Pagina 382 de 439

The men looked at each other, and at Struve. Were they being led

into trouble to pay this man's scores off for him? Suspicion

stirred uneasily in them.

"That's right, too. Let Johnson pull him up," Slim Leroy said

sullenly.

"Sure. You've got more at stake than we have. It's up to you,

Johnson," Yorky agreed.

"That's right," a third chipped in.

"We'll all pull together, boys," Struve insinuated. "It's only a

bluff of his. Don't let him scare you off."

"He ain't scaring me off any," declared Yorky. "He's a spy, and

he's getting what is coming to him. But you're a stranger too,

Johnson. I don't trust you any--not any farther than I can see

you, my friend. I'll stand for being an aider and abettor, but I

reckon if there's any hanging to be done you'll have to be the

sheriff," replied Yorky stiffly.