Beth Norvell - Page 123/177

When Brown emerged from behind the protection of the cabin, his

freckled face yet burning red in memory of his strenuous love-making,

he discovered both Hicks and Winston standing upon the rock which

shortly before had formed their breakfast table, gazing watchfully off

into the purple depths of the canyon, occasionally lifting their eyes

to search carefully the nearer surroundings about the hostile

"Independence." Something serious was in the air, and all three men

felt its mysterious presence. Hicks held the field-glasses in his

hands, outwardly calm, yet his old face already beginning to exhibit

the excitement of rapidly culminating events. That they were not to be

long left undisturbed was promised by an increasing number of figures

distinctly visible around the distant shaft-house and dump, as well as

the continuous shouting, indistinguishable as to words but pronounced

in volume, borne through the clear air to their ears.

"I 'm a liar if ther was n't twenty in that last bunch," Hicks

muttered, just a trifle uneasily. "Good Lord boys! it 's an army they

're organizin' over yonder. Blame me if I onderstan' that sorter

scheme at all. It don't look nat'ral. I never thought Farnham was no

coward when ther time come fer fightin', but this kind o' fixin' shore

looks as if we had him skeered stiff. Wal, it 'll take more 'n a bunch

o' San Juan toughs to skeer me. I reckon ther present plan must be ter

try rushin' ther 'Little Yankee.'"

He wheeled about, driving the extended tubes of his glass together, his

gray beard forking out in front of his lean, brown face like so many

bristles.

"Oh, is thet you come back, Stutter? Thought I heerd somebody walkin'

behind me. I reckon, judgin' from ther outlook over thar, thet the

dance is 'bout ter begin; leastwise, the fiddlers is takin' their

places," and he waved his gnarled hand toward the distant crowd. "Got

somethin' like a reg'ment thar now, hoss and fut, an' it's safe ter bet

thar 's more a-comin'. This yere fracas must be gittin' some

celebrated, an' bids fair ter draw bigger 'n a three-ringed circus.

All ther scum o' San Juan must 'a got a private tip thet we was easy

marks. They 're out yere like crows hopin' ter pick our bones clean

afore the law kin git any show at all. Wal, it 'll be a tough meal all

right, an' some of 'em are mighty liable ter have trouble with their

digestion, fer thar 's goin' ter be considerable lead eat first. Now

see yere, Stutter, the safest thing we kin do is git ready. You chase

that whole bunch yonder back behind them rocks, where they 'll be out

o' the way--the Swede an' the women. Do it lively, an' you an' Mike

stay up thar with 'em, with your guns handy. Keep under cover as much

as ye kin, for some o' them lads out thar will have glasses with 'em,

and be watchin' of us almighty close. Hurry 'long now; me an' Winston

will stop yere until we find out just what their little game is likely

ter be."