He did not retreat from where he halted at the instant Sandusky entered. His one slender chance was to hug to the men that meant to kill him. Morgan, the nearest, he esteemed the least dangerous of the three; but to think to escape both Sandusky and Logan at close quarters was, he knew, more than ought to be hoped for.
While Morgan was closing the door, de Spain smiled at his visitors: That isnt necessary, Morgan: Im not ready to run. Morgan only continued to stare at him. I need hardly ask, added de Spain, whether you fellows have business with me?
He looked to Sandusky for a reply; it was Logan who answered in shrill falsetto: No. We dont happen to have business that I know of. A friend of ours may have a little, maybe! Logan, lifting his shoulders with his laugh, looked toward his companions for an answer to his joke.
De Spains smile appeared unruffled: Youll help him transact it, I suppose?
Logan, looking again toward Sandusky, grinned: He wont need any help.
Who is your friend? demanded de Spain good-naturedly. Logans glance misled him; it did not refer to Sandusky. And even as he asked the question de Spain heard through the half-open window at the end of the bar the sound of hoofs. Hoping against hope for Lefever, the interruption cheered him. It certainly did not seem that his situation could be made worse.
Well, answered Logan, talking again to his gallery of cronies, weve got two or three friends that want to see you. Theyre waiting outside to see what youll look like in about five minutesaint they, Gale?
Some one was moving within the rear room. De Spain felt hope in every footfall he heard, and the mention this time of Morgans name cleared his plan of battle. Before Gale, with an oath, could blurt out his answer, de Spain had resolved to fight where he stood, taking Logan first and Morgan as he should jump in between the two. It was at the best a hopeless venture against Sanduskys first shot, which de Spain knew was almost sure to reach a vital spot. But desperate men cannot be choosers.
Theres no time for seeing me like the present, declared de Spain, ignoring Morgan and addressing his words to Logan. Bring your friends in. What are you complaining about, Morgan? he asked, resenting the stream of abuse that Gale hurled at him whenever he could
get a word in. I had my turn at you with a rifle the other day. Youve got your turn now. And I call it a pretty soft one, toodont you, Sandusky? he demanded suddenly of the big fellow.
Sandusky alone through the talk had kept an unbroken silence. He was eating up de Spain with his eyes, and de Spain not only ached to hear him speak but was resolved to make him. Sandusky had stood motionless from the instant he entered the room. He knew all about the preliminary gabble of a fight and took no interest in it. He did not know all about de Spain, and being about to face his bullets he had prudence enough to wonder whether the man could have brought a reputation to Sleepy Cat without having done something to earn it. What Sandusky was sensibly intent on was the determination that he should not contribute personally to the further upbuilding of anybodys reputation. His eyes with this resolve shining in them rested intently on de Spain, and at his side the long fingers of his right hand beat a soft tattoo against his pistol holster. De Spains question seemed to arouse him. Whats your name? he demanded bluntly. His voice was heavy and his deafness was reflected in the strained tone.
Its on the butt of my gun, Sandusky.
Whats that he says? demanded the man known as the butcher, asking the question of Logan, but without taking his eyes off his shifty prey.
Logan raised his voice to repeat the words and to add a ribald comment.
You make a good deal of noise, muttered Sandusky, speaking again to de Spain.
That ought not to bother you much, Sandusky, shouted de Spain, trying to win a smile from his taciturn antagonist.
His noise wont bother anybody much longer, put in Logan, whose retorts overflowed at every interval. But there was no smile even hinted at in the uncompromising vigilance of Sanduskys expressionless face. De Spain discounted the next few minutes far enough to feel that Sanduskys first shot would mean death to him, even if he could return it.
Ill tell you, de Spain, continued Logan, were going to have a drink with you. Then were going to prepare you for going back where you come fromwith nice flowers.
I guess you thought you could come out here and run over everybody in the Spanish Sinks, interposed Morgan, with every oath he could summon to load his words.
Keep out, Morgan, exclaimed Logan testily. Ill do this talking.
De Spain continued to banter. Gentlemen, he said, addressing the three together and realizing that every moment wasted before the shooting added a grain of hope, I am ready to drink when you are.
Hes ready to drink, Tom, roared Morgan in the deaf mans ear.
Im ready, announced Sandusky in hollow voice.
Still regarding de Spain with the most businesslike expression, the grizzled outlaw took a guarded step forward, his companions following suit. De Spain, always with a jealous regard for the relative distance between him and his self-appointed executioners, moved backward. In crossing the room, Sandusky, without objection from his companions, moved across their front, and when the four lined up at the bar their positions had changed. De Spain stood at the extreme left, Sandusky next, Logan beside him, and Gale Morgan, at the other end of the line, pretended to pound the bar for service. De Spain, following mountain etiquette in the circumstances, spread his open hands, palms down, on the bar. Sanduskys great palms slid in the same fashion over the checked slab in unspoken recognition of the brief armistice. Logans hands came up in turn, and Morgan still pounded for some one to serve.