The Untamed - Max Brand
Dan was laughing low--a sound like a croon.
"Tex," he said, "I'm goin' to take him alive for you!"
As if in answer the dying man stirred on the floor. Haines went for
his gun, a move almost as lightning swift as that of Jim Silent, but
now far, far too late. The revolver was hardly clear of its holster
when Whistling Dan's weapon spoke. Haines, with a curse, clapped his
left hand over his wounded right forearm, and then reached after his
weapon as it clattered to the floor. Once more he was too late. Dan
tossed his gun away with a snarl like the growl of a wolf; cleared the
table at a leap, and was at Haines's throat. The bandit fought back
desperately, vainly. One instant they struggled erect, swaying, the
next Haines was lifted bodily, and hurled to the floor. He writhed,
but under those prisoning hands he was helpless.
The sheriff headed the rush for the scene of the struggle, but Dan
stopped them.
"All you c'n do," he said, "is to bring me a piece of rope."
Jacqueline came running with a stout piece of twine which he twisted
around the wrists of Haines. Then he jerked the outlaw to his feet,
and stood close, his face inhumanly pale.
"If he dies," he said, pointing with a stiff arm back at the prostrate
figure of Tex Calder, "you--you'll burn alive for it!"
The sheriff and two of the other men turned the body of Calder on his
back. They tore open his shirt, and Jacqueline leaned over him with
a basin of water trying to wipe away the ever recurrent blood which
trickled down his breast. Dan brushed them away and caught the head of
his companion in his arms.
"Tex!" he moaned, "Tex! Open your eyes, partner, I got him for you. I
got him alive for you to look at him! Wake up!"
As if in obedience to the summons the eyes of Calder opened wide. The
lids fluttered as if to clear his vision, but even then his gaze was
filmed with a telltale shadow.
"Dan--Whistling Dan," he said, "I'm seeing you a long, long ways off.
Partner, I'm done for."
The whole body of Dan stiffened.
"Done? Tex, you can't be! Five minutes ago you sat at that there
table, smilin' an' talkin'!"
"It doesn't take five minutes. Half a second can take a man all the
way to hell!"
"If you're goin', pal, if you goin', Tex, take one comfort along with
you! I got the man who killed you! Come here!"
He pulled the outlaw to his knees beside the dying marshal whose face
had lighted wonderfully. He strained his eyes painfully to make out
the face of his slayer. Then he turned his head.
He said: "The man who killed me was Jim Silent."
Dan groaned and leaned close to Calder.
"Then I'll follow him to the end--" he began.
The feeble accent of Calder interrupted him.
"Not that way. Come close to me. I can't hear my own voice, hardly."
Dan bowed his head. A whisper murmured on for a moment, broken here
and there as Dan nodded his head and said, "Yes!"
"Then hold up your hand, your right hand," said Calder at last,
audibly.
Dan obeyed.
"You swear it?"
"So help me God!"
"Then here's the pledge of it!"
Calder fumbled inside his shirt for a moment, and then withdrawing his
hand placed it palm down in that of Dan. The breath of the marshal was
coming in a rattling gasp.
He said very faintly: "I've stopped the trails of twenty men. It took
the greatest of them all to get me. He got me fair. He beat me to the
draw!"
He stopped as if in awe.
"He played square--he's a better man than I. Dan, when you get him,
do it the same way--face to face--with time for him to think of hell
before he gets there. Partner, I'm going. Wish me luck."
"Tex--partner--good luck!"
It seemed as if that parting wish was granted, for Calder died with a
smile.
When Dan rose slowly Gus Morris stepped up and laid a hand on his
arm: "Look here, there ain't no use of bein' sad for Tex Calder. His
business was killin' men, an' his own time was overdue."
Dan turned a face that made Morris wince.
"What's the matter?" he asked, with an attempt at bluff good nature.
"Do you hate everyone because one man is dead? I'll tell you what I'll
do. I'll loan you a buckboard an' a pair of hosses to take Tex back to
Elkhead. As for this feller Haines, I'll take care of him."
