Trouble Shooter (1974) (22 page)

The big steer stumbled and went to his knees. Walking

swiftly forward, Hopalong fired again. That bullet struck the beast in the eye and he went over on his side, his legs kicking out in the throes of death.

Pres and Krug had rushed forward, followed by the Mexicans. Hopalong dropped beside the fallen man. He needed no telling as to what Vin Carter had planned here; the rifle was evidence enough.

Carter lay sprawled on the leaves, alive but dying. He looked up, no recognition in his eyes. "Never seen him!" he gasped. "He was right on me afore I..." His voice trailed away.

The Mexicans glanced at one another and crossed themselves. One picked up the rifle curiously and glanced at the situation, then inquiringly at Hopalong Cassidy. None of them

spoke.

Hoppy got to his feet, his face grave. "Well, he asked for

it," he said quietly.

Pres said nothing, and Krug only shifted his feet. Both men were obviously upset by the sudden death of the Box T segundo, and another thing that disturbed them was the flashing speed of Hopalong's draw. That draw could have been against them as well as this steer, and it would have meant death for one or both of them. It was a sobering thought. Both men were courageous enough, but it is one thing to face risk of death and quite another to face certainty of death. Pres was suddenly aware that there was nothing in Kachina that made him want to die.

"What happens now?" Krug asked suddenly, staring at Cassidy. "You said Tredway was through. Was that straight?"

"It is. Last night," Hopalong said quietly, "I got the only

evidence that was needed. I put it in the hands of the man who will use it. By now Tredway may be in jail."

"Where's Saxx?"

Hopalong shrugged. "How should I know? I saw him last night, and we had it out in the Mansion House lobby. I whipped him."

Pres scowled his disbelief. "You whipped Saxx?" He was incredulous. 'That's never been done."

"It's been done now," Hopalong said dryly, "and for all I know, he may be in jail, too. What you do is up to you. But I'd turn those cattle into that big corral where we made our first gather, then I'd either give myself up or light out of the country. I've nothing," he added, "against you hombres. My quarrel's with Tredway."

Pres looked at Krug. The Mexicans had drawn away from them and were talking among themselves. Backing up, Hopalong swung into the saddle and turned the white horse toward Kachina.

Tom Burnside was nervously pacing the earthen floor of the livery stable and he strode to the doors as Hopalong swung down from Topper. "Man," he exclaimed excitedly, "am I glad to see you! There's strange doin's about."

"What do you mean?"

"Somebody claims they seen a ghost the last couple of nights. Sensible folks, too. They claim they seen a white-lookin'

thing floatin' near the back of the Mansion House. When Tred-way heard that, he was some upset. Some other folks claim they run into three of the Brothers dressed in those robes crossing the trail near Dead Horse Pass. Been some strangers in town, too. Two, three hombres, all with beards."

Hopalong nodded. "Now that makes some sense," he said. "It's the Brothers, from Babylon Mesa."

"Suppose they knowed him?" Burnside asked keenly. "If they did, what do they want with him?"

"No telling," Hopalong said. "About those papers. Did you look them over? Is there anything there?"

"Anything?" Burnside laughed. "I'll say there is! Some of the papers belonged to Pete Melford. Letters from the government about his land. Then there was other papers, an' among them a poster showin' John 'Fan' Harlan wanted for murder an' robbery. Evenas sure enough had the deadwood on Tredway. What beats me is why Tredway didn't get the papers from him before he killed Evenas."

"My idea is that he intended to, and Evenas made a break for it. On the way into town to get the papers, he made a break to get away and Tredway shot him."

"All right," Burnside said, "here comes Buck Lewis. Let's go face Tredway."

Lewis looked at Hopalong, then accepted the papers Burnside handed him. He nodded from time to time as he glanced over them. Finally he looked up. "This proves it as far as I'm concerned. I've dug up a few things m'self. That track you showed me, Tom, fit a pair of boots that belong to Tredway. The

one down near the wagon. I figure you were right in guessin' that he planted that money on the Townes."

