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as well as anybody； though he would not admit it。 Holley's hint made Bostil
look worried。 Most of Bostil's gray hairs might have been traced to his years
of worry about horses。
The day he received word from the Indians he sent for Brackton； Williams；
Muncie； and Creech to come to his house that night。 These men； with Bostil；
had for years formed in a way a club； which gave the Ford distinction。 Creech
was no longer a friend of Bostil's； but Bostil had always been fair…minded；
and now he did not allow his animosities to influence him。 Holley； the veteran
rider； made the sixth member of the club。
Bostil had a cedar log blazing cheerily in the wide fireplace； for these early
spring nights in the desert were cold。
Brackton was the last guest to arrive。 He shuffled in without answering the
laconic greetings accorded him； and his usually mild eyes seemed keen and
hard。
〃John； I reckon you won't love me fer this here I've got to tell you； to…night
specially；〃 he said； seriously。
〃You old robber； I couldn't love you anyhow；〃 retorted Bostil。 But his humor
did not harmonize with the sudden gravity of his look。 〃What's up？〃
〃Who do you suppose I jest sold whisky to？〃
〃I've no idea；〃 replied Bostil。 Yet he looked as if he was perfectly sure。
〃Cordts！ 。 。 。 Cordts； an' four of his outfit。 Two of them I didn't know。 Bad
men； judgin' from appearances； let alone company。 The others was Hutchinson
an'Dick Sears。〃
〃DICK SEARS！〃 exclaimed Bostil。
Muncie and Williams echoed Bostil。 Holley appeared suddenly interested。 Creech
alone showed no surprise。
〃But Sears is dead；〃 added Bostil。
〃He was deadwe thought；〃 replied Brackton； with a grim laugh。 〃But he's
alive again。 He told me he'd been in Idaho fer two years； in the gold…fields。
Said the work was too hard； so he'd come back here。 Laughed when he said it；
the little devil！ I'll bet he was thinkin' of thet wagon…train of mine he
stole。〃
Bostil gazed at his chief rider。
〃Wal； I reckon we didn't kill Sears； after all；〃 replied Holley。 〃I wasn't
never sure。〃
〃Lord！ Cordts an' Sears in camp；〃 ejaculated Bostil； and he began to pace the
room。
〃No； they're gone now；〃 said Brackton。
〃Take it easy； boss。 Sit down；〃 drawled Holley。 〃The King is safe； an' all the
racers。 I swear to thet。 Why； Cordts couldn't chop into thet log…an'…wire
corral if he an' his gang chopped all night！ They hate work。 Besides； Farlane
is there； an' the boys。〃
This reassured Bostil； and he resumed his chair。 But his hand shook a little。
〃Did Cordts have anythin' to say？〃 he asked。
〃Sure。 He was friendly an' talkative；〃 replied Brackton。 〃He came in just
after dark。 Left a man I didn't see out with the hosses。 He bought two big
packs of supplies； an' some leather stuff； an'； of course； ammunition。 Then
some whisky。 Had plenty of gold an' wouldn't take no change。 Then while his
men； except Sears； was carryin' out the stuff； he talked。〃
〃Go on。 Tell me；〃 said Bostil。
〃Wal； he'd been out north of Durango an' fetched news。 There's wild talk back
there of a railroad goin' to be built some day； joinin' east an' west。 It's
interestin'； but no sense to it。 How could they build a railroad through thet
country？〃
〃North it ain't so cut up an' lumpy as here；〃 put in Holley。
〃Grandest idea ever thought of for the West；〃 avowed Bostil。 〃If thet railroad
ever starts we'll all get rich。 。 。 。 Go on； Brack。〃
〃Then Cordts said water an' grass was peterin' out back on the trail； same as
Red Wilson said last week。 Finally he asked； 'How's my friend Bostil？' I told
him you was well。 He looked kind of thoughtful then； an' I knew what was
comin'。 。 。 。'How's the King？' 'Grand' I told him'grand。' 'When is them
races comin' off？' I said we hadn't planned the time yet； but it would be
sooninside of a month or two。 'Brackton；' he said； sharp…like； 'is Bostil
goin' to pull a gun on me at sight？' 'Reckon he is；' I told him。 'Wal； I'm not
powerful glad to know thet。 。 。 。 I hear Creech's blue hoss will race the King
this time。 How about it？' 'Sure an' certain this year。 I've Creech's an'
Bostil's word for thet。' Cordts put his hand on my shoulder。 You ought to 've
seen his eyes！。 。 。'I want to see thet race。 。 。 。 I'm goin' to。' 'Wal；' I
said； 'you'll have to stop bein'You'll need to change your bizness。' Then；
Bostil； what do you think？ Cordts was sort of eager an' wild。 He said thet was
a race he jest couldn't miss。 He swore he wouldn't turn a trick or let a man
of his gang stir a hand till after thet race； if you'd let him come。〃
