There ain't no one going to hear what I've got to say but them I'm going to say it to. I reckon that goes?" He turned to Dunlavey.

Dunlavey had shown some evidence of surprise over Allen's action in closing the door, but this immediately gave way to a sneer of mockery.

"I reckon you've forgot Greasy," he said.

"Why, I sure have!" returned Allen evenly. He opened the door a trifle and called: "Greasy!"

Evidently Greasy had been waiting at the door, for he immediately came in, slouching across the floor and standing beside Watkins and Dunlavey.

Allen closed the door and adjusted the fastenings carefully. Then he turned again to Dunlavey.

"Now we'll proceed to do the talking," he said. He walked over to the chair that he had previously vacated, dropping carelessly into it and leaning comfortably back. His movements had been those of a man unquestionably sure of peace. The expression of his eyes, the tones of his voice, his deliberation hinted at a desire for a peaceful compromise.

But once seated in his chair a startling change came over him. There was a rapid movement at his sides, a mere flash of light, and two heavy six-shooters appeared suddenly in his hands and lay there, unaimed, but forbiddingly ready. He sat erect, his eyes chilled and glittering, alert, filled with menace.

"Now," he said sharply, "the first man who peeps above a whisper gets his so plenty that he won't care a d.a.m.n who's nominated for sheriff!" He spoke to Norton and Hollis without turning his head. "You two get whatever guns them gentlemen happen to have on them, standing to one side so's I can see to perforate anyone who ain't agreeable to handing them over."

Norton rose and approached Dunlavey, while Hollis stepped forward to the sheriff and secured the weapon that reposed in a holster at his right hip. He did likewise with Greasy. While Norton was relieving Dunlavey of his weapon the sheriff opened his lips to speak, his gaze fixed doubtfully on one of Allen's sixes.

"The law----" he began. But Allen interrupted with a grin.

"Sure," he said, "the law didn't figure on this. But I reckon you heard Big Bill say once that the law could be handled. I'm handling it now.

But I reckon that lets you out--you ain't in on this and the mourners'll be after you to-morrow if you open your trap again!"

The sheriff swelled with rage, but he closed his lips tightly. When Hollis and Norton had completed their search for weapons and had laid the result of their search on the table near Allen they sought their chairs.

Dunlavey had said nothing. He stood beside Watkins's desk, still self-possessed, the mocking smile still on his face, though into his eyes had come a doubting, worried expression. Plainly he had not antic.i.p.ated such drastic action from Allen.

The latter laughed grimly, quietly. "Sort of unexpected, wasn't it, Bill?" he said, addressing Dunlavey. "It ain't just the sort of politics that you've been used to. But I'm kind of used to it myself. Had to pull the same game off over in Colfax County when I was runnin' for sheriff the first time. It worked, too, because the folks that was mixed up in it knowed I wasn't ringing in any bluff." He looked at Dunlavey with a level, steady gaze, his eyes gleaming coldly. "If you think I'm bluffing now, chirp for some one of your pluguglies to bust into this game. I'd sort of like to let off my campaign guns into your dirty gizzard!"

Hollis had been watching Dunlavey closely. There was no fear in the man's eyes; even the doubt and worry that had been there had disappeared and his expression was now mildly ironical, contrasting oddly with the demeanor of Watkins--who was plainly frightened--and that of Greasy--who smirked and showed his teeth like some beast at bay and in fear of death. It was evident that Dunlavey possessed the spirit of the fighter, that indomitable courage which enables a man to face any situation and still retain his presence of mind, which permits him to face death unafraid and unyielding. In spite of the enmity that had existed between them from the beginning, Hollis had always respected Dunlavey for these very qualities, and within the last few minutes that respect had grown.

Dunlavey's eyes gleamed as he looked at Allen. "I don't think you would try to work any bluff on me, Allen," he said quietly. "You've took me by surprise, that's a fact. But let's get down to business. What's your game?"

"I reckon that's a sensible way to look at it," returned Allen evenly.

"That's the way I expected you'd look at it when you begun to realize that I was holding some pretty good cards. There ain't nothing personal in this; I'm out for a square deal and I'm going to get it. I want you to understand that I'm running this game to-night and I'm running it square. If I get enough votes I'm going to be the next sheriff. If I don't get enough votes Bill Watkins'll be it. But the votes are going to be real votes. I ain't figuring on letting your gang pack in here and keep my friends from voting.

"I'm going to put your hat on this table. Then Norton will open the door and let one man come in. That man will vote--for whoever he pleases.

Then Mr. Hollis will let him out the back door and Norton will let another man in the front. There won't be any row. I'm telling you that you and Bill Watkins and Greasy are going to set here and watch the voting. I'm going to stand behind you with one of my guns tucked under your fifth rib. If you, or Watkins, or Greasy let out a yawp that can be construed as a signal for anyone to bust into the game, or if there's anything started by your friends which ain't your doing, I'm going to pump six chunks of lead into you so fast that they'll be playing tag with one another going through. I reckon you get me. That ends the palaver."

He arose, s.n.a.t.c.hed Dunlavey's hat from his head, placed it on the table, and walked behind Dunlavey, standing against the wall.

"Open the door!" he directed, looking at Norton.

CHAPTER XXV

HANDLING THE LAW

Norton opened the door a trifle and called "One man at a time!" There were some hoa.r.s.e shouts from without--presumably from Dunlavey's friends; a chorus of derisive laughter from Allen's. Then the first man entered.

