Page:Allan Dunn--Dead Man's Gold.djvu/134

120 Healy did not answer the taunt. Since the first sighting of the signal smokes. Stone reflected, the gambler had lost his nerve. Physically, that was. Mentally his processes seemed well enough oiled for his own purposes. Just why Healy was so anxious to collect all the information concerning the locations into one pool, when they were within a few hours of discovery—or so it had seemed until the Apaches took a hand—Stone had not absolutely determined though he was sure the idea was a purely selfish one. He inclined toward the belief that Healy expected to desert with the information at the earliest opportunity. To this theory the suggestion that he and Harvey were in league gave and was given colour. Stone had meant to question Larkin more fully as to whether he had anything but surmise concerning this previous acquaintanceship. Instinctively he trusted Harvey absolutely. It might be that Healy expected or hoped that the Apaches would murder Larkin and Stone after he deserted, leaving him the sole beneficiary, to return later with sufficient force to offset any Indian raid. There was something sinister. Stone was positive, in this persistent effort of Healy to find out all about the locations. And something deeper than cowardice had prompted it, though his fear had spurred his attempt. Something to do, Stone fancied, with the telegrams mentioned by Larkin so much to Healy's dislike.

Now the man did not seem inclined to make any attempt to leave the cave though every hour was apt to increase their peril and diminish their resistance