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Page 89
"Married or unmarried, you go with me," he told her. "Your kisses you
may save for me. Think it over. You had better ask for the priest
when I come back." He turned toward the Mexican. "All ready, Feliz?"
The man nodded.
"Tell Castro, then. It's time to be in the saddle."
With no other word to Florrie he went out. But his last look was for
her, the look of a victor.
CHAPTER XXIV
IN THE OPEN
Roderick Norton, every fibre of his body alive and eager, his blood
riotous with the certain knowledge that the long-delayed hour had come,
rode a foam-flecked horse into San Juan shortly after moonrise.
Galloway was striking at last; at last might Norton lift his own hand
to strike back. As he flung himself down from the saddle he was
thinking almost equally of Jim Galloway, striking the supreme blow of
his career, and of Billy Norton, whose death had come to him at
Galloway's command. Galloway was gathering his forces, had delivered
an initial blow, was staking everything upon the one throw of the dice.
And he must believe them loaded.
At the clank of spur-chain and rowel Struve came hastily into the
hallway from his office. He saw the look in the sheriff's, eyes and
demanded quickly:
"What is it? What's happened?"
There were grim lines about Norton's mouth, his quiet voice had an
ominous ring to it.
"Hell's to pay, Julius," he retorted. "And there's little telling
where it'll end unless we're on the jump to meet it. Galloway's come
out into the open. Kid Rickard and ten men with him, all Mexicans or
breeds, crossed over into the next county yesterday, raided the county
jail late this afternoon, shot poor Roberts, freed Moraga, and got away
in a couple of big new touring-cars. Every man of them carried a rifle
and side-arms."
"Killed Roberts, huh?" Struve's frown gathered.
"He's badly hurt, if not dead. The Kid did the shooting."
"Sure it's Galloway's work and not just the Kid's?"
"Yes. Only a couple of hours ago a lot of Galloway's crowd was
gathering up in the mountains. They've gone to his cache for the
rifles. I have sent word for Brocky Lane and his and my cowboys. It
begins to look as though he were up to something bigger than we've been
looking for. And he's sure of himself, Struve, or he wouldn't have
started things by daylight."
Virginia had heard and came into the hallway from her room, her face
white, her eyes filled with trouble. Struve turned back into his room
abruptly, going for his rifle.
"You heard?" asked Norton quietly. "It's the big fight at last,
Virginia. But we've known it was coming all along."
"Yes, Rod." she said half listlessly. "I'll be glad when it's all
over."
He sketched for her briefly what little more he knew and suspected.
Throughout the county where there was telephone communication the wires
were buzzing. Over them the word had come to him of Kid Rickard's
attack on Roberts and the freeing of Moraga. But in many places the
lines were reported "out of order" and towns were isolated by cut
wires. Already men were riding sweating horses, carrying word from
him. He knew that del Rio had gathered a crowd of men at Las Vegas; he
was certain that del Rio was working hand in glove with Galloway;
further that the Mexican had been with Galloway on his recent trip
below the border and among the revolutionists.
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