Jesse Smith approached the bandit leader. "Jack, here's your gun,"
he said. "I only took it because you was out of your head. ... An'
listen, boss. There's a few of us left."
That was Smith's expression of fidelity, and Kells received it with
a pallid, grateful smile.
"Bate, you an' Jim clean up this mess," went on Smith. "An', Blicky,
come here an' help me with Pearce. We'll have to plant him."
The stir begun by the men was broken by a sharp exclamation from
Cleve.
"Kells, here comes Gulden--Beady Jones, Williams, Beard!"
The bandit raised his head and paced back to where he could look
out.
Bate Wood made a violent and significant gesture. "Somethin' wrong,"
he said, hurriedly. "An' it's more'n to do with Gul! ... Look down
the road. See thet gang. All excited an' wavin' hands an' runnin'.
But they're goin' down into camp."
Jesse Smith turned a gray face toward Kells. "Boss, there's hell to
pay! I've seen THET kind of excitement before."
Kells thrust the men aside and looked out. He seemed to draw upon a
reserve strength, for he grew composed even while he gazed. "Jim,
get in the other room," he ordered, sharply. "Joan--you go, too.
Keep still."
Joan hurried to comply. Jim entered after her and closed the door.
Instinctively they clasped hands, drew close together.
"Jim, what does it mean?" she whispered, fearfully. "Gulden!"
"He must be looking for me," replied Jim. "But there's more doing.
Did you see that crowd down the road?"
"No. I couldn't see out."
"Listen."
Heavy tramp boots sounded without. Silently Joan led Jim to the
crack between the boards through which she had spied upon the
bandits. Jim peeped through, and Joan saw his hand go to his gun.
Then she looked.
Gulden was being crowded into the cabin by fierce, bulging-jawed men
who meant some kind of dark business. The strangest thing about that
entrance was its silence. In a moment they were inside, confronting
Kells with his little group. Beard, Jones, Williams, former faithful
allies of Kells, showed a malignant opposition. And the huge Gulden
resembled an enraged gorilla. For an instant his great, pale,
cavernous eyes glared. He had one hand under his coat and his
position had a sinister suggestion. But Kells stood cool and sure.
When Gulden moved Kells's gun was leaping forth. But he withheld his
fire, for Gulden had only a heavy round object wrapped in a
handkerchief.