they told him, were thirsting
for Willett's blood. It would be easy enough to shoulder it all on
'Tonio, if the worst came to the worst. Sanchez had Case deep in his
debt, for monte had fascinated him when in liquor. They did not know
Willett had left with Craney payment in full for their financial
differences. They insisted on his seeing Willett and making him pay
before he left the post. Dago had the run of the garrison, and Dago
took the few lines that told Willett if he was a man to come down to
the ghost walk and settle, dollar for dollar, man to man, or the story
of his Portland days should be told the Archers. Sanchez, Munoz, and
the two Apache-Mohaves were lurking there across the stream. Case
watched for him from the rear window, saw him, and in spite of the
doctor's precaution, counteracted by the whiskey he had hidden in an
inner pocket, he slipped out in his stocking feet, took the path to the
ford, and there met Willett face to face. It was all so easy. Sanchez
knew 'Tonio was near, grieving that no answer came from Harris,
signalling for a talk, ignorant of the fact that Sanchez had delivered
neither the revolver nor the message. Case had with him only his knife,
for he knew his confederates would be at hand. He vowed he did not know
that they were bringing Ramon and Alvarez. Raging with jealousy, hate,
desire for vengeance, and nerved by liquor, he had demanded his money.
Willett contemptuously bade him seek it of his employer, and asked him
how he dare doubt a gentleman, whereat, in a fury, Case told him, or
started to tell him, why, and was knocked flat in a second. He sprang
up, knife in hand, and rushed upon him a second time, only to be
floored again, and the knife sent spinning. Willett seized it, and was
standing over him, panting a bit, when felled by a crashing blow with a
pistol-butt at the base of the skull. Then in terror Case fled the way
he came, for he saw both Indians and Mexicans were on him, realized
that murder was meant, and knew he would be involved unless he could
instantly get back to his bed. Willett made a desperate fight, wounded
Ramon, and might have killed him but for the timely shot from the
pistol of Jose. Case heard it, and the cry for help as he ran. So quick
was the response of the sentry and the guard that the assailants, too,
fled in fear, leaving their work unfinished. They had no fear of their
drugged countrymen at the ranch. They were ready to help the soldiers
hunt th