A light flitted across Bostil's face。
〃I know how Cordts feels；〃 he said。
〃Wal； it's a queer deal；〃 went on Brackton。 〃Fer a long time you've meant to
draw on Cordts when you meet。 We all know thet。〃
〃Yes； I'll kill him！〃 The light left Bostil's face。 His voice sounded
differently。 His mouth opened； drooped strangely at the corners； then shut in
a grim； tense line。 Bostil had killed more than one man。 The memory； no doubt；
was haunting and ghastly。
〃Cordts seemed to think his word was guarantee of his good faith。 He said he'd
send an Indian in here to find out if he can come to the races。 I reckon；
Bostil； thet it wouldn't hurt none to let him come。 An' hold your gun hand fer
the time he swears he'll be honest。 Queer deal； ain't it； men？ A hoss…thief
turnin' honest jest to see a race！ Beats me！ Bostil； it's a cheap way to get
at least a little honesty from Cordts。 An' refusin' might rile him bad。 When
all's said Cordts ain't as bad as he could be。〃
〃I'll let him come；〃 replied Bostil； breathing deep。 〃But it'll be hard to see
him； rememberin' how he's robbed me； an' what he's threatened。 An' I ain't
lettin' him come to bribe a few weeks' decency from him。 I'm doin' it for only
one reason。 。 。 。 Because I know how he loves the Kinghow he wants to see
the King run away from the field thet day！ Thet's why！〃
There was a moment of silence； during which all turned to Creech。 He was a
stalwart man； no longer young； with a lined face； deep…set； troubled eyes； and
white； thin beard。
〃Bostil； if Cordts loves the King thet well； he's in fer heartbreak；〃 said
Creech； with a ring in his voice。
Down crashed Bostil's heavy boots and fire flamed in his gaze。 The other men
laughed； and Brackton interposed：
〃Hold on； you boy riders！〃 he yelled。 〃We ain't a…goin' to have any arguments
like thet。 。 。 。 Now； Bostil； it's settled； then？ You'll let Cordts come？〃
〃Glad to have him；〃 replied Bostil。
〃Good。 An' now mebbe we'd better get down to the bizness of this here
meetin'。〃
They seated themselves around the table； upon which Bostil laid an old and
much…soiled ledger and a stub of a lead…pencil。
〃First well set the time；〃 he said； with animation； 〃an' then pitch into
details。 。 。 。 What's the date？〃
No one answered； and presently they all looked blankly from one to the other。
〃It's April； ain't it？〃 queried Holley。
That assurance was as close as they could get to the time of year。
〃Lucy！〃 called Bostil； in a loud voice。
She came running in； anxious； almost alarmed。
〃Goodness！ you made us jump！ What on earth is the matter？〃
〃Lucy； we want to know the date；〃 replied Bostil。
〃Date！ Did you have to scare Auntie and me out of our wits just for that？〃
〃Who scared you？ This is important； Lucy。 What's the date？〃
〃It's a week to…day since last Tuesday；〃 answered Lucy； sweetly。
〃Huh！ Then it's Tuesday again；〃 said Bostil； laboriously writing it down。
〃Now； what's the date？〃
〃Don't you remember？〃
〃Remember？ I never knew。〃
〃Dad！ 。 。 。 Last Tuesday was my birthdaythe day you DID NOT give me a
horse！〃
〃Aw； so it was；〃 rejoined Bostil； confused at her reproach。 〃An' thet date
waslet's seeApril sixth。 。 。 。 Then this is April thirteenth。 Much
obliged； Lucy。 Run back to your aunt now。 This hoss talk won't interest you。〃
Lucy tossed her head。 〃I'll bet I'll have to straighten out the whole thing。〃
Then with a laugh she disappeared。
〃Three days beginninsay June first。 June firstsecond； an' third。 How about
thet for the races？〃
Everybody agreed； and Bostil laboriously wrote that down。 Then they planned
the details。 Purses and prizes； largely donated by Bostil and Muncie； the rich
members of the community； were recorded。 The old rules were adhered to。 Any
rider or any Indian could enter any horse in any race； or as many horses as he
liked in as many races。 But by winning one race he excluded himself from the
others。 Bostil argued for a certain weight in riders； but the others ruled out
this suggestion。 Special races were arranged for the Indians； with saddles；
bridles； blankets； guns as prizes。
All this appeared of absorbing interest to Bostil。 He perspired freely。 There
was a gleam in his eye； betraying excitement。 When it came to arranging the
details of the big race between the high…class racers； then he grew intense
and harder to deal with。 Many points had to go by vote。 Muncie and Williams
both had fleet horses to enter in this race； Holley had one； Creech had two；
there were sure to be several Indians enter fast mustangs； and Bostil had the
King and four others to choose from。 Bostil held out stubbornly for a long
race。