Josephine had one foot on the running board and flashed a tantalizing smile up at him.
“See if you can keep out of trouble, Sir Jack, while I am in the store. I will try to be quick,” and with a wave of her hand she disappeared inside.
Mason grinned broadly.
“If she is like most women when they go shopping, I will have some wait,” he mused to himself.
Swinging around in his seat he took to watching the four corners or common, which was all Trader’s Post could boast of.
There were a few people in sight, mostly cowboys, and as he looked, the only hotel in the place came under his observation. Suddenly he sat up stiff and straight, staring hard at the hotel porch. He had made out the figure of MacNutt and he was staggering with locked arms around another cowboy, who was maudlin drunk, and the other cowboy was from Ricker’s ranch!
A low whistle escaped his lips. All his former distrust for this man who called himself MacNutt came back to him with double force. He resolved to denounce MacNutt to the owner of Bar X when he got back to the ranch. He was interrupted in his meditations by Josephine. She came hurrying out of the store with her arms full of bundles and deposited them at his feet with a sigh of relief.
“I didn’t keep you waiting very long, did I?” she asked a little anxiously.
“Yes, I mean no,” he replied absently, still keeping his eyes on the two men.
“What are you staring at?” she questioned.