Free Gunman's Reckoning (1921) by Max Brand

good definition of the word, skunk?"
    "Nope," said Donnegan, brightening now that the stern eye, of the bartender was turned away.
    "Here's one that might do. A skunk is a critter that bites when your back is turned and runs when you look it in the eye. Here's how!"
    He drained his own glass, and Donnegan dexterously followed the example.
    "And what might you be doing around these parts?" asked the big man, veiling his contempt under a mild geniality.
    "Me? Oh, nothing."
    "Looking for a job, eh?"
    Donnegan shrugged. "Work ain't my line," he confided.
    "H'm-m-m," said Hal Stern. "Well, you don't make no bones about it."
    "But just now," continued Donnegan, "I thought maybe I'd pick up some sort of a job for a while." He looked ruefully at the palms of his hands which were as tender as the hands of a woman. "Heard a fellow say that Jack Landis was a good sort to work for--didn't rush his men none. They said I might find him here."
    The big man grunted. "Too early for him. He don't circulate around much till the sun goes down. Kind of hard on his skin, the sun, maybe. So you're going to work for him?"
    "I was figuring on it."
    "Well, tie to this, bud. If you work for him you won't have him over you."
    "No?"
    "No, you'll have"--he glanced a little uneasily around him--"Lord Nick."
    "Who's he?"
    "Who's he?" The big man started in astonishment. "Sufferin' catamounts! Who is he?" He laughed in a disagreeable manner. "Well, son, you'll find out, right enough!"
    "The way you talk, he don't sound none too good."
    Hal Stern grew anxious. "The way I talk? Have I said anything agin' him? Not a word! He's--he's--well, there ain't ever been trouble between us and there never ain't going to be." He flushed and looked steadily at Donnegan. "Maybe he sent you to talk to me?" he asked coldly.
    But Donnegan's eyes took on a childish wideness.
    "Why, I never seen him," he declared. Hall Stern allowed the muscles of his face to relax. "All right," he said, "they's no harm done. But Lord Nick is a name that ain't handled none too free in these here parts. Remember that!"
    "But how," pondered Donnegan, "can I be working for Lord Nick when I sign up to work under Jack Landis?"
    "I'll tell you how. Nick and Lebrun work together. Split profits. And Nelly Lebrun works Landis for his dust. So the stuff goes in a circle--Landis to Nelly to Lebrun to Nick. That clear?"
    "I don't quite see it," murmured Donnegan.
    "I didn't think you would," declared the other, and snorted his disgust. "But that's all I'm going to say. Here come the boys--and dead dry!"
    For the afternoon was verging upon evening, and the first drift of laborers from the mines was pouring into The Corner. One thing at least was clear to Donnegan: that everyone knew how infatuated Landis had become with Nelly Lebrun and that Landis had not built up an extraordinarily good name for himself.
    By the time absolute darkness had set in, Donnegan, in the new role of lady's chaperon, sat before a dying fire with Louise Macon beside him. He had easily seen from his talk with Stern that Landis was a public figure, whether from the richness of his claims or his relations with Lord Nick and Lebrun, or because of all these things; but as a public figure it would be impossible to see him alone in his own tent, and unless Louise could meet him alone half her power over him--supposing that she still retained any--would be lost. Better by far that Landis should come to her than that she should come to him, so Donnegan had rented two tents by the day at an outrageous figure from the enterprising real estate company of The Corner and to this new home he brought the girl.
    She accepted the arrangement with surprising equanimity. It seemed that her father's training had eliminated from her mind any questioning of the motives of others. She became even cheerful as she set about arranging the pack which Donnegan put in her tent. Afterward she cooked their supper over the fire which he built for her. Never was