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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/16551-8.txt b/16551-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ec2778 --- /dev/null +++ b/16551-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9764 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Girl of the Golden West, by David Belasco + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Girl of the Golden West + + +Author: David Belasco + + + +Release Date: August 19, 2005 [eBook #16551] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST*** + + +E-text prepared by Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D. + + + +THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST + +by + +DAVID BELASCO + +1911 + + + + + + + + "In those strange days, people coming from God knows where, + joined forces in that far Western land, and, according to the + rude custom of the camp, their very names were soon lost and + unrecorded, and here they struggled, laughed, gambled, cursed, + killed, loved and worked out their strange destinies in a + manner incredible to us of to-day. Of one thing only are we + sure--they lived!" + + _Early History of California_ + + + + +I. + + +It was when coming back to the mines, after a trip to Monterey, that the +Girl first met him. It happened, too, just at a time when her mind was +ripe to receive a lasting impression. But of all this the boys of Cloudy +Mountain Camp heard not a word, needless to say, until long afterwards. + +Lolling back on the rear seat of the stage, her eyes half closed,--the +sole passenger now, and with the seat in front piled high with boxes +and baskets containing _rebozos_, silken souvenirs, and other finery +purchased in the shops of the old town,--the Girl was mentally reviewing +and dreaming of the delights of her week's visit there,--a visit that +had been a revelation to one whose sole experience of the world had +until now been derived from life in a rough mining camp. Before her +half-closed eyes still shimmered a vista of strange, exotic scenes and +people, the thronging crowds of carnivals and fętes; the Mexican girls +swaying through the movements of the fandango to the music of guitars +and castanets; the great _rodeo_ with its hundreds of _vaqueros_, which +was held at one of the ranchos just outside the town; and, lastly, and +most vividly of all, the never-to-be-forgotten thrill of her first +bull-fight. + +Still ringing in her ears was the piercing note of the bugle which +instantly silenced the expectant throng; the hoarse roar that greeted +the entrance of the bull, and the thunder of his hoofs when he made his +first mad charge. She saw again, with marvellous fidelity, the whole +colour-scheme just before the death of the big, brave beast: the huge +arena in its unrivalled setting of mountain, sea and sky; the eager +multitude, tense with expectancy; the silver-mounted bridles and +trappings of the horses; the many-hued capes of the _capadors_; the +gaily-dressed _banderilleros_, poising their beribboned barbs; the red +flag and long, slender, flashing sword of the cool and ever watchful +_matador_; and, most prominent of all to her eyes, the brilliant, +gold-laced packets of the gentlemen-_picadors_, who, after the Mexican +fashion,--so she had been told,--deemed it in nowise beneath them to +enter the arena in person. + +And so it happened that now, as the stage swung round a corner, and a +horseman suddenly appeared at a point where two roads converged, and +was evidently spurring his horse with the intent of coming up with the +stage, it was only natural that, even before he was near enough to be +identified, the _caballero_ should already have become a part of the +pageant of her mental picture. + +Up to the moment of the stranger's appearance, nothing had happened to +break the monotony of her long return journey towards Cloudy Mountain +Camp. Far back in the distance now lay the Mission where the passengers +of the stage had been hospitably entertained the night before; still +further back the red-tiled roofs and whitewashed walls of the little +pueblo of San Jose,--a veritable bower of roses; and remotest of all, +the crosses of San Carlos and the great pines, oaks and cypresses, which +bordered her dream-memory of the white-beach crescent formed by the +waves of Monterey Bay. + +The dawn of each day that swept her further from her week in wonderland +had ushered in the matchless spring weather of California,--the +brilliant sunshine, the fleecy clouds, the gentle wind with just a +tang in it from the distant mountains; and as the stage rolled slowly +northward through beautiful valleys, bright with yellow poppies and +silver-white lupines, every turn of the road varied her view of the +hills lying under an enchantment unlike that of any other land. Yet +strange and full of interest as every mile of the river country should +have been to a girl accustomed to the great forest of the Sierras, +she had gazed upon it for the most part with unseeing eyes, while +her thoughts turned, magnet-like, backward to the delights and the +bewilderment of the old Mexican town. So now, as the pursuing horseman +swept rapidly nearer, each swinging stride of the powerful horse, each +rhythmic movement of the graceful rider brought nearer and more vivid +the vision of a handsome _picador_ holding off with his lance a +thoroughly maddened bull until the crowd roared forth its appreciation. + +"See, Seņorita," said the horseman, at last galloping close to the coach +and lifting his sombrero, "A beautiful bunch of syringa," and then, with +his face bent towards her and his voice full of appeal, he added in +lower tone: "for you!" + +For a brief second, the Girl was too much taken back to find the +adequate words with which to accept the stranger's offering. +Notwithstanding that in his glance she could read, as plainly as though +he had spoken: "I know I am taking a liberty, but please don't be angry +with me," there was something in his sweeping bow and grace of manner +that, coupled with her vague sense of his social advantage, disconcerted +her. A second more, however, and the embarrassment had passed, for on +lifting her eyes to his again she saw that her memory had not played +her false; beyond all chance of a mistake, he was the man who, ten days +earlier, had peered into the stage, as she was nearing Monterey, and +later, at the bull-fight, had found time to shoot admiring glances +at her between his daring feats of horsemanship. Therefore, genuine +admiration was in her eyes and extreme cordiality in her voice when, +after a word or two of thanks, she added, with great frankness: + +"But it strikes me sort o' forcible that I've seen you before." Then, +with growing enthusiasm: "My, but that bull-fight was jest grand! You +were fine! I'm right glad to know you, sir." + +The _caballero's_ face flushed with pleasure at her free-and-easy +reception of him, while an almost inaudible "_Gracias_" fell from his +lips. At once he knew that his first surmise, that the Girl was an +American, had been correct. Not that his experience in life had +furnished him with any parallel, for the Girl constituted a new and +unique type. But he was well aware that no Spanish lady would have +received the advances of a stranger in like fashion. It was inevitable, +therefore, that for the moment he should contrast, and not wholly to her +advantage, the Girl's unconventionality with the enforced reserve of the +_dulcineas_ who, custom decrees, may not be courted save in the presence +of _duennas_. But the next instant he recalled that there were, in +Sacramento, young women whose directness it would never do to mistake +for boldness; and,--to his credit be it said,--he was quick to perceive +that, however indifferent the Girl seemed to the customary formality of +introduction, there was no suggestion of indelicacy about her. All that +her frank and easy manner suggested was that she was a child of nature, +spontaneous and untrammelled by the dictates of society, and normally +and healthily at home in the company of the opposite sex. + +"And she is even more beautiful than I supposed," was the thought that +went through his mind. + +And yet, the Girl was not beautiful, at least if judged by Spanish or +Californian standards. Unlike most of their women, she was fair, and her +type purely American. Her eyes of blue were lightly but clearly browed +and abundantly fringed; her hair of burnished gold was luxuriant and +wavy, and framed a face of singularly frank and happy expression, even +though the features lacked regularity. But it was a face, so he told +himself, that any man would trust,--a face that would make a man the +better for looking at it,--a face which reflected a soul that no +environment could make other than pure and spotless. And so there was, +perhaps, a shade more of respect and a little less assurance in his +manner when he asked: + +"And you like Monterey?" + +"I love it! Ain't it romantic--an', my, what a fine time the girls there +must have!" + +The man laughed; the Girl's enthusiasm amused him. + +"Have you had a fine trip so far?" he asked, for want of something +better to say. + +"Mercy, yes! This 'ere stage is a pokey ol' thing, but we've made not +bad time, considerin'." + +"I thought you were never going to get here!" + +The Girl shot a coquettish glance at him. + +"How did you know I was comin' on this 'ere stage?" + +"I did not know,"--the stranger broke off and thought a moment. He may +have been asking himself whether it were best for him to be as frank +as she had been and admit his admiration for her; at last, encouraged +perhaps by a look in the Girl's blue eyes, he ventured: "But I've been +riding along this road every day since I saw you. I felt that I must see +you again." + +"You must like me powerful well . . .?" This remark, far from being a +question, was accompanied with all the physiognomical evidences of an +assertion. + +The stranger shot a surprised glance at her, out of the corner of his +eye. Then he admitted, in all truthfulness: + +"Of course I do. Who could help . . .?" + +"Have you tried not to?" questioned the Girl, smiling in his face now, +and enjoying in the full this stolen intimacy. + +"Ah, Seņorita, why should I . . .? All I know is that I do." + +The Girl became reflective; presently she observed: + +"How funny it seems, an' yet, p'r'aps not so strange after all. The +boys--all my boys at the camp like me--I'm glad you do, too." + +Meanwhile the good-natured and loquaciously-inclined driver had turned +his head and was subjecting the man cantering alongside of his stage to +a rigid inspection. With his knowledge of the various types of men in +California at that time, he had no difficulty in placing the status +of this straight-limbed, broad-shouldered, young fellow as a native +Californian. Moreover, it made no difference to him whether his +passenger had met an old acquaintance or not; it was sufficient for him +to observe that the lady, as well as himself--for the expression on her +face could by no means be described as bored or scornful--liked the +stranger's appearance; and so the better to take in all the points +of the magnificent horse which the young Californian was riding, not +to mention a commendable desire to give his only passenger a bit of +pleasant diversion on the long journey, he slowed his horse down to a +walk. + +"But where do you live? You have a rancho near here?" the Girl was now +asking. + +"My father has--I live with him." + +"Any sisters?" + +"No,--no sisters or brothers. My mother was an American; she died a few +years ago." And so saying, his glance sought and obtained an answering +one full of sympathy. + +"I'm downright sorry for you," said the Girl with feeling; and then in +the next breath she added: + +"But I'm pleased you're--you're half American." + +"And you, Seņorita?" + +"I'm an orphan--my family are all dead," replied the Girl in a low +voice. "But I have my boys," she went on more cheerfully, "an' what more +do I need?" And then before he had time to ask her to explain what she +meant by the boys, she cried out: "Oh, jest look at them wonderful +berries over yonder! La, how I wish I could pick 'em!" + +"Perhaps you may," the stranger hastened to say, and instantly with his +free hand he made a movement to assist her to alight, while with the +other he checked his horse; then, with his eyes resting appealingly upon +the driver, he inquired: "It is possible, is it not, Seņor?" + +Curiously enough, this apparently proper request was responsible for +changing the whole aspect of things. For, keenly desirous to oblige +him, though she was, there was something in the stranger's eyes as they +now rested upon her that made her feel suddenly shy; a flood of new +impressions assailed her: she wanted to evade the look and yet foster +it; but the former impulse was the stronger, and for the first time she +was conscious of a growing feeling of restraint. Indeed, some inner +voice told her that it would not be quite right for her to leave the +stage. True, she belonged to Cloudy Mountain Camp where the conventions +were unknown and where a rough, if kind, comradery existed between the +miners and herself; nevertheless, she felt that she had gone far enough +with a new acquaintance, whose accent, as well as the timbre of his +voice, gave ample evidence that he belonged to another order of society +than her own and that of the boys. So, hard though it was not to accede +to his request and, at the same time, break the monotony of her journey +with a few minutes of berry-picking with him in the fields, she made +no move to leave the stage but answered the questioning look of the +obliging driver with a negative one. Whereupon, the latter, after +declaring to the young Californian that the stage was late as it was, +called to his horses to show what they could do in the way of getting +over the ground after their long rest. + +The young man's face clouded with disappointment. For two hundred yards +or more he spoke not a word, though he spurred his horse in order to +keep up with the now fast-moving stage. Then, all of a sudden, as the +silence between them was beginning to grow embarrassing, the Girl made +out the figure of a man on horseback a short distance ahead, and uttered +an exclamation of surprise. The stranger followed the direction of the +Girl's eyes and, almost instantly, it was borne in upon them that the +horseman awaited their coming. The Girl turned to speak, but the tender, +sorrowful expression that she saw on the young man's face kept her +silent. + +"That is one of my father's men," he said, somewhat solemnly. "His +presence here may mean that I must leave you. The road to our ranch +begins there. I fear that something may be wrong." + +The Girl shot him a look of sympathetic inquiry, though she said +nothing. To tell the truth, the first thought that entered her mind +at his words was one of concern that their companionship was likely +to cease abruptly. During the silence that preceded his outspoken +premonition of trouble, she had been studying him closely. She found +herself admiring his aquiline features, his olive-coloured skin with its +healthful pallor, the lazy, black Spanish eyes behind which, however +tranquil they generally were, it was easy for her to discern, when he +smiled, that reckless and indomitable spirit which appeals to women all +the world over. + +As the stage approached the motionless horseman, the young man cried out +to the _vaquero_, for such he was, and asked in Spanish whether he had a +message for him; an answer came back in the same language, the meaning +of which the Girl failed to comprehend. A moment later her companion +turned to her and said: + +"It is as I feared." + +Once more a silence fell upon them. For a half-mile or so, apparently +deep in thought, he continued to canter at her side; at last he spoke +what was in his mind. + +"I hate to leave you, Seņorita," he said. + +In an instant the light went out of the Girl's eyes, and her face was as +serious as his own when she replied: + +"Well, I guess I ain't particularly crazy to have you go neither." + +The unmistakable note of regret in the Girl's voice flattered as well as +encouraged him to go further and ask: + +"Will you think of me some time?" + +The Girl laughed. + +"What's the good o' my thinkin' o' you? I seen you talkin' with them +gran' Monterey ladies an' I guess you won't be thinkin' often o' me. +Like 's not by to-morrow you'll 'ave clean forgot me," she said with +forced carelessness. + +"I shall never forget you," declared the young man with the intense +fervour that comes so easily to the men of his race. + +At that a half-mistrustful, half-puzzled look crossed the Girl's face. +Was this handsome stranger finding her amusing? There was almost a +resentful glitter in her eyes when she cried out: + +"I 'mos' think you're makin' fun o' me!" + +"No, I mean every word that I say," he hastened to assure her, looking +straight into her eyes where he could scarcely have failed to read +something which the Girl had not the subtlety to conceal. + +"Oh, I guess I made you say that!" she returned, making a child-like +effort to appear to disbelieve him. + +The stranger could not suppress a smile; but the next moment he was +serious, and asked: + +"And am I never going to see you again? Won't you tell me where I can +find you?" + +Once more the Girl was conscious of a feeling of embarrassment. Not that +she was at all ashamed of being "The Girl of The Polka Saloon," for that +never entered her mind; but she suddenly realised that it was one thing +to converse pleasantly with a young man on the highway and another to +let him come to her home on Cloudy Mountain. Only too well could she +imagine the cool reception, if it stopped at that, that the boys of the +camp there would accord to this stylish stranger. As a consequence, she +was torn by conflicting emotions: an overwhelming desire to see him +again, and a dread of what might happen to him should he descend upon +Cloudy Mountain with all his fine airs and graces. + +"I guess I'm queer--" she began uncertainly and then stopped in sudden +surprise. Too long had she delayed her answer. Already the stage had +left him some distance behind. Unperceived by her a shade of annoyance +had passed over the Californian's face at her seeming reluctance to +tell him where she lived. The quick of his Spanish pride was touched; +and with a wave of his sombrero he had pulled his horse down on his +haunches. Of no avail now was her resolution to let him know the +whereabouts of the camp at any cost, for already his "_Adios, Seņorita_" +was sounding faintly in her ears. + +With a little cry of vexation, scarcely audible, the young woman flung +herself back on the seat. She was only a girl with all a girl's ways, +and like most of her sex, however practical her life thus far, she +was not without dreams of a romance. This meeting with the handsome +_caballero_ was the nearest she had come to having one. True, there was +scarcely a man at Cloudy but what had tried at one time or another to go +beyond the stage of good comradeship; but none of them had approached +the idealistic vision of the hero that was all the time lying dormant in +her mind. Of course, being a girl, and almost a queen in her own little +sphere, she accepted their rough homage in a manner that was befitting +to such an exalted personage, and gave nothing in return. But now +something was stirring within her of which she knew nothing; a feeling +was creeping over her that she could not analyse; she was conscious only +of the fact that with the departure of this attractive stranger, who had +taken no pains to conceal his admiration for her, her journey had been +robbed of all its joy. + +A hundred yards further on, therefore, she could not resist the +temptation to put her head out of the stage and look back at the place +where she had last seen him. + +He was still sitting quietly on his horse at the place where they had +parted so unceremoniously, his face turned in her direction--horse and +rider silhouetted against the western sky which showed a crimson hue +below a greenish blue that was sapphire farther from the horizon. + + + + +II. + + +Not until a turn of the road hid the stage from sight did the stranger +fix his gaze elsewhere. Even then it was not easy for him, and there had +been a moment when he was ready to throw everything to the winds and +follow it. But when on the point of doing so there suddenly flashed +through his mind the thought of the summons that he had received. And +so, not unlike one who had come to the conclusion that it was indeed a +farewell, he waved his hand resignedly in the direction that the stage +had taken and, calling to his _vaquero_, he gave his horse a thrust of +the long rowel of his spur and galloped off towards the foothills of the +Sierras. + +For some miles the riders travelled a road which wound through beautiful +green fields; but master and man were wholly indifferent, seeing neither +the wild flowers lining each side of the road nor the sycamores and live +oaks which were shining overhead from the recent rains. In the case of +the young man every foot of the way to his father's rancho was familiar. +All hours of the day and night he had made the trip to the highway, for +with the exception of the few years that had been given to his education +in foreign lands, his whole life had been passed on the rancho. Scarcely +less acquainted with the road than his young master was the _vaquero_, +so neither gave a glance at the country through which they were passing, +but side by side took the miles in silence. + +An hour passed with the young man still wrapt in thought. The truth was, +though he was scarcely ready to admit it, he had been hard hit. In more +ways than one the Girl had made a deep impression on him. Not only had +her appearance awakened his interest to the point of enthusiasm, but +there was something irresistibly attractive to him in her lack of +affectation and audacious frankness. Over and over again he thought +of her happy face, her straightforward way of looking at things and, +last but not least, her evident pleasure in meeting him. And when he +reflected on the hopelessness of their ever meeting again, a feeling of +depression seized him. But his nature--always a buoyant one--did not +permit him to remain downcast very long. + +By this time they were nearing the foothills. A little while longer and +the road that they were travelling became nothing more than a bridle +path. Indeed, so dense did the _chaparral_ presently become that it +would have been utterly impossible for one unacquainted with the way to +keep on it. Animal life was to be seen everywhere. At the approach of +the riders innumerable rabbits scurried away; quail whirred from bush +to bush; and, occasionally, a deer broke from the thickets. + +At the end of another hour of hard riding they were forced to slacken +their pace. In front of them the ground could be seen, in the light of a +fast disappearing moon, to be gradually rising. Another mile or two and +vertical walls of rock rose on each side of them; while great ravines, +holding mountain torrents, necessitated their making a short detour for +the purpose of finding a place where the stream could be safely forded. +Even then it was not an easy task on account of the boulder-enclosing +whirlpools whose waters were whipped into foam by the wind that swept +through the forest. + +At a point of the road where there was a break in the _chaparral_, a +voice