Hashknife did not speak to Faro, and the gang went back to their drinking. Lee Yung drank little. He considered Faro Lanning thoughtfully, distrustfully. He knew that Faro had some real reason for riding down there. And he had asked for Torres.
In spite of his dangerous predicament Hashknife smiled to himself. It was evident that there were two factions, composed of the K-10 outfit on one side, and Torres and Lanning on the other. He wondered who else was connected with Torres’ side.
He knew now that Jack Hill was Jack Meline, and that the elder Meline was closely associated with both Lee Yung and Baldy Kern. He wondered what Sleepy and the Tumbling H gang were doing, and from the talk he had heard he knew that the K-10 outfit had nothing to do with the kidnapping of Lucy and Wanna. He was also beginning to fear that Big Medicine was wrong in thinking that the women had been taken to this ranch.
Hashknife noted with satisfaction that everyone was drinking considerable liquor. Given enough time, he was sure that Sleepy and the gang would make a desperate attempt to find him. But Baldy was hardly satisfied with Faro Lanning’s explanation of his appearance. Baldy was just drunk enough to be suspicious.
“You must ’a’ hurried, Faro,” he observed.
“I didn’t lose much time,” agreed Faro indifferently.
“How did yuh know yuh had friends here?”
“Guessed it.”
Faro winked wisely.