The Two-Gun Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

discovery.
    Leviatt and Tucson had ridden up the river the day before. They had returned empty handed. And so another link had been added to the chain of mystery. Where was the dogie?
    * * *
    It was near midnight when Ferguson rode in to the Two Diamond ranchhouse leading Rope's pony. He carefully unsaddled the two animals and let them into the corral, taking great pains to make little noise. Rope's saddle-a peculiar one with a high pommel bearing a silver plate upon which the puncher's name was engraved-he placed conspicuously near the door of the bunkhouse. His own he carefully suspended from its accustomed hook in the lean-to. Then, still carefully, he made his way inside the bunkhouse and sought his bunk.
    At dawn he heard voices outside and he arose and went to the door. Several of the men were gathered about the step talking. For an instant Ferguson stood, his eyes roving over the group. Tucson was not there. He went back into the bunkhouse and walked casually about, taking swift glances at the bunks where the men still slept. Then he returned to the door, satisfied that Tucson had not come in.
    When he reached the door again he found that the men of the group had discovered the saddle. One of them was saying something about it. "That ain't just the way I take care of my saddle," he was telling the others; "leavin' her out nights."
    "I never knowed Rope to be that careless before," said another.
    Ferguson returned to the bunkhouse and ate breakfast. After the meal was finished he went out, caught up Mustard, swung into the saddle, and rode down to the ranchhouse door. He found Stafford in the office. The latter greeted the stray-man with a smile.
    "Somethin' doin'?" he questioned.
    "You might call it that," returned Ferguson. He went inside and seated himself near Stafford's desk.
    "I've come in to tell you that I saw some rustlers workin' on the herd yesterday," he said.
    Stafford sat suddenly erect, his eyes lighting interrogatively.
    "It wasn't Ben Radford," continued Ferguson, answering the look. "You'd be surprised if I told you. But I ain't tellin'-now. I'm waitin' to see if someone else does. But I'm tellin' you this: They got Rope Jones."
    Stafford's face reddened with anger. "They got Rope, you say?" he demanded. "Why, where-damn them!"
    "Back of the ridge about fifteen miles up the crick," returned Ferguson. "I was ridin' along the edge of the plateau an' I saw a man down there shoot another. I got down as soon as I could an' found Rope. There wasn't nothin' I could do. So I planted him where I found him an' brought his horse back. There was two rustlers there. But only one done the shootin'. I got the name of one."
    Stafford cursed. "I'm wantin' to know who it was!" he demanded. "I'll make him-why, damn him, I'll--"
    "You're carryin' on awful," observed Ferguson dryly. "But you ain't doin' any good." He leaned closer to Stafford. "I'm quittin' my job right now," he said.
    Stafford leaned back in his chair, surprised into silence. For an instant he glared at the stray-man, and then his lips curled scornfully.
    "So you're quittin'," he sneered; "scared plum out because you seen a man put out of business! I reckon Leviatt wasn't far wrong when he said--"
    "I wouldn't say a lot," interrupted Ferguson coldly. "I ain't admittin' that I'm any scared. An' I ain't carin' a heap because Leviatt's been gassin' to you. But I'm quittin' the job you give me. Ben Radford ain't the man who's been rustlin' your cattle. It's someone else. I'm askin' you to hire me to find out whoever it is. I'm wantin' a free hand. I don't want anyone askin' me any questions. I don't want anyone orderin' me around. But if you want the men who are rustlin' your cattle, I'm offerin' to do the job. Do I get it?"
    "You're keepin' right on-workin' for the Two Diamond," returned Stafford. "But I'd like to get hold of the man who got Rope."
    Ferguson smiled grimly. "That man'll be gittin' his some day," he declared, rising. "I'm keepin' him for