suddenly cried out in Spanish: + +"Who comes?" + +"Follow us!" was the quick answer without drawing rein; and, instantly, +on recognition of the young master's voice, a mounted sentinel spurred +his horse out from behind an overhanging rock and closed in behind +them. And as they were challenged thus several times, it happened that +presently there was quite a little band of men pushing ahead in the +darkness that had fallen. + +And so another hour passed. Then, suddenly, there sprung into view +the dark outlines of a low structure which proved to be a corral, and +finally they made their way through a gate and came upon a long adobe +house, situated in a large clearing and having a kind of courtyard in +front of it. + +In the centre of this courtyard was what evidently had once been a +fountain, though it had long since dried up. Around it squatted a group +of _vaqueros_, all smoking cigarettes and some of them lazily twisting +lariats out of horsehair. Close at hand a dozen or more wiry little +mustangs stood saddled and bridled and ready for any emergency. In +colour, one or two were of a peculiar cream and had silver white manes, +but the rest were greys and chestnuts. It was evident that they had +great speed and bottom. All in all, what with the fierce and savage +faces of the men scattered about the courtyard, the remoteness of the +adobe, and the care taken to guard against surprise, old Bartolini's +_hacienda_ was an establishment not unlike that of the feudal barons +or a nest of banditti according to the point of view. + +At the sound of the fast galloping horses, every man on the ground +sprang to his feet and ran to his horse. For a second only they stood +still and listened intently; then, satisfied that all was well and that +the persons approaching belonged to the rancho, they returned to their +former position by the fountain--all save an Indian servant, who caught +the bridle thrown to him by the young man as he swung himself out of +the saddle. And while this one led his horse noiselessly away, another +of the same race preceded him along a corridor until he came to the +_Maestro's_ room. + +Old Ramerrez Bartolini, or Ramerrez, as he was known to his followers, +was dying. His hair, pure white and curly, was still as luxuriant as +when he was a young man. Beneath the curls was a patrician, Spanish +face, straight nose and brilliant, piercing, black eyes. His gigantic +frame lay on a heap of stretched rawhides which raised him a few inches +from the floor. This simple couch was not necessarily an indication of +poverty, though his property had dwindled to almost nothing, for in most +Spanish adobes of that time, even in some dwellings of the very rich, +there were no beds. Over him, as well as under him, were blankets. On +each side of his head, fixed on the wall, two candles were burning, and +almost within reach of his hand there stood a rough altar, with crucifix +and candles, where a padre was making preparations to administer the +Last Sacraments. + +In the low-studded room the only evidence remaining of prosperity +were some fragments of rich and costly goods that once had been piled +up there. In former times the old Spaniard had possessed these in +profusion, but little was left now. Indeed, whatever property he had at +the present time was wholly in cattle and horses, and even these were +comparatively few. + +There had been a period, not so very long ago at that, when old Ramerrez +was a power in the land. In all matters pertaining to the province of +Alta California his advice was eagerly sought, and his opinion carried +great weight in the councils of the Spaniards. Later, under the Mexican +regime, the respect in which his name was held was scarcely less; but +with the advent of the _Americanos_ all this was changed. Little by +little he lost his influence, and nothing could exceed the hatred which +he felt for the race that he deemed to be responsible for his downfall. + +It was odd, in a way, too, for he had married an American girl, the +daughter of a sea captain who had visited the coast, and for many years +he had held her memory sacred. And, curiously enough, it was because of +this enmity, if indirectly, that much of his fortune had been wasted. + +Fully resolved that England--even France or Russia, so long as Spain +was out of the question--should be given an opportunity to extend a +protectorate over his beloved land, he had sent emissaries to Europe +and supplied them with moneys--far more than he could afford--to give +a series of lavish entertainments at which the wonderful richness and +fertility of California could be exploited. At one time it seemed as +if his efforts in that direction would meet with success. His plan had +met with such favour from the authorities in the City of Mexico that +Governor Pico had been instructed by them to issue a grant for several +million of acres. But the United States Government was quick to perceive +the hidden meaning in the extravagances of these envoys in London, and +in the end all that was accomplished was the hastening of the inevitable +American occupation. + +From that time on it is most difficult to imagine the zeal with which he +endorsed the scheme of the native Californians for a republic of their +own. He was a leader when the latter made their attack on the Americans +in Sonoma County and were repulsed with the loss of several killed. +One of these was Ramerrez' only brother, who was the last, with the +exception of himself and son, of a proud, old, Spanish family. It was a +terrible blow, and increased, if possible, his hatred for the Americans. +Later the old man took part in the battle of San Pasquale and the Mesa. +In the last engagement he was badly wounded, but even in that condition +he announced his intention of fighting on and bitterly denounced his +fellow-officers for agreeing to surrender. As a matter of fact, he +escaped that ignominy. For, taking advantage of his great knowledge of +the country, he contrived to make his way through the American lines +with his few followers, and from that time may be said to have taken +matters into his own hand. + +Old Ramerrez was conscious that his end was merely a matter of hours, if +not minutes. Over and over again he had had himself propped up by his +attendants with the expectation that his command to bring his son had +been obeyed. No one knew better than he how impossible it would be to +resist another spasm like that which had seized him a little while after +his son had ridden off the rancho early that morning. Yet he relied once +more on his iron constitution, and absolutely refused to die until he +had laid upon his next of kin what he thoroughly believed to be a stern +duty. Deep down in heart, it is true, he was vaguely conscious of a +feeling of dread lest his cherished revenge should meet with opposition; +but he refused to harbour the thought, believing, not unnaturally, that, +after having imposed his will upon others for nearly seventy years, it +was extremely unlikely that his dying command should be disobeyed by +his son. And it was in the midst of these death-bed reflections that he +heard hurried footsteps and knew that his boy had come at last. + +When the latter entered the room his face wore an agonised expression, +for he feared that he had arrived too late. It was a relief, therefore, +to see his father, who had lain still, husbanding his little remaining +strength, open his eyes and make a sign, which included the padre as +well as the attendants, that he wished to be left alone with his son. + +"Art thou here at last, my son?" said the old man the moment they were +alone. + +"Ay, father, I came as soon as I received your message." + +"Come nearer, then, I have much to say to you, and I have not long to +live. Have I been a good father to you, my lad?" + +The young man knelt beside the couch and kissed his father's hand, while +he murmured an assent. + +At the touch of his son's lips a chill struck the old man's heart. It +tortured him to think how little the boy guessed of the recent history +of the man he was bending over with loving concern; how little he +divined of the revelation that must presently be made to him. For a +moment the dying man felt that, after all, perhaps it were better to +renounce his vengeance, for it had been suddenly borne in upon him that +the boy might suffer acutely in the life that he intended him to live; +but in another moment he had taken himself to task for a weakness that +he considered must have been induced by his dying condition, and he +sternly banished the thought from his mind. + +"My lad," he began, "you promise to carry out my wishes after I am +gone?" + +"Ay, father, you know that I will. What do you wish me to do?" + +The old man pointed to the crucifix. + +"You swear it?" + +"I swear it." + +No sooner had the son uttered the wished-for words than his father fell +back on the couch and closed his eyes. The effort and excitement left +him as white as a sheet. It seemed to the boy as if his father might be +sinking into the last stupor, but after a while he opened his eyes and +called for a glass of _aguardiente_. + +With difficulty he gulped it down; then he said feebly: + +"My boy, the only American that ever was good was your mother. She was +an angel. All the rest of these cursed gringos are pigs;" and his voice +growing stronger, he repeated: "Ay, pigs, hogs, swine!" + +The son made no reply; his father went on: + +"What have not these devils done to our country ever since they came +here? At first we received them most hospitably; everything they wanted +was gladly supplied to them. And what did they do in return for our +kindness? Where now are our extensive ranchos--our large herds of +cattle? They have managed to rob us of our lands through clever laws +that we of California cannot understand; they have stolen from our +people thousands and thousands of cattle! There is no infamy that--" + +The young man hastened to interrupt him. + +"You must not excite yourself, father," he said with solicitude. "They +are unscrupulous--many of them, but all are not so." + +"Bah!" ejaculated the old man; "the gringos are all alike. I hate them +all, I--" The old man was unable to finish. He gasped for breath. But +despite his son's entreaties to be calm, he presently cried out: + +"Do you know who you are?" And not waiting for a reply he went on with: +"Our name is one of the proudest in Spain--none better! The curse of a +long line of ancestors will be upon you if you tamely submit--not make +these Americans suffer for their seizure of this, our rightful land--our +beautiful California!" + +More anxiously than ever now the son regarded his father. His inspection +left no doubt in his mind that the end could not be far off. With great +earnestness he implored him to lie down; but the dying man shook his +head and continued to grow more and more excited. + +"Do you know who I am?" he demanded. "No--you think you do, but you +don't. There was a time when I had plenty of money. It pleased me +greatly to pay all your expenses--to see that you received the best +education possible both at home and abroad. Then the gringos came. +Little by little these cursed _Americanos_ have taken all that I had +from me. But as they have sown so shall they reap. I have taken my +revenge, and you shall take more!" He paused to get his breath; then in +a terrible voice he cried: "Yes, I have robbed--robbed! For the last +three years, almost, your father has been a bandit!" + +The son sprang to his feet. + +"A bandit? You, father, a Ramerrez, a bandit?" + +"Ay, a bandit, an outlaw, as you also will be when I am no more, and +rob, rob, rob, these _Americanos_. It is my command and--you--have-- +sworn . . ." + +The son's eyes were rivetted upon his father's face as the old man fell +back, completely exhausted, upon his couch of rawhides. With a strange +conflict of emotions, the young man remained standing in silence for +a few brief seconds that seemed like hours, while the pallor of death +crept over the face before him, leaving no doubt that, in the solemnity +of the moment his father had spoken nothing but the literal truth. +It was a hideous avowal to hear from the dying lips of one whom from +earliest childhood he had been taught to revere as the pattern of +Spanish honour and nobility. And yet the thought now uppermost in young +Ramerrez's mind was that oddly enough he had not been taken by surprise. +Never by a single word had any one of his father's followers given him +a hint of the truth. So absolute, so feudal was the old man's mastery +over his men that not a whisper of his occupation had ever reached his +son's ears. Nevertheless, he now told himself that in some curious, +instinctive way, he had _known_,--or rather, had refused to know, +putting off the hour of open avowal, shutting his eyes to the +accumulating facts that day by day had silently spoken of lawlessness +and peril. Three years, his father had just said; well, that explained +how it was that no suspicions had ever awakened until after he had +completed his education and returned home from his travels. But since +then a child must have noted that something was wrong: the grim, +sinister faces of the men, constantly on guard, as though the old +_hacienda_ were in a state of siege; the altered disposition of his +father, always given to gloomy moods, but lately doubly silent and +saturnine, full of strange savagery and smouldering fire. Yes, somewhere +in the back of his mind he had known the whole, shameful truth; had +known the purpose of those silent, stealthy excursions, and equally +silent returns,--and more than once the broken heads and bandaged arms +that coincided so oddly with some new tale of a daring hold-up that +he was sure to hear of, the next time that he chanced to ride into +Monterey. For three years, young Ramerrez had known that sooner or later +he would be facing such a moment as this, called upon to make the choice +that should make or mar him for life. And now, for the first time he +realised why he had never voiced his suspicions, never questioned, never +hastened the time of decision,--it was because even now he did not know +which way he wished to decide! He knew only that he was torn and racked +by terrible emotions, that on one side was a mighty impulse to disregard +the oath he had blindly taken and refuse to do his father's bidding; +and on the other, some new and unguessed craving for excitement and +danger, some inherited lawlessness in his blood, something akin to the +intoxication of the arena, when the thunder of the bull's hoofs rang in +his ears. And so, when the old man's lips opened once more, and shaped, +almost inaudibly, the solemn words: + +"You have sworn,--" the scales were turned and the son bowed his head in +silence. + +A moment later and the room was filled with men who fell on their knees. +On every face, save one, there was an expression of overwhelming grief +and despair; but on that one, ashen grey as it was with the agony of +approaching death, there was a look of contentment as he made a sign to +the padre that he was now ready for him to administer the last rites of +his church. + + + + +III. + + +The Polka Saloon! + +How the name stirs the blood and rouses the imagination! + +No need to be a Forty-Niner to picture it all as if there that night: +the great high and square room lighted by candles and the warm, yellow +light of kerosene lamps; the fireplace with its huge logs blazing and +roaring; the faro tables with the little rings of miners around them; +and the long, pine bar behind which a typical barkeeper of the period +was busily engaged in passing the bottle to the men clamorous for whisky +in which to drink the health of the Girl. + +And the spirit of the place! When and where was there ever such a fine +fellowship--transforming as it unquestionably did an ordinary saloon +into a veritable haven of good cheer for miners weary after a long and +often discouraging day in the gulches? + +In a word, the Polka was a marvellous tribute to its girl-proprietor's +sense of domesticity. Nothing that could insure the comfort for her +patrons was omitted. Nothing, it would seem, could occur that would +disturb the harmonious aspect of the scene. + +But alas! the night was yet young. + +Now the moment for which not a few of that good-humoured and +musically-inclined company were waiting arrived. Clear above the babel +of voices sounded a chord, and the poor old concertina player began +singing in a voice that was as wheezy as his instrument: + + + "Camp town ladies sing this song + Dooda! Dooda! + Camp town race track five miles long + Dooda! Dooda! Day!" + + +Throughout the solo nothing more nerve-racking or explosive than an +occasional hilarious whoop punctuated the melody. For once, at any rate, +it seemed likely to go the distance; but no sooner did the chorus, which +had been taken up, to a man, by the motley crowd and was rip-roaring +along at a great rate, reach the second line than there sounded the +reports of a fusillade of gun-shots from the direction of the street. +The effect was magical: every voice trailed off into uncertainty and +then ceased. + +Instantly the atmosphere became charged with tension; a hush fell upon +the room, the joyous light of battle in every eye, if nothing else, +attesting the approach of the foe; while all present, after listening +contemptuously to a series of wild and unearthly yells which announced +an immediate arrival, sprang to their feet and concentrated their +glances on the entrance of the saloon through which there presently +burst a party of lively boys from The Ridge. + +A psychological moment followed, during which the occupants of The +Polka Saloon glared fiercely at the newcomers, who, needless to say, +returned their hostile stares. The chances of war, judging from past +performances, far outnumbered those of peace. But as often happens in +affairs of this kind when neither side is unprepared, the desire for +gun-play gave way to mirthless laughter, and, presently, the hilarious +crowd from the rival camp, turning abruptly on their heels, betook +themselves en masse into the dance-hall. + +For the briefest of periods, there was a look of keen disappointment on +the faces of the Cloudy Mountain boys as they gazed upon the receding +figures of their sworn enemies; but almost in as little time as it takes +to tell it there was a tumultuous lining up at the bar, the flat surface +of which soon resounded with the heavy blows dealt it by the fists of +the men desirous of accentuating the rhythm when roaring out: + + + "Gwine to run all night, + Gwine to run all day, + Bet my money on a bob-tail nag, + Somebody bet on the bay!" + + +Among those standing at the bar, and looking out of bleared eyes at a +flashy lithograph tacked upon the wall which pictured a Spanish woman +in short skirts and advertised "Espaniola Cigaroos," were two miners: +one with curly hair and a pink-and-white complexion; the other, tall, +loose-limbed and good-natured looking. They were known respectively as +Handsome Charlie and Happy Halliday, and had been arguing in a maudlin +fashion over the relative merits of Spanish and American beauties. The +moment the song was concluded they banged their glasses significantly +on the bar; but since it was an unbroken rule of the house that at the +close of the musician's performance he should be rewarded by a drink, +which was always passed up to him, they needs must wait. The little +barkeeper paid no attention to their demands until he had satisfied +the thirst of the old concertina player who, presently, could be seen +drawing aside the bear-pelt curtain and passing through the small, +square opening of the partition which separated the Polka Saloon from +its dance-hall. + +"Not goin', old Dooda Day, are you?" The question, almost a bellow, +which, needless to say, was unanswered, came from Sonora Slim who, with +his great pal Trinidad Joe, was playing faro at a table on one side of +the room. Apparently, both were losing steadily to the dealer whose +chair, placed up against the pine-boarded wall, was slightly raised +above the floor. This last individual was as fat and unctuous looking as +his confederate, the Look-out, was thin and sneaky; moreover, he bore +the sobriquet of The Sidney Duck and, obviously, was from Australia. + +"Say, what did the last eight do?" Sonora now asked, turning to the +case-keeper. + +"Lose." + +"Well, let the tail go with the hide," returned Sonora, resignedly. + +"And the ace--how many times did it win?" inquired Trinidad. + +"Four times," was the case-keeper's answer. + +All this time a full-blooded Indian with long, blue-black hair, very +thick and oily, had been watching the game with excited eyes. His dress +was part Indian and part American, and he wore all kinds of imitation +jewelry including a huge scarf-pin which flashed from his vivid red tie. +Furthermore, he possessed a watch,--a large, brassy-looking article,-- +which he brought out on every possible occasion. When not engaged in +helping himself to the dregs that remained in the glasses carelessly +left about the room, he was generally to be found squatted down on the +floor and playing a solitaire of his own devising. But now he reached +over Sonora's shoulder and put some coins on the table in front of the +dealer. + +"Give Billy Jackrabbit fer two dolla' Mexican chip," he demanded in a +guttural voice. + +The Sidney Duck did as requested. While he was shuffling the cards for +a new deal, the players beat time with their feet to the music that +floated in from the dance-hall. The tune seemed to have an unusually +exhilarating effect on Happy Halliday, for letting out a series of +whoops he staggered off towards the adjoining room with the evident +intention of getting his fill of the music, not forgetting to yell +back just before he disappeared: + +"Root hog or die, boys!" + +Happy's boisterous exit caused a peculiar expression to appear +immediately on Handsome's face, which might be interpreted as one of +envy at his friend's exuberant condition; at all events, he proceeded +forthwith to order several drinks, gulping them down in rapid +succession. + +Meanwhile, at the faro table, the luck was going decidedly against the +boys. In fact, so much so, that there was a dangerous note in Sonora's +voice when, presently, he blurted out: + +"See here, gambolier Sid, you're too lucky!" + +"You bet!" approved Trinidad, and then added: + +"More chips, Australier!" + +But Trinidad's comment, as well as his request, only brought forth the +oily smile that The Sidney Duck always smiled when any reference was +made to his game. It was his policy to fawn upon all and never permit +himself to think that an insult was intended. So he gathered in +Trinidad's money and gave him chips in return. For some seconds the men +played on without anything disturbing the game except the loud voice of +the caller of the wheel-of-fortune in the dance-hall. But the boys were +to hear something more from there besides, "Round goes the wheel!" For, +all at once there came to their ears the sounds of an altercation in +which it was not difficult to recognise the penetrating voice of Happy +Halliday. + +"Now, git, you loafer!" he was saying in tones that left no doubt in the +minds of his friends that Happy was hot under the collar over something. + +A shot followed. + +"Missed, by the Lord Harry!" ejaculated Happy, deeply humiliated at his +failure to increase the mortuary record of the camp. + +The incident, however, passed unnoticed by the faro players; not