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Page 62
"Plenty," Buck shouted. "Old Terrill was shot and killed and
robbed, an' the man who did it got just three thousan' dollars."
"An' you mean to say that the boss here--" began Sage-brush, in
his anger making a rush at McKee. He was held back, but the
disturbance attracted Echo and Mrs. Allen from the kitchen. Echo
hurried to her husband's side. He slipped his arm about her
waist, and together they faced his accuser.
"All you got to say is where did you get that money," cried Buck,
who had seen Dick Lane pay it to Payson, and conjectured that
Payson did not dare to reveal the fact of this payment, with all
the disclosure it implied.
"Why, it was paid to me by--" Then Jack stopped. He could not
tell who gave him the money without revealing to Echo the return
of Dick. The whole miserable lie would then come out. Echo
noticed Jack's hesitancy.
"What is it--what's the matter?" she asked, in frightened tones.
"Nothing, nothing," he answered lightly, to lessen her terror.
"Hats off, everybody," commanded Slim, in deference to the
presence of Echo.
"Who are these men--what's wrong?" pleaded Echo.
Buck bowed to the trembling woman, who had thrown her arms about
her husband's neck.
"Nothin'," he exclaimed. "Only we want to know where your
husband got the money to pay off the mortgage on this ranch."
The request seemed a very simple one to Echo. All the talk of
harming Jack, the high words, the threats, could be silenced
easily by her hero. Smiling into his eyes, Echo said: "Tell
them, Jack."
"I can't," he faltered.
"It was paid to him by a friend," bravely began Echo. "A friend
to whom he lent it some time ago."
Buck interrupted her explanation. "Then let him tell his
friend's name, and where we can find him." Turning to Jack, he
bullied: "Come on--what's his name?"
Jack closed his eyes to shut out the sight of his wife. In his
agony he clenched his fists, until his nails sank into the flesh.
"I can't tell you that," he cried, in misery.
"Of course he can't," sneered Buck, smiling evilly in his
triumph.
"He can't account for himself on the night of the weddin'; he
rides a pacin' horse--rode on that night; he gets three thousan'
dollars paid him, and he can't tell who paid it; what's the
verdict?" Buck did not wait for an answer. Raising his voice,
he shouted: "Guilty."
"Damn you," bellowed Sage-brush, lunging toward him, only to be
held in restraint by his associates.
"Jack! Jack! what have you to say?" begged Echo.
"Nothing," was his only answer.
"Tell him he lies!" cried Sage-brush. "Jack, we all know you--
you're as white a man as ever lived, an' they ain't one of this
outfit that ain't ready to die for you right now--"
"You bet!" chorused his men.
"He ain't goin' to get off like that," declared Buck. Looking
confidently at his own followers, he said: "The Lazy K can take
care of him."
Buck's men moved closer to him, preparing to draw their guns, if
need be, and open fire on Jack's defenders.
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