But it must be, so with a wrench she stepped out boldly.
Kells looked worn and gray. He had not slept. But his face did not
wear the shade she had come to associate with his gambling and
drinking. Six other men were present, and Joan noted coats and
gloves and weapons and spurs. Kells turned to address her. His face
lighted fleetingly.
"I want you to be ready to ride any minute," he said.
"Why?" asked Joan.
"We may HAVE to, that's all," he replied.
His men, usually so keen when they had a chance to ogle Joan, now
scarcely gave her a glance. They were a dark, grim group, with hard
eyes and tight lips. Handy Oliver was speaking.
"I tell you, Gulden swore he seen Creede--on the road--in the
lamplight--last night AFTER Jim Cleve got here."
"Gulden must have been mistaken," declared Kells, impatiently.
"He ain't the kind to make mistakes," replied Oliver.
"Gul's seen Creede's ghost, thet's what," suggested Blicky,
uneasily. "I've seen a few in my time."
Some of the bandits nodded gloomily.
"Aw!" burst out Red Pearce. "Gulden never seen a ghost in his life.
If he seen Creede he's seen him ALIVE!"
"Shore you're right, Red," agreed Jesse Smith.
"But, men--Cleve brought in Creede's belt--and we've divided the
gold," said Kells. "You all know Creede would have to be dead before
that belt could be unbuckled from him. There's a mistake."
"Boss, it's my idee thet Gul is only makin' more trouble," put in
Bate Wood. "I seen him less than an hour ago. I was the first one
Gul talked to. An' he knew Jim Cleve did for Creede. How'd he know?
Thet was supposed to be a secret. What's more, Gul told me Cleve was
on the job to kill him. How'd he ever find thet out? ... Sure as God
made little apples Cleve never told him!"
Kells's face grew livid and his whole body vibrated. "Maybe one of
Gulden's gang was outside, listening when we planned Cleve's job,"
he suggested. But his look belied his hope.
"Naw! There's a nigger in the wood-pile, you can gamble on thet,"
blurted out the sixth bandit, a lean faced, bold-eye, blond-
mustached fellow whose name Joan had never heard.
"I won't believe it," replied Kells, doggedly. "And you, Budd,
you're accusing somebody present of treachery--or else Cleve. He's
the only one not here who knew."