by Max Brand
CHAPTER XXVII
NOBODY LAUGHS
That night the power which had sent Dan into Elkhead, Jim Silent,stood his turn at watch in the narrow canyon below the old Saltonplace. In the house above him sat Terry Jordan, Rhinehart, and HalPurvis playing poker, while Bill Kilduff drew a drowsy series of airsfrom his mouth-organ. His music was getting on the nerves of the otherthree, particularly Jordan and Rhinehart, for Purvis was winningsteadily.
"Let up!" broke out Jordan at last, pounding on the table with hisfist. "Your damn tunes are gettin' my goat. Nobody can think whileyou're hittin' it up like that. This ain't no prayer meetin', Bill."
For answer Kilduff removed the mouth-organ to take a deep breath,blinked his small eyes, and began again in a still higher key.
"Go slow, Terry," advised Rhinehart in a soft tone. "Kilduff ain'tfeelin' none too well tonight."
"What's the matter with him?" growled the scar-faced man, none tooanxious to start an open quarrel with the formidable Kilduff.
Rhinehart jerked his thumb over his shoulder.
"The gal in there. He don't like the game the chief has been workin'with her."
"Neither do I," said Purvis, "but I'd do worse than the chief done toget Lee Haines back."
"Get Haines back?" said Kilduff, his voice ominously deep. "Thereain't no chance of that. If there was I wouldn't have no kick againstthe chief for what he's done to Kate."
"Maybe there's _some_ chance," suggested Rhinehart.
"Chance, hell!" cried Kilduff. "One man agin a whole town full? I sayall that Jim has done is to get Whistlin' Dan plugged full of lead."
"Well," said Purvis, "if that's done, ain't the game worth while?"
The rest of the men chuckled and even Kilduff smiled.
"Old Joe Cumberland is sure takin' it hard," said "Calamity"Rhinehart. "All day he's been lightin' into the girl."
"The funny part," mused Purvis, "is that the old boy really means it.I think he'd of sawed off his right hand to keep her from goin' toWhistlin' Dan."
"An' her sittin' white-faced an' starin' at nothin' an' tryin' tocomfort _him!_" rumbled Kilduff, standing up under the stress of hisunwonted emotion. "My God, she was apologizin' for what she done, an'tryin' to cheer him up, an' all the time her heart was bustin'."
He pulled out a violently coloured bandana and wiped his forehead.
"When we all get down to hell," he said, "they'll be quite a littletalkin' done about this play of Jim's--you c'n lay to that."
"Who's that singin' down the canyon?" asked Jordan. "It soundslike--"
He would not finish his sentence as if he feared to prove a falseprophet. They rose as one man and stared stupidly at one another.
"Haines!" broke out Rhinehart at last.
"It ain't no ways possible!" said Kilduff. "And yet--by God, it is!"
They rushed for the door and made out two figures approaching, one onhorseback, and the other on foot.
"Haines!" called Purvis, his shrill voice rising to a squeak with hisexcitement.
"Here I am!" rang back the mellow tones of the big lone rider, and ina moment he and Jim Silent entered the room.
Glad faces surrounded him. There was infinite wringing of his hand andmuch pounding on the back. Kilduff and Rhinehart pushed him back intoa chair. Jordan ran for a flask of whisky, but Haines pushed thebottle away.
"I don't want anything on my breath," he said, "because I have to talkto a woman. Where's Kate?"
The men glanced at each other uneasily.
"She's here, all right," said Silent hastily. "Now tell us how you gotaway."
"Afterwards," said Haines. "But first Kate."
"What's your hurry to see her?" said Kilduff.
Haines laughed exultantly.
"You're jealous, Bill! Why, man, she sent for me! Sent Whistling Danhimself for me."
"Maybe she did," said Kilduff, "but that ain't no partic'lar sign I'mjealous. Tell us about the row in Elkhead."
"That's it," said Jordan. "We can't wait, Lee."
"Just one word explains it," said Haines. "Barry!"
"What did he do?" This from every throat at once.
"Broke into the jail with all Elkhead at his heels flashing theirsix-guns--knocked down the two guards--unlocked my bracelets (Godknows where he got the key!)--shoved me onto the bay--drove away withme--shot down two men while his wolf pulled down a third--made myhorse jump a set of bars as high as my head--and here I am!"
There was a general loosening of bandanas. The eyes of Jim Silentgleamed.
"And all Elkhead knows that he's the man who took you out of jail?" heasked eagerly.
"Right. He's put his mark on them," responded Haines, "but the girl,Jim!"
"By God!" said Silent. "I've got him! The whole world is agin him--thelaw an' the outlaws. He's done for!"
He stopped short.
"Unless you're feelin' uncommon grateful to him for what he done foryou, Lee?"
"He told me he hated me like hell," said Haines. "I'm grateful to himas I'd be to a mountain lion that happened to do me a good turn. Nowfor Kate!"
"Let him see her," said Silent. "That's the quickest way. Call herout, Haines. We'll take a little walk while you're with her."
The moment they were gone Haines rushed to the door and knockedloudly. It was opened at once and Kate stood before him. She winced atsight of him.
"It's I, Kate!" he cried joyously. "I've come back from the dead."
She stepped from the room and closed the door behind her.
"What of Dan? Tell me! Was--was he hurt?"
"Dan?" he repeated with an impatient smile. "No, he isn't hurt. Hepulled me through--got me out of jail and safe into the country. Hehad to drop two or three of the boys to do it."
Her head fell back a little and in the dim light, for the first time,he saw her face with some degree of clearness, and started at itspallor.
"What's the matter, Kate--dear?" he said anxiously.
"What of Dan?" she asked faintly.
"I don't know. He's outlawed. He's done for. The whole range will beagainst him. But why are you so worried about him, Kate?--when he toldme that you loved me--"
She straightened.
"Love? _You?_"
His face lengthened almost ludicrously.
"But why--Dan came for me--he said you sent him--he--" he broke down,stammering, utterly confused.
"This is why I sent him!" she answered, and throwing open the doorgestured to him to enter.
He followed her and saw the lean figure of old Joe Cumberland lying ona blanket close to the wall.
"That's why!" she whispered.
"How does he come here?"
"Ask the devil in his human form! Ask your friend, Jim Silent!"
He walked into the outer room with his head low. He found the othersalready returned. Their carefully controlled grins spoke volumes.
"Where's Silent?" he asked heavily.
"He's gone," said Jordan.
Hal Purvis took Haines to one side.
"Take a brace," he urged.
"She hates me, Hal," said the big fellow sadly. "For God's sake, wasthere no other way of getting me out?"
"Not one! Pull yourself together, Lee. There ain't no one for you tohold a spite agin. Would you rather be back in Elkhead dangling fromthe end of a rope?"
"It seems to have been a sort of--joke," said Haines.
"Exactly. But at that sort of a joke nobody laughs!"
"And Whistling Dan Barry?"
"He's done for. We're all agin him, an' now even the rangers willhelp us hunt him down. Think it over careful, Haines. You're agin himbecause you want the girl. I want that damned wolf of his, Black Bart.Kilduff would rather get into the saddle of Satan than ride to heaven.An' Jim Silent won't never rest till he sees Dan lyin' on the groundwith a bullet through his heart. Here's four of us. Each of us wantsomething that belongs to him, from his life to his dog. Haines, I'maskin' you man to man, was there any one ever born who could get awayfrom four
men like us?"