"I sure need a buckboard," said Dan slowly, "but I'll get the loan
from a--white man!"
He turned his back sharply on the sheriff and asked if any one else
had a wagon they could lend him. One of the men had stopped at
Morris's place on his way to Elkhead. He immediately proposed that
they make the trip together.
"All right," said Morris carelessly. "I won't pick trouble with a
crazy man. Come with me, Haines."
He turned to leave the room.
"Wait!" said Dan.
Haines stopped as though someone had seized him by the shoulder.
"What the devil is this now?" asked Morris furiously. "Stranger, d'you
think you c'n run the world? Come on with me, Haines!"
"He stays with me," said Dan.
"By God," began Morris, "if I thought--"
"This ain't no place for you to begin thinkin'," said the man who had
offered his buckboard to Dan. "This feller made the capture an' he's
got the right to take him into Elkhead if he wants. They's a reward on
the head of Lee Haines."
"The arrest is made in my county," said Morris stoutly, "an' I've got
the say as to what's to be done with a prisoner."
"Morris," said Haines earnestly, "if I'm taken to Elkhead it'll be
simply a matter of lynching. You know the crowd in that town."
"Right--right," said Morris, eagerly picking up the word. "It'd be
plain lynchin'--murder--"
Dan broke in: "Haines, step over here behind me!"
For one instant Haines hesitated, and then obeyed silently.
"This is contempt of the law and an officer of the law," said Morris.
"An" I'll see that you get fined so that--"
"Better cut it short there, sheriff," said one of the men. "I wouldn't
go callin' the attention of folks to the way Jim Silent walked into
your own house an' made his getaway without you tryin' to raise a
hand. Law or no law, I'm with this stranger."
"Me too," said another; "any man who can fan a gun like him don't need
no law."
The sheriff saw that the tide of opinion had set strongly against him
and abandoned his position with speed if not with grace. Dan ordered
Haines to walk before him outside the house. They faced each other in
the dim moonlight.
"I've got one question to ask you," he said.
"Make it short," said Haines calmly. "I've got to do my talking before
the lynching crowd."
"You can answer it in one word. Does Kate Cumberland--what is she to
you?"
Lee Haines set his teeth.
"All the world," he said.
Even in the dim light he saw the yellow glow of Dan's eyes and he
felt as if a wolf stood there trembling with eagerness to leap at his
throat.
"An' what are you to her?"
"No more than the dirt under her feet!"
"Haines, you lie!"
"I tell you that if she cared for me as much as she does for the horse
she rides on, I'd let the whole world know if I had to die for it the
next moment."
Truth has a ring of its own.
"Haines, if I could hear that from her own lips, I'd let you go free.
If you'll show me the way to Kate, I'll set you loose the minute I see
her."
"I can't do it. I've given my faith to Silent and his men. Where she
is, they are."
"Haines, that means death for you."
"I know it."
Another plan had come to Dan as they talked. He took Haines inside
again and coming out once more, whistled for Bart. The wolf appeared
as if by magic through the dark. He took out Kate's glove, which the
wolf had brought to him in the willows, and allowed him to smell it.
Bart whined eagerly. If he had that glove he would range the hills
until he found its owner, directed to her by that strange instinct
of the wild things. If Kate still loved him the glove would be more
eloquent than a thousand messages. And if she managed to escape, the
wolf would guide her back to his master.
He sat on his heels, caught the wolf on either side of the shaggy
head, and stared into the glow of the yellow green eyes. It was as if
the man were speaking to the wolf.
At last, as if satisfied, he drew a deep breath, rose, and dropped the
glove. It was caught in the flashing teeth. For another moment Bart
stood whining and staring up to the face of his master. Then he
whirled and fled out into the night.
