He was half-drunk, and caught at the corner of the table to keep his balance. Jack wiped the blood from his lips, but said nothing. He had tried to do what he considered the decent thing, as long as they intended to force marriage upon her.
“Let’s pull off a raffle,” suggested Kohler. “The lucky man marries the girl. How’s that for an idea?”
But before Baldy could digest the idea, one of the guards fairly fell in through the doorway, with the other close behind.
“They come!” panted one of the guards. “Four riders.”
“How close?” demanded Gonzales anxiously.
“Not too far. It is better to get them here than to fight in the dark. They will soon be here, because the house seems dark.”
“Big Medicine and his gang!” exploded Baldy. “We’ll trap ’em. Take the women into the kitchen. Leave the lamp as it is. Scatter and lie down on the floor, but keep yore guns ready. By God, we’ve got ’em, boys! Make it fast.”
CHAPTER XVI
DRESSED TO KILL
Guadalupe and Felipe hurried the two women into the kitchen and barred the door leading to the outside, while the others, except the priest, flung themselves on the floor, away from the rays of the lamp, and covered the doorway with their guns.
The priest moved toward the door, but was stopped by Baldy.