It was Ace. The poet stood for an instant, blinking at the light, then he grinned as his gaze rested on the occupants of the room. He was directed how to cast his ballot. He took the piece of paper that was given him by Norton, scrawled "Allen" across it with a pencil that Norton had previously placed on the table, and dropped the paper into Dunlavey's hat. Hollis opened the rear door for him, but he halted on the threshold, looking back into the room with a broad grin.

"Gawd A'mighty!" he said in an awed tone; "there must have been a wad of money blowed in in this here town to-day! Drunks! Man alive there ain't nothin' but drunks; the town's reelin' with 'em! They're layin' in the street; there's a dozen in the Silver Dollar an' that many more in the Fashion--an' Gawd knows how many more in the other saloons. Their heads is under the tables; they're hangin' on the walls an' clawin' around in spittoons--gle-or-i-ously, be-ut-i-fully paralyzed!"

He was suddenly outside, pushed through the door by Hollis, and the door closed after him. Hollis glanced furtively at Dunlavey to see that gentleman scowl. He thought he saw a questioning glint in Allen's eyes as the latter looked suddenly at him, but he merely smiled and gave his attention to the next man, who was now entering.

The latter proved to be Lemuel Train. He did his voting quietly and grimly. But as he went out through the door that Hollis opened for him he growled: "Lordy, what a drunken bunch!" He looked at Hollis. "One of your men, too," he said, grinning slightly. "I thought you taught them better!"

Hollis frowned. He knew that Allen would need all his friends; none of them could be spared in this crisis. He smiled incredulously. It had been only a short time before that his men had accompanied him to the door of the sheriff's office. At that time they were perfectly sober. It would have been impossible for any of them--

"An' Ten Spot's a hummer when he gits started," Train was saying. "I've seen him before when he cut loose an' he sure is a holy terror!"

Then with a word of parting Train was gone, saying that he had done all the "damage" he could and that he purposed "hitting" the trail back to his ranch.

He had certainly done some damage to Hollis. The latter's mind now rioted with all sorts of conjecture and he mechanically did his work of letting man after man out through the rear door, scarcely seeing them.

He was aware of an odd expression that had come into Dunlavey's eyes at the mention of Ten Spot. Had Dunlavey succeeded in bribing Ten Spot to desert him? He had left Ten Spot at the Circle Bar, not inviting him to Dry Bottom because he felt that the latter would rather not come since he had deserted Dunlavey. And Ten Spot had come to town anyway. What did it mean? Did it mean that Ten Spot had come to a.s.sist Dunlavey in nominating Watkins and defeating his new employer?

He frowned again, and for the next few minutes gravely studied Dunlavey's face. He was sure that the latter's manner had changed. The mocking smile which had been on his face since his arrival at the sheriff's office had been superseded by a huge grin--plainly of antic.i.p.ation. Ten Spot--dangerous, reckless, drunk, at the head of a number of dissolute men, had it in his power to make things decidedly interesting should he advance on the sheriff's office with the intention of a.s.sisting Dunlavey.

Several times since hiring Ten Spot Hollis had doubted him. The suspicion had a.s.sailed him that perhaps the appearance of Ten Spot at the Hazelton cabin so opportunely had been a part of a plot by Dunlavey to place a spy in his employ. They might have purposely sacrificed Yuma.

During the next quarter of an hour he gave more attention to Dunlavey than to the steady stream of men that pa.s.sed through the room, though he recognized a goodly number as friends he had made during the latter days of the drought.

Allen's spirits had risen during the last quarter of an hour. His maneuver had dissipated Dunlavey's strength and it was plain to be seen that a majority of the votes cast were for him. If nothing unusual or unexpected happened within the next hour, or until nine o'clock, the hour named in Watkins's proclamation for the closing of the polls, he was a.s.sured of victory.

Thoughts of the same character were pa.s.sing through Hollis's mind. There was silence in the office. A man was voting at the table--writing his favorite's name on a piece of paper. Hollis consulted his watch. It lacked over an hour of the time for closing. The man at the table finished writing and tossed the paper into the hat. Hollis opened the rear door to allow him to go out. While the door remained open a sound floated in, which they all heard--an ear-splitting screech, followed instantly by a chorus of yells, a pistol report, more yells, and then a number of reports.

Norton did not open the door. He exchanged glances with Hollis and Allen. Dunlavey grinned widely.

"Something's coming," remarked Allen grimly.

Dunlavey's grin grew derisive. "It would sure be too bad if my friends should bust up this peace meeting," he sneered.

"There won't be nothin' spoiled," grimly a.s.sured Allen. But he drew his other six-shooter.

The sounds outside grew in volume as they swept toward the sheriff's office. They broke presently at the door and an ominous silence succeeded. Then a voice reached the interior--harsh authoritative--Ten Spot's voice.

"Open up, you d.a.m.ned shorthorns!" it said.

Norton looked at Allen. The latter's face was pale. "They come in," he directed, "like the others--one at a time."

Norton carefully withdrew the bar with which the door was fastened, swinging it open slightly. As he did so there was a sudden rush of bodies; Norton tried to jam the door shut, failed, and was flung back several steps by the surging, yelling crowd that piled tumultuously into the room.

There were perhaps twenty of them and as they surged into the room, shouting and cursing and laughing Hollis recognized among them many men that he had come to know by sight. They were of the reckless, lawless element upon which Dunlavey had relied for his support--men of Ten Spot's character. They had been drinking, but in spite of their laughter and loud talking it was plain to be seen that they had determined not to be balked in the purpose which had brought them into the office.

There was now no need to guard the door; the damage had been wrought, and Norton backed away, leaving the door ajar, pale, grim eyed, alert, ready to take an active part in the trouble which he felt certain was sure to develop. Something in the faces of the men who had come in with Ten Spot proclaimed trouble.