Page:Frank Spearman--Whispering Smith.djvu/136

 hitched his belt and paused, but Whispering Smith, cutting and running the cards, gave no heed. His eyes were fixed on the green cloth under his fingers. “Others—” repeated Sinclair.

“Others?” echoed Whispering Smith good-naturedly.

“May look out for themselves.”

“Of course, of course! Well, if this is the end of it, I’m sorry.”

“You will be sorry if you mix in a quarrel that is none of yours.”

“Why, Murray, I never had a quarrel with a man in my life.”

“You are pretty smooth, but you can’t drive me out of this country. I know how well you’d like to do it; and, take notice, there’s one trail you can’t cross even if you stay here. I suppose you understand that.”

Smith felt his heart leap. He sat in his chair turning the pack slowly, but with only one hand now; the other hand was free. Sinclair eyed him sidewise. Smith moistened his lips and when he replied spoke slowly: “There is no need of dragging any allusion to her into it. For that matter, I told Bucks he should have sent any man but me. If I’m in the way, Sinclair, if my presence here is all that stands in the way, I’ll go back and stay back as before, and send any one else you like or 114