“That’s the story. And now, here’s the point: Others, detectives working at the other end of the business, have an inkling of some of this dope. They haven’t got what I’ve got, but they may possibly get it. They may––possibly. And if they do––wel-ll––” He smiled at them, his eyebrows pointing his meaning, his fingers tapping, tapping on his arm.
“You’ve got to quit. Now, without turning the deal you’re working on, you’ve got to quit. Get that. Get it right into your souls. You men that have been hired to steal, you’ve got to drift. Where, does not concern me at all. Where Duke went is good––Parts Unknown. Or if it’s to hell––why, the going is good. Never better. You’ll go quicker, but there won’t be any coming back, so I advise––Parts Unknown.
“You two Lorrigans––I’m not thinking of you now as my brother and my father––the same advice applies to you. You’re Lorrigans. You’d rather fight it out than pull out, but you won’t. You’d rather kill me than go. That’s all right; I understand perfectly. But––I’m Lorrigan, too. You’ll go, or I’ll kill you. Tom Lorrigan, your hand is pret-ty close to your gun! But so is mine. You’d kill me, because I stand in the trail you’ve been traveling. But you wouldn’t kill me a damn bit quicker than I’d kill you! I do stand 343 in the trail––and you’re going to take another, both you Lorrigans.
“You had a debt––a bill of damages against the Black Rim. Wel-ll,” he smiled, “you’ve collected. Now, to-night, you write ‘paid’ across that bill. You tried to be honest, and the Black Rim wouldn’t give you credit for it; they tried to frame something on you, tried to send you ‘over the road’ on a damned, measly charge you weren’t small enough to be guilty of. I understand. The trail ends right here. You quit. You sit there ready to kill. But I’m just as ready as you are. You’ll quit, or I’ll kill you!”
He waited, watching Tom. Tom, watching Lance, got up and faced him cold-eyed, unafraid, weighing not chances, but values rather.
“You’d kill me, would you!” he asked, his voice matching the drawl of Lance.
“Sure, I’d kill you!” Lance smiled back.
Eyes on a level, the two stared at each other, smiling that deadly, Lorrigan smile, the smile of old Tom Lorrigan the killer.
“You would, all right,” Tom said. Then his stiffened muscles relaxed. A twinkle came into his eyes. “If you’re game enough to do that, kid, by God, I’m game enough to quit!”
Lance unfolded his arms, reached out with his open right hand and met Tom’s hand in a close grip. “That’s the stuff, dad! I knew you had it in you––I knew it!”