Hardcase Read Free Page B

said quietly. “Forget it. They can’t take me and they can’t hold me and they can’t kill me, so quit worryin’. I want some questions answered.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œWill you answer them, or do I have to go down the hall and ask your dad at the point of a gun?”
    Carol stared at him, and she knew he meant it and she said quickly, “I’ll answer them! Only please hurry!”
    Dave grinned faintly, arrogantly, and said, “One. They must claim they paid your dad something for the land. Did they?”
    â€œThey’ve got a forged receipt to prove it. And they did.”
    Dave scowled. “I don’t get it.”
    â€œLast month our foreman quit, walked out. After he’d gone we found he’d deposited eight thousand dollars in the bank in Dad’s name. We didn’t know why. When we found that the Three Rivers outfit had shown Sheriff Beal a receipt signed by Dad for ten thousand dollars we knew where the money came from. The Three Rivers outfit had bribed Sam—our, foreman—to deposit the money in Dad’s name and leave, disappear. They claim, naturally, that they paid the money over to Dad and Dad gave it to Sam to deposit. They also claim Sam kept two thousand dollars of the ten thousand and jumped the country.”
    â€œYour Dad’s signature,” Dave said. “It’s on the deed and on the receipt. What about it?”
    â€œDad had a fall from a horse two months ago that crushed his hand. It’s still stiff. His writing isn’t like it was—it’s like a child’s. They knew that. They could imitate it—and they did.”
    â€œAnd the foreman?” Dave said. “Is he gone?”
    â€œDisappeared. He sailed for South America,” Carol said briefly. She hesitated a moment, then said, “You see how hopeless it is? We’re losing a range that would be a bargain at a hundred thousand dollars. But we can’t win—not even with the lawyer Dad’s got!”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œSenator Maitland, Dad’s oldest friend. He’s the best lawyer in the territory, Dave, but he says we haven’t an even chance. And what could you do that he can’t?”
    Dave said, “Go to bed.”
    When Carol’s face flushed and she came to her feet, indignant at his rudeness, he added, “Somebody may poke a gun through that window any minute. I don’t want you hurt.”
    â€œThen you’re going, Dave?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œGo to bed,” Dave repeated.
    Carol walked to the door, and Dave opened it for her. Carol paused and turned to him, a kind of hurt pride fighting with the friendliness in her face. “Dave, you were good to come. I didn’t have any claim on your friendship. I was—well, just an acquaintance to you. But you see, you can’t help. The time for fighting is over. I’m sorry you came up here. I’m sorrier about the letter. It’s just—well, good-by.” She put out her hand.
    Dave took it “Good night.”
    â€œGood-by.”
    â€œGood night, I said.”
    â€œBut—”
    Gently Dave placed his hand in the middle of her back and pushed her out the door and closed it. He leaned against it, listening. Presently he heard something like a sigh, and the sound of footsteps retreated down the hall.
    He didn’t leave the door, only moved to one side of it and waited. The knock he seemed certain was coming finally did. Dave said, “Walk in, Will.”
    The door opened, and a man walked into the room. He was a moose of a man, dressed in a black broadcloth suit that bulged at the shoulders. He had his hands raised far above his head and he didn’t turn his head, only stopped in the middle of the room.
    â€œI’ll take your word for it. Will,” Dave murmured. “You smell money. Put ’em down.”
    Will Usher let his hands sink to his sides and