"Jay got his start in Dakota," Ben said. "Worked for a man whose team
ran away and took him over a cliff. Jay took over the contract. In
Idaho he had a partner who was killed in a fall from a trestle. Nobody
ever figured out what he was doing up there in the middle of a snow
storm."
Ben turned away from the table, and the three men exchanged startled
glances. It seemed to Tesno that they were all thinking about the same
thing.
"About the only way you can get a man like Jay is in court," Ben said.
"And then you're likely _not_ to get him. I hate to think of what a
smart lawyer might do to Stella on the stand."
"I vould tell only the truth," Stella said.
"Another thing," Ben said. "You never saw this boiler-wrecker up close,
Jack. How could you swear it was Palma?" He shook his head dismally.
"Fact is, we have precious little on Jerome J. Jay."
"Come, lass." O'Hara held out a hand to Stella. "I'll see you to my
cabin, which is yours for the night. I'll move into the bunkhouse."
"I'll go along," Tesno said. "There's more that I want Stella to tell
me. A whole lot more."
He ate a late supper at the cookhouse and got back to town well after
dark. He went to the hotel, bolted the door of his room, and went to
bed.
Toward midnight, he was awakened by a persistent rapping. It turned out
to be Parris, the hotel owner and town councilman. He helped himself to
a chair and seemed to settle himself for a long talk.
"Just came from a council meeting."
"I figured there'd be one," Tesno said.
"I don't like what's happening," Parris said. He had a loud, harsh
voice. "I don't like wide-open saloons. I don't like gambling. But most
of all, I don't like your barging in like God Almighty and pushing
people around. The town ought to handle its own problems."
Tesno, tousled, sleep-eyed, in his underwear, was in no mood to listen
to complaints. "Willie Silverknife is dead," he growled.
"Yes, and you're likely to be if you try to enforce that noon deadline
you laid down. That's a friendly warning, Tesno, not a threat. They'll
be ready for you tomorrow. Madrid has organized every barkeep and every
gambler in town into what he calls a vigilance committee, and the
council is backing him up. Every man will be armed and waiting for you.
The first violent move you make, they'll drop you. Try Willie's trick
with the dynamite, and they'll kill you before you can light the fuse.
I don't like it and I spoke against it. I don't want any more killing."
"Was Persia at the meeting?" Tesno asked.
"She was not, but I assume she knows what's going on."
"Was Mr. Jay there?"
"Jay? Hell, no. I understand he will run for mayor, which will be a
fine thing. But he has nothing to do with the council now."
"Parris, Jay has been in control of Tunneltown since the beginning.
He's been running it wide open in an effort to put Vickers behind
schedule."
Parris wouldn't believe it, and Tesno was in no mood to argue. Finally,
he opened the door and said, "Stop talking for a while and think. Think
about what I've said. Good night and thanks for the warning."
Parris snorted and walked out. Tesno had no more than blown the lamp
and got into bed when he knocked on the door again.
"I got some siwash here who's been pestering the night clerk," he
called. "Claims he's got business with you. Won't go away."
Tesno got the lamp going and opened the door.
"Hello, Charlie," he said. "You come in, too, Parris."
Charlie came in and looked around the room slowly and unblinking.
Parris followed and closed the door. Charlie decided he would be
comfortable on the bed, smoothed back the covers, and sat down.
"_Nika cooley hyas tsik-tsik_," he said.
"He says he went to the big wagon," Tesno said. "To the boiler."
"I savvy Chinook," Parris said.
"_Mika ko_," Charlie said to Tesno. "You here all a time." He seemed to
consider this a joke.
"You found those dead men," Tesno said.
Charlie grunted. "_Kely tum-tum._ I cry in my heart. Silverknife my
cousin."
"Willie was your cousin?"
Charlie grunted affirmatively. He explained that he had seen Willie
leave town with the prisoners and that he had followed. Willie had
seen him in the distance, hadn't recognized him, and had tried to lose
him by leaving the road. Charlie had seen the tracks leading into the
woods, however, and had followed. Willie had rejoined the road and
Charlie had just reached it when he heard the shots. Not having a gun,
he had hidden in the trees and waited.
"Son of a gun chase horses up and down. Go into trees."
"Who, Charlie?" Tesno demanded.
"_Hyas tyee_," Charlie said. He tapped his chest. "_Chikamin_ star. Big
boss of town. Bright shirt."
"Madrid!" Parris said. "Madrid murdered the three of them!"
"Madrid," Tesno said.