Free Sheriff on the Spot by Brett Halliday Page B

night.”
    â€œWhat about Jeth Purdue?” Morgan protested. “Why not put him in charge here, seeing that he’s to be sworn in as sheriff tomorrow?”
    Pat’s features tightened grimly. He said, “I aim to have a talk with Jeth Purdue right now. Like to have you sit in on it, Morgan. We might learn something that’ll tie up with what’s happened here tonight.”
    He turned and stalked out of the room, and Harold Morgan followed him.
    They went downstairs together and out to the boardwalk. Main Street was deserted again, and all the citizens who weren’t in the posse were gathered in saloons excitedly discussing the bank robbery.
    Pat stopped at the Gold Eagle and stuck his head between the swinging doors to ask, “Heard anything from the posse yet?”
    A series of no’s answered him. Men began hurling eager questions at him, but he withdrew and went on toward the jail with Morgan by his side.
    â€œThey don’t know the half of it,” Morgan said. “If they knew about that dead man up at the Jewel Hotel they’d really have something to talk about all night.”
    Pat muttered some reply and kept on going.
    Keeping pace with him, the rancher said nervously, “I’m sure mighty sorry about Sam. I know how it’s hit you, Pat. You and him being such good friends.”
    Pat said, “Sam always was one for gettin’ into trouble.”
    â€œThat man was knifed in the back,” Morgan said hesitantly. “Don’t know whether you noticed it or not. I didn’t like to say anything back there at the hotel.”
    Pat said, “I noticed it.” He did not amplify the flat statement.
    â€œThat’s what’ll make it go so hard on Sam if he’s caught,” said Harold Morgan forlornly. “Making love to a married woman and killing her husband when he catches you is bad enough—but a knife in the back makes it one hell of a lot worse.”
    Pat nodded and agreed hopelessly. “Sam never was one to do things by halves. When he gets into trouble, you can trust him to make it bad trouble.”
    â€œDo you think you’ll catch him, Pat?” Morgan spoke in a low tone as they approached the adobe jail and lean-to office. “I sure wouldn’t blame you,” he went on hurriedly, “if you didn’t try hard. Like that woman said, the whole thing was her fault. Women like her ought to be hung,” he went on angrily. “Dragging a man like Sam into a mess like that.”
    Pat said, “Sam an’ Ezra will be together. I reckon I know where to look for ’em. That’s why I’m leavin’ you deputized an’ in charge of the sheriff’s office,” he went on carefully. “I’ll be ridin’ alone after Sam an’ Ezra, I reckon.”
    â€œDo you think you got to, Pat? Couldn’t you maybe ride in the wrong direction?”
    Pat said, “I’m still sheriff of Powder Valley whether I like it or not.” He stopped in front of the padlocked door of the adobe jail and called, “Jeth! You asleep in there?”
    Morgan looked at him in surprise, as though he thought Pat had suddenly gone insane. “This here’s the jail. The office is around behind.”
    Pat said, “I know it’s the jail. That’s where I left Jeth Purdue.”
    Getting no reply to his call, he produced a big iron key and unlocked the barred door. It creaked loudly on rusty hinges as he pulled it open. He peered inside the dark interior and called again, “Jeth! Come on out.”
    He grunted with surprise when this brought no answer either. He struck a match and held the tiny flame out in front of him.
    Its flickering light showed a body huddled on the bare dirt floor in front of a small barred window.
    Pat stepped forward with Morgan right behind him. Neither of them said anything as they looked down at the bloody hole in Jeth Purdue’s face where