The End of the Trail Read Online Free PDF Page B

tryin’ to say.” Pat’s voice was very gentle but it didn’t lack firmness. “There was a time when Sam an’ Ezra an’ me would have gone plumb to hell and shot it out with the devil for ten thousand dollars, but our guns ain’t for sale thataway no more.”
    â€œIn that case …” Raine looked at his watch again and started to get up.
    â€œWait a minute,” Hazeltine interposed. “You’d pay mighty well for those sections of mine adjacent to you, wouldn’t you, Pat?”
    â€œI sure would.” Pat’s eyes glistened. “That’d put Ezra’s ranch right alongside mine, an’ we’ve got plans …”
    â€œIt’s not for sale,” Hazeltine said sharply.
    Pat’s ears reddened. “I don’t reckon I understand …”
    â€œBut I will make it my personal contribution to your fee if you’ll take on the job at Sanctuary Flat,” John Hazeltine went on evenly. “That will be in addition to the ten thousand dollars we’ve voted. You can divide the cash among your two partners and keep the ranch for your share if you wish.”
    Pat’s fist struck the table loudly. “It’s a bargain, John. If this thing means that much to you …”
    â€œIt does,” Hazeltine said strongly.
    â€œSince that is settled, I’ll hurry along to my conference.” Mr. O. Manley Raine heaved himself up from his chair and nodded to Stevens. “Very glad to have met you, sir. I trust you’ll clear the matter up satisfactorily.”
    As he waddled out of the room, Morrow and Van Urban also got to their feet. “As you know, John,” Philip Morrow said acidly, “I disapprove of throwing good money after bad up on the Flat, and I voted against the employment of Stevens. I still think we would do better to abandon the project, but I wish you luck.”
    â€œYou voted against it too,” Hazeltine reminded the railroad man with an inquiring lift of his eyebrows.
    â€œThat was before I met Mr. Stevens,” Van Urban murmured. “I don’t mind saying I’m impressed and hopeful of his success.” He nodded to Bancroft and Stevens, and followed Morrow out.
    â€œSeems like a right nice little fellow,” Pat mused. “Funny sort to be mixed up in a cattle deal though.”
    â€œHe’s all right,” Hazeltine assured him warmly. “We were skeptical of his ability to push the railroad through when we took him into the syndicate and put up money for construction, but he’s a miracle-worker when it comes to laying steel.”
    â€œLet’s get down to cases,” Bancroft suggested. “What do you think of the situation, Stevens?”
    â€œLooks like somebody’s dead-set against you runnin’ cattle on Sanctuary Flat,” drawled Pat.
    â€œWho?” Hazeltine exploded. “Why? We own the entire valley. It was just lying there, untouched and useless until we bought it and extended the railroad. Who on earth can want to block us?”
    â€œYou’re forgetting the three native sons,” Bancroft reminded him with a wry grimace.
    â€œHey, You, and Slim?” Hazeltine laughed shortly. “Three trappers who seem to have lived there always,” he told Pat. “Brothers, it is presumed, though hardly anything is known about them. No one knows where they came from, nor when.”
    â€œHey, You, an’ Slim? Are those their names?”
    Hazeltine chuckled. “That’s what the ranch-hands started calling them when they wouldn’t tell their real names. They practically refuse to talk to anyone,” he went on, “except to answer in monosyllables when spoken to. But they certainly have no reason to resent what we’ve done to the valley. Before we put the railroad in, they had to snowshoe out with their pelts every winter.”
    â€œI still say it has to be those crazy brothers,”