"Your boy saw you."
The ranchman's voice was harsh as he said: "Look here, my friend,
you're on the wrong track. The fellow I was with had nothing to do with
this affair. Would you know your man? Did you get a look at him?"
"No. But I reckon Don Ricardo could tell his horse."
"Humph!" Austin grunted, disagreeably. "So just for that you come
prowling around threatening my help, eh? Trying to frame up a case,
maybe? Well, it don't go. I was out with one of Tad Lewis's men."
"What was his name?" Dave managed to inquire.
"Urbina. He had a sorrel under him, but there are thousands of sorrel
horses."
"What time did you meet him?"
"I met him at noon and--I've been with him ever since. So you see
you're wrong. I presume your man doubled back and is laughing at you."
Law's first bewilderment had given place to a black rage; for the
moment he was in danger of disregarding the reason for "Young Ed's"
incivility and giving free rein to his passion, but he checked himself
in time.
"Would you mind telling me what you and this Urbina were doing?" he
inquired, harshly.
Austin laughed mockingly. "That's my business." said he.
Dave moistened his lips. He hitched his shoulders nervously. He was
astonished at his own self-control, though the certainty that Austin
was drunk helped him to steady himself. Nevertheless, he dared not
trust himself to speak.
Construing this silence as an acknowledgment of defeat, Ed turned to
go. Some tardy sense of duty, however, prompted him to fling back,
carelessly:
"I suppose you've come a good ways. If you're hungry, Benito will show
you the way to the kitchen." Then he walked away into the darkness,
followed by the shocked gaze of his range boss.
Benito roused himself from his amazement to say, warmly: "Si, compadre.
You will enjoy a cup of hot coffee."
But Law ground out fiercely: "I'm not used to kitchen hand-outs. I
reckon I can chew my bridle-reins if I get too hungry." Walking to his
horse, he vaulted into the saddle.
Benito laid a hand upon his thigh and apologized. "Señor Ed is a
strange man. He is often like this, lately. You understand me? Will you
come to my house for supper?"
"Thank you, but I think I'll ride on to Tad Lewis's and see Urbina."
At this the Mexican shook his head as if apprehensive of the result,
but he said nothing more.
Law hesitated as he was about to spur out of the yard. "By the way," he
ventured, "you needn't mention this to Mrs. Austin."
"She is not here," Gonzalez told him. "She has gone to La Feria to see
about her affairs. She would not permit of this occurrence if she were
at home. She is a very fine lady."
"Yes. Good night, Benito."
"Good night, señor."
When the Ranger had gone, Gonzalez walked slowly toward his house with
his head bowed thoughtfully.
"It is very strange," he muttered. "How could Don Eduardo have met this
Garza at noon when, with my own eyes, I saw him ride away from Las
Palmas at three o'clock in the afternoon? It is very strange."