a man +within sound of the shot, for that matter, inquired what the trouble +was about; and even Nick, picking up his tray filled with glasses and a +bottle, walked straightway into the dance-hall looking as if the matter +were not worth a moment's thought. + +At Nick's going the Indian's face brightened; it gave him the +opportunity for which he had been waiting. Nobly he maintained his +reputation as a thief by quietly going behind the bar and lifting from +a box four cigars which he stowed away in his pockets. But even that, +apparently did not satisfy him, for when he espied the butt of a cigar, +flung into the sawdust on the floor by a man who had just come in, he +picked it up before squatting down again to resume his card playing. + +The newcomer, a man of, say, forty years, came slowly into the +room without a word of salutation to anyone. In common with his +fellow-miners, he wore a flannel shirt and boots. The latter gave every +evidence of age as did his clothes which, nevertheless, were neat. +His face wore a mild, gentle look and would have said that he was +companionable enough; yet it was impossible not to see that he was not +willingly seeking the cheer of the saloon but came there solely because +he had no other place to go. In a word, he had every appearance of a man +down on his luck. + +Men were continually coming in and going out, but no one paid the +slightest attention to him, even though a succession of audible sighs +escaped his lips. At length he went over to the counter and took a sheet +or two of the paper,--which was kept there for the few who desired to +write home,--a quill-pen and ink; and picking up a small wooden box he +seated himself upon it before a desk--which had been built from a rude +packing-case--and began wearily and laboriously to write. + +"The lone star now rises!" + +It was the stentorian voice of the caller of the wheel-of-fortune. +One would have thought that the sound would have had the effect of a +thunder-clap upon the figure at the desk; but he gave no sign whatever +of having heard it; nor did he see the suspicious glance which Nick, +entering at that moment, shot at Billy Jackrabbit who was stealing +noiselessly towards the dance-hall where the whoops were becoming so +frequent and evincing such exuberance of spirits that the ubiquitous, if +generally unconcerned, Nick felt it incumbent to give an explanation of +them. + +"Boys from The Ridge cuttin' up a bit," he tendered apologetically, and +took up a position at the end of the bar where he could command a view +of both rooms. + +As a partial acknowledgment that he had heard Nick's communication, +Sonora turned round slightly in his seat at the faro table and shot a +glance towards the dance-hall. Contempt showed on his rugged features +when he turned round again and addressed the stocky, little man sitting +at his elbow. + +"Well, I don't dance with men for partners! When I shassay, Trin, I want +a feminine piece of flesh an' blood"--he sneered, and then went on to +amplify--"with garters on." + +"You bet!" agreed his faithful, if laconic pal, on feeling the other's +playful dig in his ribs. + +The subject of men dancing together was a never-ceasing topic of +conversation between these two cronies. But whatever the attitude of +others Sonora knew that Trinidad would never fail him when it came +to nice discriminations of this sort. His reference to an article of +feminine apparel, however, was responsible for his recalling the fact +that he had not as yet received his daily assurance from the presiding +genius of the bar that he stood well in the estimation of the only lady +in the camp. Therefore, leaving the table, he went over to Nick and +whispered: + +"Has the Girl said anythin' about me to-day, Nick?" + +Now the role of confidential adviser to the boys was not a new one to +the barkeeper, nor was anyone in the camp more familiar than he with +their good qualities as well as their failings. Every morning before +going to work in the placers it was their custom to stop in at The Polka +for their first drink--which was, generally, "on the house." Invariably, +Nick received them in his shirt-sleeves,--for that matter he was the +proud possessor of the sole "biled shirt" in the camp,--and what with +his red flannel undershirt that extended far below the line of his +cuffs, his brilliantly-coloured waistcoat and tie, and his hair combed +down very low in a cow-lick over his forehead, he was indeed an odd +little figure of a man as he listened patiently to the boys' grievances +and doled out sympathy to them. On the other hand, absolutely devoted to +the fair proprietress of the saloon,--though solely in the character of +a good comrade,--he never ceased trying to advance her interests; and +since one and all of her customers believed themselves to be in love +with her, one of his most successful methods was to flatter each one in +turn into thinking that he had made a tremendous impression upon her. It +was not a difficult thing to do inasmuch as long custom and repetition +had made him an adept at highly-coloured lying. + +"Well, you got the first chance," asseverated Nick, dropping his voice +to a whisper. + +Sonora grinned from ear to ear; he expanded his broad chest and held his +head proudly; and waving his hand in lordly fashion he sung out: + +"Cigars for all hands and drinks, too, Nick!" + +The genial prevaricator could scarcely restrain himself from laughing +outright as he watched the other return to his place at the faro table; +and when, in due course, he served the concoctions and passed around the +high-priced cigars, there was a smile on his face which said as plainly +as if spoken that Sonora was not the only person present that had reason +to be pleased with himself. + +Then occurred one of those terpsichorean performances which never failed +to shock old Sonora's sense of the fitness of things. For the next +moment two Ridge boys, dancing together, waltzed through the opening +between the two rooms and, letting out ear-piercing whoops with every +rotation, whirled round and round the room until they brought up against +the bar where they, breathlessly, called for drinks. + +An angry lull fell upon the room; the card game stopped. However, before +anyone seated there could give vent to his resentment at this boisterous +intrusion of the men from the rival camp, the smooth, oily and inviting +voice of the unprincipled Sidney Duck, scenting easy prey because of +their inebriated condition, called out in its cockney accent: + +"'Ello, boys--'ow's things at The Ridge?" + +"Wipes this camp off the earth!" returned a voice that was provocative +in the extreme--a reply that instantly brought every man at the faro +table to his feet. For a time, at least, it seemed as if the boys from +The Ridge would get the trouble they were looking for. + +A murmur of angry amazement arose, while Sonora, his watery blue eyes +glinting, followed up his explosive, "What!" with a suggestive movement +towards his hip. But quick as he was Nick was still quicker and had The +Ridge boy, as well as Sonora, covered before their hands had even +reached their guns. + +"You . . .!" the little barkeeper's sentence was bristled out and +contained along with the expletives some comparatively mild words which +gave the would-be combatants to understand that any such foolishness +would not be tolerated in The Polka unless he himself "'lowed it to be +ne'ssary." + +Not unnaturally The Ridge boys failed to see anything offensive in +language that had a gun behind it; and realising the futility of any +further attempt to get away with a successful disturbance they wisely +yielded to superior quickness at the draw. With a whoop of resignation +they rushed back to the dance-hall where the voice of the caller was +exhorting the gents--whose partners were mostly big, husky, hairy-faced +men clumsily enacting parts generally assigned to members of the gentler +sex--to swing: + +"With the right-hand gent, first partner swing with the left-hand gent, +first partner swing with the right-hand gent; first partner swing with +the left-hand gent, and the partner in the centre, and gents all +around!" + +Back at the faro table now,--the incident having passed quickly into +oblivion,--Sonora called to the dealer for "a slug's worth of chips"--a +request that was promptly acceded to. But they had played only a few +minutes when a thin but somewhat sweet tenor voice was heard singing: + + + "Wait for the waggon, + Wait for the waggon, + Wait for the waggon, + And we'll all take a ride. + Wait for the waggon--" + + +"Here he is, gentlemen, just back from his triumphs of The Ridge!" broke +in Nick, whose province it was to act as master of ceremonies; and +coming forward as the singer emerged from the dance-hall he introduced +him to the assembled company in the most approved music-hall manner: +"Allow me to present to you, Jake Wallace the Camp favour-ite!" he said +with an exaggeratedly low bow. + +"How-dy, Jake! Hello, Jake, old man! How be you, Jake!" were some of the +greetings that were hurled at the Minstrel who, robed in a long linen +duster, his face half-blacked, and banjo in hand, acknowledged the words +of welcome with a broad grin as he stood bowing in the centre of the +room. + +That Jake Wallace was a typical camp minstrel from the top of his dusty +stove-pipe hat to the sole of his flapping negro shoes, one could see +with half an eye as he made his way to a small platform--a musician's +stand--at one end of the bar; nor could there be any question about his +being a prudent one, for the musician did not seat himself until he had +carefully examined the sheet-iron shield inside the railing, which was +attached in such a way that it could be sprung up by working a spring in +the floor and render him fairly safe from a chance shot during a fracas. + +"My first selection, friends, will be 'The Little--'," announced the +Minstrel with a smile as he begun to tune his instrument. + +"Aw, give us 'Old Dog Tray,'" cut in Sonora, impatiently from his seat +at the card table. + +Jake bowed his ready acquiescence to the request and kept right on +tuning up. + +"I say, Nick, have you saw the Girl?" asked Trinidad in a low voice, +taking advantage of the interval to stroll over to the bar. + +Mysteriously, Nick's eyes wandered about the room to see if anyone was +listening; at length, with marvellous insincerity, he said: + +"You've got the first chance, Trin; I gave 'er your message." + +Trinidad Joe fairly beamed upon him. + +"Whisky for everybody, Nick!" he ordered bumptuously; and as before the +little barkeeper's face wore an expression of pleasure not a whit less +than that of the man whom, presently, he followed to the faro table with +a bottle and four glasses. + +As soon as Trinidad had seated himself the Minstrel struck a chord and +announced impressively: + +"'Old Dog Tray,' gents, 'or Echoes from Home'!" He cleared his throat, +and the next instant in quavering tones he warbled: + + + "How of-ten do I pic-ture + The old folks down at home, + And of-ten wonder if they think of me, + Would an-gel mother know me, + If back there I did roam, + Would old dog Tray re-member me." + + +At the first few words of his song the man at the desk who, up to this +time, had been wholly oblivious to what was taking place, arose from his +seat, put the ink-bottle back on the bar, opened a cigar-box there and +took from it a stamp, which he put on his letter. This he carried to +a mail-box attached to the door; then, returning, he threw himself +dejectedly down in a chair and put his head in his hands, where it +remained throughout the song. + +At the conclusion of his solo, the Minstrel's emotions were seemingly +deeply stirred by his own melodious voice and he gasped audibly; +whereupon, Nick came to his relief with a stiff drink which, apparently, +went to the right spot, for presently the singer's voice rang out +vigorously: "Now, boys!" + +No second invitation was needed, and the chorus was taken up by all, the +singers beating time with their feet and chips. + + + ALL. + "Oh, mother, an-gel mother, are you waitin' there + beside the lit-tle cottage on the lea--" + + JAKE. + "On the lea--" + + ALL. + "How of-ten would she bless me + in all them days so fair-- + Would old dog Tray re-member me--" + + SONORA. + "Re-member me." + + +All the while the miners had been singing, the sad and morose-looking +individual had been steadily growing more and more disconsolate; and +when Sonora rumbled out the last deep note in his big, bass voice, he +heaved a great sob and broke down completely. + +In surprised consternation everyone turned in the direction from whence +had come the sound. But it was Sonora who, affected both by the pathos +of the song and the sight of the pathetic figure before them, quietly +went over and laid a hand upon the other's arm. + +"Why, Larkins--Jim--what's the trouble--what's the matter?" he asked, +a thousand thoughts fluttering within his breast. "I wouldn't feel so +bad." + +With a desperate effort Larkins, his face twitching perceptibly, the +lines about his eyes deepening, struggled to control himself. At last, +after taking in the astonished faces about him, he plunged into his tale +of woe. + +"Say, boys, I'm homesick--I'm broke--and what's more, I don't care who +knows it." He paused, his fingers opening and closing spasmodically, and +for a moment it seemed as if he could not continue--a moment of silence +in which the Minstrel began to pick gently on his banjo the air of Old +Dog Tray. + +"I want to go home!" suddenly burst from the unfortunate man's lips. +"I'm tired o' drillin' rocks; I want to be in the fields again; I want +to see the grain growin'; I want the dirt in the furrows at home; I +want old Pensylvanny; I want my folks; I'm done, boys, I'm done, I'm +done . . .!" And with these words he buried his face in his hands. + + + "Oh, mother, an-gel mother, are you waitin'--" + + +sang the Minstrel, dolefully. + +Men looked at one another and were distressingly affected; The Polka had +never witnessed a more painful episode. Throwing a coin at the Minstrel, +Sonora stopped him with an impatient gesture; the latter nodded +understandingly at the same time that Nick, apparently indifferent +to Larkin's collapse, began to dance a jig behind the bar. A look +of scowling reproach instantly appeared on Sonora's face. It was +uncalled-for since, far from being heartless and indifferent to the +man's misfortunes, the little barkeeper had taken this means to distract +the miners' attention from the pitiful sight. + +"Boys, Jim Larkins 'lows he's goin' back East," announced Sonora. "Chip +in every mother's son o' you." + +Immediately every man at the faro table demanded cash from The Sidney +Duck; a moment later they, as well as the men who were not playing +cards, threw their money into the hat which Sonora passed around. It was +indeed a well-filled hat that Sonora held out to the weeping man. + +"Here you are, Jim," he said simply. + +The sudden transition from poverty to comparative affluence was too much +for Larkins! Looking through tear-dimmed eyes at Sonora he struggled for +words with which to express his gratitude, but they refused to come; and +at last with a sob he turned away. At the door, however, he stopped and +choked out: "Thank you, boys, thank you." + +The next moment he was gone. + +At once a wave of relief swept over the room. Indeed, the incident was +forgotten before the unfortunate man had gone ten paces from The Polka, +for then it was that Trinidad suddenly rose in his seat, lunged across +the table for The Sidney Duck's card-box, and cried out angrily: + +"You're cheatin'! That ain't a square deal! You're a cheat!" + +In a moment the place was in an uproar. Every man at the table sprung to +his feet; chairs were kicked over; chips flew in every direction; guns +came from every belt; and so occupied were the men in watching The +Sidney Duck that no one perceived the Lookout sneak out through the +door save Nick, who was returning from the dance-hall with a tray of +empty glasses. But whether or not he was aware that the Australian's +confederate was bent upon running away he made no attempt to stop him, +for in common with every man present, including Sonora and Trinidad, who +had seized the gambler and brought him out in front of his card-table, +Nick's eyes were fastened upon another man whom none had seen enter, but +whose remarkable personality, now as often, made itself felt even though +he spoke not a word. + +"Lift his hand!" cried Sonora, looking as if for sanction at the +newcomer, who stood in the centre of the room, calmly smoking a huge +cigar. + +Forcing up The Sidney Duck's arms, Trinidad threw upon the table a deck +of cards which he had found concealed about the other's person, bursting +out with: + +"There! Look at that, the infernal, good-for-nothin' cheat!" + +"String 'im up!" suggested Sonora, and as before he shot a questioning +look at the man, who was regarding the scene with bored interest. + +"You bet!" shouted Trinidad, pulling at the Australian's arm. + +"For 'eaven's sake, don't, don't, don't!" wailed The Sidney Duck, +terror-stricken. + +The Sheriff of Manzaneta County, for such was the newcomer's office, +raised his steely grey eyes inquisitorially to Nick's who, with a +hostile stare at the Australian, emitted: + +"Chicken lifter!" + +"String 'im! String 'im!" insisted Trinidad, at the same time dragging +the culprit towards the door. + +"No, boys, no!" cried the unfortunate wretch, struggling uselessly to +break away from his captors. + +At this stage the Sheriff of Manzaneta County took a hand in the +proceedings, and drawled out: + +"Well, gentlemen--" He stopped short and seemingly became reflective. +Instantly, as was their wont whenever the Sheriff spoke, all eyes fixed +themselves upon him. Indeed, it needed but a second glance at this cool, +deliberate individual to see how great was his influence upon them. +He was tall,--fully six feet one,--thin, and angular; his hair and +moustache were black enough to bring out strongly the unhealthy pallor +of his face; his eyes were steel grey and were heavily fringed and +arched; his nose straight and his mouth hard, determined, but just, the +lips of which were thin and drawn tightly over brilliantly-white teeth; +and his soft, pale hands were almost feminine looking except for the +unusual length of his fingers. On his head was a black beaver hat with a +straight brim; a black broadcloth suit--cut after the "'Frisco" fashion +of the day--gave every evidence that its owner paid not a little +attention to it. From the bosom of his white, puffed shirt an enormous +diamond, held in place by side gold chains, flashed forth; while +glittering on his fingers was another stone almost as large. Below his +trousers could plainly be seen the highly-polished boots; the heels +and instep being higher than those generally in use. In a word, it was +impossible not to get the impression that he was scrupulously immaculate +and careful about his attire. And his voice--the voice that tells +character as nothing else does--was smooth and drawling, though +fearlessness and sincerity could easily be detected in it. Such was Mr. +Jack Rance, Gambler and Sheriff of Manzaneta County. + +"This is a case for you, Jack Rance," suddenly spoke up Sonora. + +"Yes," chimed in Trinidad; and then as he gave the Australian a rough +shake, he added: "Here's the Sheriff to take charge of you." + +But Mr. Jack Rance, the Sheriff of Manzaneta County, was never known +to move otherwise than slowly, deliberately. Taking from his pocket a +smoothly-creased handkerchief he proceeded to dust languidly first one +and then the other of his boots; and not until he had succeeded in +flicking the last grain of dust from them did he take up the business +in hand. + +"Gentlemen, what's wrong with the cyards?" he now began in his peculiar +drawling voice. + +Sonora pointed to the faro table. + +"The Sidney Duck's cheated!" he said--an accusation which was +responsible for a renewal of outcries and caused a number of men to +pounce upon the faro dealer. + +Trinidad ran a significant hand around his collar. + +"String 'im! Come on, you--!" once more he cried. But on seeing the +Sheriff raise a restraining hand he desisted from pulling the Australian +along. + +"Wait a minute!" commanded the Sheriff. + +The miners with the prisoner in their midst stood stock-still. Now +the Sheriff's features lost some of their usual inscrutability and +for a moment became hard and stern. Slowly he let his eyes wander +comprehensively about the saloon: first, they travelled to a small +balcony--reached by a ladder drawn down or up at will--decorated with +red calico curtains, garlands of cedar and bittersweet, while the +railing was ornamented with a wildcat's skin and a stuffed fawn's head; +from the ceiling with its strings of red peppers, onions and apples +they fell on a stuffed grizzly bear, which stood at the entrance to +the dance-hall, with a little green parasol in its paw and an old silk +hat upon its head; from it they shifted to the gaudy bar with its +paraphernalia of fancy glasses, show-cases of coloured liquors and its +pair of scales for weighing the gold dust; and from that to a keg, +the top of which could be withdrawn without engendering the slightest +suspicion that it represented other than an ordinary receptacle for +liquor. Two notices tacked upon the wall also caught and held his +glance, his eyes dwelling most affectionately on the one reading: +"A Real Home For The Boys." + +That there was such a thing as sentiment in the make-up of the +Sheriff of Manzaneta County few people, perhaps, would have believed. +Nevertheless, at the thought that this placard inspired, he dismissed +whatever inclination he might have had to deal leniently with the +culprit, and calmly observed: + +"There is no reason, gentlemen, of being in a hurry. I've got something +to say about this. I don't forget, although I am the Sheriff of +Manzaneta County, that I'm running four games. But it's men like The +Sidney Duck here that casts reflections on square-minded, sporting men +like myself. And worse--far worse, gentlemen, he casts reflections on +The Polka, the establishment of the one decent woman in Cloudy." + +"You bet!" affirmed Nick, indignantly. + +"Yes, a lady, d'you hear me?" stormed Sonora, addressing the prisoner; +then: "You lily-livered skunk!" + +"Oh, let's string 'im up!" urged Trinidad. + +"Yes, come on, you . . .!" was Handsome's ejaculation, contriving, at +last, to get his hands on the faro dealer. + +But again the Sheriff would have none of it. + +"Hold on, hold on--" he began and paused to philosophise: "After all, +gents, what's death? A kick and you're off;" and then went on: "I've +thought of a worse punishment. Give him his coat." + +Surprised and perplexed at this order, Handsome, reluctantly, assisted +the culprit into his coat. + +"Put him over there," the Sheriff now ordered. + +Whereupon, obedient to the instructions of that personage, The Sidney +Duck was roughly put down into a chair; and while he was firmly held +into it, Rance strolled nonchalantly over to the faro table and picked +out a card from the deck there. Returning, he quickly plucked a +stick-pin from the prisoner's scarf, saying, while he suited his action +to his words: + +"See, now I place the deuce of spades over his heart as a warning. He +can't leave the camp, and he never plays cyards again--see?" And while +the men, awed to silence, stood looking at one another, he instructed +Handsome to pass the word through the camp. + +"Ow, now, don't si that! Don't si that!" bawled out the card sharp. + +The sentence met with universal approval. Rance waved an authoritative +hand towards the door; and the incident, a few seconds later, passed +into its place in the camp records. Albeit, in those seconds, and while +the men were engrossed in the agreeable task of ejecting The Sidney +Duck, The Polka harboured another guest, no less unwelcome, who made his +way unobserved through the saloon to become an unobtrusive spectator of +the doings in the dance-hall. + + + + +IV. + + +In the space of six months one can do little or much harm. The young +bandit,--for he had kept his oath to his father,--flattered himself +that he had done much. In all the mining camps of the Sierras the mere +mention of the name of Ramerrez brought forth execrations. Not a stage +started out with its precious golden freight without its passengers +having misgivings that they would be held up before reaching Sacramento. +Messengers armed with shotguns were always to be found at their post +beside the drivers; yet, despite all precautions, not a week passed +without a report that the stage out of this or that camp, had been +attacked and the passengers forced to surrender their money and +valuables. Under no circumstances, however, were any of Ramerrez's own +countrymen molested. If, by any chance, the road agent made a mistake +and stopped a party of native Californians or Mexicans, they were at +once permitted to proceed on their way with the bandit-leader's profuse +apologies. + +But it was altogether different with Americans. The men of that race +were compelled to surrender their gold; although so far as he was +concerned, their women were exempt from robbery. As a matter of fact, he +had few chances to show his chivalry, since few women were living, at +that time, in the Sierras. Nevertheless, it happened in rare instances +that a stage was held up which contained one or two of them, and they +were never known to complain of his treatment. And so far, at least, he +had contrived to avoid any serious bloodshed. Two or three messengers, +it is true, had been slightly wounded; but that was the most that his +worst enemies could charge against him. + +As for Ramerrez's own attitude towards the life he was leading, it must +be confessed that, the plunge once taken, his days and nights were too +full of excitement and adventure to leave him time to brood. Somewhat +to his own surprise, he had inherited his father's power of iron +domination. Young as he was, not one of his father's seasoned band of +cut-throats ever questioned his right or his ability to command. At +first, no doubt, they followed him through a rude spirit of loyalty; +but after a short time it was because they had found in him all the +qualities of a leader of men, one whose plans never miscarried. Fully +two-thirds of the present band were vassals, as it were, in his family, +while all were of Spanish or Mexican descent. In truth, Ramerrez himself +was the only one among them who had any gringo blood in his veins. +And hence not a tale of the outlaw's doings was complete without the +narrator insisting upon it that the leader of the band--the road agent +himself--closely resembled an American. One and all of his victims +agreed that he spoke with an American accent, while the few who had been +able to see his features on a certain occasion when the red bandanna, +which he wore about his face, had fallen, never failed to maintain that +he looked like an American. + +As a matter of fact, Ramerrez not only bore the imprint of his mother's +race in features and in speech, but the more he made war upon them, the +more he realised that it was without any real feeling of hostility. In +spite of his early training and in spite of his oath, he could not share +his father's bitterness. True, the gringos had wrecked the fortunes of +his house; it was due to them that his sole inheritance was an outlaw's +name and an outlaw's leadership. And yet, despite it all, there was +another fact that he could not forget,--the fact that he himself was one +half gringo, one half the same race as that of the unforgotten Girl whom +he had met on the road to Sacramento. Indeed, it had been impossible +to forget her, for she had stirred some depth in him, the existence of +which he had never before suspected. He was haunted by the thought of +her attractive face, her blue eyes and merry, contagious laugh. For the +hundredth time he recalled his feelings on that glorious day when he had +intercepted her on the great highway. And with this memory would come a +sudden shame of himself and occupation,--a realisation of the barrier +which he had deliberately put between the present and the past. Up to +the hour when he had parted from her, and had remained spellbound, +seated on his horse at the fork of the roads, watching the vanishing +coach up to the last minute, he was still a Spanish gentleman, still +worthy in himself,--whatever his father had done,--to offer his love and +his devotion to a pure and honest girl. But now he was an outlaw, a road +agent going from one robbery to another, likely at any time to stain his +hand with the life-blood of a fellow man. And this pretence that he was +stealing in a righteous cause, that he was avenging the wrongs that had +been done to his countrymen,--why, it was the rankest hypocrisy! He knew +in his heart that vengeance and race hatred had nothing whatever to do +with it. It was because he loved it like a game, a game of unforeseen, +unguessed danger. The fever of it was in his blood, like strong drink,-- +and with every day's adventure, the thirst for it grew stronger. + +Yet, however personally daring, Ramerrez was the last person in the +world to trust to chance for his operations, more than was absolutely +necessary. He handled his men with shrewd judgment and strict +discipline. Furthermore, never was an attack made that was not the +outcome of a carefully matured plan. A prime factor in Ramerrez' success +had from the first been the information which he was able to obtain from +the Mexicans, not connected with his band, concerning the places that +the miners used as temporary depositories for their gold; and it was +information of this sort that led Ramerrez and his men to choose a +certain Mexican settlement in the mountains as a base of operations: +namely, the tempting fact that a large amount of gold was stored nightly +in the Polka Saloon, at the neighbouring camp on Cloudy Mountain. + +And there was still another reason. + +Despite the fact that his heart had been genuinely touched by the many +and unusual attractions of the Girl, it is not intended to convey the +idea that he was austere or incapable of passion for anyone else. For +that was not so. Although, to give the bandit his due, he had remained +quite exemplary, when one considers his natural charm as well as the +fascination which his adventurous life had for his country-women. +Unfortunately, however, in one of his weak moments, he had foolishly +permitted himself to become entangled with a Mexican woman--Nina +Micheltoreņa, by name--whose jealous nature now threatened to prove a +serious handicap to him. It was a particularly awkward situation in +which he found himself placed, inasmuch as this woman had furnished him +with much valuable information. In fact, it was she who had called his +attention to the probable spoils to be had in the American camp near +by. It can readily be imagined, therefore, that it was not without a +premonition of trouble to come that he sought the Mexican settlement +with the intention of paying her a hundred-fold for her valuable +assistance in the past and then be through with her for good and all. + + +The Mexican or greaser settlements had little in them that resembled +their American neighbours. In the latter there were few women, for the +long distance that the American pioneers had to travel before reaching +the gold-fields of California, the hardships that they knew had to be +encountered, deterred them from bringing their wives and daughters. But +with the Mexicans it was wholly different. The number of women in their +camps almost equalled that of the men, and the former could always +be seen, whenever the weather permitted, strolling about or sitting +in the doorways chatting with their neighbours, while children were +everywhere. In fact, everything about the Mexican settlements conveyed +the impression that they had come to stay--a decided contrast to the +transient appearance of the camps of the Americans. + +It was one evening late in the fall that Ramerrez and his band +halted just outside of this particular Mexican settlement. And after +instructing his men where they should meet him the following day, he +sent them off to enjoy themselves for the night with their friends. For, +Ramerrez, although exercising restraint over his band, never failed to +see to it that they had their pleasures as well as their duties--a trait +in his character that had not a little to do with his great influence +over his men. And so it happened that he made his way alone up the main +street to the hall where a dance was going on. + +The scene that met his eyes on entering the long, low room was a gay +one. It was a motley crowd gathered there in which the Mexicans, +not unnaturally, predominated. Here and there, however, were native +Californians, Frenchmen, Germans and a few Americans, the latter +conspicuous by the absence of colour in their dress; for with the +exception of an occasional coatless man in a red or blue shirt, they +wore faded, old, black coats,--frequently frock-coats, at that,--which +certainly contrasted unfavourably, at least so far as heightening the +gaiety of the scene was concerned, with the green velvet jackets, +brilliant waistcoats with gold filigree and silver buttons and red +sashes of the Mexicans. That there was not a man present but what was +togged out in his best and was armed, it goes without saying, even +if the weapons of the Mexicans were in the form of murderous knives +concealed somewhere about their persons instead of belts with guns and +knives openly displayed, as was the case with the Americans. + +At the time of the outlaw's entrance into the dance-hall the fandango +was over. But presently the fiddles, accompanied by guitars, struck up a +waltz, and almost instantly some twenty or more men and women took the +floor; those not engaged in dancing surrounding the dancers, clapping +their hands and shouting their applause. In order to see if the woman he +sought was present, it was necessary for Ramerrez to push to the very +front of the crowd of lookers-on, where he was not long in observing +that nearly all the women present were of striking appearance and danced +well; likewise, he noted, that none compared either in looks or grace +with Nina Micheltoreņa who, he had to acknowledge, even if his feelings +for her were dead, was a superb specimen of a woman. + +Good blood ran in the veins of Nina Micheltoreņa. It is not in the +province of this story to tell how it was that a favourite in the best +circles of Monterey came to be living in a Mexican camp in the Sierras. +Suffice it to say that her fall from grace had been rapid, though her +dissolute career had in no way diminished her beauty. Indeed, her +features were well-nigh perfect, her skin transparently clear, if dark, +and her form was suppleness itself as she danced. And that she was the +undisputed belle of the evening was made apparent by the number of men +who watched her with eyes that marvelled at her grace when dancing, and +surrounded her whenever she stopped, each pleading with her to accept +him as a partner. + +Almost every colour of the rainbow had a place in her costume for +the occasion: The bodice was of light blue silk; the skirt orange; +encircling her small waist was a green sash; while her jet-black hair +was fastened with a crimson ribbon. Diamonds flashed from the earrings +in her ears as well as from the rings on her fingers. All in all, it was +scarcely to be wondered at that her charms stirred to the very depths +the fierce passion of the desperate characters about her. + +That Ramerrez dreaded the interview which he had determined to have with +his confederate can easily be understood by anyone who has ever tried to +sever his relations with an enamoured woman. In fact the outlaw dreaded +it so much that he decided to postpone it as long as he could. And so, +after sauntering aimlessly about the room, and coming, unexpectedly, +across a woman of his acquaintance, he began to converse with her, +supposing, all the time, that Nina Micheltoreņa was too occupied with +the worshippers at her shrine to perceive that he was in the dance-hall. +But it was decidedly a case of the wish being father to the thought: Not +a movement had he made since he entered that she was not cognisant of it +and, although she hated to acknowledge it to herself, deep down in her +heart she was conscious that he was not as thoroughly under the sway of +her dark eyes as she would have wished. Something had happened in the +last few weeks that had brought about a change in him, but just what it +was she was unable to determine. There were moments when she saw plainly +that he was much more occupied with his daring plans than he was with +thoughts of her. So far, it was true, there had been no evidences on his +part of any hesitation in confiding his schemes to her. Of that she was +positive. But, on the other hand, she had undoubtedly lost some of her +influence over him. It did not lessen her nervousness to realise that he +had been in the hall for some time without making any effort to see her. +Besides, the appointment had been of his own making, inasmuch as he had +sent word by one of his band that she should meet him to-night in this +place. Furthermore, she knew that he had in mind one of the boldest +projects he had yet attempted and needed, to insure success, every scrap +of knowledge that she possessed. In the meantime, while she waited for +him to seek her out, she resolved to show him the extent of her power +to fascinate others; and from that moment never had she seemed more +attractive and alluring to her admirers, in all of whom she appeared to +excite the fiercest of passions. In fact, one word whispered in an ear +by those voluptuous lips and marvellously sweet, musical voice, and the +recipient would have done her bidding, even had she demanded a man's +life as the price of her favour. + +It is necessary, however, to single out one man as proving an exception +to this sweeping assertion, although this particular person seemed no +less devoted than the other men present. He was plainly an American and +apparently a stranger to his countrymen as well as to the Mexicans. His +hair was white and closely cropped, the eyebrows heavy and very black, +the lips nervous and thin but denoting great determination, and the +face was tanned to the colour of old leather, sufficiently so as to be +noticeable even in a country where all faces were tanned, swarthy, and +dark. One would have thought that this big, heavy, but extremely-active +man whose clothes, notwithstanding the wear and tear of the road, were +plainly cut on "'Frisco patterns," was precisely the person calculated +to make an impression upon a woman like Nina Micheltoreņa; and, yet, +oddly enough, he was the only man in the room whose attentions seemed +distasteful to her. It could not be accounted for on the ground of +his nationality, for she danced gladly with others of his race. Nor +did it look like caprice on her part. On the contrary, there was an +expression on her face that resembled something like fear when she +refused to be cajoled into dancing with him. At length, finding her +adamant, the man left the room. + +But as time went by and still Ramerrez kept aloof, Nina Micheltoreņa's +excitement began to increase immeasureably. To such a woman the outlaw's +neglect could mean but one thing--another woman. And, finally, unable +to control herself any longer, she made her way to where the woman with +whom Ramerrez had been conversing was standing alone. + +"What has the Seņor been saying to you?" she demanded, jealousy and +ungovernable passion blazing forth from her eyes. + +"Nothing of interest to you," replied the other with a shrug of her +shoulders. + +"It's a lie!" burst from Nina's lips. "I heard him making love to you! I +was standing near and heard every tone, every inflection of his voice! I +saw how he looked at you!" And so crazed was she by jealousy that her +face became distorted and almost ugly, if such a thing were possible, +and her great eyes filled with hatred. + +The other woman laughed scornfully. + +"Make your man stay away from me then--if you can," she retorted. + +At that the infuriated Nina drew a knife and cried: + +"Swear to me that you'll not see him to-night, or--" + +The sentence was never finished. Quick as lightning Ramerrez stepped in +and caught Nina's up-raised arm. For one instant her eyes flashed fire +at him; another, and submissive to his will, she slipped the knife +somewhere in the folds of her dress and the attention that she had +succeeded in attracting was diverted elsewhere. Those who had rushed up +expecting a tragedy returned, once more, to their dancing. + +"I have been looking for you, Nina," he said, taking her to one side. "I +want to speak with you." + +Nina laughed airily, but only another woman would have been able to +detect the danger lurking in that laugh. + +"Have you just come in?" she inquired casually. "It is generally not +difficult to find me when there is dancing." And then with a significant +smile: "But perhaps there were so many men about me that I was +completely hidden from the view of the Seņor." + +Ramerrez bowed politely his belief in the truth of her words; then he +said somewhat seriously: + +"I see a vacant table over in the corner where we can talk without +danger of being overheard. Come!" He led the way, the woman following +him, to a rough table of pine at the farther end of the room where, +immediately, a bottle and two glasses were placed before them. When they +had pledged each other, Ramerrez went on to say, in a low voice, that he +had made the appointment in order to deliver to her her share for the +information that led to his successful holdup of the stage at a place +known as "The Forks," a few miles back; and taking from his pocket a +sack of gold he placed it on the table before her. + +There was a silence in which Nina made no movement to pick up the gold; +whereupon, Ramerrez repeated a little harshly: + +"Your share." + +Slowly the woman rose, picking up the sack as she did so, and with a +request that he await her, she made her way over to the bar where she +handed it to the Mexican in charge with a few words of instruction. In +another moment she was again seated at the table with him. + +"Why did you send for me to meet you here?" she now asked. "Why did you +not come to my room--surely you knew that there was danger here?" + +Carelessly, Ramerrez let his eyes wander about the room; no one was +paying the slightest attention to them and, apparently, there being +nothing to fear, he answered: + +"From whom?" + +For a brief space of time the woman looked at him as if she would ferret +out his innermost thoughts; at length, she said with a shrug of the +shoulders: + +"Few here are to be thoroughly trusted. The woman you were with--she +knows you?" + +"I never met her but once before," was his laconic rejoinder. + +Nina eyed him suspiciously; at last she was satisfied that he spoke the +truth, but there was still that cold, abstracted manner of his to be +explained. However, cleverly taking her cue from him she inquired in +business-like tones: + +"And how about The Polka Saloon--the raid on Cloudy Mountain Camp?" + +A shade of annoyance crossed Ramerrez' face. + +"I have decided to give that up--at least for a time." + +Again Nina regarded him curiously; when she spoke there was a suspicious +gleam in her eyes, though she said lightly: + +"Perhaps you're right--it will not be an easy job." + +"Far from it," quickly agreed the man. "But the real reason is, that I +have planned to go below for a while." + +The woman's eyes narrowed. + +"You are going away then?" + +"Yes." + +"And what about me? Do I go with you?" + +Ramerrez laughed uneasily. + +"It is impossible. The fact is, it is best that this should be our last +meeting." And seeing the change that came over her face he went on in +more conciliatory tones: "Now, Nina, be reasonable. It is time that we +understood each other. This interview must be final." + +"And you came here to tell me this?" blazed the woman, scowling darkly +upon him. And for the moment she looked all that she was reputed to +be--a dangerous woman! + +Receiving no answer, she spoke again. + +"But you said that you would love me always?" + +The man flushed. + +"Did I say that once? What a memory you have!" + +"And you never meant it?" + +"I suppose so--at the time." + +"Then you don't love me any more?" + +Ramerrez made no answer. + +For some moments Nina sat perfectly still. Her mind was busy trying +to determine upon the best course to pursue. At length she decided to +make one more attempt to see whether he was really in earnest. And if +not . . . + +"But to-night," she hazarded, leaning far over the table and putting her +face close to his, her eyes the while flooded with voluptuousness, "you +will come with me to my room?" + +Ramerrez shook his head. + +"No, Nina, all that is over." + +The woman bit her lips with vexation. + +"Are you made of stone? What is the matter with you to-night? Is there +anything wrong with my beauty? Have you seen anyone handsomer than I +am?" + +"No . . ." + +"Then why not come? You don't hate?" + +"I don't hate you in the least, but I won't go to your room." + +"So!" + +There was a world of meaning in that one word. For a while she seemed +to be reflecting; suddenly with great earnestness she said: + +"Once for all, Ramerrez, listen to me. Rather than give you up to any +other woman I will give you up to death. Now do you still refuse me?" + +"Yes . . ." answered Ramerrez not unkindly and wholly unmoved by her +threat. "We've been good pals, Nina, but it's best for both that we +should part." + +In the silence that ensued the woman did some hard thinking. That a man +could ever tire of her without some other woman coming into his life +never once entered into her mind. Something told her, nevertheless, that +the woman with whom he had been conversing was not the woman that she +sought; and at a loss to discover the person to whom he had transferred +his affections, her mind reverted to his avowed purpose of withdrawing +from the proposed Cloudy Mountain expedition. The more Nina reflected +on that subject the more convinced she became that, for some reason or +other, Ramerrez had been deceiving her. It was made all the more clear +to her when she recalled that when Ramerrez' messenger had brought his +master's message that she was to meet him, she had asked where the +band's next rendezvous was to be, and that he, knowing full well that +his countrywoman had ever been cognizant of his master's plans, had +freely given the desired information. Like a flash it came to her now +that no such meeting-place would have been selected for any undertaking +other than a descent upon Cloudy Mountain Camp. Nor was her intuition or +reasoning at fault: Ramerrez had not given up his intention of getting +the miners' gold that he knew