TEN SPOT USES HIS EYES
The crash of Ten Spot's pistols aroused Nellie Hazelton, and she sat up
and stared stupidly about--at Hollis, who was just rising from the
floor; at Ten Spot, who still stood in the doorway; and then at Yuma's
body, stretched out on the floor beside the overturned table. She
shuddered and covered her face with her hands. The next instant Hollis
was bending over her, helping her to her feet, leading her to the door
and assuring her in a low, earnest voice that everything was all right,
and that Yuma would never trouble her again, and that he wanted her to
get on her pony and go to the Circle Bar. She allowed herself to be led
out on the porch, but once there she looked at him with renewed spirit.
"It was you who came first," she said; "I didn't see you, but I heard
Yuma curse, felt something strike him, and then--I must have fainted.
You see, I felt it must be you--I had been expecting you."
As she spoke she seized his hands and pressed them tightly, her eyes
eloquent with thankfulness. "Oh, I am so glad!" she whispered. Then she
saw Ten Spot standing in the doorway and she ran over and seized his
hands also, shaking them hysterically. And Ten Spot stood, red of face,
grinning bashfully at her--like a big, awkward, embarrassed schoolboy.
"That's the first time I've ever been thanked for shootin' anybody!" he
confided to Hollis, later. "An' it cert'nly did feel some strange!"
In spite of Hollis's remonstrances the girl insisted on returning to the
interior of the cabin, to "bundle up her things." Feeling the futility
of further objection, Hollis finally allowed her to enter. But while she
was busy in one of the rooms he and Ten Spot carried Yuma's body
outside, around to the rear of the cabin.
Then, when the girl had finally secured her "things" and they had been
securely tied to her pony, and she had started down the trail toward the
Circle Bar ranch, Hollis and Ten Spot returned to the rear of the cabin,
took up Yuma's body, carried it to a secluded spot at some little
distance from the cabin and there buried it deep and quickly.
"I want to thank you again," said Hollis as he and Ten Spot stood on the
porch when Hollis was ready to depart; "it was a great stroke of luck
that brought you here just when you were needed."
Ten Spot grinned. "I don't think it was just luck that brought me," he
said; "though mebbe it was luck that took me into the Fashion this
morning. Whatever it was, I was in there, an' I heard Dunlavey an' Yuma
cookin' this here deal. I wasn't feelin' entirely ongrateful for the way
you'd treated me after you'd got my gun that day in the _Kicker_
office an' I wasn't intendin' to let happen what Dunlavey wanted to
happen. So I got out of the Fashion as soon as I could an' trailed Yuma.
I've been after him all day, but somehow or other I lost him an' didn't
find out where he'd gone till a little while ago--when I heard a gun go
off. Then I hit the breeze here--after Yuma. That's all. That's how I
come to get here so lucky." He stuck out a hand to Hollis. "Well,
so-long," he said; "I'm hittin' the breeze out of the country." He
stepped forward to his pony, but hesitated when he heard Hollis speak.
"Then you're not going back to the Circle Cross--to work for Dunlavey?"
questioned the latter.
"Well, no," grinned Ten Spot. "You see, it might not be so pleasant now
as it's been. I reckon when Dunlavey hears this he won't be exactly
tickled."
Hollis contemplated him gravely. "So you're going to leave the country?"
he said slowly, his eyes twinkling. "I take it you are not afraid----"
"Don't!" said Ten Spot coldly and sharply. Then he grinned with feline
cordiality. "I reckon I ain't scared of anyone," he said, "but I ain't
likin' to go back to the Circle Cross after puttin' Yuma out of
business. I've done some mean things in my time, but I ain't dealin'
double with no man, an' I couldn't go back to the Circle Cross an' work
for Dunlavey when I ain't sympathizin' with him none."
"I'm shy of good cowhands," offered Hollis quietly. "If forty a month
would be----"
Ten Spot's right hand was suddenly gripping Hollis's. "You've hired a
man, boss!" he said, his eyes alight with pleasure. "Ever since you
clawed me that day in the _Kicker_ office I've had a hankerin' to
work for you. I was wonder in' if you'd ast me. There ain't no damn----"
"Then it's a bargain," laughed Hollis, interrupting. "You can start
right now." He pointed to the ridge upon which he had been riding when
he heard the shot that had brought him to the cabin. "Some of Ed
Hazelton's cattle are in the basin on the other side of that ridge," he
said. "You go over there and keep an eye on them until I can get a
chance to send some one here to help you drive them back up the river
toward the Circle Bar." As he came to the edge of the porch to mount his
pony his gaze fell on Yuma's horse, still hitched to one of the columns.
"What are we going to do with Yuma's horse?" he questioned.
Ten Spot grinned. He walked over to the pony, unhitched it, and with a
vicious slap on the flank sent it loping down the trail toward the
river.
"That'll be my message to Dunlavey that Yuma ain't here any more," he
said grimly.
Hollis mounted and rode a short distance, but halted and turned in the
saddle when he heard Ten Spot call to him.
"Boss," he said with a grin, "I ain't exactly blind, an' mebbe you've
got your eyes with you, too. But I saw that there Hazelton girl lookin'
at you sorta----"
He saw a smile on Hollis's face, but the rest of his speech was drowned
in a clatter of hoofs as the "boss's" pony tore down the Coyote trail.
Then Ten Spot smiled, mounted his pony, and rode away toward the ridge.