THREE FINGER SMITH DISMOUNTED AT THE saloon and proceeded to tank up. His black eyes were shining like jet beads. With a dozen men he could take his quarry any time; might even take them alone. All he needed to do was watch the cabin, and when Bainbridge appeared pick him off with a rifle. When the women were alone he would simply walk in and take Dixie by main force. The thing he must guard against was anyone else making the same discovery.
About this time Plummer sauntered into the saloon. "Any luck?" he asked through the corner of his mouth. Three Finger stared up vacantly into his face without answering. Plummer motioned him with a little jerk of the head to follow him. He didn't want the men in the saloon to get suspicious. He led the way to a back room, closed and locked the door behind them.
Turning Three Finger he spoke anxiously. "Spit it out, Three Finger!"
"Pokerface an' Dixie's disappeared'"
"Oh, Hell!" Plummer gasped, sinking into the nearest chair. "It isn't possible!"
"Shore as shootin', Plummer. They ain't nowheres in the Placerville country. It's my guess theys headed fer Fort Boise. I done searched every cabin in the valley."
Plummer eyed him evilly. "You're not lying to me?"
"What makes yuh think I'd lie to yuh, when they's ten thousand in the pokes fer me?"
Plummer squirmed nervously in his seat. "Three Finger, we're in a bad hole as long as Pokerface Bob is alive! God! He creeps up in the night, and snuff, one or two lives go out! He's gone while we sit here wondering how it happened!" He jumped to his feet. "By God, I want Pokerface Bob! If there's no one in this gang brave enough to get him, I'll get my force together and split him wide open. You, a gunfighter! Why, you're as gentle as a damn bantam rooster!"
"I don't see yuh goin' after him very strong," Three Finger laughed tantalizingly. "When Hen Plummer goes after 'em he takes his army o' gun fighters along tuh save his damned neck! Pokerface could shoot both yore eyes out afore yuh could loosen yore gun from its holster."
"Say !" yelled Plummer frantically "Do you know who Pokerface Bob is? Well, I'll spill the beans. He's the brother of Nan Bainbridge! She's the gal you won in that card game from Cherokee Bob, and finally killed!"
Three Finger all at once seemed to freeze in his chair. Terror showed in his face. His hands opened and shut convulsively.
Plummer raved on. "Wait till Pokerface meets you. It ain't me half as bad as it's you he's after. Wait, I say, and you'll have a chance to see how good you are! He's got a real reason for killing you!"
"Shut up!" Three Finger yelled, springing to his feet. "If yuh ever mention that tuh me again, I'll cut yore throat, so help me God!"
They stood staring at one another. Plummer wavered. He was resourceful. He knew that it would mean disaster to fight it out just now, for they were both rowing in the same leaking boat.
"No use for us to take on like this, Three Finger. You know with all my worries and responsibilities I flare up and don't mean half I say. We've got to fight this battle together."
"It's yore own damn fault!" Three Finger answered. "I ain't lookin' fer no fight with yuh, an' I ain't tryin' tuh dodge, neither. The only thing I says is, they ain't no use scourin' the Placerville country fer Pokerface an' the gal. Better scour Bannock City, or better still the outskirts an' Fort Boise. Give me a dozen good men an' let me hunt as I please, an I'll bring in Pokerface Bob's scalp."
"I'll have them ready in half an hour, and fresh horses, Three Finger. I'll take another bunch and cover the country toward the Fort."
* * * *
In spite of the heavy fall of snow Bob succeeded in wallowing through it to his cabin on Jackass Flat. There he found the snow much lighter, and the mules were in good condition. It had taken him only half a day to finish the roof and clean out the shallow snow from the dirt floor. A good fire in the rock fireplace soon dried this out.
For the first time in his life Bob Bainbridge felt like a fugitive. With a price on his head he knew that all the citizens of the Basin had declared war on him. He did not want to kill innocent deluded men, and for that reason he had taken refuge here. He had refused the help of Shorty and the Vigilantes for the same reason. This had been a personal fight with him all the way through and he couldn't risk the lives of his friends to insure his personal success and safety.
The last few days had wrought a great change in him. He was convinced that the gulf between him and the one girl in all the world could never be bridged. Without her the significance of the building of the empire dwindled almost to nothingness. Only his desire for revenge made him want to meet Three Finger Smith and Plummer. Then his work would be finished. What happened after that made little difference.
