The Trail Horde
Page 31
CHAPTER XXX
A WOMAN LIES
Lawler had said little to Sheriff Moreton on the ride to Willets. Norhad he made any comment when, in the Circle L ranchhouse, in thepresence of his mother, Moreton had shown him the statement signed byDella Wharton. He had silently passed it back to Moreton; and had walkedto Mrs. Lawler--telling her why the sheriff had come; smilingly takingleave of her while Moreton, sweating profusely, turned his back andpretended to be interested in a picture on the wall.
"I reckon there's somethin' about this case that ain't been brought outyet, Mrs. Lawler," said Moreton when he was about to depart with hisprisoner. "But things has a way of comin' out, an' I reckon we'll getKane out of this before long."
Outside, on their horses, Moreton rode close to Lawler.
"Kane, I reckon it's a damn lie about you killin' Link an' Givens theway that Wharton woman says you did--in that damned paper--justmalicious, without them deservin' it?"
"Moreton, I told you my side of the story a couple of months ago. It'sthe lady's word against mine."
Moreton muttered much to himself during the ride. He told Lawler howWarden had come to him with the statement--the charge; and of how hehad waited until Della Wharton had personally appeared before him tocorroborate what she had signed.
"She don't want to have her reputation dragged into it," sneeredMoreton. "Well, before it's over she won't have no more reputation thana coyote! I'll make the thing so damned public that she'll think I'vehired a brass band to blare it all over the country!"
Lawler merely smiled. He might have further increased the sheriff's rageby showing him the signed confession in his pocket--the confession hehad secured from Link and Givens--but he preferred to keep silent untilhe discovered why Della Wharton had brought the charge against him.
There were two possible motives. One was that Della was still in thegrip of the vindictiveness that had characterized her that last day inthe cabin--and had charged him with murder merely to be revenged uponhim; the other was that she had been influenced to the action by GaryWarden. He intended to keep silent until events explained the motive.And he smiled faintly at Moreton when the sheriff opened the jail doorsfor him--Moreton saying that he "hated like poison to do it."
Two persons had watched Lawler and Moreton ride into town. Warden,standing in the darkened windows of the Wolf Saloon--deserted by itsrevelers shortly before--saw Moreton and Lawler dismount in front of thejail, which adjoined the sheriff's office. Warden watched until he sawthe two men enter the building--until he saw Moreton come out alone andenter his office. Then Warden smiled and walked to the door of a roomin the rear of the saloon, where Singleton and several other men wereplaying cards. He winked at Singleton, a signal correctly interpreted bythe other, whose eyes quickened. And then Warden returned to the frontwindow where, later, he was joined by Singleton; for a long time both ofthem watched the southern sky, into which had crept a dull red glow,faint, and far away.
"Antrim didn't lose any time!" commented Warden, exultantly. "And Dellacan tell the truth to the sheriff whenever she gets ready!"
The other watcher was Della Wharton. She had seen the sheriff leavetown, to ride southward, and she had divined what his errand meant. Andshe had sat in a chair near a window for many hours, peering into thedarkness for Moreton's return with his prisoner. And when she saw themcoming she smiled as she had smiled when she had entered the room aftertaking leave of Warden.
Della knew Warden better than Warden knew himself; and on the night whenhe had asked her to sign the statement charging Lawler with murder, shewas convinced that Warden intended to use the statement. He had told herthat he merely intended to hold it as a threat over Lawler's head, todissuade him from succeeding politically; and she had permitted Wardento think that she believed him. And when, upon her arrival from thecapital, he had told her that it was part of his strategy to secretlypresent the statement to the sheriff--and that she must appearpersonally before that official--she had consented, knowing that Wardenwas insincere.
Della had really felt vindictive toward Lawler on that last day in theline cabin. She had yielded to the resentment that had assailed her overthe conviction that she had made no impression upon the man. And she hadlied when she had told Warden that she had been merely infatuated withLawler. She discovered that after she reached the hotel following hersojourn in the cabin with him. She wanted him more than she had everwanted anything in the world. And she was determined to have him. Shemeant to win him even if she had to bring confusion upon Warden. And soshe smiled as she watched Moreton open the jail doors to Lawler--a smilein which there was much triumph.