"You bet."
"That girl of Clinch's is in real danger if left here alone. But I've
got another job on my hands. Can you keep a watch on her till I
return?"
"Can't you tell me a little more, Jim?"
"I will, later. Do you mind helping me out now?"
"All right."
Trooper Stormont swung out of his saddle and led his horse away toward
the stable.
Hal Smith went into the bar where Clinch stood, oiling a rifle.
"G'wan upstairs," he muttered. "I got a private way on. It's me or
Quintana, now."
"You're going after Quintana?" inquired Smith, carelessly.
"I be. And I want you should git your gun and set up by Evie. And I
want you to kill any living human son of a slut that comes botherin'
around this here hotel."
"I'm going after Quintana with you, Mike."
"B'gosh you ain't. You're a-goin' to keep watch here."
"No. Trooper Stormont has promised to stay with Eve. You'll need every
man to-day, Mike. This isn't a deer drive."
Clinch let his rifle sag across the hollow of his left arm.
"Did you beef to that trooper?" he demanded in his pleasant, misleading
way.
"Do you think I'm crazy?" retorted Smith.
"Well, what the hell----"
"They all know that some man used your girl roughly. That's all I said
to him -- 'keep an eye on Eve until we can get back.' And I tell you,
Mike, if we drive Star Peak we won't be back till long after sundown."