She had passed that point now. She merely wanted
him. That was all--she just wanted him. And when at last she saw him
coming; heard his voice, she hugged Bob closer to her, and with her
face against his sobbed silently.
A few minutes after he left the ranchhouse Calumet was in the clearing
in the timber grove, standing over the body of a man who lay face
upward beside a freshly-dug hole at the edge of a mesquite clump. He
was still standing there when a few minutes later Toban came clattering
up on his horse. The sheriff dismounted and stood beside him.
Calumet gave Toban one look and then spoke shortly:
"Taggart," he said.
"Lord!" said Toban, in an awed voice; "what in blazes did you do to
him? I didn't hear no shootin'! Is he dead?"
Both kneeled over the prone figure and Calumet pointed to the haft of a
knife that was buried deep in the body near the heart.
"Telza's," said Calumet, as he examined the handle. "I dropped it here
the other night; the night Sharp was killed."
"Correct," said Toban; "I saw you drop it." He smiled at the quick,
inquiring glance Calumet gave him.
"I was comin' through here after tendin' to some business an' I saw
Telza knife Sharp. I piled onto Telza an' beat him up a little.
Lordy, how that little copper-skinned devil did fight! But I squelched
him.
Pages:
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283