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rifle, I fired.
The rifle fell and the man slumped to the ground, whether dead or merely
grazed, I could not tell. After that there was no more effort to escape from
either barn or house.
The afternoon wore on. It was time I was moving, but I waited, wanting to see
what would happen when they started a fire to make coffee.
Once I put a shot through the door to let them know I had not gone.
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Crawling back to my saddlebags, I took a piece of jerked beef and my canteen
from the saddle. Then I returned and settled into place again.
It was almost evening before a slow trail of smoke began to lift from the
fireplace. Chuckling with anticipation, I waited. There was very little time
left to me. Once it was dark I could not keep them under cover; and my
position would speedily become untenable.
Now the smoke was lifting. Easing back to my saddle, I replaced the canteen
and got my horse ready for a fast leave-taking. A shot through the barn door
was enough to let them know I was still there.
The smoke increased, and suddenly there was an explosion within the house.
A shotgun shell ... suddenly three others went, one, two, three! There were
startled yells within the house and one man sprang for the door, but a bullet
into the step nearly tore his toe off, and he ducked back into the house.
Running back, I swung into the saddle, and almost at the same instant there
was a heavy concussion and flame blasted out of the chimney. The chimney
sagged, and smoke and fire burst from a hole at ground level.
It was enough for me. I swung the buckskin and took to the hills. Behind me
there were shouts and yells, but they had not seen me. Then another crash ...
from the ridge I looked back, and saw that the chimney had fallen. There was a
hole in the end of the house where the roof had been smashed in, and smoke was
coming out.
Jim Finder knew now it was no longer a battle in which he did all the
striking ... his opponent was striking back.
Avoiding the usual trails, I started for the Two-Bar. They would be worried
about me, and they themselves might have suffered from the attack. But my
day-long siege of the CP had given me satisfaction, if nothing more.
Mulvaneysaw me coming and walked down to open the gate. A quick look showed
me he was uninjured. TheBenaras boys came out when I swung down from my horse
and both of them were grinning.
Jonathan told me of the fight. The two boys had gone out from the ranch when
they first spotted the approaching riders. Fighting as skirmishers, they had
retreatedsteadly until in position to be covered byMulvaney .
They had wounded one man and killed another before the attack even began.
Then they fought it out from the bunkhouse, with all the weapons on the place
loaded and at hand.
The CP had retreated, then tried a second time and been beaten off again.
After that they listened and could hear an argument among the raiders. Finder
wanted another attack, but he was getting no support. Finally they had picked
up the dead man and, mounting, they'd retreated down the wash.
We talked it over, discussing a new plan of defense. Then suddenly Jonathan
turned around.
"Say!I beenforgettin '.Bodie Miller shotCanaval !"
"Canaval?"
"Took four bullets before he went down."
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"Dead?'
"Not the last we heard."
"Miller?"
"Not a scratch."
Canaval... beaten byBodie Miller.
Canavalhad been a man with whom I could reason. He had a cool, dispassionate
judgment, and dangerous as he undoubtedly was in any kind of a fight, he never
made a wrong or hasty move. Moreover, withCanaval on hand there was always
protection for Moira. And I had an idea that now she was going to need it
Jonathan talked on. There was strong feeling against me in town, and it had
grown since he was last in. Undoubtedly somebody was stirring it up. It was
even said that Miller and I, despite our reported trouble, were working
together, that I had instigated Miller's shooting ofCanaval .
The firelight flickered on our faces ... Jolly was out on guard, the night
was still. It is a lonely business when one fights alone, or almost alone. It
is not easy to stand against the feelings of a community.
BodieMiller would not rest with this.Canaval had been a big name where men
talked of gunfighters and gunmen, and now he was down and might be
dying.Bodie's hatred of me would feed upon this triumph, it would fatten, and
he would want a showdown.
There was little time. I must seeCanaval if he was alive. I must talk to him.
He must know of Slade and his gang, and what their presence implied.
Miller would not wait long to try to kill again. At any time we might meet,
and win or lose, I might be out of the fight for weeks to come.
I would ride to the Boxed M. I would ride tonight.
Chapter Eighteen
KEY CHAPIN was dismounting at the veranda of the ranch house when I rode into
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