"I think you'll be safer here. The court is too open," she said.
"I reckon," replied Lassiter. "An' it's cooler here. The day's
sure muggy. Well, I went down to the village with
Venters."
"Already! Where is he?" queried Jane, in quick amaze.
"He's at the corrals. Blake's helpin' him get the burros an'
packs ready. That Blake is a good fellow."
"Did--did Bern meet Tull?"
"I guess he did," answered Lassiter, and he laughed dryly.
"Tell me! Oh, you exasperate me! You're so cool, so calm! For
Heaven's sake, tell me what happened!"
"First time I've been in the village for weeks," went on
Lassiter, mildly. "I reckon there 'ain't been more of a show for
a long time. Me an' Venters walkin' down the road! It was funny.
I ain't sayin' anybody was particular glad to see us. I'm not
much thought of hereabouts, an' Venters he sure looks like what
you called him, a wild man. Well, there was some runnin' of folks
before we got to the stores. Then everybody vamoosed except some
surprised rustlers in front of a saloon. Venters went right in
the stores an' saloons, an' of course I went along. I don't know
which tickled me the most--the actions of many fellers we met, or
Venters's nerve. Jane, I was downright glad to be along. You see
that sort of thing is my element, an' I've been away from it for
a spell. But we didn't find Tull in one of them places.
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