CHAPTER XXI
ONE WAY OUT
In a room of the Salton place, on the evening of the next day after
Calder's death, sat Silent, with Kilduff, Rhinehart, and Jordan about
him. Purvis was out scouting for the news of Haines, whose long
absence commenced to worry the gang. Several times they tried to
induce Kate to come out and talk with them, but she was resolute
in staying alone in the room which they had assigned to her.
Consequently, to while away the time, Bill Kilduff produced his mouth
organ and commenced a dolorous ballad. He broke short in the midst of
it and stared at the door. The others followed the direction of his
eyes and saw Black Bart standing framed against the fading daylight.
They started up with curses; Rhinehart drew his gun.
"Wait a minute," ordered Silent.
"Damn it!" exclaimed Jordan, "don't you see Whistling Dan's wolf? If
the wolf's here, Dan isn't far behind."
Silent shook his head.
"If there's goin' to be any shootin' of that wolf leave it to Hal
Purvis. He's jest nacherally set his heart on it. An' Whistlin' Dan
ain't with the wolf. Look! there's a woman's glove hangin' out of his
mouth. He picked that up in the willows, maybe, an' followed the girl
here. Watch him!"
The wolf slunk across the room to the door which opened on Kate's
apartment. Kate threw the door open--cried out at the sight of
Bart--and then snatched up the glove he let drop at her feet.
"No cause for gettin' excited," said Silent. "Whistlin' Dan ain't
comin' here after the wolf."
For answer she slammed the door.
At the same moment Hal Purvis entered. He stepped directly to Silent,
and stood facing him with his hands resting on his hips. His smile was
marvellously unpleasant.
"Well," said the chief, "what's the news? You got eloquent eyes, Hal,
but I want words."
"The news is plain hell," said Purvis, "Haines--"
"What of him?"
"He's in Elkhead!"
"Elkhead?"
"Whistling Dan got him at Morris's place and took him in along with
the body of Tex Calder. Jim, you got to answer for it to all of us.
You went to Morris's with Lee. You come away without him and let him
stay behind to be nabbed by that devil Whistlin' Dan."
"Right," said Kilduff, and his teeth clicked. "Is that playin' fair?"
"Boys," said Silent solemnly, "if I had knowed that Whistlin' Dan was
there, I'd of never left Haines to stay behind. Morris said nothin'
about Calder havin' a runnin' mate. Me an' Haines was in the upstairs
room an' about suppertime up came a feller an' told us that Tex Calder
had jest come into the dinin'-room. That was all. Did Whistlin' Dan
get Lee from behind?"
"He got him from the front. He beat Lee to the draw so bad that Haines
hardly got his gun out of its leather!"
"The feller that told you that lied," said Silent. "Haines is as fast
with his shootin' iron as I am--almost!"
The rest of the outlaws nodded to each other significantly.
Purvis went on without heeding the interruption. "After I found out
about the fight I swung towards Elkhead. About five miles out of town
I met up with Rogers, the deputy sheriff at Elkhead. I thought you had
him fixed for us, Jim?"
"Damn his hide, I did. Is he playing us dirt now?"
"A frosty mornin' in December was nothin' to the way he talked."
"Cut all that short," said Rhinehart, "an' let's know if Rogers is
goin' to be able to keep the lynching party away from Haines!"
"He says he thinks it c'n be done for a couple of days," said Purvis,
"but the whole range is risin'. All the punchers are ridin' into
Elkhead an' wantin' to take a look at the famous Lee Haines. Rogers
says that when enough of 'em get together they'll take the law in
their own hands an' nothin' can stop 'em then."
"Why don't the rotten dog give Haines a chance to make a getaway?"
asked Silent. "Ain't we paid him his share ever since we started
workin' these parts?"
"He don't dare take the chance," said Purvis. "He says the boys are
talkin' mighty strong. They want action. They've put up a guard all
around the jail an' they say that if Haines gets loose they'll string
up Rogers. Everyone's wild about the killin' of Calder. Jim, ol'
Saunderson, he's put up five thousand out of his own pocket to raise
the price on your head!"
