without raising his voice. âThatâs just a piece with Tasâs talk about the claybank beinâ bad luck. The sooner you git that sort of nonsense out of your heads the better off youâll be. If thereâs anybody here that donât like my way of doinâ things heâs free to go; but if Iâm givinâ orders, Iâm a givinâ âem. You bring Cherokee in, Latch.â
After Shively left they continued to sit around the burned-out fire. They had shifted their position, however, until Little Bill sat alone. He was aware of it and what it meant. Conversation had died long since. It did not appear to disturb him.
âSo youâve got it all figgered out that Iâm makinâ a mistake, eh?â he queried without warning. âAppears to me itâs about time you boys began to use your heads.â
He spoke without a trace of rancor.
âSome of us reckon thatâs what you ought to be doinâ,â Luther answered.
âThatâs what I am doinâ!â The red-haired oneâs manner was suddenly hard as steel. âLatch will come in mighty handy. There canât be no fault found with him. As for Cherokeeâhe ainât foolinâ me for a second. Heâll double-cross us the first chance he gits.â
âWhat!â several gasped in unison. They couldnât understand him even yet.
âYou mind explaininâ yourself?â Luther asked with a flash of temper.
âIf it needs explaininââno!" Little Bill shot back at him. âA man ainât one thing today and somethinâ else tomorrow, and they donât pal together unless theyâre cut from the same pattern. I know Cherokee and Beaudry used to be mighty thick. I wouldnât have to know anythinâ worse against him to put me on my guard. If you think Iâd trust one any farther than I would the other, youâre plumb crazy Iâ
It left them staring at him in tongue-tied surprise for a moment. Finally Link spoke.
âThen why be yuh invitinâ him in?â he asked.
âHeâs got information we need, thatâs why. If heâs really gunninâ for Beaudry and the Sontags he can tell us a lot. Itâll be up to us to decide whether heâs lyinâ or not ⦠Just be smart enough not to let him know what weâre thinkinâ. Keep your eyes on him right along. The first crooked move he makes will be his last.â
Chapter XII
T HEY had to give Cherokee a hand to get him down from his horse. He thanked them with a grin that showed his even, white teeth. If Latch had apprised him that there was some feeling against him in the camp, he gave no sign of it.
âThat laig is still pretty sore,â he said apologetically.
He was tall and thin enough to be tubercular. His hair and eyes were as black as a ravenâs wing. He claimed to be a quarter blood, but his features were all Indian.
âShuffle up some food for this man, Maverick,â Little Bill suggested.
Cherokee thanked him with another grin and proceeded to roll a cigarette. He did it deftly. There was a catlike suppleness about him that was noticeable even in the movement of his fingers.
âIâve told him a few things,â Latch volunteered. He jerked his head in the Kidâs direction. âHe likes the idee.â
âYeh, I do,â Cherokee drawled without bothering to look up, âspecially if youâre settinâ yourselves for a showdown with certain parties. It runs right along with what Iâve had on my mind for a few months. Iâve been savinâ a place on my gun for a notch or two. Iâve got the gents all picked out, I donât mind tellinâ yuh.â
âI take it youâre referrinâ to Beaudry and Smoke,â Little Bill observed.
âBeaudry and Smoke and the whole damn Sontag bunch!â Cherokee whipped out with sudden viciousness. âI donât forget my
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