CHAPTER XXXII
THE COMPASS FAILS
In the alley behind the buildings fronting on the main street,Rathburn paused in indecision, while he shoved his gun into theholster on his thigh. He had known by the look in Gomez's eyes that hewas going to throw a knife. Instinct had caused him to watch theMexican's right hand, and, in the instant when Gomez had secured theknife from his hat and snapped back his hand for the throw, Rathburnhad drawn and fired. He knew well the dexterity of a man of Gomez'sstamp with a knife. The gun route was the only chance to protect hislife. But Rathburn realized, too, that he had shot to kill!
He had been incensed by the Mexican's subtle insinuations--maddened bythe way he leered when he spoke Laura Mallory's name. He had virtuallybeen driven to it. Even now he could not see how he could have avoidedit.
Securing his horse, Rathburn rode swiftly around a back street to asmall barn on the edge of the desert. He ordered his mount watered andfed. He had known the man who owned this barn, but the individual whoattended to his horse was a new employee. He sat in the little frontoffice which also served as the quarters of the night man, while hishorse was being looked after. He had not removed his saddle.
Rathburn's thoughts dwelt on what Gomez had said. There was noquestion but that the Mexican had taken liberties in saying what hedid, but there was more than a glimmer of truth in his statements.Rathburn had seen the man leaving Laura Mallory on the porch of theMallory ranch house. She had mentioned a man named Doane as havingbrought word that he, Rathburn, was back in the country and in moretrouble. Now Gomez had identified this visitor as Doane, the man whohad been calling on Laura Mallory regularly. Rathburn's brows wrinkledat the thought. But why not? What hold had he upon her? It certainlywasn't within his rights to resent the fact that another man had foundthe girl attractive. But, to his increasing torment, he found that he_did_ resent it; he couldn't help it!
Suddenly he remembered that Gomez had said Eagen was paying a call onDoane. What could Eagen have to do with Doane which would warrant hisvisiting him early in the morning? Rathburn recalled that Gomez hadintimated that Doane liked to play cards. Was the man then aprofessional gambler? But no, Gomez had said he did not play well.
Rathburn tried to recollect where he had seen this man Doane before.The blond face and mustache were vaguely familiar. Again he strove toplace the man without result.
He shrugged his shoulders, drew out his gun, and replaced the emptyshell with a fresh cartridge. He dropped the weapon back into hisholster and went outside to see about his horse. The dun still wasfeeding. Rathburn contented himself with looking over his saddle andreadjusting the small slicker pack on its rear. Then he paced thelength of the barn, frowning in a thoughtful mood.
There was only one thing he was reasonably sure of; no one around thetown knew that he was the outlaw known as The Coyote. He had not seenanybody he knew except the sheriff, and that official was safely outof the way for the present. Gomez had mentioned his name when they hadfirst met, but he had not been heard save by Rathburn. Therefore, ifthey were looking for the man who had shot down Gomez, they weremerely looking for a man measuring up to his description; and Rathburndoubted if anything would be done until the authorities had beennotified. Visitors to the sheriff's office would find Long out andwould assume that he had not returned from the chase in the hills. Itmight be another hour before the sheriff's predicament was discovered.And in that hour----
Rathburn caught himself up with another shrug. He was falling a preyto his former hopeless trend of thought. Resentment was swellingwithin him again, and he struggled to put it down. Perhaps it would besafer to yield to the inclination to take a chance on the courts.
It was after nine o'clock when he rode out of the barn. He proceededstraight toward the main street of the town. He was strugglingwith a half-formed resolve; summoning courage by shutting out allrecollections save that of Laura Mallory's apparently earnest remarkabout the compass.
Reaching the main street, he started to turn the corner at the bankbuilding when he suddenly checked his horse and stared at two peoplewalking up the opposite side of the street. Rathburn recognized thegirl immediately. She was Laura Mallory. A moment later he caught aglimpse of the man's face, as he half turned toward Rathburn,laughing. He had taken Laura's arm. It was Doane!
The realization that Laura had come to town and was in the company ofDoane stunned Rathburn. More than anything else it had the effect ofconvincing him that Gomez had been right when he had hinted thatDoane was successful in love. Hadn't she told him to take his gun whenEagen had been waiting for him? Had she thought, perhaps, that therewould be gun play, and that Eagen might emerge the victor, thusassuring her that he, Rathburn, would bother her no more?
Rathburn's eyes narrowed, and his face froze, as he watched Laura andDoane out of sight up the street. He knew now why he had had to comeback. There was nothing left--nothing but his dreams, his sinisterreputation, and his gun!
He looked about in a different way from that in which he had firstsurveyed the street, now showing life. His gaze encountered the bankbuilding. The door was open. The bank doubtless opened at nineo'clock. He remembered that this was so. A second of indecision, thenhe moved in front of the bank. He dismounted, flung the reins over thedun's head, and entered briskly.
Two men were behind the screens of the two cages. Rathburn approacheda window and nodded to the man behind it. Then his gun leaped into hishand, and he covered the pair.
"Reach high an' hard!" he commanded. "An' quick!"
The men in the cages hesitated; but the look in Rathburn's eyesconvinced them, and they raised their hands over their heads. Rathburnleaped to the ledge outside the window and climbed nimbly over thewire network of the cage. Then he dropped to the floor inside.
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