"An' this Whistlin' Dan," said Silent. "I s'pose they're makin' a hero
out of him?"
"Rogers says every man within ten miles is talkin' about him. The
whole range'll know of him in two days. He made a nice play when he
got in. You know they's five thousand out on Haines's head. It was
offered to him by Rogers as soon as Dan brought Lee in. What d'you
think he done? Pocketed the cheque? No, he grabbed it, an' tore it up
small: 'I ain't after no blood money,' he says."
"No," said Silent. "He ain't after no money--he's after me!"
"Tomorrow they bury Calder. The next day Whistlin' Dan'll be on our
trail again--an' he'll be playin' the same lone hand. Rogers offered
him a posse. He wouldn't take it."
"They's one pint that ain't no nearer bein' solved," said Bill Kilduff
in a growl, "an' that's how you're goin' to get Haines loose. Silent,
it's up to you. Which you rode away leavin' him behind."
Silent took one glance around that waiting circle. Then he nodded.
"It's up to me. Gimme a chance to think."
He started walking up and down the room, muttering. At last he stopped
short.
"Boys, it can be done! They's nothin' like talkin' of a woman to make
a man turn himself into a plumb fool, an' I'm goin' to make a fool out
of Whistlin' Dan with this girl Kate!"
"But how in the name of God c'n you make her go out an' talk to him?"
said Rhinehart.
"Son," answered Silent, "they's jest one main trouble with you--you
talk a hell of a pile too much. When I've done this I'll tell you how
it was figgered out!"
CHAPTER XXII
THE WOMAN'S WAY
It was a day later, in the morning, that a hand knocked at Kate's door
and she opened it to Jim Silent. He entered, brushing off the dust of
a long journey.
"Good-mornin', Miss Cumberland."
He extended a hand which she overlooked.
"You still busy hatin' me?"
"I'm simply--surprised that you have come in here to talk to me."
"You look as if you seen somethin' in my face?" he said suspiciously.
"What is it? Dirt?"
He brushed a hand across his forehead.
"Whatever it is," she answered, "you can't rub it away."
"I'm thinkin' of givin' you a leave of absence--if you'll promise to
come back."
"Would you trust my honour?"
"In a pinch like this," he said amiably, "I would. But here's my
business. Lee Haines is jailed in Elkhead. The man that put him behind
the bars an' the only one that can take him out agin is Whistlin' Dan.
An' the one person who can make Dan set Lee loose is you. Savvy? Will
you go an' talk with Dan? This wolf of his would find him for you."
She shook her head.
"Why not?" cried Silent in a rising voice.
"The last time he saw me," she said, "he had reason to think that I
tried to betray him because of Lee Haines. If I went to him now to
plead for Haines he'd be sure that I was what he called me--Delilah!"
"Is that final?"
"Absolutely!"
"Now get me straight. They's a crowd of cowpunchers gatherin' in
Elkhead, an' today or tomorrow they'll be strong enough to take the
law into their own hands and organize a little lynchin' bee, savvy?"
She shuddered.
"It ain't pleasant, is it, the picture of big, good-lookin' Lee
danglin' from the end of a rope with the crowd aroun' takin' pot-shots
at him? No, it ain't, an' you're goin' to stop it. You're goin' to
start from here in fifteen minutes with your hoss an' this wolf, after
givin' me your promise to come back when you've seen Whistlin' Dan.
You're goin' to make Dan go an' set Lee loose."
She smiled in derision.
"If Dan did that he'd be outlawed."
"You won't stir?"
"Not a step!"
"Well, kid, for everything that happens to Lee somethin' worse will
happen to someone in the next room. Maybe you'd like to see him?"
He opened the door and she stepped into the entrance. Almost opposite
her sat old Joe Cumberland with his hands tied securely behind his
back. At sight of her he rose with a low cry. She turned on big Silent
and whipped the six-gun from his hip. He barely managed to grasp her
wrist and swing the heavy revolver out of line with his body.
