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others, she was sure, would not kill a woman. As she played she studied them, considering which one she would need the most. Once the money was in their possession, she must get rid of theTalrims . Harvey was as treacherous as theTalrims , and Frank Ruff was too suspicious. Charlie was the smartest of the lot, the best-natured, the only one around whom she felt safe, but at the same time she believed he would be less easy to fool. Page 106 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Mort was the one. Somehow she would have to work on Mort ... she had caught him stealing glances at her. And somehow she must trigger trouble between Harvey and theTalrims ... after they had the gold. Once Paul was gone, she had moved at once to use theTalrims . She had crossed their trail a few times, knew where they were likely to be, and she had approached them, demanding their help. She was still not sure why they had gone along, nor did she dare approach either one separately. Each one seemed aware of what the other was thinking, and she was intelligent enough to perceive that there was no separating them. They had told her aboutRugger . He was a cow thief, and worse. So she had waited for him one night on night guard around the herd. She kept out of sight until he appeared, led him off to one side, and suggested stealing the herd. The others had come in as a matter of course. When the theft failed she saw at once that the death of French Williams was no longer important. They were too close to the railhead, and the thing to do was get the money after the herd had been sold. She intended to have that money and to go toEngland orFrance with it and live her years out in style. She was sure that at least one and probably two of the men helping her would be killed. And a fight between Harvey and theTalrims would not be difficult to start ... eliminating one or two. She had no clear plan, but she had a driving desire and the ability to move quickly when the moment came. She was ready. Chapter Twenty-One TOM CHANTRY sat on the car steps, staring into the night. The gold all of it had been carried from one car to the other without trouble. Earnshawwas pleased, and mildly triumphant. See? I knew nothing would happen. We re perfectly safe. Chantry glanced at him,then looked away. Doris had been silent, but presently she said, Well, I was wrong, too. I was sure that girl would get them to try to steal the gold when it was being moved. Maybe they re notso bad as we think, Earnshaw said mildly. Tom, I m afraid you frightened us all needlessly. I don t think so, Chantry said stubbornly. They ve just made other plans. After that he had gone outside and sat down. Doriswas going to bed,Earnshaw was shaving. Suddenly Bone McCarthy came out of the darkness, and a moment later, Mobile Callahan. What happened? Bone wondered. They re not around town, Callahan said. I ve been keeping my eyes and ears open. None ofthem s around, and none ofthem s been seen. By morning, if they re still here I ll know where they are. I ve got the kids looking for them. Kids?Here? Page 107 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Sure.There s a couple dozen of them in camp. I got some of them together and promised I d buy them some rock candy if they locate that crowd, and if they re here those kids will find them. They talked for a while, discussing possibilities. Neither McCarthy nor Callahan believed that Sarah and theTalrims would give up. Finally Tom went inside and went to sleep on the sofa in the car s drawing room, with the door locked and a chair under the knob, his pistol beside him. For three days events moved without a hitch. ColonelEnright had the herd loaded and shipped. McCarthy and Chantry, riding wide over the country, located a small herd bound east for Dodge and arranged for purchase at the railhead. On the fourth day they found another herd after learning it was being held on a range north of the river for fattening. Mobileremained in town. He gambled a little, talked a little, listened a lot. Twice he glimpsedHarvey on the street, and Sarah moved into the frame hotel and began makingherself known around the area. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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