"
"Tex," said the agent. "I guess you have the dope. I won't say
anything except that I'm glad as hell to be out of the rotten business
at last. Once started I couldn't stop. I did one 'favour' for these
devils, and after that they had me in their power. I haven't slept for
months as I'm going to sleep tonight!"
He wiped his face with an agitated hand.
"A week ago," he went on, "I knew you were detailed on this work. I've
been sweating ever since. Now that you've come--why, I'm glad of it!"
A faint sneer touched Calder's mouth and was gone.
"You're a wise man," he said. "Have you seen much of Jim Silent
lately?"
Hardy hesitated. The role of informer was new.
"Not directly."
Calder nodded.
"Now put me right if I go off the track. The way I understand it, Jim
Silent has about twenty gun fighters and long riders working in gangs
under him and combining for big jobs."
"That's about it."
"The inside circle consists of Silent; Lee Haines, a man who went
wrong because the law did _him_ wrong; Hal Purvis, a cunning devil;
and Bill Kilduff, a born fighter who loves blood for its own sake."
"Right."
"Here's something more. For Jim Silent, dead or alive, the government
will pay ten thousand dollars.
Pages:
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120