the Rustlers Of West Fork (1951) by Louis - Hopalong 03 L'amour Page B

Kitchen. Kitchen had been a friend of his.
    They had been over the trail to Dodge together, the first time for each.
    Pamela came to the door. "Father will see you now."
    Her eyes went from Sparr, who was rising, to Hopalong. "He was glad to know you had come, but he wants to know whether all the boys are with you, or if they are following?"
    The question brought Sparr up short, and Hopalong saw his face change color. Cassidy concealed his pleasure behind a casual expression. The question had been a neat one, and showed Dick comor Pamela-was thinking. "I reckon Mesquite an' Johnny are already here," he lied. "Only a couple of the others comin'."
    "What's that for?" Sparr demanded, alert and puzzled. "Huh?" Hopalong's expression of surprise was perfect. "You mean you are a partner an' Dick never told you about the young stuff we were buyin' from him for a drive? Deal made months ago," he added, "for six hundred head of two-year-old stuff, some yearlin's."
    Avery Sparr was caught, and he knew it.
    Nothing had been said of this by anyone on the Circle J, yet it might be the truth. If it was not, he was fairly trapped by anything he might say. If it was true, and he had not been told, his status as a partner was questionable.
    "Oh? Yeah."
    He finally got the words out and pushed from the room, leaving Hopalong with Soper.
    This was the man Hopalong wanted to know more about, but he was shrewd enough to leave the opening to Soper. Yet the man on the trail had been Soper. Of that he was positive.
    "Odd," Soper suggested suddenly; "there is nothing in the ranch papers about any such deal."
    Cassidy took a swallow of his coffee, then put the cup down. It was lukewarm. "Never made a paper deal in my life," he said quietly, "an' doubt if Dick ever made one with anybody he knew." He threw a quick glance at Soper. "Why does it interest you? Another partner, or what?" Soper stiffened, for once at a loss, even if momentarily, at how to answer the question. Outside, he had allowed it to be known that while Sparr was becoming a partner, he was temporarily managing the ranch affairs for Jordan. However, he had a feeling that that would not go over so well with Hopalong Cassidy. "I've been helping," he said, "with ranch business. Avery and I are working together."
    Hopalong grinned, lifting his cold eyes with grim amusement. "You are? Now I figgered mebbe that was so, but wasn't so sure. Of course ever' man has some things he keeps to himself."
    Soper was suddenly alert. He sat up a little, taking a quick glance at the inner door. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded. Hopalong rubbed out his cigarette and stood up. "Now that Elk Mountain country along the north line. I like that. Ever do much ridin' around up there, Mister Soper?"
    Soper was enraged and at the same time he was worried. If something about this got to Sparr- "You are right, of course," he said carefully. "There are some things we don't talk about."
    Cassidy walked to the door and opened it.
    "Guess they are about ready for me in there," he said.
    "Wait!" Soper got hastily to his feet.
    "Avery will call you when he's ready."
    "I'll go now," Hopalong replied quietly.
    "If the old man is awake an' ready enough to see Sparr, who he's known only a few months, he sure can see one of the oldest friends he's got!"
    He stepped into the intermediate room and closed the door, but even as he did so Sparr came through the other one. His eyes went cold when he saw Hopalong, and for an instant they faced each other there across the narrow room. Hoppy told himself, If he starts shootin be I got to move right or I d shoot through that door!
    "Go on in," Sparr said. "I'll not bother you."
    Surprised, Hopalong watched him go, and then he stepped through into the room beyond.
    Anson Mowry was furious. Hurrying up to the house, he was in time to meet Soper coming out. "What goes on here?" Mowry demanded. "That gunslinger actin' like he belongs here!"
    "Take it easy!" Soper said crisply.
    "Span