"You little fiend," he snarled, "drop the gun, or I'll wring your
neck."
"I don't fear you," she said, never wincing under the crushing grip on
her wrists, "you murderer!"
He said, calmly repossessing himself of his gun, "Now take a long look
at your father an' repeat all the things you was just saying' to me."
She stared miserably at her father. When Silent caught Kate's hand
Cumberland had started forward, but Kilduff and Rhinehart held him.
"What is it, Kate," he cried. "What does it mean?"
She explained it briefly: "This is Jim Silent!"
He remained staring at her with open mouth as if his brain refused to
admit what his ear heard.
"There ain't no use askin' questions how an' why she's here," said
Silent. "This is the pint. Lee Haines is behind the bars in Elkhead.
Whistlin' Dan put him there an' maybe the girl c'n persuade Dan to
bring him out again. If she don't--then everything the lynchin' gang
does to Haines we're goin' to do to you. Git down on your ol' knees,
Cumberland, an' beg your daughter to save your hide!"
The head of Kate dropped down.
"Untie his hands," she said. "I'll talk with Dan."
"I knew you'd see reason," grinned Silent.
"Jest one minute," said Cumberland. "Kate, is Lee Haines one of
Silent's gang?"
"He is."
"An' Dan put him behind the bars?"
"Yes."
"If Dan takes him out again the boy'll be outlawed, Kate."
"Cumberland," broke in Kilduff savagely, "here's your call to stop
thinkin' about Whistlin' Dan an' begin figgerin' for yourself."
"Don't you see?" said Kate, "it's your death these cowards mean."
Cumberland seemed to grow taller, he stood so stiffly erect with his
chin high like a soldier.
"You shan't make no single step to talk with Dan!"
"Can't you understand that it's _you_ they threaten?" she cried.
"I understan' it all," he said evenly. "I'm too old to have a young
man damned for my sake."
"Shut him up!" ordered Silent. "The old fool!"
The heavy hand of Terry Jordan clapped over Joe's mouth effectually
silenced him. He struggled vainly to speak again and Kate turned to
Silent to shut out the sight.
"Tell your man to let him go," she said, "I will do what you wish."
"That's talkin' sense," said Silent. "Come out with me an' I'll saddle
your hoss. Call the wolf."
He opened the door and in response to her whistle Black Bart trotted
out and followed them out to the horse shed. There the outlaw quickly
saddled Kate's pony.
He said: "Whistlin' Dan is sure headin' back in this direction because
he's got an idea I'm somewhere near. Bart will find him on the way."
Silent was right. That morning Dan had started back towards Gus
Morris's place, for he was sure that the outlaws were camped in that
neighbourhood. A little before noon he veered half a mile to the right
towards a spring which welled out from a hillside, surrounded by a
small grove of willows. Having found it, he drank, and watered Satan,
then took off the saddle to ease the stallion, and lay down at a
little distance for a ten-minute siesta, one of those half wakeful
sleeps the habit of which he had learned from his wolf.
He was roused from the doze by a tremendous snorting and snarling and
found Black Bart playing with Satan. It was their greeting after
an absence, and they dashed about among the willows like creatures
possessed. Dan brought horse and dog to a motionless stand with a
single whistle, and then ran out to the edge of the willows. Down the
side of the hill rode Kate at a brisk gallop. In a moment she saw him
and called his name, with a welcoming wave of her arm. Now she was off
her horse and running to him. He caught her hands and held her for
an instant far from him like one striving to draw out the note of
happiness into a song. They could not speak.
At last: "I knew you'd find a way to come."
"They let me go, Dan."
He frowned, and her eyes faltered from his.
"They sent me to you to ask you--to free Lee Haines!"
He dropped her hands, and she stood trying to find words to explain,
and finding none.
"To free Haines?" he repeated heavily.
"It is Dad," she cried. "They have captured him, and they are holding
him. They keep him in exchange for Haines."
"If I free Haines they'll outlaw me. You know that, Kate?"
