“Billy Gee told us,” asserted Lex, speaking for the first time; “and he seemed to know what he was talking about,” he added significantly. His father turned wide, horrified eyes on him.
“Billy Gee!” cried Quintell. He threw back his head and laughed aloud. “In Heaven’s name! Is it possible that the officials of the Mohave & Southwestern are also involved along with Lem Huntington in the heroic exploits of this romantic train robber? Tell me,” he continued tauntingly, “have these reported train holdups I’ve read so much about been a little stunt to advertise your road, similar to ‘Death Valley’ Scott’s transcontinental run a few years ago—to snare the gullible tourists to California?”
Lex winced at the insult. “You may draw whatever conclusion you choose, Quintell,” he said coolly. “The point is that Miss Huntington is here to speak with you about——”
“I have already answered Miss Huntington’s question,” cut in the other, and there was a trace of a sneer in his voice. “I don’t feel myself called upon to refute the statement of a common criminal. Another thing, the citizens’ committee, of which I am chairman, decided at a meeting this afternoon to give Mr. Huntington twenty-four hours—or until six o’clock to-morrow evening—to dispose of his property, settle up his affairs, and leave Soapweed Plains. We have found him undesirable. We do not want him here. What steps will be taken, should he fail to comply with the order——”
A cry of horror burst from Dot. She rose to her feet, pale and trembling. She stared wildly, dumbly, from Lex to his father, then fearfully at the broker.
“Good God, Quintell!” gasped young Sangerly. “You certainly aren’t going to be a party to this atrocity? It’s unjust—it’s criminal, man! Huntington is as innocent of these charges as you are. It’s a damnable frame-up. I’ll stake my life on his honesty.”
Quintell resumed his pipe, lit it, and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I’m not the whole show here. The ruling was made in open meeting, by unanimous vote. So far as the disposal of the property is concerned, I’ll buy it off of him—even though he turned me down, once. But I won’t pay a fancy price for it—it’s not worth it.” He blew a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling. “As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t touch it, if you turned down the right of way purchase. I couldn’t. Money is tight right now.”
Dot, struck speechless by this appalling announcement, now found her voice. Defiance flashed from her eyes; her pretty face set with a furious purpose. “Mr. Quintell,” she cried, “you and your committee may continue to issue orders. You may make whatever decisions you wish. I defy you to put them into execution. I’ll take it personally on myself to see that my father leaves the plains in the morning. But I remain. Do you understand? I remain! I want to see how many men in Geerusalem will take sides against a woman. And when it suits me to sell the Huntington ranch——”
“I’ll buy it!” snapped out the elder Sangerly. He said it harshly, violently.
A sudden tense silence fell. Quintell straightened noticeably in his chair. His teeth clenched hard over the calabash. The Western manager of the Mohave & Southwestern was watching him, with the sagacious, estimating look of the hard-headed business man.