There were tears in her eyes then and it was a mighty big temptation to back down and tell her to stay which would be just what I would want in my goddam selfish way .sx So instead I hardened my heart , and it was real hard work .sx Even Matt Tompkins gave me a dirty look .sx I expect he figured I was a real mean hombre .sx " I'll be here to see you onto the stage tomorrow morning , " I said .sx " Meantime I should stay indoors .sx This town is no health resort .sx " " Amen to that , " said Ma Tompkins unexpectedly .sx " It's a sink of iniquity , a real Sodom and Gomorrow .sx " " Gomorrah , " I said absent-minded like .sx My Pa never made any mistake over words from the good book .sx " So-long then till tomorrow , Miss Jeannie , and look after yourself .sx " And with those weak words I walked on out , avoiding Jeannie Bain's accusing eyes and wishing I had the strength to say a half of all the things I'd have liked to say to her .sx I stood around in the early morning sunlight not knowing quite what to do next and then of course I remembered that I had better go find Dan Maffrey and get him wised up about last night's occurrences .sx I ambled on from Ma Tompkins's house to the livery stable .sx The owner was inside rubbing down a horse .sx I stood around watching him and listening to him hiss through his teeth in the peculiar way hostlers have .sx " That's a fine horse you've got there , mister , " I said at last .sx He broke off his hissing for a brief space and took a quick look at me .sx " Yes , " he said .sx " It's a Morgan .sx Belongs to the Town Marshal .sx " Something in his eyes as he said this , a swift flicker of double knowledge , made me think .sx Here was someone who'd known all about Bill Appleton and someone who'd had enough time to let Pell and his gang know about Appleton's movements and identity too .sx Someone maybe who'd been at the meeting .sx This man had been at the meeting too .sx " You heard what happened to Appleton after the meeting ?sx " I said .sx " Yeah , " he said .sx " I heard .sx " " Someone must have arranged that , " I went on .sx " Mebbe so .sx I jest hear things .sx Everyone talks to liverymen .sx " " Yes , " I said .sx " There's too much pow-wowing going on hereabouts .sx " He came out from behind the Marshal's horse .sx " You want your pony , mister ?sx " " Yes , " I said , " I'll take a little pasear around .sx Maybe I'll hear a little more talk along the trail and maybe I'll find out who killed Bill Appleton .sx " He went off then to get Bessie from an inner stall .sx She came along and whickered when she saw me .sx The liveryman pulled my rig off a nail and slapped it on the mare .sx " You coming back ?sx " he said when he'd got the saddle fixed .sx " I aim to , " I said , cold as a fish .sx " This town kind of grows on me .sx " I climbed up onto Bessie and he watched me with resentment , fear and self-disgust fighting for possession of his face .sx I rode out and away from town at a quiet trot .sx I would circle around and try to find Dan Maffrey on the other side in the hidey-hole he'd ridden off to last night .sx It took me an hour to make my circle of the town .sx I found the trail along which Dan must have come in .sx It was well-worn , wheel-marked and dusty .sx It would be the trail up to Colorado , I figured .sx About four miles along , it swung north-east , twisting and turning through rough country with big rocks sticking out all round .sx A coach , I thought , would have to slow up some on a trail like that .sx I trotted on .sx The perfect spot lay about half a mile further on , on an upgrade that was steep enough to slow any coach to a crawl .sx I reined in and took a look around .sx There were medium-sized rocks and mesquite bushes on both sides at the top , with enough cover for men and horses until the right moment .sx Further over , about four hundred yards west of the trail , the ground rose again to a ridge .sx I was staring at it when I heard a voice .sx " You got the same idea as me .sx " It was Dan of course , bellied down on the far side .sx I saw him stand up and then he disappeared for a moment , reappearing seconds later on his cayuse .sx He rode down to where I was waiting .sx I was thinking what a skill he had for reading my mind .sx " This would be as good a place for a hold-up as any , " he said , reining in near me .sx " Yes , " I said .sx " It'll be here tomorrow as likely as not .sx " I paused .sx " Miss Jeannie'll be on that coach , Dan .sx " " Yes , " he said .sx " I know .sx " " No harm must come to her , Dan .sx " " She'll be all right .sx It's the men who'll be after that coach I'm interested in , Johnny .sx " " I know .sx But if lead starts flying she might be in danger .sx " " That's so .sx But I reckon they'll be too busy shooting at us to bother with the coach and the folks in it .sx " " Maybe , " I said .sx " But we've got to remember that girl all the time , Dan .sx I feel kind of responsible for her .sx " " Of course , " he said , giving me one of his strange looks .sx Then he turned the conversation .sx " Let's ride over and have a look at the mining camp .sx After all it's them we're supposed to be working for , as well as the townsfolk and the agency detective .sx " With something of a start I remembered the man who'd brought us into this business .sx " Maybe you don't know about Appleton , Dan ?sx " " Know what ?sx " " That he's dead , " I said .sx I watched him because I was always fascinated by the way he looked when you tried to surprise him .sx " Dead ?sx " he said .sx " Yes .sx Dead .sx Shuffled out of the deck .sx Blasted down with a shotgun outside the Palace last night .sx " " Fenton or Somers , " he said .sx " Or the Town Marshal , " I