Let his future be what it might, Jack Keith would never again forget
the girl who held the door open for his passage with one hand, her other
clasped in his. Interested before, yet forcing himself into indifference
now that he knew who she really was, the man made full surrender. It was
a struggle that kept him from clasping the slender figure in his arms,
and pouring forth the words of tenderness which he sternly choked back.
This was neither the time, nor the place, yet his eyes must have spoken,
for Hope's glance fell, and her cheeks grew crimson.
“I do not need to pledge you to return this time, do I?” she questioned,
her voice trembling.
“No,” he answered, “nor any time again.”
The hall was deserted, but a few men loitered in the office. Keith
recognized none of the faces, and did not stop to make any inquiries of
the clerk. It was growing dark, the lights already burning, and from
the plashing of drops on the window, it must be raining outside. Hawley
would surely have ended his call upon Miss Maclaire long before this,
and left the hotel. However interesting his communication might have
proven, she must fill her evening engagement at the Trocadero, and would
require time for supper and rest. As to the result of that interview
there could be little doubt. Providing the gambler possessed the proper
papers he would have small difficulty in convincing the girl that she
was indeed the one sought. Keith had probed sufficiently into her mind
to feel assured that her inclination was to side with Hawley. Under all
the circumstances this was natural enough, and he did not blame her.
He glanced into the bar-room as he passed, not in any anticipation, but
merely from the vigilance which becomes second nature upon the frontier.
Hawley stood leaning against the bar, where he could see anyone passing
through the hall. The eyes of the two men met, but the gambler never
moved, never changed his attitude, although Keith noted that his right
hand was hidden beneath the skirts of his long coat. The plainsman drew
back, facing his enemy, until he reached the outer door. There was a
sneer on Hawley's dark sinister face like an invitation, but a memory of
the girl he had just left, and her dependence upon him, caused Keith to
avoid an encounter. He would fight this affair out in a different way.
As the door opened and he slipped forth into the gloom, he brushed
against a man apparently just entering. The gleam of light fell for
an instant upon the face of the other--it was Scotty with the red
moustache.
They had been watching for him then--what for? Hawley on the inside,
and this man Scott without, were waiting to determine when he left the
hotel; would probably dog his footsteps to discover where he went. Keith
loosened his revolver, so as to be assured he could draw quickly, and
slipped back into the shadow of the steps, his eyes on the door of
the hotel. There was a cold, drizzly rain falling, the streets almost
deserted, appearing sodden and miserable where the lights shone forth
through saloon windows. One or two men, seeking supper, coat collars
turned up and hats drawn low over their eyes, climbed the rickety steps
and went in, but no one came out. Perhaps he was mistaken as to the
purpose of those fellows; they may have desired merely to know when he
left, or Scott's return just at that moment might have been an accident.
To be sure, the hotel possessed a back exit, but he could not cover
both ends of the building, and must take his chances. It was too wet and
disagreeable to remain crouched there, now that it was evident there
was no intention of following him. With hand on the butt of his gun,
suspicious and watchful, yet with scarcely a faster beat to his heart,
Keith straightened up, and began splashing his way through the mud down
the street. He knew where Willoughby would be most likely found at this
hour--with cronies at the “Tenderfoot”--and he meant to discover the
boy, and make him confess to Hope the truth. Matters had now reached a
point where longer delay was dangerous.
Sheridan was seemingly dead, the long street silent, gloomy, black,
except for those streams of saloon light shining across pools of water.
