You had to give the man credit. All he had left was a desperate
bluff--and a steely confidence in himself.
"You know better," Tesno said.
"My information is that this man Palma tried to wreck Vickers' boiler
a few days ago," Mr. Jay said loudly. "You killed his partner. You
were trailing him. You and Pinky Bronklin were old enemies. Willie
Silverknife wanted these men alive. Did you want them dead, Mr. Tesno?"
"I'll have my proof when I need it," Tesno muttered.
"I have no authority yet," Mr. Jay went on. "But let me warn you.
Keep out of the town and its affairs. If I hear of any more of your
blustering and bullying here, I'll insist that the marshal stop it."
Tesno grinned and gave a little toss of his head. He understood that
Mr. Jay was offering a challenge rather than a warning.
"I'm going to close your town down tight, Mr. Jay," he said.
He backed his horse from between the wagons and jogged down the street
to the Silver Slipper. He tied the horse and went in, knowing that
Madrid and Jay were watching.
The proprietor, who was a member of the town council, was sitting in a
poker game. Tesno stood behind him till a hand was finished.
"You want something?" the saloonkeeper asked testily. He was a bald man
with a vacant, puppy-dog face.
"I'm closing the Silver Slipper," Tesno said mildly. "You have until
tomorrow noon to move out."
"You're _what_?"
"I'm not going to argue about it. Get your stock out by then or it will
be smashed."
The man spread his hands and looked appealing at the others at the
table. He turned his eyes up to Tesno again and said, "Look, I've got a
territorial license. You can't--"
"Tomorrow noon."
Tesno pivoted and walked out. He rode up the street toward the Big
Barrel, passing the marshal's office again. The freight wagons had
moved on, but a little crowd was still there. Mr. Jay stood in the
doorway of the office.
Tesno delivered similar ultimatums to the proprietors of the Big Barrel
and the Western Star. Then he rode to the townhouse.
He dismounted at the back of the building and entered the kitchen.
Stella was sitting at the table, staring vacantly at the raw materials
for dinner. The news of Willie's death had already reached her.
"I was too late," Tesno said.
"He vas a decent man," Stella said, speaking very slowly. "Maybe a
little crazy, like they say, but decent."
"Stella, I want you to come with me."
"Mrs. Parker says I am not to leave the house. I am scared by the vay
she said it."
"You're leaving right now," he said. "We'll send somebody for your
things later."
She took his hand dazedly, and he led her outside. He mounted his
horse, swung her up behind the saddle, and took her straight to
Vickers' camp.
Keef O'Hara was with Ben Vickers in his cabin. They had just heard of
Willie's murder and were full of angry questions. They nodded politely
to Stella, not guessing the purpose of her presence and plainly
considering it an intrusion. Tesno held a chair for her and explained.
"Ben, I want you to put her up here at the camp. She isn't safe in
town."
"Here?" Ben said doubtfully. "There isn't a woman in camp. We have no
suitable place."
"Then make one, Ben. She heard Jay and Madrid planning to kill Willie."