himan' bring him down here."

  Several of the men who were mounted spurred their horses up the steeptrail. There was utter silence now among the men. Mannix, too, wascool and collected. He had not drawn his gun. He surveyed the quakingSautee with a look of extreme contempt. The mine manager's nerves hadgone to pieces before Rathburn's menacing personality. All he caredfor now was his life. The black reputation he had given to Rathburnled him to believe that the man could not be depended upon, and thathe was liable to carry out his threat and blow them all to bits. Hewet his lips with a feverish tongue.

  "Where's the money you an' Carlisle got away with?" demanded Mannix.

  "I've got all I took," whined Sautee. "I'll give it back. I don't knowwhat Carlisle's done with his. It was his scheme, anyway; he proposedit when he hit this country a year ago."

  "And the other man----" suggested Mannix.

  "Mike Reynolds," cried Sautee. "But he was only in on the truck driverdeal and--last night. Let The Coyote go, Mannix----"

  Then Sautee, in a frenzy of fear, an easy prey to the seriousness ofthe situation and his shattered nerves, told everything. He explainedhow it had been Carlisle who proposed getting Rathburn out of jail andmaking him the goat. He told of the worthless contents of the packagehe had given Rathburn to carry to the mine, how they had planned torob him on the way and thus put him in a situation where he would haveto get out of the country. He explained how Carlisle had pointed outthat they had a club over Rathburn's head in their knowledge of hisreal identity. He complained that Carlisle had intended to doublecross him, and how he had double crossed Carlisle in turn. He endedwith a whining plea for consideration at the hands of Mannix.

  The men with Carlisle came down the trail. Carlisle was astride hisown horse. His gun was in his holster.

  "We've got you, you outlaw!" he cried as he flung himself from thesaddle and strode up to Rathburn, Mannix, and Sautee.

  Rathburn's eyes had narrowed until they were slits through which hiscold, hard gaze centered upon Carlisle. His attitude had changed. Evenhis posture was suddenly different. There was a long breath from themen behind Mannix. It was a tense moment. They could see the menace inRathburn's manner, and they could see that Carlisle was fighting mad.

  "Ain't you a little free with your language, Carlisle?" drawledRathburn.

  "You know who he is?" Carlisle cried to Mannix. "He's The Coyote--anoutlaw an' a killer with a price a mile long on his head----"

  "But I ain't never sneaked any miners' pay-rolls, Carlisle," Rathburnbroke in with a sneering inflection in his voice. "What'd you do withMike Reynolds? He was with you last night, wasn't he?"

  Carlisle's jaw snapped shut. He swung on Rathburn with eyes dartingred. Then his gaze flashed to the cringing Sautee.

  "You--you rat----"

  Rathburn stepped before Sautee. "You haven't any quarrel with him,Carlisle," he said evenly; "your quarrel, if you've got one, is withme. I outguessed you, that's all. You ain't plumb clever, Carlisle.You ought to be in a more genteel business. I just naturally figuredout the play an' made Sautee talk, that's all. I ain't the only gentMannix is wanting--there's _three_ of us here!"

  Carlisle's face was purple and working in spasms of rage. He realizedinstantly that Rathburn had spoken the truth.

  "It was his scheme from the start!" shrilled Sautee from theprotection of Rathburn's broad shoulders.

  Then the mine manager, unable to longer stand the strain, collapsed onthe ground, groaning.

  "Underhanded!" Carlisle shot through his teeth as Mannix stepped back."An' I heard The Coyote was a go-getter. By guns, I believe you'reyellow!"

  "You've got a chance to try an' finish what you started in the RedFeather the day I got here, Carlisle," said Rathburn in ringing tones."If you think I'm yellow--draw!"

  A second's hesitation--two figures in identical postures under themorning sun--a vagrant breeze murmuring in the timber.

  Then two movements, quick as lightning--too fast for the eye tofollow--and the roar of guns.

  Rathburn stepped back, his weapon smoking at his hip, as Carlisleswayed for a moment and then crumpled upon the ground. Rathburnquickly drew the piece of paper from his left pocket and the roll ofbills from his right. He put the note with the bills and tossed theroll to Mannix. Then he stepped back to the doorway.

  "Join your men, Mannix," he said quietly.

  Mannix thrust the money into a pocket and stood for several secondslooking directly into Rathburn's eyes. A curious expression was on thedeputy's face, partly wonder, partly admiration, partly doubt. Then heturned abruptly upon his heel and walked back to the gaping men.

  Sautee struggled to his feet. Rathburn motioned to him to join theothers, and he staggered down to them.

  Then Rathburn coolly lit a match and touched it to the fuse stickingout from the box of dynamite.

  There was a wild yell of terror, and the mob tumbled down the trail asRathburn ran for the trail above the powder house. The men haddisappeared when he turned. His gun leaped into his hand and hefired--once, twice, three times--the fourth shot cut the burning fuse,and with a sharp intaking of breath, he ran for his horse, mounted,and rode into the timber along the trail.