“What!” The word broke from Fisher like an explosion. “What? How come?”
“I ain’t certain.” Steve became calmer as he spoke. “Right after I got back to the Lazy S, Buck and this feller Chuck rode home, savvy? I aimed to come right to town, only Stella was badly broken up about Miguel, so I had to stick around a while. Finally I had a chance to tell her the rights of the whole business, so she up and tells me that you was Sam Fisher himself. It took us quite a spell gettin’ straightened out. Then the poor ol’ señora took to throwin’ fits and I had to give Stella a hand with her, which ate up considerable time.
“Well, I was gettin’ saddled up, when in rode one of our veterans from the Circle Bar, seekin’ Jake. Seems like Jake had started for the Shumway place early this mornin’ alone. Must ha’ clear dropped out o’ sight. Stella told me to ride in and git you, which I done. That’s all we know.”
Sam Fisher studied over this information for a time, gravely perturbed.
“Steve, we’re in for it, up to our necks!” he said at last. “Buck is makin’ a great play for the Shumway place and Stella; at least, he started that way.
“He knows nothing of what’s happened in town. He thinks that I’m in jail, safe to be put away for the murder of Cervantes. Cervantes is dead and out of his way. The only other obstacle in his path was Jake Harper, and he must have arranged to handle the old man. If he has, by Heaven, I’ll get him! No—I won’t get him. I’ll still send him over the road.”
“A bullet would simplify things a heap,” and Arnold sighed.
“No, Steve.” Fisher’s voice was grave, heavy, stern. “Buck is the prime mover behind all the deviltry up here. It was Buck who sent Frank Shumway to the pen—and that fellow Murphy, or Pincher Brady, framed the deal from the capital. I found a letter in Murphy’s pocket from Buck referring to it—clear enough evidence to free Shumway.”
“Glory be!” ejaculated Arnold with a sudden yell of delight. “Is that the truth?”
“It’s the truth. That letter is locked in the sheriff’s desk—and nobody knows about it. Now, Murphy is safe out of the way, and we’ll get Frank loose from the pen in no time. But Buck—give him a quick, hot bullet? Not much! That devil is going behind the bars for life, if I can send him!”