added .sx His face was fixed , unreadable as a rock .sx " Let's get over to the mining camp , " he said abruptly .sx He wheeled his horse back off the trail and up the slope leading to the ridge .sx I followed .sx From the top you could see something of the wild hill country that lay all round Gilburg Crossing .sx The air was fresh and clear and you could see far over west and north for many miles .sx The real high country of the Rockies lifted up in the distance like a pale water-colour drawing .sx Between us and that lay a vast stretch of hills , canyons , buttes and malpais .sx " The mine-workings lie north of the town , " said Dan .sx " If we head west we ought to cut the trail leading from Gilburg to the north .sx " So we swung west , making slow going over rough country , sliding on shale , climbing down into draws , circling a big mesa by a four or five mile valley , sandy-floored .sx It got hotter as the day wore on and we rested gratefully by a small creek where we watered the horses and drank enough to cure our thirst .sx An hour's riding brought us to a trail that we figured would lead to the miners' camp .sx We turned north into it and after about four miles it led into a small canyon which opened out into a wide shallow draw .sx Here in a dried-up creek-bed we found the miners at work .sx They were scattered over a fairly wide area working singly or in pairs .sx We didn't approach unchallenged .sx Just short of the diggings there was a roughly-built shack and as we got near someone inside bawled out , " If you come any closer , I'll sure blow your whiskers off .sx " " Take it easy , mister , " I sang out .sx " We don't aim to come any closer and we've got no whiskers so as you can see .sx Just you go and tell Nick Dowd we've come to talk to him about what happened last night .sx " " Oh , " said the unseen guard .sx He blew a whistle then , loud and shrill .sx The gun barrel peeking out through a hole in the shack never wavered .sx We sat our horses , waiting .sx " Looks as though they're expecting trouble , " I said .sx " Where there's gold and women there's always trouble , " observed Dan , shifting about in his saddle .sx He was never long on patience .sx I saw several men running down towards the shack .sx They were all armed with rifles .sx As the nearest of them came round the shack , his rifle at the ready , I saw it was Nick Dowd , still wearing his blue check shirt .sx He came up close , eyeing us suspiciously .sx " We've come a-calling , " I said .sx " Can't see no reason for calling , " he said .sx " Still long as you're here you may as well stay a while .sx 'Light an' come on in .sx " We dismounted and one of the miners who'd come along with Nick Dowd took our horses off to water .sx We followed Nick Dowd into the shack .sx They'd rigged up a stove of sorts and on it a huge blackened coffee-pot steamed .sx Other miners followed in at our heels .sx Nick Dowd found us a couple of boxes to sit on .sx A small man in bib overalls and a battered Derby hat fussed around the stove .sx " Ain't exactly the Ritz Hotel but we've got our little comforts , " said Dowd .sx He introduced the men who'd come in as Roper Smith , Shorty , Mick Golightly , Swede and the Sodbuster .sx This last was the little hombre in big overalls .sx Very soon he had tin mugs filled with hot black coffee sweetened with molasses for all and for us there were two plates of beans .sx " They gives you the wind , " said the Sodbuster handing them to us , " but it's all we got as of now , apart from a few sacks of gold dust .sx " He winked at his partners .sx They all watched us as we ate the beans .sx Then when we'd finished and I'd rolled a cigarette the man called Shorty said , " You were saying when you came in that somep'n happened last night .sx " " Yes , " I said .sx " Something happened all right .sx After you'd left the meeting , " - I looked across at Nick Dowd- " someone cut down William Appleton outside the Palace with a shotgun .sx " I paused and watched my words affect them in their different ways .sx " That's sure bad news , " said Dowd , sombrely .sx " It jest about leaves everything wide open for Mr. Pell and his bunch , " observed Shorty .sx The rest of the men there said nothing but you could see they were hard hit .sx They were simple men who knew a lot maybe about digging for gold but were babes in arms when it came to dealing with owlhooters and desperadoes like Pell and Fenton and the rest .sx " I guess we'd better hold onto the gold right hyar , Nick , " said the Sodbuster .sx " Yeah , " said Dowd dubiously .sx " Mebbe we'd better .sx " Surprisingly Dan Maffrey came in at that point .sx " If you do , " he said , " you'll be sure asking for trouble .sx They'll be on your necks before you can say 'knife' .sx It wouldn't be the first time they've held up a diggings at gun point either .sx They've done it before and got away with it .sx " " You're durned tootin' , mister , " said the man called Roper Smith .sx " We've got five rifles among us and a few six-shooters .sx But most of us ain't eddicated in shootin' .sx It'd be a massacree , yessir .sx " " If you'll take a chance on getting your gold to the bank , then we'll abide by what we said at the meeting , " said Dan .sx " We'll watch the stage out of reach .sx " I couldn't quite see how all this fitted in with Dan Maffrey's aim to avenge himself on the Fenton bunch but still it was a handsome offer so I chimed in too .sx " That goes for me , gentlemen , " I said .sx " If they do try and hold up the stage , it'll be a couple or three of them , no more .sx I reckon we can deal with them all right .sx " " All right , " said Dowd .sx " We'll leave it as we planned it last night .sx