from her to be packed away somewhere in +The Polka Saloon; but what she did not suspect, despite his peculiar +behaviour, was that he had taken advantage of the proximity of the two +camps to sever his relation, business and otherwise, with her. And yet, +did he but know it, she was destined to play no small part in his life +for the next few weeks! + +Nina Micheltoreņa had now decided upon her future course of action: She +would let him think that his desire to break off all relations with her +would not be opposed. Ever a keen judge of men and their ways, she was +well aware that any effort to reclaim him to-night would meet with +disaster. And so when Ramerrez, surprised at her long silence, looked +up, he was met with a smiling face and the words: + +"So be it, Ramerrez. But if anything happens, remember you have only +yourself to blame." + +Ramerrez was astounded at her cool dismissal of the subject. To judge by +the expression on his face he had indeed obtained his release far easier +than he had deemed it possible. As a matter of fact, her indifference +so piqued him that before he was conscious of his words he had asked +somewhat lamely: + +"You wish me well? We part as friends?" + +Nina regarded him with well-simulated surprise, and replied: + +"Why, of course--the best of friends. Good luck, _amigo_!" And with that +she rose and left him. + +And so it was that later that evening after assuring herself that +neither Ramerrez nor any of his band remained in the dance-hall, Nina, +her face set and pale, exchanged a few whispered words with that same +big man towards whom, earlier in the evening, she had shown such +animosity. + +The effect of these words was magical; the man could not suppress a +grunt of intense satisfaction. + +"She says I'm to meet her to-morrow night at the Palmetto Restaurant," +said Ashby to himself after the woman had lost herself in a crowd of +her own countrymen. "She will tell where I can put my hands on this +Ramerrez. Bah! It's too good to be true. Nevertheless, I'll be on hand, +my lady, for if anyone knows of this fellow's movements I'll wager you +do." + +At that moment Ashby, the Wells Fargo Agent, was nearer than ever before +to the most brilliant capture of all his career. + + +Late the following afternoon, some five miles from the Mexican +settlement, on a small tableland high above a black ravine which was +thickly timbered with the giant trees of the Sierras, Ramerrez' band was +awaiting the coming of the _Maestro_. It was not to be a long wait and +they stood around smoking and talking in low tones. Suddenly, the sound +of horses climbing was heard, and soon a horseman came in sight whose +appearance had the effect of throwing them instantly into a state of +excitement, one and all drawing their guns and making a dash for their +horses, which were tied to trees. A moment later, however, another +horseman appeared, and laughing boisterously at themselves they slid +their guns back into their belts and retied their horses, for the man +whom they recognised so quickly, the individual who saved the situation, +as it were, was none other than Jose Castro, an ex-_padrona_ of the +bull-fights and the second in command to Ramerrez. He was a wiry, +hard-faced and shifty-eyed Mexican, but was as thoroughly devoted to +Ramerrez as he had been to the young leader's father. On the other hand, +the man who had caused them to fear that a stranger had surprised them, +and that they had been trapped, was Ramerrez or Johnson--the name that +he had assumed for the dangerous work he was about to engage in--and +they had failed to know him, dressed as he was in the very latest +fashion prevailing among the Americans in Sacramento in '49. Nor was it +to be wondered at, for on his head was a soft, brown hat--large, but not +nearly the proportions of a sombrero; a plain, rough tweed coat and a +waistcoat of a darker tan, which showed a blue flannel shirt beneath it; +and his legs were encased in boots topped by dark brown leggings. In a +word, his get-up resembled closely the type of American referred to +disdainfully by the miners of that time as a Sacramento guy; whereas, +the night before he had taken great pains to attire himself as gaudily +as any of the Mexicans at the dance, and he had worn a short black +jacket of a velvety material that was not unlike corduroy and covered +with braid; his breeches were of the same stuff; above his boots were +leather gaiters; and around his waist was a red sash. + +It was now close to four o'clock in the afternoon and the band began +their preparations for the raid. To the rear of the small, open space +where they had been waiting was a fairly good-sized cave, in the opening +of which they deposited various articles unnecessary for the expedition. +It took only a short time to do this, and within half an hour from the +time that their leader had so startled them by his strange appearance, +the outlaws were ready to take the trail for Cloudy Mountain. One +comprehensive glance the pseudo-American--and he certainly looked the +part--shot at his picturesque, if rough-looking followers, not a few of +whom showed red bandannas under their sombreros or around their necks-- +and then with a satisfied expression on his face--for he had a leader's +pride in his men--he gave the signal and led the way along and down the +steep trail from the tableland. And as from time to time he glanced back +over his shoulders to where the men were coming along in single file, he +could see that in every eye was a glint of exultation at the prospect of +booty. + +After they had gone about three miles they crossed the black ravine, and +from there they began to ascend. Up and up they went, the path very hard +on the horses, until finally they came to the top of a pass where it +had been arranged that the band should await further instructions, none +going on further save the two leaders. Here, saddle-girths and guns +were inspected, the last orders given, and with a wave of the hand in +response to the muttered wishes of good luck, Johnson,--for as such +he will be known from this time on,--followed by Castro, made his way +through the forest towards Cloudy Mountain. + +For an hour or so Johnson rode along in that direction, checking the +speed of his horse every time the sun came into view and showed that +there was yet some time before sunset. Presently, he made a sign to +Castro to take the lead, for he had never been in this locality before, +and was relying on his subordinate to find a spot from which he could +reconnoitre the scene of the proposed raid without the slightest danger +of meeting any of the miners. + +At a very sharp turn of the road to the left Castro struck off through +the forest to the right and, within a few minutes, reached a place where +the trees had thinned out and were replaced by the few scrubs that grew +in a spot almost barren. A minute or so more and the two men, their +horses tied, were able to get an uninterrupted view of Cloudy Mountain. + +The scene before them was one of grandeur. Day was giving place to +night, fall to winter, and yet at this hour all the winds were stilled. +In the distance gleamed the snow-capped Sierras, range after range as +far as the eye could see to the northwest; in the opposite direction +there stood out against the steel-blue of the sky a succession of wooded +peaks ever rising higher and higher until culminating in the faraway +white mountains of the south; and below, they looked upon a ravine that +was brownish-green until the rays of the departing orb touched the +leaves with opal tints. + +Now the fast-falling sun flung its banner of gorgeous colours across the +western sky. Immediately a wonderful light played upon the fleecy cumuli +gathered in the upper heavens of the east and changed them from pearl to +brilliant scarlet. For a moment, also, the purple hills became wonderful +piles of dull gold and copper; a moment more and the magic hand of the +King of Day was withdrawn. + +In front of them now, dark, gloomy and threatening rose Cloudy Mountain, +from which the Mining Camp took its name; and on a plateau near its +base the camp itself could plainly be seen. It consisted of a group +of miners' cabins set among pines, firs and manzaneta bushes with two +larger pine-slab buildings, and scattered around in various places were +shafts, whose crude timber-hoists appeared merely as vague outlines in +the fast-fading light. The distance to the camp from where they stood +was not over three miles as the crow flies, but it appeared much less in +the rarefied atmosphere. + +As the two bandits stood on the edge of the precipice looking across and +beyond the intervening gulch or ravine, here and there a light twinkled +out from the cabins and, presently, a much stronger illumination shot +forth from one of the larger and more pretentious buildings. Castro was +quick to call his master's attention to it. + +"There--that place with the light is The Palmetto Hotel!" he exclaimed. +"And over there--the one with the larger light is The Polka Saloon!" For +even as he spoke the powerful kerosene lamp of The Polka Saloon, flanked +by a composition metal reflector, flashed out its light into the gloom +enveloping the desolate, ominous-looking mountains. + +Johnson regarded this building long and thoughtfully. Then his eyes made +out a steep trail which zigzagged from The Polka Saloon up the barren +slopes of the mountain until it reached a cabin perched on the very top, +the steps and porch of which were held up by poles made of trees. There, +also, a light could be seen, but dimly. It was a strange place for +anyone to erect a dwelling-place, and he found himself wondering what +manner of person dwelt there. Of one thing he was certain: whoever it +was the mountains were loved for themselves, for no mere digger of gold +would think of erecting a habitation in view of those strange, vast, and +silent heights! + +And as he meditated thus, he perceived that the far off Sierras were +forming a background for a sinuous coil of smoke from the cabin. For +some time he watched it curling up into the great arch of sky. It was as +if he were hypnotised by it and, in a vague, shadowy way, he had a sense +of being connected, somehow, with the little cabin and its recluse. Was +this feeling that he had a premonition of danger? Was this a moment of +foreboding and distrust of the situation yet to be revealed? For like +most venturesome men he always had a moment before every one of his +undertakings in which his instinct either urged him forward or held him +back. + +Suddenly he became conscious that his eyes no longer saw the smoke. He +stared hard to glimpse it, but it was gone. And with a supreme effort he +wrenched himself free from a sort of paralysis which was stealing away +his senses. + +Now the light in the cabin disappeared, and since the shades of night, +for which he had been waiting, had fallen, he called to the impatient +and wondering Castro, and together they went back to the trail. + +But even as they crossed the gulch and reached the outskirts of the camp +a great white moon rose from behind the Sierras. To Castro, hidden now +in the pines, it meant nothing so long as it did not interfere with his +purpose. As a matter of fact he was already listening intently to the +bursts of song and shouts of revelry that came every now and then from +the nearby saloon. But his master, unaccountably under the spell of the +moon's mystery and romance, watched it until it shed its silvery and +magic light upon the lone cabin on the top of Cloudy Mountain, which +Fate had chosen for the decisive scene of his dramatic life. + + + + +V. + + +Inside The Polka, not a bit more, and not a bit less sardonic--it was +this imperturbability which made him so resistless to most people--than +he was prior to the banishment of The Sidney Duck, the Sheriff of +Manzaneta County waited patiently until the returning puppets of his +will had had time to compose themselves. It took them merely the +briefest of periods, but it served to increase visibly the long ash at +the end of Rance's cigar. At length he shot a hawk-like glance at Sonora +and proposed a little game of poker. + +"This time, gentlemen--" he said, with a significant pause and accent-- +"just for social recreation. What do you say?" + +"I'm your Injun!" acquiesced Sonora, rubbing his hands together +gleefully at the prospect of winning from the Sheriff, whom he liked +none too well. + +"That's me, too!" concurred Trinidad. + +"Chips, then, Nick!" called out the Sheriff, quietly taking a seat at +the table; while Sonora, bubbling over with spirits, hitched up his +trousers in sailor fashion and executed an impromptu hornpipe, bellowing +in his deep, base voice: + + + "I shipped aboard of a liner, boys--" + + +"Renzo, boys, renzo," finished Trinidad, falling in place at the table. + +At this point the outside door was unexpectedly pushed open, inward, and +the Deputy-Sheriff came into their midst. + +"Ashby just rode in with his posse," he announced huskily to his +superior. + +The Sheriff flashed a look of annoyance and inquired of the gaunt, +hollow-cheeked, muscular Deputy whose beaver overcoat was thrown open +so that his gun and powder-flask showed plainly in his belt: + +"Why, what's he doing here?" + +"He's after Ramerrez," answered the Deputy, eyeing him intently. + +Rance received this information in silence and went on with his +shuffling of the cards; presently, unconcernedly, he remarked: + +"Ramerrez--Oh, that's the polite road agent who has been visiting the +other camps?" + +"Yes; he's just turned into your county," declared the Deputy, +meaningly. + +"What?" Sonora looked dumbfounded. + +The Deputy nodded and proceeded to the bar. And while he drained the +contents of his glass, the Minstrel played on his banjo, much to the +amusement of the men, who showed their appreciation by laughing +heartily, the last bars of, "Pop Goes the Weasel." + +"Hello, Sheriff!" greeted Ashby, coming in just as the merriment over +the Minstrel's little joke had died away. Ashby's voice--quick, sharp +and decisive was that of a man accustomed to ordering men, but his +manner was suave, if a trifle gruff. Moreover, he was a man of whom it +could be said, paradoxical as it may seem, that he was never known to be +drunk nor ever known to be sober. It was plain from his appearance that +he had been some time on the road. + +Rance rose and politely extended his hand. And, although the greeting +between the two men was none too cordial, yet in their look, as they +eyed each other, was the respect which men have for others engaged +more or less in the same business and in whom they recognise certain +qualities which they have in common. In point of age Ashby was, perhaps, +the senior. As far as reputation was concerned, both men were accounted +nervy and square. Rance introduced him to Sonora and the others, saying: + +"Boys, Mr. Ashby of Wells Fargo." + +The latter had a pleasant word or two for the men; then, turning to the +Deputy, he said: + +"And how are you these days?" + +"Fit. And yourself?" + +"Same here." Turning now to the barkeeper, Ashby, with easy familiarity, +added: "Say, Nick, give us a drink." + +"Sure!" came promptly from the little barkeeper. + +"Everybody'll have the same?" inquired Ashby, turning once more to the +men. + +"The same!" returned the men in chorus. + +Thereupon, Nick briskly slapped down a bottle and four glasses before +the Sheriff, and leaving him to do the honours, disappeared into the +dance-hall. + +"'Well, I trust the Girl who runs The Polka is well?" inquired Ashby, +pushing his glass near the bottle. + +"Fine as silk," vouched Sonora, adding in the next breath: "But, say, +Mr. Ashby, how long you been chasm' up this road agent?" + +"Oh, he only took to the road a few months ago," was Ashby's answer. +"Wells Fargo have had me and a posse busy ever since. He's a wonder!" + +"Must be to evade you," complimented Sonora, much to the discomfort of +the Sheriff. + +"Yes, I can smell a road agent in the wind," declared Ashby somewhat +boastfully. "But, Rance, I expect to get that fellow right here in your +county." + +The Sheriff looked as if he scouted the idea, and was about to speak, +but checked the word on his tongue. Then followed a short silence in +which the Deputy, smiling a trifle derisively, went out of the saloon. + +"Is this fellow a Spaniard?" questioned the Sheriff, drawling as usual, +but at the same time jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards a +placard on the wall, which read: + + + "FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD + FOR THE ROAD AGENT RAMERREZ, + OR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS + CAPTURE. + (SIGNED) WELLS FARGO." + + +"No--can't prove it. The fact of his leading a crew of greasers and +Spaniards signifies nothing. His name is assumed, I suppose." + +"They say he robs you like a gentleman," remarked Rance with some show +of interest. + +"Well, look out for the greasers up the road!" was Ashby's warning as he +emptied his glass and put it down before him. + +"We don't let them pass through here," shrugged Rance, likewise putting +down his glass on the table. + +Ashby now picked up the whisky bottle and carried it over to the +deserted faro table before which he settled himself comfortably in a +chair. + +"Well, boys, I've had a long ride--wake me up when The Pony Express goes +through!" he called over his shoulder as he put his coat over him. + +But no sooner was he comfortably ensconced for a snooze than Nick +came bustling in with a kettle of boiling water and several glasses +half-filled with whisky and lemon. Stopping before Ashby he said in his +best professional manner: + +"Re-gards of the Girl--hot whisky straight with lemming extract." + +Ashby took up his glass, as did, in turn, the men at the other table. +But it was Rance who, with arm uplifted, toasted: + +"The Girl, gentlemen, the only Girl in Camp, the Girl I mean to make +Mrs. Jack Rance!" + +Confident that neither would catch him in the act, Nick winked first at +Sonora and then at Trinidad. That the little barkeeper was successful +in making the former, at least, believe that he possessed the Girl's +affections was manifested by the big miner's next remark. + +"That's a joke, Rance. She makes you look like a Chinaman." + +Rance sprang to his feet, white with rage. + +"You prove that!" he shouted. + +"In what particular spot will you have it?" taunted Sonora, as his hand +crept for his gun. + +Simultaneously, every man in the room made a dash for cover. Nick ducked +behind the bar, for, as he told himself when safely settled there, he +was too old a bird to get anywhere near the line of fire when two old +stagers got to making lead fly about. Nor was Trinidad slow in arriving +at the other end of the bar where he caromed against Jake, who had +dropped his banjo and was frantically trying to kick the spring of the +iron shield in an endeavour to protect himself--a feat which, at last, +he succeeded in performing. But, fortunately, for all concerned, as +the two men stood eyeing each other, their hands on their hips ready +to draw, Nick, from his position behind the bar, glimpsed through the +window the Girl on the point of entering the saloon. + +"Here comes the Girl!" he cried excitedly. "Aw, leave your guns alone-- +take your drinks, quick!" + +For a fraction of a second the men looked sheepishly at one another, +even Nick appearing a trifle uncomfortable, as he picked up the kettle +and went off with it. + +"Once more we're friends, eh, boys?" said Rance, with a forced laugh; +and then as he lifted his glass high in the air, he gave the toast: + +"The Girl!" + +"The Girl!" repeated all--all save Ashby, whose snores by this time +could be heard throughout the big room--and drained their glasses. + + + + +VI. + + +There was a general movement towards the bar when the fair proprietress +of The Polka, who had lingered longer than usual in her little cabin on +top of the mountain, breezily entered the place by the main door. In a +coarse, blue skirt, and rough, white flannel blouse, cut away and held +in place at the throat by a crimson ribbon, the Girl made a pretty +picture; it was not difficult to see why the boys of Cloudy Mountain +Camp had a feeling which fell little short of adoration for this +sun-browned maid, with the spirit of the mountain in her eyes. That +each in his own way had given her to understand that he was desperately +smitten with her, goes without saying. But, although she accepted their +rough homage as a matter of course, such a thought as falling in love +with anyone of them had never entered her mind. + +As far back, almost, as she could remember, the Girl had lived among +them and had ever been a true comrade, sharing their disappointments and +thrilling with their successes. Of a nature pure and simple, she was, +nevertheless, frank and outspoken. Moreover, she knew to a dot what was +meant when someone--bolder than his mates--stretched out his arms to +her. One such exhibition on a man's part she was likely to forgive and +forget, but the wrath and scorn that had blazed forth from her blue +eyes on such an occasion had been sufficient to prevent a repetition of +the offence. In short, unspoiled by their coarse flattery, and, to all +appearances, happy and care-free, she attended to the running of The +Polka wholly unsmirched by her environment. + +But a keen observer would not have failed to detect that the Girl took +a little less pleasure in her surroundings than she had taken in them +before she had made the trip to Monterey. Downright glad, to use her own +expression, as she had been on her return to see the boys of the camp +and hear their boisterous shouts of welcome when the stage drew up in +front of The Polka, she had to acknowledge that her home-coming was not +quite what she expected. It was as if she had suddenly been startled out +of a beautiful dream wherein she had been listening to the soft music of +her lover's voice and brought face to face with the actualities of life, +which, in her case, to say the least, were very real. + +For hours after leaving her admirer sitting motionless on his horse on +the great highway between Monterey and Sacramento, the Girl had indulged +in some pertinent thoughts which, if the truth were known, were anything +but complimentary to her behaviour. And, however successful she was +later on in persuading herself that he would eventually seek her out, +there was no question that at first she felt that the chances of her +ever setting eyes on him again were almost negligible. All the more +bitterly, therefore, did she regret her folly in not having told him +where she lived; particularly so since she assured herself that not only +was he the handsomest man that she had ever seen, but that he was the +only one who had ever succeeded in chaining her attention. That he had +been making love to her with his eyes, if not with words, she knew +only too well--a fact that had been anything but displeasing to her. +Indeed, far from having felt sorry that she had encouraged him, she, +unblushingly, acknowledged to herself that, if she had the thing to do +over again, she would encourage him still more. + +Was she then a flirt? Not at all, in the common acceptation of the word. +All her knowledge of the ways of the world had been derived from Mother +Nature, who had supplied her with a quick and ready wit to turn aside, +with a smile, the protestations of the boys; had taught her how to live +on intimate terms with them and yet not be intimate; but