Hashknife and Sleepy rode back to Turquoise City with the sheriff. They had not met Ryker, for the simple reason that Ryker had seen them coming and had avoided the meeting. They went to the sheriff’s office, where several men had gathered with Wind River Jim, waiting for word of Conley’s condition. They went away after the sheriff had reported no change in the patient, and the four men sat down in the office.“Pete and Jimmy shore ain’t lost no appetite,” laughed Wind River. “I shore packed plenty ham and eggs.”“What did Pete say about his father?” asked Roaring.“He didn’t say much. I saw Judge Beal this mornin’. He was cold sober, too. Looked awful white and was kinda shaky, but he stopped long enough to ask about things. He ain’t been out of his own house for several days, and I’ll bet he’s been on a big drunk.”“Gettin’ ready for the openin’ of court,” said Roaring.“What’s your private opinion of those warnings?” asked Hashknife.“Search me. They scared Jim Randall out of his job. They sent the old judge two. The last one was the day before Mallette was killed. Mebby it was the same day. Anyway, it was their final warnin’—and the judge ignored it.”“And he’s still alive,” smiled Hashknife. “It proves that the gang are four-flushers.”“Yeah, it looks that way,” admitted Roaring. “But he’s been stayin’ in the house pretty close.”
Hashknife and Sleepy rode back to Turquoise City with the sheriff. They had not met Ryker, for the simple reason that Ryker had seen them coming and had avoided the meeting. They went to the sheriff’s office, where several men had gathered with Wind River Jim, waiting for word of Conley’s condition. They went away after the sheriff had reported no change in the patient, and the four men sat down in the office.
“Pete and Jimmy shore ain’t lost no appetite,” laughed Wind River. “I shore packed plenty ham and eggs.”
“What did Pete say about his father?” asked Roaring.
“He didn’t say much. I saw Judge Beal this mornin’. He was cold sober, too. Looked awful white and was kinda shaky, but he stopped long enough to ask about things. He ain’t been out of his own house for several days, and I’ll bet he’s been on a big drunk.”
“Gettin’ ready for the openin’ of court,” said Roaring.
“What’s your private opinion of those warnings?” asked Hashknife.
“Search me. They scared Jim Randall out of his job. They sent the old judge two. The last one was the day before Mallette was killed. Mebby it was the same day. Anyway, it was their final warnin’—and the judge ignored it.”
“And he’s still alive,” smiled Hashknife. “It proves that the gang are four-flushers.”
“Yeah, it looks that way,” admitted Roaring. “But he’s been stayin’ in the house pretty close.”