by Max Brand
CHAPTER XXXV
CLOSE IN!
In that time ruined shack towards which the posse and Dan Barry rode,the outlaws sat about on the floor eating their supper when HalPurvis entered. He had missed the trail from the Salton place to theBald-eagle half a dozen times that day, and that had not improved hisbitter mood.
"You been gone long enough," growled Silent. "Sit down an' chow an'tell us what you know."
"I don't eat with no damned traitors," said Purvis savagely. "Stan' upan' tell us that you're a double crossin' houn', Buck Daniels!"
"You better turn in an' sleep," said Buck calmly. "I've knowed menbefore that loses their reason for want of sleep!"
"Jim," said Purvis, turning sharply on the chief, "Barry is at Buck'shouse!"
"You lie!" said Buck.
"Do I lie?" said Purvis, grinding his teeth. "I seen Black Barthangin' around your house."
Jim Silent reached out a heavy paw and dropped it on the shoulder ofBuck. Their eyes met through a long moment, and then the glance ofBuck wavered and fell.
"Buck," said Silent, "I like you. I don't want to believe what Purvissays. Give me your word of honour that Whistlin' Dan--"
"He's right, Jim," said Buck.
"An' he dies like a yaller cur!" broke in Purvis, snarling.
"No," said Silent, "when one of the boys goes back on the gang, theypay _me_, not the rest of you! Daniels, take your gun and git down tothe other end of the room an' stand with your face to the wall. I'llstay at this end. Keep your arms folded. Haines, you stand over therean' count up to three. Then holler: 'Fire!' an' we'll turn an' startshootin'. The rest of you c'n be judge if that's fair."
"Too damned fair," said Kilduff. "I say: String him up an' drill theskunk full of holes."
Without a word Buck turned on his heel.
"One moment," said Haines.
"He ain't your meat, Lee," said Silent. "Jest keep your hand out ofthis."
"I only wish to ask him a question," said Haines. He turned to Buck:"Do you mean to say that after Barry's wolf cut up your arm, you'vebeen giving Whistling Dan a shelter from the law--and from us?"
"I give him a place to stay because he was damned near death," saidBuck. "An' there's one thing you'll answer for in hell, Haines, an'that's ridin' off an' leavin' the man that got you out of Elkhead. Hewas bleedin' to death."
"Shot?" said Haines, changing colour.
Silent broke in: "Buck, go take your place and say your prayers."
"Stay where you are!" commanded Haines. "And the girl?"
"He was lyin' sick in bed, ravin' about 'Delilah' an' 'Kate.' So Icome an' got the girl."
Haines dropped his head.
"An' when he was lyin' there," said Silent fiercely, "you could ofmade an' end of him without half liftin' your hand, an' you didn't."
"Silent," said Haines, "if you want to talk, speak to me."
"What in hell do you mean, Lee?"
"You can't get at Buck except through me."
"Because that devil Barry got a bullet for your sake are you goin'to--"
"I've lived a rotten life," said Haines.
"An' I suppose you think this is a pretty good way of dyin'?" sneeredSilent.
"I have more cause to fight for Barry than Buck has," said Haines.
"Lee, we've been pals too long."
"Silent, I've hated you like a snake ever since I met you. But outlawscan't choose their company."
His tawny head rose. He stared haughtily around the circle of loweringfaces.
"By God," said Silent, white with passion, "I'm beginnin' to thinkyou do hate me! Git down there an' take your place. You're first an'Daniels comes next. Kilduff, you c'n count!"
He stalked to the end of the room. Haines lingered one moment.
"Buck," he said, "there's one chance in ten thousand that I'll makethis draw the quickest of the two. If I don't, you may live throughit. Tell Kate--"
"Haines, git to your mark, or I'll start shootin'!"
Haines turned and took his place. The others drew back along the wallsof the room. Kilduff took the lamp from the table and held it highabove his head. Even then the light was dim and uncertain and thedraughts set the flame wavering so that the place was shaken withshadows. The moon sent a feeble shaft of light through the window.
"One!" said Kilduff.
The shoulders of Haines and Silent hunched slightly.
"Two!" said Kilduff.
"God," whispered someone.
"Three. Fire!"
They whirled, their guns exploding at almost the same instant, andSilent lunged for the floor, firing twice as he fell. Haines's secondshot split the wall behind Silent. If the outlaw chief had remainedstanding the bullet would have passed through his head. But as Silentfired the third time the revolver dropped clattering from the hand ofHaines. Buck caught him as he toppled inertly forward, coughing blood.
Silent was on his feet instantly.