when it came +to playing at love, which every city maid of the same age is an adept +at, she was strangely ignorant. Of a truth, then, it was something +far broader and deeper that had entered into her heart--love. Not +infrequently love comes as suddenly as this to young women who live +in small mining camps or out-of-the-way places where the men are +practically of a type; it is their unfamiliarity with the class which +a stranger represents when he makes his appearance in their midst that +is responsible, fully as much as his own personality, for their being +attracted to him. It is not impossible, of course, that if the Girl had +met him in Cloudy,--say as a miner there,--the result would have been +precisely the same. But it is much more likely that the attendant +conditions of their meeting aided him in appealing to her imagination, +and in touching a chord in her nature which, under other circumstances, +would not have responded in as many months as there were minutes on that +eventful day. + +Little wonder then, that as each succeeding mile travelled by the stage +took her further and further away from him, something which, as yet, she +did not dare to name, kept tugging at her heartstrings and which she +endeavoured to overcome by listening to the stage driver's long-winded +reminiscences and anecdotes concerning the country through which +they were passing. But, although she made a brave effort to appear +interested, it did not take him long to realise that something was on +his passenger's mind and, being a wise man, he gradually relapsed into +silence, with the result that, before the long journey ended at Cloudy +Mountain, she had deceived herself into believing that she was certain +to see her admirer again. + +But as the days grew into weeks, the weeks into months, and the Girl +neither saw nor heard anything of him, it was inevitable that the +picture that he had left on her mind should begin to grow dim. +Nevertheless, it was surprising what a knack his figure had of appearing +before her at various times of the day and night, when she never failed +to compare him with the miners in the camp, and, needless to say, +unflatteringly to them. There came a time, it is true, when she was +sorely tempted to tell one of them something of this new-found friend of +hers; but rightly surmising the effect that her praising of her paragon +would have upon the recipient of her confidences, she wisely resolved to +lock up his image in her heart. + +Of course, there were moments, too, when the Girl regretted that there +was no other woman--some friend of her own sex in the camp--to whom she +could confide her little romance. But since that boon was denied her, +she took to seeking out the most solitary places to dream of him. In +such moods she would climb to a high crag, a few feet from her cabin, +and with a reminiscent and far-away look in her eyes she would sit for +hours gazing at the great canyons and gorges, the broad forests and +wooded hillsides, the waterfalls flashing silver in the distance, and, +above all, at the wonderously-grand and snow-capped peaks of the main +range. + +At other times she would take the trail leading from the camp to the +country below, and after wandering about aimlessly in the beautiful and +mysterious forests, she would select some little glen through which +a brook trickled and murmured underneath the ferns into a pool, and +seating herself on a clump of velvet moss, the great sugar pines and +firs forming a canopy over her head, she would whisper her secret +thoughts and wild hopes to the gorgeously-plumed birds and saucy +squirrels scampering all about her. The hours spent thus were as oases +in her otherwise practical existence, and after a while she would +return laden down with great bunches of ferns and wild flowers which, +eventually, found a place on the walls of The Polka. + + + * * * * * * + + +Glancing at the bar to see that everything was to her satisfaction, the +Girl greeted the boys warmly, almost rapturously with: + +"Hello, boys! How's everythin'? Gettin' taken care of?" + +"Hello, Girl!" sang out Sonora in what he considered was his most +fetching manner. He had been the first to reach the coveted position +opposite the Girl, although Handsome, who had followed her in, was +leaning at the end of the bar nearest to the dance-hall. + +"Hello, Sonora!" returned the Girl with an amused smile, for it was +impossible with her keen sense of humour not to see Sonora's attempts +to make himself irresistible to her. Nor did she fail to observe that +Trinidad, likewise, had spruced himself up a little more than usual, +with the same purpose in mind. + +"Hello, Girl!" he said, strolling up to her with a ludicrous swagger. + +"Hello, Trin!" came from the Girl, smilingly. + +There was an awkward pause in which both Sonora and Trinidad floundered +about in their minds for something to say; at length, a brilliant +inspiration came to the former, and he asked: + +"Say, Girl, make me a prairie oyster, will you?" + +"All, right, Sonora, I'll fix you right up," returned the Girl, smiling +to herself at his effort. But at the moment that she was reaching for a +bottle back of the bar, a terrific whoop came from the dance-hall, and +ever-watchful lest the boys' fun should get beyond her control, she +called to her factotum to quiet things down in the next room, concluding +warningly: + +"They've had about enough." + +When the barkeeper had gone to do her bidding, the Girl picked up an +egg, and, poising it over a glass, she went on: + +"Say, look 'ere, Sonora, before I crack this 'ere egg, I'd like to state +that eggs is four bits apiece. Only two hens left--" She broke off +short, and turning upon Handsome, who had been gradually sidling +up until his elbows almost touched hers, she repulsed him a trifle +impatiently: + +"Oh, run away, Handsome!" + +A flush of pleasure at Handsome's evident discomfiture spread over +Sonora's countenance, and comical, indeed, to the Girl, was the majestic +air he took on when he ordered recklessly: + +"Oh, crack the egg--I'll stand for it." + +But Sonora's fancied advantage over the others was of short duration, +for the next instant Nick, stepping quickly forward with a drink, handed +it to the Girl with the words: + +"Regards of Blonde Harry." + +Again Sonora experienced a feeling akin to jealousy at what he termed +Blonde Harry's impudence. It almost immediately gave way to a paroxysm +of chuckling; for, the Girl, quickly taking the glass from Nick's hand, +flung its contents into a nearby receptacle. + +"There--tell 'im that it hit the spot!" She laughed. + +Nick roared with the others, but on the threshold of the dance-hall he +paused, hesitated, and finally came back, and advised in a low tone: + +"Throw around a few kind words, Girl--good for the bar." + +The Girl surveyed the barkeeper with playful disapproval in her eye. +However advantageous might be his method of working up trade, she +disdained to follow his advice, and her laughing answer was: + +"Oh, you Nick!" + +The peal of laughter that rung in Nick's ears as he disappeared through +the door, awakened Ashby and brought him instantly to his feet. Despite +his size, he was remarkably quick in his movements, and in no time at +all he was standing before the bar with a glass, which he had filled +from the bottle that had stood in front of him on the table, and was +saying: + +"Compliments of Wells Fargo." + +"Thank you," returned the Girl; and then while she shook the prairie +oyster: "You see we live high-shouldered here." + +"That's what!" put in Sonora with a broad grin. + +"What cigars have you?" asked Ashby, at the conclusion of his round of +drinks. + +"Regalias, Auroras and Eurekas," reeled off the Girl with her eye upon +Billy Jackrabbit, who had quietly come in and was sneaking about in an +endeavour to find something worth pilfering. + +"Oh, any will do," Ashby told her, with a smile; and while he was +helping himself from a box of Regalias, Nick suddenly appeared, calling +out excitedly: + +"Man jest come in threatenin' to shoot up the furniture!" + +"Who is it?" calmly inquired the Girl, returning the cigar-box to its +place on the shelf. + +"Old man Watson!" + +"Leave 'im shoot,--he's good for it!" + +"Nick! Nick!" yelled several voices in the dance-hall where old man +Watson was surely having the time of his life. + +And still the Girl paid not the slightest attention to the shooting or +the cries of the men; what did concern her, however, was the fact that +the Indian was drinking up the dregs in the whisky glasses on the faro +table. + +"Here, you, Billy Jackrabbit! What are you doin' here?" she exclaimed +sharply, causing that generally imperturbable redskin to start +perceptibly. "Did you marry my squaw yet?" + +Billy Jackrabbit's face wore as stolid an expression as ever, when he +answered: + +"Not so much married squaw--yet." + +"Not so much married . . ." repeated the Girl when the merriment, which +his words provoked, had subsided. "Come 'ere, you thievin' redskin!" And +when he had slid up to the bar, and she had extracted from his pockets a +number of cigars which she knew had been pilfered, she added: "You git +up to my cabin an' marry my squaw before I git there." And at another +emphatic "Git!" the Indian, much to the amusement of all, started for +the Girl's cabin. + +"Here--here's your prairie oyster, Sonora," at last said the Girl; and +then turning to the Sheriff and speaking to him for the first time, she +called out gaily: "Hello, Rance!" + +"Hello, Girl!" replied the Gambler without even a glance at her or +ceasing to shuffle the cards. + +Presently, Sonora pulled out a bag of gold-dust and told the Girl to +clear the slate out of it. She was in the act of taking the sack when +Nick, rushing into the room and jerking his thumb over his shoulder, +said: + +"Say, Girl, there's a fellow in there wants to know if we can help out +on provisions." + +"Sure; what does he want?" returned the Girl with a show of willingness +to accommodate him. + +"Bread." + +"Bread? Does he think we're runnin' a bakery?" + +"Then he asked for sardines." + +"Sardines? Great Gilead! You tell 'im we have nothin' but straight +provisions here. We got pickled oysters, smokin' tobacco an' the best +whisky he ever saw," rapped out the Girl, proudly, and turned her +attention to the slate. + +"You bet!" vouched Trinidad with a nod, as Nick departed on his errand. + +Finally, the Girl, having made her calculations, opened the counter +drawer and brought forth some silver Mexican dollars, saying: + +"Sonora, an' Mr. Ashby, your change!" + +Ashby picked up his money, only to throw it instantly back on the bar, +and say gallantly: + +"Keep the change--buy a ribbon at The Ridge--compliments of Wells +Fargo." + +"Thank you," smiled the Girl, sweeping the money into the drawer, but +her manner showed plainly that it was not an unusual thing for the +patrons of The Polka to refuse to accept the change. + +Not to be outdone, Sonora quickly arose and went over to the counter +where, pointing to his stack of silver dollars, he said: + +"Girl, buy two ribbons at The Ridge;" and then with a significant glance +towards Ashby, he added: "Fawn's my colour." + +And again, as before, the voice that said, "Thank you," was colourless, +while her eyes rested upon the ubiquitous Nick, who had entered with an +armful of wood and was intent upon making the room warmer. + +Rance snorted disapprovingly at Sonora's prodigality. That he considered +that both his and Ashby's attentions to the Girl had gone far enough +was made apparent by the severe manner in which he envisaged them and +drawled out: + +"Play cyards?" + +But to that gentleman's surprise the men did not move. Instead, Ashby +raising a warning finger to the Girl, went on to advise that she should +bank with them oftener, concluding with: + +"And then if this road agent Ramerrez should drop in, you won't lose so +much--" + +"The devil you say!" cut in Sonora; while Trinidad broke out into a +scornful laugh. + +"Oh, go on, Mr. Ashby!" smilingly scoffed the Girl. "I keep the +specie in an empty keg now. But I've took to bankin' personally in my +stockin'," she confided without the slightest trace of embarrassment. + +"But say, we've got an awful pile this month," observed Nick, anxiously, +leaving the fireplace and joining the little ring of men about her. "It +makes me sort o' nervous--why, Sonora's got ten thousand alone fer safe +keepin' in that keg an'--" + +"--Ramerrez' band's everywhere," completed Ashby with a start, his quick +and trained ear having caught the sound of horses' hoofs. + +"But if a road agent did come here, I could offer 'im a drink an' he'd +treat me like a perfect lady," contended the Girl, confidently. + +"You bet he would, the durned old halibut!" was Sonora's comment, while +Nick took occasion to ask the Girl for some tobacco. + +"Solace or Honeydew?" she inquired, her hands already on the assortment +of tobacco underneath the bar. + +"Dew," was Nick's laconic answer. + +And then it was that the Girl heard for the first time the sound of +the galloping hoofs; startled for the moment, she inquired somewhat +uneasily: + +"Who's this, I wonder?" + +But no sooner were the words spoken than a voice outside in the darkness +sung out sharply: + +"Hello!" + +"Hello!" instantly returned another voice, which the Girl recognised at +once as being that of the Deputy. + +"Big holdup last night at The Forks!" the first voice was now saying. + +"Holdup!" repeated several voices outside in tones of excitement. + +"Ramerrez--" went on the first voice, at which ominous word all, +including Ashby, began to exchange significant glances as they echoed: + +"Ramerrez!" + +The name had barely died on their lips, however, than Nick precipitated +himself into their midst and announced that The Pony Express had +arrived, handing up to the Girl, at the same time, a bundle of letters +and one paper. + +"You see!" maintained Ashby, stoutly, as he watched her sort the +letters; "I was right when I told you . . ." + +"Look sharp! There's a greaser on the trail!" rang out warningly the +voice of The Pony Express. + +"A greaser!" exclaimed Rance, for the first time showing any interest in +the proceedings; and then without looking up and after the manner of a +man speaking to a good dog, he told the Deputy, who had followed Nick +into the room: + +"Find him, Dep." + +For some time the Girl occupied herself with cashing in the chips which +Nick brought to her--a task which she performed with amazing correctness +and speed considering that her knowledge of the science of mathematics +had been derived solely from the handling of money at The Polka. Now she +went over to Sonora, who sat at a table reading. + +"You got the newspaper, I see," she observed. "But you, Trin, I'm sorry +you ain't got nothin'," she added, with a sad, little smile. + +"So long!" hollered The Pony Express at that moment; whereupon, Ashby +rushed over to the door and called after him: + +"Pony Express, I want you!" Satisfied that his command had been heard he +retraced his footsteps and found Handsome peering eagerly over Sonora's +shoulder. + +"So, Sonora, you've got a newspaper," Handsome was saying. + +"Yes, but the infernal thing's two months old," returned the other +disgustedly. + +Handsome laughed, and wheeling round was just in time to see the door +flung open and a young fellow advance towards Ashby. + +The Pony Express was a young man of not more than twenty years of +age. He was smooth-faced and unshaven and, needless to say, was light +of build, for these riders were selected for their weight as well +as for their nerve. He wore a sombrero, a buckskin hunting-shirt, +tight trousers tucked into high boots with spurs, all of which were +weather-beaten and faded by wind, rain, dust and alkali. A pair of Colt +revolvers could be seen in his holsters, and he carried in his hands, +which were covered with heavy gloves, a mail pouch--it being the +company's orders not to let his _muchilo_ of heavy leather out of his +hands for a second. + +"You drop mail at the greaser settlement?" inquired Ashby in his +peremptory and incisive manner. + +"Yes, sir," quickly responded the young man; and then volunteered: +"It's a tough place." + +Ashby scrutinised the newcomer closely before going on with: + +"Know a girl there named Nina Micheltoreņa?" + +But before The Pony Express had time to reply the Girl interposed +scornfully: + +"Nina Micheltoreņa? Why, they all know 'er! She's one o' them Cachuca +girls with droopy, Spanish eyes! Oh, ask the boys about 'er!" And with +that she started to leave the room, stopping on her way to clap both +Trinidad and Sonora playfully on the back. "Yes, ask the boys about 'er, +they'll tell you!" And so saying she fled from the room, followed by the +men she was poking fun at. + +"Hold her letters, you understand?" instructed Ashby who, with the +Sheriff, was alone now with The Pony Express. + +"Yes, sir," he replied earnestly. A moment later there being no further +orders forthcoming he hastily took his leave. + +Ashby now turned his attention to Rance. + +"Sheriff," said he, "to-night I expect to see this Nina Micheltoreņa +either here or at The Palmetto." + +Rance never raised an eyebrow. + +"You do?" he remarked a moment later with studied carelessness. "Well, +the boys had better look to their watches. I met that lady once." + +Ashby shot him a look of inquiry. + +"She's looking to that five thousand reward for Ramerrez," he told him. + +Rance's interest was growing by leaps and bounds though he continued to +riffle the cards. + +"What? She's after that?" + +"Sure thing. She knows something . . ." And having delivered himself +of this Ashby strode over to the opposite side of the room where his +coat and hat were hanging upon an elk horn. While putting them on he +came face to face with the Girl who, having merely glanced in at the +dance-hall, was returning to take up her duties behind the bar. "Well, +I'll have a look at that greaser up the road," he said, addressing her, +and then went on half-jocularly, half-seriously: "He may have his eye on +the find in that stocking." + +"You be darned!" was the Girl's parting shot at him as he went out into +the night. + +There was a long and impressive pause in which, apparently, the Sheriff +was making up his mind to speak of matters scarcely incident to the +situation that had gone before; while fully conscious that she was to +be asked to give him an answer--she whose answer had been given many +times--the Girl stood at the bar in an attitude of amused expectancy, +and fussing with things there. At length, Rance, glancing shyly over his +shoulder to make sure that they were alone, became all at once grave and +his voice fell soft and almost caressingly. + +"Say, Girl!" + +The young woman addressed stole a look at him from under her lashes, all +the while smiling a wise, little smile to herself, but not a word did +she vouchsafe in reply. + +Again Rance called to her over his shoulder: + +"I say, Girl!" + +The Girl took up a glass and began to polish it. At last she deigned to +favour him with "Hm?" which, apparently, he did not hear, for again a +silence fell upon them. Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, +the Sheriff threw down his cards on the table, and facing her he said: + +"Say, Girl, will you marry me?" + +"Nope," returned the Girl with a saucy toss of the head. + +Rance rose and strode over to the bar. Looking fixedly at her with his +steely grey eyes he demanded the reason. + +"'Cause you got a wife in Noo Orleans--or so the mountain breezes say," +was her ready answer. + +Rance gave no sign of having heard her. Throwing away the cigar he was +smoking he asked in the most nonchalant manner: + +"Give me some of them cigars--my kind." + +Reaching for a box behind her the Girl placed it before him. + +"Them's your kind, Jack." + +From an inside pocket of his broadcloth coat Rance took out an elaborate +cigar-case, filled it slowly, leaving out one cigar which he placed +between his lips. When he had this one going satisfactorily he rested +both elbows on the edge of the bar, and said bluntly: + +"I'm stuck on you." + +The Girl's lips parted a little mockingly. + +"Thank you." + +Rance puffed away for a moment or two in silence, and then with sudden +determination he went on: + +"I'm going to marry you." + +"Think so?" questioned the Girl, drawing herself up proudly. And while +Rance proceeded to relight his cigar, it having gone out, she plumped +both elbows on the bar and looked him straight in the eye, and +announced: "They ain't a man here goin' to marry me." + +The scene had precisely the appearance of a struggle between two +powerful wills. How long they would have remained with elbows almost +touching and looking into each other's eyes it is difficult to +determine; but an interruption came in the person of the barkeeper, +who darted in, calling: "One good cigar!" + +Instantly the Girl reached behind her for the box containing the +choicest cigars, and handing one to Nick, she said: + +"Here's your poison--three bits. Why look at 'em," she went on in +the next breath to Rance; "there's Handsome with two wives I know of +somewhere East. And--" She broke off short and ended with: "Nick, who's +that cigar for?" + +"Tommy," he told her. + +"Here, give that back!" she cried quickly putting out her hand for it. +"Tommy don't know a good cigar when he's smokin' it." And so saying she +put the choice cigar back in its place among its fellows and handed him +one from another box with the remark: "Same price, Nick." + +Nick chuckled and went out. + +"An' look at Trin with a widow in Sacramento. An' you--" The Girl broke +off short and laughed in his face. "Oh, not one o' you travellin' under +your own name!" + +"One whisky!" ordered Nick, coming into the room with a rush. Without +a word the Girl took down a bottle and poured it out for him while he +stood quietly looking on, grinning from ear to ear. For Rance's weakness +was known to him as it was to every other man in Manzaneta County, and +he believed that the Sheriff had taken advantage of his absence to press +his hopeless suit. + +"Here you be!" sang out the Girl, and passed the glass over to him. + +"He wants it with water," returned Nick, with a snicker. + +With a contemptuous gesture the Girl put the bottle back on the shelf. + +"No--no you don't; no fancy drinks here!" she objected. + +"But he says he won't take it without water," protested Nick, though +there was a twinkle in his eye. "He's a fellow that's jest rode in from +The Crossin', so he says." + +The Girl folded her arms and declared in a tone of finality: + +"He'll take it straight or git." + +"But he won't git," contended Nick chuckling. There was an ominous +silence. Such behaviour was without a parallel in the annals of Cloudy. +For much less than this, as the little barkeeper very well knew, many a +man had been disciplined by the Girl. So, with his eyes fixed upon her +face, he was already revelling in the situation by way of anticipation, +and rejoicing in the coming requital for his own rebuff when the +stranger had declined to leave as ordered. It was merely a question of +his waiting for the words which would, as he put it, "take the fellow +down a peg." They were soon forthcoming. + +"You jest send 'im to me," commanded the Girl. "I'll curl his hair for +him!" + +Nick's face showed that the message was to his liking. It was evident, +also, that he meant to lose no time in delivering it. A moment after he +disappeared, Rance, who had been toying