his ankle. For a moment he thought of going on without a gun, but an inner voice of caution warned him to go back and get it. Panting, he hurried back along the trail, hopeful he could find the spot where he had fallen. Luckily, his sense of direction served him well, and he soon reached the rocks. Even then it took some time to locate his revolver.
Armed once more, he turned and headed toward the Lone Chance. If his pursuer had taken refuge there, he would already have arrived. There was little need to wind himself. He changed course and made an attempt to capture the roaming horse. To his surprise, the animal stood stone still, listening to Paul's low, soothing words.
Paul mounted. He knew this cayuse; it was one he had seen Finch ride. However, that proved little. It was one of Addie's horses which she rented out. In fact he had seen Addie herself riding the animal. Because conjecture was fruitless, he cleared his mind and rode toward the Lone Chance at a brisk trot.
Still cautious, he dismounted some distance from the Lone Chance and approached the back of the building on foot. His attacker, his panic having subsided now that he had cover, might still try to complete his job. Paul stopped by the stable in back of the saloon and studied the big building. He circled until he was near the wall and crept toward the front porch. He vaulted up and headed for the door.
Cautiously, he approached the bright rectangle of light that fell from the open doorway. Feeling of his gun, he stepped inside, where his eyes picked out three or four miners bellying up to the bar and discarded them. The miners had no quarrel with him, and men who labored hard for a living did not accept Judas money. He did not see Addie, and he was glad, because this was his job and he wanted no interference. Across the room, Alonzo Finch had his attention fixed upon a card game, and Paul decided it was a good place to start.
Finch didn't see him until Paul reached the table. Finch looked up with unconcealed surprise that congealed into naked malice. If eyes could kill, Paul would have been a dead man. He realized then how difficult would be the job of ever taking Finch back to Oklahoma. Even as he thought that, Paul was studying the men about the table, none of whom showed any signs of having been on a recent chase.
Paul asked bluntly, "Did anyone see a man dodge in here just now?"
Finch resumed the cynical, mocking manner he wore so well.
"You are about the busiest man I ever did see, Paul," Alonzo said evenly. "Where's your hat? How come you're puffing like a leaky tea kettle?"
Conscious of the amused glances of the other card players, Paul said grimly, "Somebody tried to kill me tonight. I trailed him this way."
"Now who would want to do a thing like that?" Finch jeered.
"Maybe you can say?" Paul countered.
"Paul, you're developing a persecution complex. I suppose somebody witnessed the try?"
"That's right. Norah. She was lucky she didn't stop the slug."
Paul saw the tightening in Finch's face, and knew he had struck close to home.
"I warned her against you," Finch said honestly. "If she gets hurt because of you—"
"That's something I'd like to settle with you later," Paul said. "She'll not get hurt unless somebody else hurts her. And I'll kill the man who does. Now I want to know, did a man come in here just before me?"
"Ask the others," Finch suggested, turning his attention to his cards.
Paul looked inquiringly around the table, but the only answer was shaking heads. Then he remembered the balcony above the front porch. An active man could easily shinny up to the balcony and enter the second floor through one of the windows. Aware of Finch's furtive look, Paul turned toward the stairs and started up into the dimness above.
Chapter 5
Paul reached the upstairs hall and stood quietly in the shadows until his eyes adjusted themselves to the faint light filtered up from below. Slowly he pushed himself away from the wall, his eyes busy
Armed once more, he turned and headed toward the Lone Chance. If his pursuer had taken refuge there, he would already have arrived. There was little need to wind himself. He changed course and made an attempt to capture the roaming horse. To his surprise, the animal stood stone still, listening to Paul's low, soothing words.
Paul mounted. He knew this cayuse; it was one he had seen Finch ride. However, that proved little. It was one of Addie's horses which she rented out. In fact he had seen Addie herself riding the animal. Because conjecture was fruitless, he cleared his mind and rode toward the Lone Chance at a brisk trot.
Still cautious, he dismounted some distance from the Lone Chance and approached the back of the building on foot. His attacker, his panic having subsided now that he had cover, might still try to complete his job. Paul stopped by the stable in back of the saloon and studied the big building. He circled until he was near the wall and crept toward the front porch. He vaulted up and headed for the door.
Cautiously, he approached the bright rectangle of light that fell from the open doorway. Feeling of his gun, he stepped inside, where his eyes picked out three or four miners bellying up to the bar and discarded them. The miners had no quarrel with him, and men who labored hard for a living did not accept Judas money. He did not see Addie, and he was glad, because this was his job and he wanted no interference. Across the room, Alonzo Finch had his attention fixed upon a card game, and Paul decided it was a good place to start.
Finch didn't see him until Paul reached the table. Finch looked up with unconcealed surprise that congealed into naked malice. If eyes could kill, Paul would have been a dead man. He realized then how difficult would be the job of ever taking Finch back to Oklahoma. Even as he thought that, Paul was studying the men about the table, none of whom showed any signs of having been on a recent chase.
Paul asked bluntly, "Did anyone see a man dodge in here just now?"
Finch resumed the cynical, mocking manner he wore so well.
"You are about the busiest man I ever did see, Paul," Alonzo said evenly. "Where's your hat? How come you're puffing like a leaky tea kettle?"
Conscious of the amused glances of the other card players, Paul said grimly, "Somebody tried to kill me tonight. I trailed him this way."
"Now who would want to do a thing like that?" Finch jeered.
"Maybe you can say?" Paul countered.
"Paul, you're developing a persecution complex. I suppose somebody witnessed the try?"
"That's right. Norah. She was lucky she didn't stop the slug."
Paul saw the tightening in Finch's face, and knew he had struck close to home.
"I warned her against you," Finch said honestly. "If she gets hurt because of you—"
"That's something I'd like to settle with you later," Paul said. "She'll not get hurt unless somebody else hurts her. And I'll kill the man who does. Now I want to know, did a man come in here just before me?"
"Ask the others," Finch suggested, turning his attention to his cards.
Paul looked inquiringly around the table, but the only answer was shaking heads. Then he remembered the balcony above the front porch. An active man could easily shinny up to the balcony and enter the second floor through one of the windows. Aware of Finch's furtive look, Paul turned toward the stairs and started up into the dimness above.
Chapter 5
Paul reached the upstairs hall and stood quietly in the shadows until his eyes adjusted themselves to the faint light filtered up from below. Slowly he pushed himself away from the wall, his eyes busy
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