gun."
"Where's Burnett?" Robeck demanded.
"Back of that door. I figure he's hurt. Leastwise that's what Talon here figure d out."
Robeck grinned at Talon. "I hope you try for that gun," he said. "I don't like you , much."
Talon lifted his cup and sipped coffee slowly, watching Robeck over the cup's rim.
The outlaw walked to the door, and when Ruth made as if to stop him, he shoved he r roughly aside and opened it.
He strode to the bedside and looked down at the suffering man. "You lie quiet, Burnett," h e said, "and maybe you won't be killed."
"You let me get my hands on a gun," Burnett said, "and I'll not make you any promises!"
Robeck chuckled. "Flat on his back and still full of fight." His eyes went to Ruth.
"Food, liquor, a gold shipment, and a girl... what more can a man ask."
"You'd be wise to let her alone."
Robeck turned his head slowly to look at Talon, who had not moved. "Don't push you r luck," he said.
Tracey got out a deck of cards and was joined by the dark man, whom he had calle d Pete. Tracey began to lay out a game of solitaire. Lute Robeck walked to the no w open door and leaned against the doorjamb, watching the empty road.
Four to four, Talon thought, only there were two women on his side, and a sick man.
And they were all around the room, and even when they did not appear to be, he kne w they were watching him. He also knew that he, at least, was to be killed. That wa s why they had left him his gun . . . Robeck fancied himself with a gun. He wante d Talon to try it so he could test himself.
An hour went slowly by. Talon wanted to move, but hesitated to give Robeck the chanc e he might be wanting. The two women had gone quietly to work, cleaning up his tabl e and, at Robeck's order, preparing food for the others. At least one of them watche d the women at all times, without making an issue of it.
Talon got out the makings and rolled a smoke. He touched the cigarette paper to hi s lips and then put the cigarette in his mouth. Robeck watched him with bright interest , but there was a matchbox on the table and Talon took out the match and struck i t on the table edge in plain sight.
Robeck chuckled. "Cagey, ain't you?" he said. "Where'd I ever see you before?"
"You never did," Talon said.
Robeck's eyes sharpened. "Maybe . . . You wanted by the law?"
"No." He turned his head. "Ruth, I'd like some more coffee, if you will."
It was very hot and still. Perspiration stood out on their faces. He had one gu n against four, and they were not worried by him ... Robeck was actually anticipatin g trouble. "If you're going to try for that gun," he said, "you'd better have at it.
When the stage comes we're going to take it away from you."
"I can wait."
Robeck chuckled, watching Ruth carry the coffee to the table. He got to his fee t and walked to the bar to pour a drink. Ruth gave Talon a look then slanted her eye s quickly away in the direction of Robeck. She looked back and gave him a slight littl e nod. She wanted him to go ahead, she was ready to take her chances.
Robeck's eyes followed the girl. "Now, there's a woman for you. Fire in her, I'l l bet." He glanced at the clock on the shelf. "And we've got most of an hour yet. Mayb e her and me-"
"Leave her alone."
Robeck turned, his smile gone. Before he could speak, Talon spoke again. "Leave he r alone, Robeck. You'll get the gold if you're smart, but leave that girl alone o r I'll kill you."
"What?" Robeck was on his feet facing Talon. "You'll kill me?
Get on your feet, tall man, and I'll cut you down! Get up, you hear?
Get up!"
Talon did not move. He looked at Robeck and smiled. "Don't be in a hurry," he said.
"You have some time left."
The moment died. Pete walked to the door, then stepped outside and walked towar d the barn. Ruth served the others and watched them eat. Kate Breslin had done nothin g since the gun was taken from her but to cook and remain silent. It was very hot , and Talon loafed in his chair, waiting.
A fly
"Where's Burnett?" Robeck demanded.
"Back of that door. I figure he's hurt. Leastwise that's what Talon here figure d out."
Robeck grinned at Talon. "I hope you try for that gun," he said. "I don't like you , much."
Talon lifted his cup and sipped coffee slowly, watching Robeck over the cup's rim.
The outlaw walked to the door, and when Ruth made as if to stop him, he shoved he r roughly aside and opened it.
He strode to the bedside and looked down at the suffering man. "You lie quiet, Burnett," h e said, "and maybe you won't be killed."
"You let me get my hands on a gun," Burnett said, "and I'll not make you any promises!"
Robeck chuckled. "Flat on his back and still full of fight." His eyes went to Ruth.
"Food, liquor, a gold shipment, and a girl... what more can a man ask."
"You'd be wise to let her alone."
Robeck turned his head slowly to look at Talon, who had not moved. "Don't push you r luck," he said.
Tracey got out a deck of cards and was joined by the dark man, whom he had calle d Pete. Tracey began to lay out a game of solitaire. Lute Robeck walked to the no w open door and leaned against the doorjamb, watching the empty road.
Four to four, Talon thought, only there were two women on his side, and a sick man.
And they were all around the room, and even when they did not appear to be, he kne w they were watching him. He also knew that he, at least, was to be killed. That wa s why they had left him his gun . . . Robeck fancied himself with a gun. He wante d Talon to try it so he could test himself.
An hour went slowly by. Talon wanted to move, but hesitated to give Robeck the chanc e he might be wanting. The two women had gone quietly to work, cleaning up his tabl e and, at Robeck's order, preparing food for the others. At least one of them watche d the women at all times, without making an issue of it.
Talon got out the makings and rolled a smoke. He touched the cigarette paper to hi s lips and then put the cigarette in his mouth. Robeck watched him with bright interest , but there was a matchbox on the table and Talon took out the match and struck i t on the table edge in plain sight.
Robeck chuckled. "Cagey, ain't you?" he said. "Where'd I ever see you before?"
"You never did," Talon said.
Robeck's eyes sharpened. "Maybe . . . You wanted by the law?"
"No." He turned his head. "Ruth, I'd like some more coffee, if you will."
It was very hot and still. Perspiration stood out on their faces. He had one gu n against four, and they were not worried by him ... Robeck was actually anticipatin g trouble. "If you're going to try for that gun," he said, "you'd better have at it.
When the stage comes we're going to take it away from you."
"I can wait."
Robeck chuckled, watching Ruth carry the coffee to the table. He got to his fee t and walked to the bar to pour a drink. Ruth gave Talon a look then slanted her eye s quickly away in the direction of Robeck. She looked back and gave him a slight littl e nod. She wanted him to go ahead, she was ready to take her chances.
Robeck's eyes followed the girl. "Now, there's a woman for you. Fire in her, I'l l bet." He glanced at the clock on the shelf. "And we've got most of an hour yet. Mayb e her and me-"
"Leave her alone."
Robeck turned, his smile gone. Before he could speak, Talon spoke again. "Leave he r alone, Robeck. You'll get the gold if you're smart, but leave that girl alone o r I'll kill you."
"What?" Robeck was on his feet facing Talon. "You'll kill me?
Get on your feet, tall man, and I'll cut you down! Get up, you hear?
Get up!"
Talon did not move. He looked at Robeck and smiled. "Don't be in a hurry," he said.
"You have some time left."
The moment died. Pete walked to the door, then stepped outside and walked towar d the barn. Ruth served the others and watched them eat. Kate Breslin had done nothin g since the gun was taken from her but to cook and remain silent. It was very hot , and Talon loafed in his chair, waiting.
A fly
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