She made a pace towards him, but he retreated.
"What can I do?" she pleaded desperately. "It is for my father--"
His face brightened as he caught at a new hope.
"Show me the way to Silent's hiding place and I'll free your father
an' reach the end of this trail at the same time, Kate!"
She blenched pitifully. It was hopeless to explain.
"Dan--honey--I can't!"
She watched him miserably.
"I've given them my word to come back alone."
His head bowed. Out of the willows came Satan and Black Bart and stood
beside him, the stallion nosing his shoulder affectionately.
"Dan, dear, won't you speak to me? Won't you tell me that you try to
understand?"
He said at last: "Yes. I'll free Lee Haines."
The fingers of his right hand trailed slowly across the head of Black
Bart. His eyes raised and looked past her far across the running
curves of the hills, far away to the misty horizon.
"Kate--"
"Dan, you _do_ understand?"
"I didn't know a woman could love a man the way you do Lee Haines.
When I send him back to you tell him to watch himself. I'm playin'
your game now, but if I meet him afterwards, I'll play my own."
All she could say was: "Will you listen to me no more, Dan?"
"Here's where we say good-bye."
He took her hand and his eyes were as unfathomable as a midnight sky.
She turned to her horse and he helped her to the saddle with a steady
hand.
That was all. He went back to the willows, his right arm resting on
the withers of Black Satan as if upon the shoulder of a friend. As she
reached the top of the hill she heard a whistling from the willows, a
haunting complaint which brought the tears to her eyes. She spurred
her tired horse to escape the sound.
CHAPTER XXIII
HELL STARTS
Between twilight and dark Whistling Dan entered Elkhead. He rose in
the stirrups, on his toes, stretching the muscles of his legs. He was
sensing his strength. So the pianist before he plays runs his fingers
up and down the keys and sees that all is in tune and the touch
perfect.
Two rival saloons faced each other at the end of the single street.
At the other extremity of the lane stood the house of deputy sheriff
Rogers, and a little farther was the jail. A crowd of horses stood in
front of each saloon, but from the throngs within there came hardly a
sound. The hush was prophetic of action; it was the lull before the
storm. Dan slowed his horse as he went farther down the street.
The shadowy figure of a rider showed near the jail. He narrowed his
eyes and looked more closely. Another, another, another horseman
showed--four in sight on his side of the jail and probably as many
more out of his vision. Eight cattlemen guarded the place from which
he must take Lee Haines, and every one of the eight, he had no doubt,
was a picked man. Dan pulled up Satan to a walk and commenced to
whistle softly. It was like one of those sounds of the wind, a thing
to guess at rather than to know, but the effect upon Satan and Black
Bart was startling.
The ears of the stallion dropped flat on his neck. He began to slink
along with a gliding step which was very like the stealthy pace of
Black Bart, stealing ahead. His footfall was as silent as if he had
been shod with felt. Meantime Dan ran over a plan of action. He saw
very clearly that he had little time for action. Those motionless
guards around the jail made his task difficult enough, but there was a
still greater danger. The crowds in the two saloons would be starting
up the street for Haines before long. Their silence told him that.
A clatter of hoofs came behind him. He did not turn his head, but his
hand dropped down to his revolver butt. The fast riding horseman swept
and shot on down the street, leaving a pungent though invisible cloud
of dust behind him. He stopped in front of Rogers's house and darted
up the steps and through the door. Acting upon a premonition, Dan
dismounted a short distance from Rogers's house and ran to the door.
He opened it softly and found himself in a narrow hall dimly lighted
by a smoking lamp. Voices came from the room to his right.
"What d'you mean, Hardy?" the deputy sheriff was saying.
"Hell's startin'!"
"There's a good many kinds of hell. Come out with it, Lee. I ain't no
mind reader."
"They're gettin' ready for the big bust!"
"What big bust?"
"It ain't no use bluffin'. Ain't Silent told you that I'm on the
inside of the game?"