with a twenty dollar gold piece +which he took from his pocket, turned to the Girl and said with great +earnestness: + +"Girl, I'll give you a thousand dollars on the spot for a kiss," which +offer met with no response other than a nervous little laugh and the +words: + +"Some men invite bein' played." + +The gambler shrugged his shoulders. + +"Well, what are men made for?" said he, flinging the gold piece down on +the bar in payment for the cigar. + +"That's true," placidly commented the Girl, making the change. + +Rance tried another tack. + +"You can't keep on running this place alone; it's getting too big for +you; too much money circulating through The Polka. You need a man behind +you." All this was said in short, jerky sentences; moreover, when she +placed his change in front of him he pushed it back almost angrily. + +"Come now, marry me," again he pleaded. + +"Nope." + +"My wife won't know it." + +"Nope." + +"Now, see here, there's just one--" + +"Nope--take it straight, Jack, nope . . ." interrupted the Girl. She had +made up her mind that he had gone far enough; and firmly grabbing his +hand she slipped his change into it. + +Without a word the Sheriff dropped the coins into the cuspidor. The +Girl saw the action and her eyes flashed with anger. The next moment, +however, she looked up at him and said more gently than any time yet: + +"No, Jack, I can't marry you. Ah, come along--start your game again--go +on, Jack." And so saying she came out from behind the bar and went over +to the faro table with: "Whoop la! Mula! Go! Good Lord, look at that +faro table!" + +But Rance was on the verge of losing control of himself. There was +passion in his steely grey eyes when he advanced towards her, but +although the Girl saw the look she did not flinch, and met it in a +clear, straight glance. + +"Look here, Jack Rance," she said, "let's have it out right now. I run +The Polka 'cause I like it. My father taught me the business an', well, +don't you worry 'bout me--I can look after m'self. I carry my little +wepping"--and with that she touched significantly the little pocket of +her dress. "I'm independent, I'm happy, The Polka's payin', an' it's +bully!" she wound up, laughing. Then, with one of her quick changes of +mood, she turned upon him angrily and demanded: "Say, what the devil do +you mean by proposin' to me with a wife in Noo Orleans? Now, this is a +respectable saloon, an' I don't want no more of it." + +A look of gloom came into Rance's eyes. + +"I didn't say anything--" he began. + +"Push me that Queen," interrupted the Girl, sharply, gathering up the +cards at the faro table, and pointing to one that was just beyond her +reach. But when Rance handed it to her and was moving silently away, she +added: "Ah, no offence, Jack, but I got other idees o' married life from +what you have." + +"Aw, nonsense!" came from the Sheriff in a voice that was not free from +irritation. + +The Girl glanced up at him quickly. Her mind was not the abode of +hardened convictions, but was tender to sentiment, and something in his +manner at once softening her, she said: + +"Nonsense? I dunno 'bout that. You see--" and her eyes took on a far +away look--"I had a home once an' I ain't forgot it--a home up over our +little saloon down in Soledad. I ain't forgot my father an' my mother +an' what a happy kepple they were. Lord, how they loved each other--it +was beautiful!" + +Despite his seemingly callous exterior, there was a soft spot in the +gambler's heart. Every word that the Girl uttered had its effect on him. +Now his hands, which had been clenched, opened out and a new light came +into his eyes. Suddenly, however, it was replaced by one of anger, for +the door, at that moment, was hesitatingly pushed open, and The Sidney +Duck stood with his hand on the knob, snivelling: + +"Oh, Miss, I--" + +The Girl fairly flew over to him. + +"Say, I've heard about you! You git!" she cried; and when she was +certain that he was gone she came back and took a seat at the table +where she continued, in the same reminiscent vein as before: "I can +see mother now fussin' over father an' pettin' 'im, an' father dealin' +faro--Ah, he was square! An' me a kid, as little as a kitten, under the +table sneakin' chips for candy. Talk 'bout married life--that was a +little heaven! Why, mother tho't so much o' that man, she was so much +heart an' soul with 'im that she learned to be the best case-keeper you +ever saw. Many a sleeper she caught! You see, when she played, she was +playin' for the ol' man." She stopped as if overcome with emotion, and +then added with great feeling: "I guess everybody's got some remembrance +o' their mother tucked away. I always see mine at the faro table with +her foot snuggled up to Dad's, an' the light o' lovin' in her eyes. Ah, +she was a lady . . .!" Impulsively she rose and walked over to the bar. +"No," she went on, when behind it once more, "I couldn't share that +table an' The Polka with any man--unless there was a heap o' carin' back +of it. No, I couldn't, Jack, I couldn't . . ." + +By this time the Sheriff's anger had completely vanished; dejection was +plainly written on every line of his face. + +"Well, I guess the boys were right; I am a Chinaman," he drawled out. + +At once the Girl was all sympathy. + +"Oh, no you're not, Jack!" she protested, speaking as tenderly as she +dared without encouraging him. + +Rance was quick to detect the change in her voice. Now he leaned over +the end of the bar and said in tones that still held hope: + +"Once when I rode in here it was nothing but Jack, Jack, Jack Rance. By +the Eternal, I nearly got you then!" + +"Did you?" The Girl was her saucy self again. + +Rance ignored her manner, and went on: + +"Then you went on that trip to Sacramento and Monterey and you were +different." + +In spite of herself the Girl started, which Rance's quick eye did not +fail to note. + +"Who's the man?" he blazed. + +For answer the Girl burst out into a peal of laughter. It was forced, +and the man knew it. + +"I suppose he's one o' them high-toned, Sacramento shrimps!" he burst +out gruffly; then he added meaningly: "Do you think he'd have you?" + +At those words a wondering look shone in the Girl's eyes, and she asked +in all seriousness: + +"What's the matter with me? Is there anythin' 'bout me a high-toned gent +would object to?" And then as the full force of the insult was borne in +upon her she stepped out from behind the bar, and demanded: "Look here, +Jack Rance, ain't I always been a perfect lady?" + +Rance laughed discordantly. + +"Oh, heaven knows your character's all right!" And so saying he seated +himself again at the table. + +The girl flared up still more at this; she retorted: + +"Well, that ain't your fault, Jack Rance!" But the words were hardly out +of her mouth than she regretted having spoken them. She waited a moment, +and then as he did not speak she murmured an "Adios, Jack," and took up +her position behind the bar where, if Rance had been looking, he would +have seen her start on hearing a voice in the next room and fix her eyes +in a sort of fascinated wonder, on a man who, after parting the pelt +curtain, came into the saloon with just a suggestion of swagger in his +bearing. + + + + +VII. + + +"Where's the man who wanted to curl my hair?" + +Incisive and harsh, with scarcely a trace of the musical tones she +recollected so well, as was Johnson's voice, it deceived the Girl not an +instant. Even before she was able to get a glimpse of his face it did +not fail to tell her that the handsome _caballero_, with whom she had +ridden on that never-to-be-forgotten day on the Monterey road, was +standing before her. That his attire now, as might be expected, was +wholly different from what it had been then, it never occurred to her to +note; for, to tell the truth, she was vainly struggling to suppress the +joy that she felt at seeing him again, and before she was aware of it +there slipped through her lips: + +"Why, howdy do, stranger!" + +At the sound of her voice Johnson wheeled round in glad surprise and +amazement; but the quick look of recognition that he flashed upon her +wholly escaped the Sheriff whose attitude was indicative of keen +resentment at this intrusion, and whose eyes were taking in the newcomer +from head to foot. + +"We're not much on strangers here," he blurted out at last. + +Johnson turned on his heel and faced the speaker. An angry retort rose +to his lips, but he checked it. Although, perhaps, not fully +appreciating his action, he was, nevertheless, not unaware that, from +the point of view of the Polka, his refusal to take his whisky straight +might be regarded as nothing less than an insult. And now that it was +too late he was inclined, however much he resented an attempt to +interfere in a matter which he believed concerned himself solely, to +regret the provocation and challenging words of his entrance if only +because of a realisation that a quarrel would be likely to upset his +plans. On the other hand, with every fraction of a second that passed he +was conscious of becoming more and more desirous of humbling the man +standing before him and scrutinising him so insolently; moreover, he +felt intuitively that the eyes of the Girl were on him as well as on the +other principal to this silent but no less ominous conflict going on, +and such being the case it was obviously impossible for him to withdraw +from the position he had taken. As a sort of compromise, therefore, he +said, tentatively: + +"I'm the man who wanted water in his whisky." + +"You!" exclaimed the Girl; and then added reprovingly: "Oh, Nick, this +gentleman takes his whisky as he likes it!" + +And this from the Girl! The little barkeeper had all the appearance of a +man who thought the world was coming to an end. He did not accept the +Girl's ultimatum until he had drawn down his face into an expression of +mock solemnity and ejaculated half-aloud: + +"Moses, what's come over 'er!" + +Johnson took a few steps nearer the Girl and bowed low. + +"In the presence of a lady I will take nothing," he said impressively. +"But pardon me, you seem to be almost at home here." + +The girl leaned her elbows on the bar and her chin in her hands, and +answered with a tantalising little laugh: + +"Who--me?" + +After a loud guffaw Nick took it upon himself to explain matters; +turning to Johnson he said: + +"Why, she's the Girl who runs The Polka!" + +Johnson's face wore a look of puzzled consternation; he saw no reason +for levity. + +"You . . .?" + +"Yep," nodded the Girl with a merry twinkle in her eyes. + +Johnson's face fell. + +"She runs The Polka," he murmured to himself. Of all places to have +chosen--this! So the thing he had dreaded had happened! + +For odd as it unquestionably seemed to him that she should turn up as +the proprietress of a saloon after months of searching high and low for +her, it was not this reflection that was uppermost in his mind; on the +contrary, it was the deeply humiliating thought that he had come upon +her when about to ply his vocation. Regret came swiftly that he had not +thought to inquire who was the owner of The Polka Saloon. Bitterly he +cursed himself for his dense stupidity. And yet, it was doubtful whether +any of his band could have informed him. All that they knew of the place +was that the miners of Cloudy Mountain Camp were said to keep a large +amount of placer gold there; all that he had done was to acquaint +himself with the best means of getting it. But his ruminations were soon +dissipated by Rance, who had come so close that their feet almost +touched, and was speaking in a voice that showed the quarrelsome frame +of mind that he was in. + +"You're from The Crossing, the barkeeper said--" he began, and then +added pointedly: "I don't remember you." + +Johnson slowly turned from the Girl to the speaker and calmly corrected: + +"You're mistaken; I said I rode over from The Crossing." And turning his +back on the man he faced the Girl with: "So, you run The Polka?" + +"I'm the Girl--the girl that runs The Polka," she said, and to his +astonishment seemed to glory in her occupation. + +Presently, much to their delight, an opportunity came to them to +exchange a word or two with each other without interruption. For, Rance, +as if revolving some plan of action in his mind, had turned on his heel +and walked off a little way. A moment more, however, and he was back +again and more malevolently aggressive than ever. + +"No strangers are allowed in this camp," he said, glowering at Johnson; +and then, his remark having passed unheeded by the other, he sneered: +"Perhaps you're off the road; men often get mixed up when they're +visiting Nina Micheltoreņa on the back trail." + +"Oh, Rance!" protested the Girl. + +But Johnson, though angered, let the insinuation pass unnoticed, and +went on to say that he had stopped in to rest his horse and, perhaps, if +invited, try his luck at a game of cards. And with this intimation he +crossed over to the poker table where he picked up the deck that Rance +had been using. + +Rance hesitated, and finally followed up the stranger until he brought +up face to face with him. + +"You want a game, eh?" he drawled, coolly impudent. "I haven't heard +your name, young man." + +"Name," echoed the Girl with a cynical laugh. "Oh, names out here--" + +"My name's Johnson--" spoke up the man, throwing down the cards on the +table. + +"Is what?" laughed the Girl, saucily, and, apparently, trying to relieve +the strained situation by her bantering tone. + +"--Of Sacramento," he finished easily. + +"Of Sacramento," repeated the Girl in the same jesting manner as before; +then, quickly coming out from behind the bar, she went over to him and +put out her hand, saying: + +"I admire to know you, Mr. Johnson o' Sacramento." + +Johnson bowed low over her hand. + +"Thank you," he said simply. + +"Say, Girl, I--" began Rance, fuming at her behaviour. + +"Oh, sit down, Rance!" The interruption came from the Girl as she pushed +him lightly out of her way; then, perching herself up on one end of the +faro table, at which Johnson had taken a seat, she ventured: + +"Say, Mr. Johnson, do you know what I think o' you?" + +Johnson eyed her uncertainly, while Rance's eyes blazed as she blurted +out: + +"Well, I think you staked out a claim in a etiquette book." And then +before Johnson could answer her, she went on to say: "So you think you +can play poker?" + +"That's my conviction," Johnson told her, smilingly. + +"Out o' every fifty men who think they can play poker one ain't +mistaken," was the Girl's caustic observation. The next instant, +however, she jumped down from the table and was back at her post, where, +fearful lest he should think her wanting in hospitality, she proposed: +"Try a cigar, Mr. Johnson?" + +"Thank you," he said, rising, and following her to the bar. + +"Best in the house--my compliments." + +"You're very kind," said Johnson, taking the candle that she had lighted +for him; then, when his cigar was going, and in a voice that was +intended for her alone, he went on: "So you remember me?" + +"If you remember me," returned the Girl, likewise in a low tone. + +"What the devil are they talking about anyway?" muttered Rance to +himself as he stole a glance at them over his shoulder, though he kept +on shuffling the cards. + +"I met you on the road to Monterey," said Johnson with a smile. + +"Yes, comin' an' goin'," smiled back the Girl. "You passed me a bunch o' +wild syringa over the wheel; you also asked me to go a-berryin'--" and +here she paused long enough to glance up at him coquettishly before +adding: "But I didn't see it, Mr. Johnson." + +"I noticed that," observed Johnson, laughing. + +"An' when you went away you said--" The Girl broke off abruptly and +replaced the candle on the bar; then with a shy, embarrassed look on her +face she ended with: "Oh, I dunno." + +"Yes, you do, yes, you do," maintained Johnson. "I said I'll think of +you all the time--well, I've thought of you ever since." + +There was a moment of embarrassment. Then: + +"Somehow I kind o' tho't you might drop in," she said with averted eyes. +"But as you didn't--" She paused and summoned to her face a look which +she believed would adequately reflect a knowledge of the proprieties. +"O' course," she tittered out, "it wa'n't my place to remember +you--first." + +"But I didn't know where you lived--you never told me, you know," +contended the road agent, which contention so satisfied the Girl--for +she remembered only too well that she had not told him--that she +determined to show him further evidences of her regard. + +Say, I got a special bottle here--best in the house. Will you . . .?" + +"Why--" + +The girl did not wait for him to finish his sentence, but quickly placed +a bottle and glass before him. + +"My compliments," she whispered, smiling. + +"You're very kind--thanks," returned the road agent, and proceeded to +pour out a drink. + +Meanwhile, little of what was taking place had been lost on Jack Rance. +As the whispered conversation continued, he grew more and more jealous, +and at the moment that Johnson was on the point of putting the glass to +his lips, Rance, rising quickly, went over to him and deliberately +knocked the glass out of his hand. + +With a crash it fell to the floor. + +"Look here, Mr. Johnson, your ways are offensive to me!" he cried; +"damned offensive! My name is Rance--Jack Rance. Your business +here--your business?" And without waiting for the other's reply he +called out huskily: "Boys! Boys! Come in here!" + +At this sudden and unexpected summons in the Sheriff's well-known voice +there was a rush from the dance-hall; in an instant the good-natured, +roistering crowd, nosing a fight, crowded to the bar, where the two men +stood glaring at each other in suppressed excitement. + +"Boys," declared the Sheriff, his eye never leaving Johnson's face, +"there's a man here who won't explain his business. He won't tell--" + +"Won't he?" cut in Sonora, blusteringly. "Well, we'll see--we'll make +'im!" + +There was a howl of execration from the bar. It moved the Girl to +instant action. Quick as thought she turned and strode to where the +cries were the most menacing--towards the boys who knew her best and +ever obeyed her unquestioningly. + +"Wait a minute!" she cried, holding up her hand authoritatively. "I know +the gent!" + +The men exchanged incredulous glances; from all sides came the explosive +cries: + +"What's that? You know him?" + +"Yes," she affirmed dramatically; and turning now to Rance with a swift +change of manner, she confessed: "I didn't tell you--but I know 'im." + +The Sheriff started as if struck. + +"The Sacramento shrimp by all that is holy!" he muttered between his +teeth as the truth slowly dawned upon him. + +"Yes, boys, this is Mr. Johnson o' Sacramento," announced the Girl with +a simple and unconscious dignity that did not fail to impress all +present. "I vouch to Cloudy for Mr. Johnson!" + +Consternation! + +And then the situation vaguely dawning upon them there ensued an +outburst of cheering compared to which the previous howl of execration +was silence. + +Johnson smiled pleasantly at the Girl in acknowledgment of her +confirmation of him, then shot a half-curious, half-amused look at the +crowd surrounding him and regarding him with a new interest. Apparently +what he saw was to his liking, for his manner was most friendly when +bowing politely, he said: + +"How are you, boys?" + +At once the miners returned his salutation in true western fashion: +every man in the place, save Rance, taking off his hat and sweeping it +before him in an arc as they cried out in chorus: + +"Hello, Johnson!" + +"Boys, Rance ain't a-runnin' The Polka yet!" observed Sonora with a +mocking smile on his lips, and gloating over the opportunity to give the +Sheriff a dig. + +The men shouted their approval of this jibe. Indeed, they might have +gone just a little too far with their badgering of the Sheriff, +considering the mood that he was in; so, perhaps, it was fortunate that +Nick should break in upon them at this time with: + +"Gents, the boys from The Ridge invites you to dance with them." + +No great amount of enthusiasm was evinced at this. Nevertheless, it was +a distinct declaration of peace; and, taking advantage of it, Johnson +advanced toward the Girl, bowed low, and asked with elaborate formality: + +"May I have the honour of a waltz?" + +Flabbergasted and awed to silence by what they termed Johnson's "style," +Happy and Handsome stood staring helplessly at one another; at length +Happy broke out with: + +"Say, Handsome, ain't he got a purty action? An' ornamental sort o' +cuss, ain't he? But say, kind o' presumin' like, ain't it, for a fellow +breathin' the obscurity o' The Crossin' to learn gents like us how to +ketch the ladies pronto?" + +"Which same," allowed Handsome, "shorely's a most painful, not to say +humiliatin' state o' things." And then to the Girl he whispered: "It's +up to you--make a holy show of 'im." + +The Girl laughed. + +"Me waltz? Me?" she cried, answering Johnson at last. "Oh, I can't waltz +but I can polky." + +Once more Johnson bent his tall figure to the ground, and said: + +"Then may I have the pleasure of the next polka?" + +By this time Sonora had recovered from his astonishment. After giving +vent to a grunt expressive of his contempt, he blurted out: + +"That fellow's too flip!" + +But the idea had taken hold of the Girl, though she temporised shyly: + +"Oh, I dunno! Makes me feel kind o' foolish, you know, kind o' retirin' +like a elk in summer." + +Johnson smiled in spite of himself. + +"Elks are retiring," was his comment as he again advanced and offered +his arm in an impressive and ceremonious manner. + +"Well, I don't like everybody's hand on the back o' my waist," said the +Girl, running her hands up and down her dress skirt. "But, somehow--" +She stopped, and fixing her eyes recklessly on Rance, made a movement as +if about to accept; but another look at Johnson's proffered arm so +embarrassed her that she sent a look of appeal to the rough fellows, who +stood watching her with grinning faces. + +"Oh, Lord, must I?" she asked; then, hanging back no longer, she +suddenly flung herself into his arms with the cry: "Oh, come along!" + +Promptly Johnson put his arm around the Girl's waist, and breaking into +a polka he swung her off to the dance-hall where their appearance was +greeted with a succession of wild whoops from the men there, as well as +from the hilarious boys, who had rushed pell-mell after them. + +Left to himself and in a rage Rance began to pace the floor. + +"Cleaned out--cleaned out for fair by a high-toned, fine-haired dog +named Johnson! Well, I'll be--" The sentence was never finished, his +attention being caught and held by something which Nick was carrying in +from the dance-hall. + +"What's that?" he demanded brusquely. + +Nick's eyes were twinkling when he answered: + +"Johnson's saddle." + +Rance could control himself no longer; with a sweep of his long arm he +knocked the saddle out of the other's hand, saying: + +"Nick, I've a great notion to walk out of this door and never step my +foot in here again." + +Nick did not answer at once. While he did not especially care for Rance +he did not propose to let his patronage, which was not inconsiderable, +go elsewhere without making an effort to hold it. Therefore, he thought +a moment before picking up the saddle and placing it in the corner of +the room. + +"Aw, what you givin' us, Rance! She's only a-kiddin' 'im," at last he +said consolingly. + +The Sheriff was