He stumbled over the irregular ground, occasionally striking patches of
wooden sidewalk or a strip of cinders. Here and there a tent flapped
in the wind, which drove the drizzle into his face; somewhere ahead a
swinging sign moaned as if in agony. A few wanderers ploughed through
the muck, dim uncertain shapes appearing and vanishing in the gloom. He
had gone a block and over, the struggle against the elements leaving him
forgetful of all else, when a man reeled out of some dimly lit shack
to his right, and staggered drunkenly forward a few feet in advance. He
could barely distinguish the fellow's outlines, giving little thought to
the occurrence, for the way was unusually black along there, the saloon
opposite having shades drawn. Suddenly a flash of red fire spurted into
the night, with a sharp report. It was so close at hand it blinded him,
and he flung up one arm over his eyes, and yet, in that single instant,
he perceived the whole picture as revealed by the red flame. He saw
the man in front go down in a heap, the projection of the building from
behind which the shot came, the end of a wagon sticking forth into the
street which had concealed the assassin. The blinding flash, the shock
of that sudden discharge, for a moment held him motionless; then he
leaped forward, revolver in hand, sprang around the end of the wagon,
and rushed down the dark alley between two buildings. He could see
nothing, but someone was running recklessly ahead of him, and he fired
in the direction of the sound, the leaping spurt of flame yielding a dim
outline of the fugitive. Three times he pressed the trigger; then there
was nothing to shoot at--the fellow had faded away into the black void
of prairie. Keith stood there baffled, staring about into the gloom, the
smoking revolver in his hand. The sound of men's voices behind was all
that reached him, and feeling the uselessness of further pursuit, he
retraced his way back through the narrow passage.
A group was gathered about the body in the rain, a single lantern
glimmering. Two or three men had started down the passageway, and Keith
met them, revolvers drawn and suspicious.
“Who are you?” snapped one sharply. “Were you doing all that shooting
yonder?”
Keith recognized the voice, thankful that he did so.
“I fired at the fellow, but he got away onto the prairie. I reckon you
couldn't have done any better, Bill.”
“Jack Keith!” and Hickock's voice had a new tone, his hand dropping on
the other's shoulder. “Never was gladder to meet a fellow in my life.
Boys, this is an old deputy of mine down in Dodge. When he gives up
chasin' a murderer there isn't much use our tryin'. Let's go back, and
find out how bad the fellow is hurt. While we're feelin' our way, Jack,
you might tell us what you know about this affair.”
“It was just the flash of a gun, and the man dropped,” Keith explained,
briefly. “I was ten or a dozen feet behind, and the fellow fired from
under the wagon there. He must have been laying for some one--I reckon,
maybe, it was me.”
“You? Then it's likely you have some notion who he was?”
“Well, if I have, Bill,” and Keith's lips were set tight, “I'm not
liable to tell you. If it's the lad I think likely, I'll attend to the
case myself. You understand--this is my personal affair.”
Hickock nodded, his hand again pressing the other's shoulder
“Sure, Jack, if you feel that way. There's enough in Sheridan to keep a
marshal reasonably busy, without dippin' into private matters. I rather
reckon you can take care of yourself, but if you need me, old boy I'm
always right here on the job. You know that.”
“I do, Bill, and appreciate it.”
The group about the motionless body fell away, and made room for the
marshal, the last man to rise saying soberly:
“He's dead all right, Hickock. I guess he never knew what hit him. Good
shootin', too, dark as it is here.”
“Had the range fixed, likely,” returned the marshal. “That's what makes
it look like it was arranged for.”
He bent down, striving to distinguish the dead man's features turned up
to the drizzle, but the night revealed the faintest outline.
“Anybody know him?” There was no response, only a shuffling of feet in
the mud. “Here you man with the lantern, hold it over where I can see.
There, that is better. Now, you fellows take a look, and see if some of
you can't name the poor devil.”
They glanced down, one after the other, over Bill's shoulder, shading
their eyes from the rain so as to see clearer. The light of the
flickering lantern streamed full on the ghastly face, but each man shook
his head, and passed on. Keith hung back, hoping some one would identify
the body, and not make it necessary for him to take part in the grewsome
task. It was not likely to be any one he knew, and besides, he felt
the man had died in his stead, and he dreaded to look upon the stricken
face. When the last of the group had drifted back out of the radius of
light, Hickock looked up, and saw him.
“Here, Jack,” he said, gravely, “you better try--you might know him.”
Keith bent over, and looked down. As he did so his heart seemed to rise
choking into his throat, and a blur obscured his sight. He swept a hand
over his eyes and dropped on his knees into the mud beside the body,
staring speechless into the white face, the sightless eyes. Hickock
watching him closely, and gripped his arm.
“What is it? Do you know him?”
“My God, yes; Fred Willoughby!”