by Max Brand
CHAPTER 12
He had never studied any men as he was watching these men at cards.Andrew Lanning had spent most of his life quite indifferent to thepeople around him, but now it was necessary to make quick and surejudgments. He had to read unreadable faces. He had to guess motives. Hehad to sense the coming of danger before it showed its face. And,watching them with close intentness, he understood that at least threeof them were cheating at every opportunity. Henry, alone, was playing asquare game; as for the heavy winner, Larry, Andrew had reason tobelieve that he was adroitly palming an ace now and then--luck ran tooconsistently his way. For his own part, he was no card expert, and hesmiled as Henry made his offer.
"I've got eleven dollars and fifty cents in my pocket," Andrew saidfrankly. "I won't sit in at that game."
"Then the game is three-handed," said Henry as he got up from his chair."I've fed you boys enough," he continued in his soft voice. "I know athree-handed game is no good, but I'm through. Unless you'll try a roundor two with 'em, stranger? They've made enough money. Maybe they'll playfor silver for the fun of it, eh, boys?"
There was no enthusiastic assent. The three looked gravely at a victimwith eleven dollars and fifty cents, the chair of Big Jeff creakingnoisily as he turned. "Sit in," said Jeff. He made a brief gesture, likeone wiping an obstacle out of the way. "Alright," nodded Andy, for thething began to excite him. He turned to Henry. "Suppose you dealfor us?"
The scar on Henry's face changed color, and his habitual smilebroadened. "Well!" exclaimed Larry. "Maybe the gent don't like the waywe been runnin' this game in other ways. Maybe he's got a few moresuggestions to make, sittin' in? I like to be obligin'."
He grinned, and the effect was ghastly.
"Thanks," said Andy. "That lets me out as far as suggestions go." Hepaused with his hand on the back of the chair, and something told himthat Larry would as soon run a knife into him as take a drink of water.The eyes burned up at him out of the shadow of the brows, but Andy,though his heart leaped, made himself meet the stare. Suddenly itwavered, and only then would Andy sit down. Henry had drawn upanother chair.
"That idea looks good to me," he said. "I think I shall deal." Andforthwith, as one who may not be resisted, he swept up the cards andbegan to shuffle.
The others at once lost interest. Each of them nonchalantly producedsilver, and they began to play negligently, careless of their stakes.
But to Andy, who had only played for money half a dozen times before,this was desperately earnest. He kept to a conservative game, and slowlybut surely he saw his silver being converted into gold. Only Larrynoticed his gains--the others were indifferent to it, but theskull-faced man tightened his lips as he saw. Suddenly he began bettingin gold, ten dollars for each card he drew. The others were out of thathand. Andy, breathless, for he had an ace down, saw a three and a twofall--took the long chance, and, with the luck behind him, watched afive-spot flutter down to join his draw. Yet Larry, taking the samedraw, was not busted. He had a pair of deuces and a four. There hestuck, and it stood to reason that he could not win. Yet he betrecklessly, raising Andy twice, until the latter had no more money onthe table to call a higher bet. The showdown revealed an ace under coverfor Larry also. Now he leaned across the table, smiling at Andrew.
"I like the hand you show," said Larry, "but I don't like your facebehind it, my friend."
His smile went out; his hand jerked back; and then the lean, small handof Henry shot out and fastened on the tall man's wrist. "You skunk!"said Henry. "D'you want to get the kid for that beggarly mess? Bah!"
Andy, colorless, his blood cold, brushed aside the arm of theintercessor.
"Partner," he said, leaning a little forward in turn, and thereby makinghis holster swing clear of the seat of his chair, "partner, I don't mindyour words, but I don't like the way you say 'em."
When he began to speak his voice was shaken; before he had finished, histones rang, and he felt once more that overwhelming desire which waslike the impulse to fling himself from a height. He had felt it before,when he watched the posse retreat with the body of Bill Dozier. He feltit now, a vast hunger, an almost blinding eagerness to see Larry make anincriminating move with his bony, hovering right hand. The bright eyesburned at him for a moment longer out of the shadow. Then, again, theywavered, and turned away.
Andy knew that the fellow had no more stomach for a fight. Shame mighthave made him go through with the thing he started, however, had notHenry cut in again and given Larry a chance to withdraw gracefully.
"The kid's called your bluff, Larry," he said. "And the rest of us don'tneed to see you pull any target practice. Shake hands with the kid, willyou, and tell him you were joking!"
Larry settled back in his chair with a grunt, and Henry, without aword, tipped back in his chair and kicked the table. Andy, beside him,saw the move start, and he had just time to scoop his own winnings,including that last rich bet, off the table top and into his pocket. Asfor the rest of the coin, it slid with a noisy jangle to the floor, andit turned the other three men into scrambling madmen. They scratched andclawed at the money, cursing volubly, and Andy, stepping back out of thefracas, saw the scar-faced man watching with a smile of contempt. Therewas a snarl; Jeff had Joe by the throat, and Joe was reaching for hisgun. Henry moved forward to interfere once more, but this time he wasnot needed. A clear whistling sounded outside the house, and a momentlater the door was kicked open. A man came in with his saddle onhis hip.
His appearance converted the threatening fight into a scene of jovialgood nature. The money was swept up at random, as though none of themhad the slightest care what became of it.
"Havin' one of your little parties, eh?" said the stranger. "Whatstarted it?"
"He did, Scottie," answered Larry, and, stretching out an arm ofenormous length, he pointed at Andrew.
Again it required the intervention of Henry to explain matters, andScottie, with his hands on his hips, turned and surveyed Andrew withconsidering eyes. He was much different from the rest. Whereas, they hadone and all a peculiarly unhealthy effect upon Andy, this newcomer was acheery fellow, with an eye as clear as crystal, and color in his tannedcheeks. He had one of those long faces which invariably implyshrewdness, and he canted his head to one side while he watched Andy."You're him that put the pinto in the corral, I guess?" he said.
Andy nodded.
There was no further mention of the troubles of that card game. Jeff andJoe and Larry were instantly busied about the kitchen and in arrangingthe table, while Scottie, after the manner of a guest, bustled about andaccomplished little.
But the eye of Andy, then and thereafter, whenever he was near the five,kept steadily upon the scar-faced man. Henry had tilted his chair backagainst the wall. The night had come on chill, with a rising wind thathummed through the cracks of the ill-built wall and tossed the flame inthe throat of the chimney; Henry draped a coat like a cloak around hisshoulders and buried his chin in his hands, separated from the others bya vast gulf. Presently Scottie was sitting at the table. The others weregathered around him in expectant attitudes.
"What's new?" they exclaimed in one voice.
"Oh, about a million things. Let me get some of this ham into my face,and then I'll talk. I've got a batch of newspapers yonder. There's agold rush on up to Tolliver's Creek."
Andy blinked, for that news was at least four weeks old. But now came atide of other news, and almost all of it was stale stuff to him. But themen drank it in--all except Henry, silent in his corner. He was relaxed,as if he slept. "But the most news is about the killing of Bill Dozier."