"If we look close," Hopalong said, "I think we'll find that he killed old man Peavey to keep him from talking. I think he was killed in the hotel, then dropped from the window sometime later."

Buck Lewis nodded. "That makes sense. Well, I don't mind sayin', boys, this here's the first time I ever arrested a man when it gave me pleasure. I'm an hombre that believes in live an' let live, but he's been a hard man about this town, hard on those as owed him. Let's go!"

They went, three tall Western men walking side by side, Hopalong Cassidy and the two pioneer lawmen. As they reached the door to the Mansion House, a bearded man across the street got to his feet. Then, casually, he drifted into the hotel entrance after them.

At Tredway's shout they opened the door and walked into his room. He looked quickly from one to the other, his lips thinning down, his face suddenly gaunt. "Well, what is it?"

"I'm arrestin' you, Tredway. Arrestin' you for murder, robbery, an' a few other charges."

Tredway leaned back in his chair. "What kind of nonsense is that?" he demanded. "You've no evidence."

Coolly Buck Lewis named off the papers he had, and slowly the older man's face turned gray and bitter. Perhaps not even he knew how Evenas had managed to get possession of these papers. Some of them obviously had been stolen from this office where the Colonel now sat. Others, like the affidavits, he must

have ridden miles to get. Foolish as Evenas had been at the end, he had prepared his case well. There was evidence enough here to hang Tredway, or to send him up for life. From these papers a dozen charges could be built.

"Also," Lewis went on to say, "we tracked you to the Towne folks' wagon. We know you planted that unsigned an' stolen money on them. We also figure you killed old man Peavey. We may prove that an' may not. We can," he added, "prove that you killed Evenas.

"These here papers show he tried to blackmail you. Also, we found a smashed lamp in your house, an' spilled oil. That fits with the burns on the dead man. We've got you dead to rights." Tredway sat silent for several minutes before replying. When he looked up, his eyes fastened on Cassidy. "It's you I have to thank for this," he said. "My trouble started when you came into this country. It was you I should have killed."

His eyes flickered to those of Lewis and Burnside. "I'm not through," he said, low-voiced. "I'm not through at all. I'll get out of this, or I'll get away. I can still beat you. And when I do," he said viciously, "I'll nail all your hides on the fence."

"You're just lucky," Hopalong said quietly, "that we got you first. There are others who want you."

Fear flickered in the hard eyes. Tredway's tongue touched his lips. He started to get to his feet, then sat back, looking nervously at Lewis. "All right," he said bitterly, "take me to your jail. I'll not stay there long!"

As Buck Lewis and Burnside started to leave with their prisoner, Hopalong called after them: "When you turn Pike and Rig loose, tell them to meet me across the street, will you?"

He walked over to the Chuck Wagon and sat down, accepting the cup of coffee that was put before him. Several men drifted in and sat down nearby. All were silent but friendly.

Suddenly the door opened and Pike stepped in with Tom Burnside behind him. "They got him, Hoppy!"

Cassidy came to his feet. "Who got who?"

"The Brothers. They got Tredway."

"What?"

All eyes were on Pike Towne. "Yeah, Lewis came in an' unlocked the door. He was puttin' him into the cell where I'd been when all of a sudden there's two men standin' in the door behind the marshal holdin' double-barrel shotguns. Then another gent comes in the back. All three are wearin' these homespun robes with hoods.

"One of them is lookin' at the marshal, an' he says, 'We have a prior claim on this man. He is wanted by us for murder and robbery. I regret to say he was once one of our own and we handle our own affairs.'

"Buck looks at them and he looks at all that artillery. I reckon he decided there was no use takin' any chances. He wouldn't have had much of one, anyway."

Pike dropped on a bench. "There was a bunch more of them outside. They took him out of there, an' if you ever seen a man go to pieces, it was him.

