the Rustlers Of West Fork (1951) Read Online Free Page B

"em. He's good with his guns. They'd of had us shore, me with that old single-shot Sharps. I got one, but they'd of been all over us afore I could git loaded up. The boy was down, pinned under his horse."
    "Looks like you come along at the right time," the big man said. "Tuck, your name is? Mine's Sim Thatcher. I'm ranchin" west of here."
    "You picked yourself a rough country, from all I hear," Cassidy said. "Figurin' to stick around?"
    Thatcher asked. "If you're huntin' a ridin' job, drop around to the T Bar. I could use a good hand."
    "Mebbe later." He grinned. "I ain't broke yet."
    They all chuckled. "I'd be careful of that horse o' yours," Thatcher said. "This is a country where good horses disappear mighty fast."
    The room was suddenly still. Leeds's companion straightened slowly and turned his head to stare at the big rancher. If Thatcher noticed the stare, he gave no evidence of it. His attention centered, Hopalong listened an instant, judging the silence.
    Then he said, "Horse thieves? Where I come from they use a rope to stop that."
    "What some of us aim to do here." Thatcher was talking, but not to Hopalong alone. He was talking to the room, and he had an attentive audience, even if they did not appear so.
    "Somebody in this country?" Hopalong suggested casually. "Or is it somebody driftin' them to Mexico?"
    "Both," Thatcher replied. He tucked his thumbs behind his belt and Hopalong noted that he wore one gun, belted too high. "Mostly right here in this country. I reckon those Texas range detectives for the Association could find plenty of missin' stock back in the mountain meadows. It's about time the ranchers got together an' put a stop to this rustlin' of stock. Hunt"-Cassidy saw one of the card players look up-"you with me on this?" Hunt looked from Thatcher to the bartender. Then he swallowed. "I ain't lost no stock. Well," he added, as if agreeing to an understood fact, "not much, anyway."
    Sim Thatcher stared at him, his face stiffening.
    "So that's the way it is? Well, there's plenty around that don't feel that way, and once the shootin' starts it'll be either with us or against us!"
    A slim, cool-eyed man with a thin black mustache looked up gravely and seriously. "You'd do better, Sim, to talk quietly to the men you speak of. If Sparr hears of this talk, he might not like it."
    Thatcher stood his ground stubbornly. "I didn't accuse Sparr. I haven't accused anybody, but when the time comes, I'll name names."
    "That wouldn't be Avery Sparr now, would it?" Hopalong asked casually. "Seems I've heard of an Avery Sparr."
    "Heard of him?" It was the buck-toothed man.
    "He's the slickest, fastest gunman around this country! Or any other, if'n you' ask me! I'd say he'd make Hardin or any of them back water if it came to that!"
    "What's he doin'? Ranchin'?" Hopalong asked casually. "Seems whenever I heard of him he was a town marshal with a careless gun, or backin' some gamblers."
    "He's ranchin'," Sim Thatcher replied;
    "partners with a Montana man name of Jordan This Jordan, he come out here an' shortly after, this Sparr hooked up with him."
    Leeds turned toward the door. He seemed anxious to get out and away. Sim Thatcher stared at him and started to speak, but the door closed after Leeds and they heard his rapidly retreating footsteps on the hard-packed ground. Nobody spoke for an instant, and then Sim nodded after him. "He keeps some good stock around."
    The buck-toothed man turned slowly.
    "Meanin'?" There was a menace in the question. "Leeds is a friend of mine."
    The room was suddenly still again, and judging the two, Cassidy was suddenly worried for the big rancher.
    Yet it was not his place to interfere, nor would he.
    It was the rancher himself who used judgment where Hopalong had expected none. "Why, nothin',"
    Thatcher said quietly. "I was thinkin' o' those mules he drove up. Mighty fine! Best mules I've seen this side o' Missouri!"
    Coolly he ignored the gumnan, his broad back turned to him. After a