"Stand back!" he roared to his men, who crowded about the fallen longrider. "Stand back in your places. I ain't finished. I'm jest started.Buck, take your place!"
"Boys!" pleaded Buck, "he's not dead, but he'll bleed to deathunless--"
"Damn him, let him bleed. Stand up, Buck, or by God I'll shoot youwhile you kneel there!"
"_Shoot and be damned!_"
He tore off his shirt and ripped away a long strip for a bandage.
The revolver poised in Silent's hand.
"Buck, I'm warnin' you for the last time!"
"Fellers, it's murder an' damnation for all if you let Haines die thisway!" cried Buck.
The shining barrel of the revolver dropped to a level.
"I've given you a man's chance," said Silent, "an' now you'll have thechance of--"
The door at the side of the room jerked open and a revolver cracked.The lamp shivered to a thousand pieces in the hands of Bill Kilduff.All the room was reduced to a place of formless shadow, dimly lightedby the shaft of moonlight. The voice of Jim Silent, strangely changedand sharpened from his usual bass roar, shrilled over the suddentumult: "Each man for himself! _It's Whistling Dan!_"
Terry Jordan and Bill Kilduff rushed at the dim figure, crouched tothe floor. Their guns spat fire, but they merely lighted the way totheir own destruction. Twice Dan's revolver spoke, and they dropped,yelling. Pandemonium fell on the room.
The long riders raced here and there, the revolvers coughing fire. Foran instant Hal Purvis stood framed against the pallid moonshine at thewindow. He stiffened and pointed an arm toward the door.
"The werewolf," he screamed.
As if in answer to the call, Black Bart raced across the room. Twicethe revolver sounded from the hand of Purvis. Then a shadow leapedfrom the floor. There was a flash of white teeth, and Purvis lurchedto one side and dropped, screaming terribly. The door banged. Suddenlythere was silence. The clatter of a galloping horse outside drewswiftly away.
"Dan!"
"Here!"
"Thank God!"
"Buck, one got away! If it was Silent--Here! Bring some matches."
Someone was dragging himself towards the door in a hopeless effort toescape. Several others groaned.
"You, there!" called Buck. "Stay where you are!"
The man who struggled towards the door flattened himself against thefloor, moaning pitifully.
"Quick," said Dan, "light a match. Morris's posse is at my heels. Notime. If Silent escaped--"
A match flared in the hands of Buck.
"Who's that? Haines!"
"Let him alone, Dan! I'll tell you why later. There's Jordan andKilduff. That one by the door is Rhinehart."
They ran from one to the other, greeted by groans and deep curses.
"Who's that beneath the window?"
"Too small for Silent. It's Purvis, and he's dead!"
"Bart got him!"
"No! It was fear that killed him. Look at his face!"
"Bart, go out to Satan!"
The wolf trotted from the room.
&nb
sp; "My God, Buck, I've done all this for nothin'! It was Silent that gotaway!"
"What's that?"
Over the groans of the wounded came the sound of running horses, notone, but many, then a call: "Close in! Close in!"
"The posse!" said Dan.
As he jerked open the door a bullet smashed the wood above his head.Three horsemen were closing around Satan and Black Bart. He leapedback into the room.
"They've got Satan, Buck. We've got to try it on foot. Go through thewindow."
"They've got nothing on me. I'll stick with Haines."
Dan jumped through the window, and raced to the shelter of a big rock.He had hardly dropped behind it when four horsemen galloped around thecorner of the house.
"Johnson and Sullivan," ordered the voice of Monte sharply, "watchthe window. They're lying low inside, but we've got Barry's horse andwolf. Now we'll get him."
"Come out or we'll burn the house down!" thundered a voice from theother side.
"We surrender!" called Buck within.
A cheer came from the posse. Sullivan and Johnson ran for the windowthey had been told to guard. The door on the other side of the houseslammed open.
"It's a slaughter house!" cried one of the posse.
Dan left the sheltering rock and raced around the house, keeping asafe distance, and dodging from rock to rock. He saw Satan and BlackBart guarded by two men with revolvers in their hands. He might haveshot them down, but the distance was too great for accurate gun-play.He whistled shrilly. The two guards wheeled towards him, and as theydid so, Black Bart, leaping, caught one by the shoulder, whirling himaround and around with the force of the spring. The other fired atSatan, who raced off towards the sound of the whistle. It was an easyshot, but in the utter surprise of the instant the bullet went wide.Before he could fire again Satan was coming to a halt beside Dan.
"Help!" yelled the cattleman. "Whistling Dan!"
The other guard opened fire wildly. Three men ran from the house. Allthey saw was a black shadow which melted instantly into the night.