"I tell you, he didn't do no more braggin'. His face was white as death an' he started to beg. Buck just looked at him, an' if I ever saw contempt on an hombre's face, it was on his. 'Go on, Tredway,' he says, 'you got to answer anyway. Maybe I should fight to keep you, but I don't want these hombres to have my

blood on their souls over the likes of you. Nor of these other men.' He motions to Rig an' me. So they took him on out of there an' they rode off."

"What d'you think they'll do?" Rig asked.

Tom Burnside looked at him. "Man," he said, "I seen what them Penitentes do to themselves for religion. The good Lord only knows what they'll do to him. One thing I know--I wouldn't be in his boots for anything."

He turned suddenly to Cassidy. "Hoppy, one thing I've been wanting to tell you. You'd better watch your step. Bill Saxx blew town this mornin' an' he swears he'll have your hide."

Chapter
10

v*indy Blair was waiting in the lobby with Sarah Towne beside her when Hopalong came in with Pike and Rig Taylor. Hoppy smiled at them and removed his hat. "Well, looks like you'll get your ranch. There was enough in those papers that Evenas had corralled to prove title for you."

"Thanks to you," she said quickly.

"Not me!" He shook his head. "You thank Rig here, and Pike. Although," he added, "I don't know that you've got much. That old PM is mighty fine grazing land, but you've no money."

"We'll have some," she replied quickly. "We can claim title to all the cattle you boys rounded up and sell them. Then we can pay you and still have money enough to start things going. We'll make out."

"There's only one thing worries me," Rig Taylor said. "I'm wondering what became of Bill Saxx and Tote Brown."

Hopalong had not forgotten them. All morning he had been remembering the big, tough foreman. Saxx would not take a

beating so easily, and the money had not yet been found. It was sure to be on the ranch, and Buck Lewis had ridden out there. Of Tote Brown he knew nothing. It had probably been Tote who had fired on him the day of his visit to Babylon Mesa. He scowled, thinking about Buck Lewis. The marshal had ridden out there alone. "I think"--he got to his feet--"I'll take a ride out to the Box T myself."

As one person they turned to face him. "You think Lewis

may run into Saxx?"

"I doubt it, but there's no telling what Saxx will do now. If he's smart, he'll ride right out of the country and keep on riding, just like Krug and Pres did."

"Are you sure they left?" Burnside asked skeptically. "If Saxx meets 'em, he'll talk 'em into stayin'. Mark my words."

"What do you suppose the Brothers wanted with Tredway?"

Rig wondered.

"Once I've seen Lewis," Hopalong told them, "I'm going back up there. I've mentioned it to nobody except you who were concerned, but they had some reason for being interested in Tredway. I want to know what happens to him."

"I'll go along," Pike offered, getting to his feet.

"Nothing doing!" Cassidy refused help. "This is over for you, Pike. You've got Sarah to look after. This is my job from

now on."

He went out along the boardwalk and swung into the saddle, starting Topper down the street toward the trail.

"I reckon," Pike said hesitantly, "nobody is better fitted to finish this off than he is, but just the same I'd like to ride along."

Hopalong put Topper to a rapid gait and rode for the Box

T. Dust puffed from Topper's hooves and there was no other sound but the creak of the saddle. Suddenly Hopalong saw buildings ahead, and in the ranch yard he could see a saddled horse standing, reins trailing. What made him worry he did not know, but he spoke to Topper, and the white gelding lunged into a fast run. He swept down the hill and Hopalong sprang from the horse and ran for the door, which stood open.

Buck Lewis lay sprawled on the floor, his leg bloody and a gun near his hand. Dropping to his knees, Hopalong turned the marshal over. Buck's eyes fluttered open and he stared up, trying to focus his attention. When he recognized Hopalong Cassidy, he tried to grin. "Reckon," he gasped, "I ketched one. It was that durn Bill Saxx. He was waitin' for me when I come down the hill. He didn't get the money, but he beat me to the gun an' lit out for the hills."

"You aren't hit bad." Hopalong had been swiftly checking the wounds. "You took one through the leg. I think you'll be all right, but you'd better start back for town."