Hardcase Read Free

puzzling him, and began to read.
    D EAR M R . U SHER :
    I am in receipt of your letter asking me to put you in touch with Dave Coyle. Do you think me stupid, or are you insane? Every child in this territory knows that each of you has sworn to kill the other. Do you think I would betray Dave, simply because you have a deal you think he’d like to talk over with you?
    I am writing Dave tonight, warning him against you—it that’s necessary, which it is not. Rather, I should warn you that he’ll kill you on sight. I honestly believe that Governor Johns would pardon him if he killed you, so if I were in your shoes I would take warning.
    Believe me, with all the ill will in the world, I am not sincerely yours and never will be.
    C AROL M C F EE
    Dave stared at the note. He knew what had happened. Carol had written him and Will Usher on the same night and had put the letters in the wrong envelopes.
    He thought of something then. Suppose Carol had mentioned his presence in Yellow Jacket in her other letter?
    As soon as he thought of it Dave lunged for the lamp, wiping out the flame with his hand. The envelope, which had been in his lap, fluttered to the floor and planed under the chair.
    And in that very instant there was a knock on the door.
    Dave waited a moment and said softly, “Who is it?”
    There was a throaty chuckle from the other side of the door.
    â€œWho’d you think it would be, Davey? It’s me—Will Usher.”

II
    Dave said through the door, “I don’t want trouble. Light a shuck.”
    â€œListen a minute, Dave,” Will said. “I want to talk to you.”
    â€œDrag it.”
    â€œWait a minute.” Usher’s voice was urgent. “I haven’t got a gun and this isn’t a trap. Open the door.”
    Dave said softly, “I’ll walk that door down and cut off your ears, Will. Here I come.”
    He went to the door, unlocked it, and opened it with his right hand. His gun was in his left. There was nobody there. He stepped out into the hall and looked down it, and it was empty.
    He stepped back into the room again, locked the door, and lighted the lamp, a frown on his face. Carol, in her letter to him which Will Usher had received, mentioned Yellow Jacket, and Will was here. Beyond that, Will had the letter that Carol had written him, and he wanted it. He wanted the letter and he didn’t know whether he could trust himself to take it from Will Usher without getting in a fight, but he decided he could if he held his temper.
    He started across the room toward the door and was almost there when a knock came on the door again. He reached swiftly for the key, twisted it, flung the door open, and reached out and grabbed for Will Usher’s coat lapels to yank him inside.
    His hand was swifter than his recognition, for he already was grasping the silk collar of a basque before he could stop himself. And then his his hand fell away, and he was confronting a girl who was almost as surprised as he was.
    â€œWhy—howdy, Carol,” he stammered.
    â€œHello, Dave,” Carol said softly, swiftly. “I’m coming in and close the door after me!”
    She brushed past him, and Dave shut the door behind her, then turned and leaned his back against it. He saw a girl who was smaller than he was and whose thick hair was pale as his was dark. Her face, with its almost uptilted nose and its friendly mouth and deep violet-colored eyes, was too impudent to be beautiful and had too much character in it to be called pretty. Right now it was frightened, too, and Dave smiled faintly.
    â€œYou’ve grown up,” he said.
    Carol stamped her foot. “How can you joke now, Dave? Don’t you know they’re hunting you all over town?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œYou can’t stay here. I’ll—”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBut they’ll find you!”
    â€œNot till I want them to,” Dave said calmly.