Page:Max Brand--The Seventh Man.djvu/310



Since the night when old Joe Cumberland died and Kate Cumberland rode off after her wild man, Ben Swann, the foreman of the Cumberland ranch, had lived in the big house. He would have been vastly more comfortable in the bunkhouse playing cards with the other hands, but Ben Swann felt vaguely that it was a shame for so much space in the ranch house to go to waste, and besides, Ben's natural dignity was at home in the place even if his mind grew lonely. It was Ben Swann, therefore, who ran down and flung open the door, on which a heavy hand was beating. Outside stood two men, very tall, taller than himself, and one of them a giant. They had about them a strong scent of horses.

“Get a light” said one of these. “Run for it. Get a light. Start a fire, and be damned quick about it!”

“And who the hell might you gents be?” queried Ben Swann, leaning against the side of the doorway to dicker.

“Throw that fool on his head,” said one of the strangers, “and go on in, Lee!”

“Stand aside,” said the other, and swept the door- 296