The Coyote Part 10

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lamy look hurriedly about and step into the kitchen. He followed him.

Lamy grabbed part of a loaf of bread and some cold meat on a shelf above the kitchen table.

"There's usually a cellar under the main room in these square houses,"

he said, hurrying back into the larger room.

Rathburn stepped after him, and Lamy pulled back the rug before the table and disclosed a trapdoor. He raised the door, held out the food to Rathburn, and whispered: "You better get down there. Take this grub an'----"

"What's the matter? Isn't there room for both of us?" Rathburn put the question in a voice which conveyed surprise.

"I thought it might be better if we--if we didn't both hide in the same place," whispered Lamy. "Then they'd only get one of us, an'

whichever it was they'd think he was the one they wanted, see?" He appeared excited.

Rathburn's eyes narrowed. His right hand darted to his gun in a flash, and the muzzle of the weapon was pressed into Lamy's ribs. "Get down there!" commanded Rathburn. "Get down."

Lamy hesitated with a wild look in his eyes. The muzzle of Rathburn's gun pressed harder against his midriff. He dropped lightly into the cellar. Rathburn pulled the rug against the trapdoor as he followed, then let down the door, certain that the rug would fall into place.

The pair sat upon some gunny sacks in the little cellar until their eyes became accustomed to the darkness; they could dimly see each other by the faint light which came to them through some cracks in the floor above.

They heard steps at the rear of the house; then the pound of hoofs from in front. Rathburn saw Lamy staring at him fixedly with a puzzled look. He frowned at him. Rathburn still held his gun in his hand. Both had forgotten the food which Lamy had in his lap.

"Say," whispered Lamy. "What was your idea in givin' me back my gun?"

He moved closer to get the reply.

"Shut up!" said Rathburn, c.o.c.king an ear toward the trapdoor.

The sound of footsteps now was in the kitchen. They heard horses snorting and men dismounting at the front door. After a brief s.p.a.ce there were light footsteps in the room above followed by the tramp of heavy boots.

"Good morning, ma'am," came a deep voice.

"Good morning," was the hesitating reply. Rathburn recognized the voice of the girl who had fed him.

"Ma'am, I'm Sheriff Neal of San Jacinto County," continued the deep voice, as several feet shuffled slightly. "These men with me are members of my posse. Maybe you know Judge Brown?"

"I--I've seen him," answered the girl.

Rathburn could feel Lamy's knees shaking against him in excitement.

"I believe we've met some time," Brown put in. Rathburn thought the justice's voice sounded tired.

"Ma'am, we're looking for a man--or two men." It was the sheriff speaking again. "Have you seen any one around here this morning--any stranger, or strangers, I mean?"

"Why, no," replied the girl with a breathless catch in her voice. "I haven't seen any one."

"You're sure?"

Rathburn frowned at the sheriff's tone, although he kept his eyes on Lamy's white face.

He smiled as he remembered that the sheriff had mentioned two men.

This doubtless was the cause of Lamy's agitation. Nor did he think Lamy had forgotten that he, Rathburn, had pointed out that he could prove he didn't rob the place in Dry Lake.

"You're sure?" the sheriff asked again.

"Why, yes," replied the girl. "I am sure."

"Maybe she can get us some breakfast," said Brown hopefully.

"Can you feed five men, ma'am?" asked the sheriff in a softer tone.

"Just sit down, and I'll get you some breakfast," said the girl.

The two men in the little cellar could hear some of the men taking chairs and one or two going out to look after the horses. The girl's light footsteps retreated into the kitchen.

Rathburn smiled mysteriously at Lamy who was s.h.i.+vering with a case of nerves.

"I can't understand who that was with him--or following him," came Brown's voice. "Somebody must have seen him getting away and set out on the trail while it was hot."

"Either that or saw him beating it somewheres on the trail east of town an' took after him on suspicion," drawled the sheriff. "'Spect everybody around here has seen those reward notices you put out."

"That's so," said Brown. "I had the right hunch when I got the tip he'd left his Arizona hangout, sheriff. I figured he'd head this way.

Then he had the nerve--well, you know what happened in my office."

The sheriff chuckled. Then he spoke angrily. "He can't pull any of his stunts in my territory," he said growlingly. "I'll hunt him down if I have to put every man I've got on the trail an' keep 'em there. I figure, though," he added hopefully, "that we've got him cornered in or around this valley. We traced 'em here, and we got sight of 'em yesterday. We'll have 'em before night!"

"I hope so," said Brown grimly.

"I've given orders to shoot to kill and not to miss," thundered the sheriff. "But I guess the rewards offered for him would kind of steady the aim of the man that got a crack at him."

Rathburn's face went white, and his eyes shot fire as he listened to the sheriff's cruel laugh in which the others in the room above now joined.

Lamy signaled that he wished to whisper in his ear, and Rathburn bent his head, although he kept the gun handy.

"I'm not goin' to risk shootin' anybody if we should be found or cornered," Lamy whispered. "I thought you ought to know----"

"If we're cornered you leave it to me," Rathburn came back. "I have reasons for everything I'm doing. An' don't forget that I'd rather be grabbed for this simple trick of yours in Dry Lake than for one or two jobs over in Arizona. If things go wrong keep your mouth shut--don't talk! If you start talking any time I'll try to kill you!"

Lamy drew back from the ferocity in Rathburn's tone and manner. That menacing message was again in Rathburn's eyes.

"Who's that boy out there?" the sheriff called sharply.

"Go in and say how-do-you-do," came the girl's voice from the kitchen.

"It's my brother, Frankie."

"Come here, Frankie," said the sheriff.

The pair below heard light footsteps on the floor above.