“Saddle up! Me?” queried Tracy, red-faced.
“Yep. First thing, you look over this here telegram. It’s about a gent named Murphy, which same is sojournin’ in our midst. Since somebody wants him bad enough to offer three hundred dollars for him, you’d ought to be interested in picking up the money.”
He laid his telegram on the desk. Tracy read it. His face was a study in mingled emotions. Finally he looked up at Fisher with a complete change of front.
“I guess you’re Sam Fisher, all right,” he observed. “They say he’s got the devil’s own nerve, and you sure show it. But you’re making a terrible mistake butting into things like this, Fisher. You don’t know this here county——”
“Here’s my badge for proof, and my mail,” said Robinson. “I’m Sam Fisher—fact is, I never said right out that I was Robinson. Folks just took that for granted. You and the old gang are plumb out of luck, Tracy. I got no hard feelings against you, and I’m going to give you the chance to slide out of town, avoid trouble, and pick up three hundred iron men. In other words, take Mr. Murphy to the railroad and go away with him. By the time you get back the trouble will be all over and you’ll have a clean slate.”
Tracy, breathing hard, surveyed his visitor with anxious eyes.
“Don’t get hasty now,” warned Robinson—or, to use his real name, Sam Fisher. “And don’t get to thinking about Templeton Buck and how much power he has. He ain’t going to have much left when I get through with him, Tracy. I s’pose he’s given out orders that poor Jack Robinson has got to be eliminated. Fact is, he thought he had me eliminated a few hours ago. That’s all right; we’ll leave Jack Robinson out of it. Sam Fisher has drawn cards in this game, and he’s going to stick for the pot.”
“Why don’t you take Murphy, if you want him, and go?” demanded the sheriff.
“I don’t want him. Three hundred bones means nothin’ in my young life. Also, and moreover, I don’t aim to go in that direction.” Fisher’s smile was cherubic. “You are gettin’ off mighty easy, Tracy. All you got to do is to swear me in as a deputy and turn over the jail keys to me, then start travelin’ with Murphy. I’ll even go so far as to help you arrest him.”
Tracy reddened again.