The sheriff let him out on a vacant lot behind the courthouse, and a
few minutes later he was on brightly lighted Main Street. He knew that
no attempt against his life would be made in public, for the man who
brought him down would have every puncher on the Frying Pan to deal
with later. Still, he was in danger, and a very real danger, for a
warning from Jim-twin Allen was something no man could disregard.
"Bein' him," Sam Hogg mused, "he wouldn't think a gent was in danger
until he had both feet in a grave."
The Lone Star Saloon stood at the corner, and he paused in the shadow
of its walls and glanced up and down Main Street. Tim Lynch, the owner
of the Lone Star, was one of the men on the Toad's list, and Sam Hogg
decided to drop a warning to him to be on the lookout. As he stepped up
on the board sidewalk he saw the Yuma Kid and Baldy saunter out of the
Red Queen.
"I ain't hankerin' to meet them jaspers," he grunted and hastily slid
through the doors of the saloon. He waited a moment and peered out. The
two killers were standing on the corner opposite the judge's house.
They made no effort to conceal their presence. Obviously they were
waiting for something.
As he watched he saw two figures, followed by a third, come out of the
judge's gate and head toward the outskirts of the town.
"Darn it, why do they let Snippets go roamin' with that Kennedy dude
fer? Reckon they is all right, 'cause Dutchy is followin' 'em. Huh! For
a minute I thinks them killers was waitin' for the gal," he grumbled.
The Lone Star was empty, and Tim Lynch, acting as bartender, watched
Sam Hogg peer through the door for a time, then rounded the bar and
suddenly clapped his hand on his shoulder.
"You playin' detective?" he asked, grinning. "Who you watchin'?"
"Them two jaspers standin' on the corner," Sam replied.
"They're plumb dangerous. It ain't safe to even watch them two killers.
Come have a drink."
Sam Hogg tossed down a drink, then leaning forward, whispered: "Tim, I
can't tell yuh how I know, but yuh been talkin' loud agin' a certain
gent, and he's out for your blood."
Tim grinned and, reaching beneath the bar, brought up a sawed-off
shotgun.
"Reckon I know who you mean, and the Toad don't work in the open, but
this scatters some, an' I'm keepin' it darned close to me."
Before either could say more the screen doors swung open and two men
entered. Both were strangers. One was drunk and the other was
attempting to pacify him.
"If I lets yuh have one more drink, will yuh promise to go to bed?" the
sober one demanded.
"Positively," the other replied.
From somewhere outside there came a shot, followed by a shrill scream,
then another shot. Sam Hogg ran to the door. As he emerged on the
street it struck him as queer that the strangers' curiosity was not
strong enough to make them follow him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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