He meant to ride into town when the excitement subsided, hunt out Three Finger Smith and Plummer, and shoot it out with them. He was sure that if he killed them he would be tried for murder and be hanged. He had given those men, Buck and Dante, a better chance than he would have himself.
He had some sense of relief in the thought that through his actions he would likely make it safe for those he loved most. He knew that Shorty would protect Dixie to the last; that his fine little bow-legged partner and his wife would live to enjoy the glory of the new empire. That was more than he could ask.
* * * *
Shorty and Daisy were arguing with Dixie. She was sitting beside the stove wiping her wet cheeks with the corner of her apron.
"I can't let poor Bob go off alone like this!" she cried. "I must go to him, Shorty! He needs me! Oh, why did I send him away? Why on earth didn't I listen?" Her shoulders shook with her sobbing.
Shorty blew his nose. "Hell o' a cold I got all o' a sudden, but then these winter colds comes on thataway. Daisy what in heck yuh snuffin' about? Dammit, be a sweet gal an' dry up!"
Daisy gave him one look, then turned her back to him. "It wouldn't be safe, dearie," she said to Dixie. "We've got to hide you with some of the Vigilantes for awhile. Come spring, we can get over the mountain to Bob, and then everything can be patched up. He made us promise to take care of you and protect you with our lives. Please do as we say."
"I don't care if the drifts are fifty feet deep, I'll crawl to him if you'll tell me where he is"; Dixie pleaded.
"Tell yuh what, Dixie," Shorty interrupted. "I'll find a nice place fer yuh with one o' the miners I kin trust. Yuh kin stay thar a few days, an' then I'll see if I kin git through tuh Bob. Then, whatever he says goes."
"Please tell him he must take me back! I'll do anything! He must not be out there alone when--"
A knock sounded on the door, and the voices hushed as they stared at each other. Shorty drew his gun and opened the door an inch.
"It's me, Shorty! Pat Davis, the Vigilante!" The man's voice trembled with excitement.
Shorty opened the door, and Daisy sighed with relief.
"What's the matter?" Shorty asked anxiously.
"Every miner in camp except the Vigilantes are carryin' guns for Bob Bainbridge! I was at the meetin' today. Tried to come in an' tell you, but the place is bein' watched, an' I couldn't steal through till tonight'"
"Plummer done this?"
"Shore! He's offered two thousand dollars to the man who brings him in!"
"So they've raised the ante?" Shorty asked solemnly. "There, Dixie, hang it all, don't carry on like this!"
"But, Shorty," she sobbed, "they'll shoot him down like a dog, without a chance!"
"I overheerd Plummer an' Three Finger talkin'," Davis continued. "They're after the gal too. I thought maybe you'd let her come home with me. My missus'll take care of her. We lives back up the gulch three mile. Tain't likely they'd look there."
"Much obliged to yuh, Pat. Kin yuh take her right now? Bob'll fix it with yuh some time."
"'You're darn tootin', Shorty. But we got to hurry. I'll take her up, an' then I'm notifyin' the Vigilantes. You see, the Plummer Gang thinks I belong to them--a full-fledged member. I'll try an' keep you posted. We got to do something for Bainbridge."
Dixie was now willing to do whatever her friends said.
"And be careful to keep this shawl up around your neck good so's you won't catch cold," cautioned Daisy, with a sob in her voice, but trying vainly to keep from crying. "Stop that blubberin' now! Can't you see how brave I am?"
"Sure, Daisy, I'm not crying," Dixie answered with the tears running down her cheeks.
Shorty helped her up behind Pat on his sweating horse and they were off.
The log room seemed to be holding its breath, it was so silent when Shorty and Daisy closed the door behind them. They both sensed it as they stood staring at each other with a question on their faces. After a long silence, Daisy spoke.
"Shorty Windless, you lazy good-for-nothing lummox, take that bucket and haul in some water! I got to heat some so's you can scrub your feet before you can sleep with me tonight. Lord knows, that gal was as clean as a pin."
Shorty grinned and picked up the bucket. As he started out the back door he turned long enough to say, "Yuh danged little Strawberry Roan!"