about to question this when a loud cry from outside +arrested him. + +"What's that?" he asked with his eyes upon the door. + +"Why that's--that's Ashby's voice," the barkeeper informed him; and +going to the door, followed by Rance, as well as the men who, on hearing +the cry, had rushed in from the dance-hall, he opened it, and they heard +again the voice that they all recognised now as that of the Wells Fargo +Agent. + +"Come on!" he was saying gruffly. + +"What the deuce is up?" inquired Trinidad simultaneously with the +Deputy's cry of "Bring him in!" And almost instantly the Deputy, +followed by Ashby and others, entered, dragging along with him the +unfortunate Jose Castro. The rough handling that he had received had not +improved his appearance. His clothing, half Mexican, the rest of odds +and ends, had been torn in several places. He looked oily, greasy and +unwashed, while the eyes that looked around in affright had lost none of +their habitual trickiness and sullenness. + +And precisely as Castro appeared wholly different than when last seen in +the company of his master, so, too, was Ashby metamorphosed. His hat was +on the back of his head; his coat looked as if he had been engaged in +some kind of a struggle; his hair was ruffled and long locks straggled +down over his forehead; while his face wore a brutal, savage, pitiless, +nasty look. + +By this time all the regular habitués of the saloon had come in and were +crowding around the greaser with scowling, angry faces. + +"The greaser on the trail!" gurgled Ashby in his glass, having left his +prisoner for a moment to fortify himself with a drink of whisky. + +Whereupon, the Sheriff advanced and, with rough hands, jerked the +prisoner's head brutally. + +"Here you," he said, "give us a look at your face." + +But the Sheriff had never seen him before. And in obedience to his +commands to "Tie him up!" the Deputy and Billy Jackrabbit took a lariat +from the wall and proceeded to bind their prisoner fast. When this was +done Ashby called to Nick to serve him another drink, adding: + +"Come on, boys!" + +Instantly there was an exclamatory lining up at the bar, only Sonora, +apparently, seeming disinclined to accept, which Ashby was quick to +note. Turning to him quickly, he inquired: + +"Say, my friend, don't you drink?" + +But no insult had been intended by Sonora's omission; it was merely most +inconsiderate on his part of the feelings of others; and, therefore, +there was a note of apology in the voice that presently said: + +"Oh, yes, Mr. Ashby, I'm with you all right." + +During this conversation the eyes of the greaser had been wandering all +over the room. But as the men moved away from him to take their drinks +he started violently and an expression of dismay crossed his features. +"Ramerrez' saddle!" he muttered to himself. "_The Maestro_--he is +taken!" + +Just then there came a particularly loud burst of approval from the +spectators of the dancing going on in the adjoining room, and +instinctively the men at the bar half-turned towards the noise. The +prisoner's eyes followed their gaze and a fiendish grin replaced the +look of dismay on his face. "No, he is there dancing with a girl," he +said under his breath. A moment later Nick let down the bearskin +curtain, shutting off completely the Mexican's view of the dance-hall. + +"Come, now, tell us what your name is?" The voice was Ashby's who, +together with the others, now surrounded the prisoner. "Speak up--who +are you?" + +"My name ees Jose Castro;" and then he added with a show of pride: +"_Ex-padrona_ of the bull-fights." + +"But the bull-fights are at Monterey! Why do you come to this place?" + +All eyes instantly turned from the prisoner to Rance, who had asked the +question while seated at the table, and from him they returned to the +prisoner, most of the men giving vent to exclamations of anger in tones +that made the greaser squirm, while Trinidad expressed the prevailing +admiration of the Sheriff's poser by crying out: + +"That's the talk--you bet! Why do you come here?" + +Castro's face wore an air of candour as he replied: + +"To tell the Seņor Sheriff I know where ees Ramerrez." + +Rance turned on the prisoner a grim look. + +"You lie!" he vociferated, at the same time raising his hand to check +the angry mutterings of the men that boded ill for the greaser. + +"Nay," denied Castro, strenuously, "pleanty Mexican _vaquero_--my friend +Peralta, Weelejos all weeth Ramerrez--so I know where ees." + +Rance advanced and shot a finger in his face. + +"You're one of his men yourself!" he cried hotly. But if he had hoped by +his accusation to take the man off his guard, it was eminently +unsuccessful, for the look on the greaser's face was innocence itself +when he declared: + +"No, no, Seņor Sheriff." + +Rance reflected a moment; suddenly, then, he took another tack. + +"You see that man there?" he queried, pointing to the Wells Fargo Agent. +"That is Ashby. He is the man that pays out that reward you've heard +of." Then after a pause to let his words sink in, he demanded gruffly: +"Where is Ramerrez' camp?" + +At once the prisoner became voluble. + +"Come with me one mile, Seņor," he said, "and by the soul of my mother, +the blessed Maria Saltaja, we weel put a knife into hees back." + +"One mile, eh?" repeated Rance, coolly. + +The miners looked incredulous. + +"If I tho't--" began Sonora, but Rance rudely cut in with: + +"Where is this trail?" + +"Up the Madrona Canyada," was the greaser's instant reply. + +At this juncture a Ridge boy, who had pushed aside the bear-skin curtain +and was gazing with mouth wide open at the proceedings, suddenly cried +out: + +"Why, hello, boys! What's the--" He got no further. In a twinkling and +with cries of "Shut up! Git!" the men made for the intruder and bodily +threw him out of the room. When quiet was restored Rance motioned to the +prisoner to proceed. + +"Ramerrez can be taken--too well taken," declared the Mexican, gaining +confidence as he went on, "if many men come with me--in forty minutes +there--back." + +Rance turned to Ashby and asked him what he thought about it. + +"I don't know what to think," was the Wells Fargo Agent's reply. "But it +certainly is curious. This is the second warning--intimation that we +have had that he is somewhere in this vicinity." + +"And this Nina Micheltoreņa--you say she is coming here to-night?" + +Ashby nodded assent. + +"All the same, Rance," he maintained, "I wouldn't go. Better drop in to +The Palmetto later." + +"What? Risk losin' 'im?" exclaimed Sonora, who had been listening +intently to their conversation. + +"We'll take the chance, boys, in spite of Ashby's advice," Rance said +decisively. It was with not a little surprise that he heard the shouts +with which his words were approved by all save the Wells Fargo Agent. + +Now the miners made a rush for their coats, hats and saddles, while from +all sides came the cries of, "Come on, boys! Careful--there! +Ready--Sheriff!" + +Gladly, cheerfully, Nick, too, did what he could to get the men started +by setting up the drinks for all hands, though he remarked as he did so: + +"It's goin' to snow, boys; I don't like the sniff in the air." + +But even the probability of encountering a storm--which in that altitude +was something decidedly to be reckoned with--did not deter the men from +proceeding to make ready for the road agent's capture. In an incredibly +short space of time they had loaded up and got their horses together, +and from the harmony in their ranks while carrying out orders, it was +evident that not a man there doubted the success of their undertaking. + +"We'll git this road agent!" sung out Trinidad, going out through the +door. + +"Right you are, pard!" agreed Sonora; but at the door he called back to +the greaser: "Come on, you oily, garlic-eatin', red-peppery, +dog-trottin', sunbaked son of a skunk!" + +"Come on, you . . .!" came simultaneously from the Deputy, now untying +the rope which bound the prisoner. + +The greaser's teeth were chattering; he begged: + +"One dreenk--I freeze . . ." + +Turning to Nick the Deputy told him to give the man a drink, adding as +he left the room: + +"Watch him--keep your eye on him a moment for me, will you?" + +Nick nodded; and then regarding the Mexican with a contemptuous look, he +asked: + +"What'll you have?" + +The Mexican rose to his feet and began hesitatingly: + +"Geeve me--" He paused; and then, starting with the thought that had +come to him, he shot a glance at the dance-hall and called out loudly, +rolling his r's even more pronouncedly than is the custom with his race: +"Aguardiente! Aguardiente!" + +"Sit down!" ordered Nick, vaguely conscious that there was something in +the greaser's voice that was not there before. + +The greaser obeyed, but not until he knew for a certainty that his voice +had been heard by his master. + +"So you did bring in my saddle, eh, Nick?" asked the road agent, coming +quickly, but unconcernedly into the room and standing behind his man. + +Up to this time, Nick's eyes had not left the prisoner, but with the +appearance on the scene of Johnson, he felt that his responsibility +ceased in a measure. He turned and gave his attention to matters +pertaining to the bar. As a consequence, he did not see the look of +recognition that passed between the two men, nor did he hear the +whispered dialogue in Spanish that followed. + +"_Maestro! Ramerrez!_" came in whispered tones from Castro. + +"Speak quickly--go on," came likewise in whispered tones from the road +agent. + +"I let them take me according to your bidding," went on Castro. + +"Careful, Jose, careful," warned his master while stooping to pick up +his saddle, which he afterwards laid on the faro table. It was while he +was thus engaged that Nick came over to the prisoner with a glass of +liquor, which he handed to him gruffly with: + +"Here!" + +At that moment several voices from the dance-hail called somewhat +impatiently: "Nick, Nick!" + +"Oh, The Ridge boys are goin'!" he said, and seeming intuitively to know +what was wanted he made for the bar. But before acceding to their +wishes, he turned to Johnson, took out his gun and offered it to him +with the words: "Say, watch this greaser for a moment, will you?" + +"Certainly," responded Johnson, quickly, declining the other's pistol by +touching his own holster significantly. "Tell the Girl you pressed me +into service," he concluded with a smile. + +"Sure." But on the point of going, the little barkeeper turned to him +and confided: "Say, the Girl's taken an awful fancy to you." + +"No?" deprecated the road agent. + +"Yes," affirmed Nick. "Drop in often--great bar!" + +Johnson smiled an assent as the other went out of the room leaving +master and man together. + +"Now, then, Jose, go on," he said, when they were alone. +"_Bueno!_ Our men await the signal in the bushes close by. I will lead +the Sheriff far off--then I will slip away. You quietly rob the place +and fly--it is death for you to linger--Ashby is here." + +"Ashby!" The road agent started in alarm. + +"Ashby--" reiterated Castro and stopped on seeing that Nick had returned +to see that all was well. + +"All right, Nick, everything's all right," Johnson reassured him. + +The outlaw's position remained unchanged until Nick had withdrawn. From +where he stood he now saw for the first time the preparations that were +being made for his capture: the red torchlights and white candle-lighted +lanterns which were reflected through the windows; and a moment more he +heard the shouts of the miners calling to one another. Of a sudden he +was aroused to a consciousness, at least, of their danger by Castro's +warning: + +"By to-morrow's twilight you must be safe in your rancho." + +The road agent shook his head determinedly. + +"No, we raid on." + +Castro was visibly excited. + +"There are a hundred men on your track." + +Johnson smiled. + +"Oh, one minute's start of the devil does me, Jose." + +"Ah, but I fear the woman--Nina Micheltoreņa--I fear her terribly. She +is close at hand--knowing all, angry with you, and jealous--and still +loving you." + +"Loving me? Oh, no, Jose! Nina, like you, loves the spoils, not me. No, +I raid on . . ." + +A silence fell upon the two men, which was broken by Sonora calling out: + +"Bring along the greaser, Dep!" + +"All right!" answered the loud voice of the Deputy. + +"You hear--we start," whispered Castro to his master. "Give the signal." +And notwithstanding, the miners were coming through the door for him and +stood waiting, torches in hand, he contrived to finish: "Antonio awaits +for it. Only the woman and her servant will stay behind here." + +"Adios!" whispered the master. + +"Adios!" returned his man simultaneously with the approach of the Deputy +towards them. + +It was then that the Girl's gay, happy voice floated in on them from the +dance-hall; she cried out: + +"Good-night, boys, good-night! Remember me to The Ridge!" + +"You bet we will! So long! Whoop! Whooppee!" chorussed the men, while +the Deputy, grabbing the Mexican by the collar, ordered him to, "Come +on!" + +The situation was not without its humorous side to the road agent; he +could not resist following the crowd to the door where he stood and +watched his would-be captors silently mount; listened to the Sheriff +give the word, which was immediately followed by the sound of horses +grunting as they sprang forward into the darkness in a desperate effort +to escape the maddening pain of the descending quirts and cruel spurs. +It was a scene to set the blood racing through the veins, viewed in any +light; and not until the yells of the men had grown indistinct, and all +that could be heard was the ever-decreasing sound of rushing hoofs, did +the outlaw turn back into the saloon over which there hung a silence +which, by contrast, he found strangely depressing. + + + + +VIII. + + +There was a subtle change, an obvious lack of warmth in Johnson's +manner, which the Girl was quick to feel upon returning to the now +practically deserted saloon. + +"Don't it feel funny here--kind o' creepy?" She gave the words a +peculiar emphasis, which made Johnson flash a quick, inquisitorial look +at her; and then, no comment being forthcoming, she went on to explain: +"I s'pose though that's 'cause I don't remember seein' the bar so empty +before." + +A somewhat awkward silence followed, which at length was broken by the +Girl, who ordered: + +"Lights out now! Put out the candle here, too, Nick!" But while the +little barkeeper proceeded to carry out her instructions she turned to +Johnson with an eager, frank expression on her face, and said: "Oh, you +ain't goin', are you?" + +"No--not yet--no--" stammered Johnson, half-surprisedly, +half-wonderingly. + +The Girl's face wore a pleased look as she answered: + +"Oh, I'm so glad o' that!" + +Another embarrassing silence followed. At last Nick made a movement +towards the window, saying: + +"I'm goin' to put the shutters up." + +"So early? What?" The Girl looked her surprise. + +"Well, you see, the boys are out huntin' Ramerrez, and there's too much +money here . . ." said Nick in a low tone. + +The Girl laughed lightly. + +"Oh, all right--cash in--but don't put the head on the keg--I ain't +cashed in m'self yet." + +Rolling the keg to one side of the room, Nick beckoned to the Girl to +come close to him, which she did; and pointing to Johnson, who was +strolling about the room, humming softly to himself, he whispered: + +"Say, Girl, know anythin' about--about him?" + +But very significant as was Nick's pantomime, which included the keg and +Johnson, it succeeded only in bringing forth a laugh from the Girl, and +the words: + +"Oh, sure!" + +Nevertheless, the faithful guardian of the Girl's interests sent a +startled glance of inquiry about the room, and again asked: + +"All right, eh?" + +The Girl ignored the implication contained in the other's glance, and +answered "Yep," in such a tone of finality that Nick, reassured at last, +began to put things ship-shape for the night. This took but a moment or +two, however, and then he quietly disappeared. + +"Well, Mr. Johnson, it seems to be us a-keepin' house here to-night, +don't it?" said the Girl, alone now with the road agent. + +Her observation might easily have been interpreted as purposely +introductory to an intimate scene, notwithstanding that it was made in a +thoroughly matter-of-fact tone and without the slightest trace of +coquetry. But Johnson did not make the mistake of misconstruing her +words, puzzled though he was to find a clue to them. His curiosity about +her was intense, and it showed plainly in the voice that said presently: + +"Isn't it strange how things come about? Strange that I should have +looked everywhere for you and in the end find you here--at The Polka." + +Johnson's emphasis on his last words sent a bright red rushing over her, +colouring her neck, her ears and her broad, white forehead. + +"Anythin' wrong with The Polka?" + +Johnson was conscious of an indiscreet remark; nevertheless he ventured: + +"Well, it's hardly the place for a young woman like you." + +The Girl made no reply to this but busied herself with the closing-up of +the saloon. Johnson interpreted her silence as a difference of opinion. +Nevertheless, he repeated with emphasis: + +"It is decidedly no place for you." + +"How so?" + +"Well, it's rather unprotected, and--" + +"Oh, pshaw!" interrupted the Girl somewhat irritably. "I tol' Ashby only +to-night that I bet if a rud agent come in here I could offer 'im a +drink an' he'd treat me like a perfect lady." She stopped and turned +upon him impulsively with: "Say, that reminds me, won't you take +somethin'?" + +Before answering, Johnson shot her a quick look of inquiry to see +whether there was not a hidden meaning in her words. Of course there was +not, the remark being impelled by a sudden consciousness that he might +consider her inhospitable. Nevertheless, her going behind the bar and +picking up a bottle came somewhat as a relief to him. + +"No, thank you," at last he said; and then as he leaned heavily on the +bar: "But I would very much like to ask you a question." + +Instantly, to his great surprise, the Girl was eyeing him with mingled +reproach and coquetry. So he was going to do it! Was it possible that he +thought so lightly of her, she wondered. With all her heart she wished +that he would not make the same mistake that others had. + +"I know what it is--every stranger asks it--but I didn't think you +would. You want to know if I am decent? Well, I am, you bet!" she +returned, a defiant note creeping into her voice as she uttered the +concluding words. + +"Oh, Girl, I'm not blind!" His eyes quailed before the look that flamed +in hers. "And that was not the question." + +Instinctively something told the Girl that the man spoke the truth, but +notwithstanding which, she permitted her eyes to express disbelief and +"Dear me suz!" fell from her lips with an odd little laugh. On the other +hand, Johnson declined to treat the subject other than seriously. He had +no desire, of course, to enlarge upon the unconventionality of her +attitude, but he felt that his feelings towards her, even if they were +only friendly, justified him in giving her a warning. Moreover, he +refused to admit to himself that this was a mere chance meeting. He had +a consciousness, vague, but nevertheless real that, at last, after all +his searching, Fate had brought him face to face with the one woman in +all the world for him. Unknown to himself, therefore, there was a sort +of jealous proprietorship in his manner towards her as he now said: + +"What I meant was this: I am sorry to find you here almost at the mercy +of the passer-by, where a man may come, may drink, may rob you if he +will--" and here a flush of shame spread over his features in spite of +himself--"and where, I daresay, more than one has laid claim to a kiss." + +The Girl turned upon him in good-natured contempt. + +"There's a good many people claimin' things they never git. I've got my +first kiss to give." + +Once more a brief silence fell upon them in which the Girl busied +herself with her cash box. She was not unaware that his eyes were upon +her, but she was by no means sure that he believed her words. Nor could +she tell herself, unfortunately for her peace of mind, that it made no +difference to her. + +"Have you been here long?" suddenly he asked. + +"Yep." + +"Lived in The Polka?" + +"Nope." + +"Where do you live?" + +"Cabin up the mountain a little ways." + +"Cabin up the mountain a little ways," echoed Johnson, reflectively. The +next instant the little figure before him had faded from his sight and +instead there appeared a vision of the little hut on the top of Cloudy +Mountain. Only a few hours back he had stood on the precipice which +looked towards it, and had felt a vague, indefinable something, had +heard a voice speak to him out of the vastness which he now believed to +have been her spirit calling to him. + +"You're worth something better than this," after a while he murmured +with the tenderness of real love in his voice. + +"What's better'n this?" questioned the Girl with a toss of her pretty +blonde head. "I ain't a-boastin' but if keepin' this saloon don't give +me sort of a position 'round here I dunno what does." + +But the next moment there had flashed through her mind a new thought +concerning him. She came out from behind the bar and confronted him with +the question: + +"Look 'ere, you ain't one o' them exhorters from the Missionaries' Camp, +are you?" + +The road agent smiled. + +"My profession has its faults," he acknowledged, "but I am not an +exhorter." + +But still the Girl was nonplussed, and eyed him steadily for a moment or +two. + +"You know I can't figger out jest exactly what you are?" she admitted +smilingly. + +"Well, try . . ." he suggested, slightly colouring under her persistent +gaze. + +"Well, you ain't one o' us." + +"No?" + +"Oh, I can tell--I can spot my man every time. I tell you, keepin' +saloon's a great educator." And so saying she plumped herself down in a +chair and went on very seriously now: "I dunno but what it's a good way +to bring up girls--they git to know things. Now," and here she looked at +him long and earnestly, "I'd trust you." + +Johnson was conscious of a guilty feeling, though he said as he took a +seat beside her: + +"You would trust me?" + +The Girl nodded an assent and observed in a tone that was intended to be +thoroughly conclusive: + +"Notice I danced with you to-night?" + +"Yes," was his brief reply, though the next moment he wondered that he +had not found something more to say. + +"I seen from the first that you were the real article." + +"I beg your pardon," he said absently, still lost in thought. + +"Why, that was a compliment I handed out to you," returned the Girl with +a pained look on her face. + +"Oh!" he ejaculated with a faint little smile. + +Now the Girl, who had drawn up her chair close to his, leaned over and +said in a low, confidential voice: + +"Your kind don't prevail much here. I can tell--I got what you call a +quick eye." + +As might be expected Johnson flushed guiltily at this remark. No +different, for that matter, would have acted many a man whose conscience +was far clearer. + +"Oh, I'm afraid that men like me prevail--prevail, as you say,--almost +everywhere," he said, laying such stress on the words that it would seem +almost impossible for anyone not to see that they were shot through with +self-depreciation. + +The Girl gave him a playful dig with her elbow. + +"Go on! What are you givin' me! O' course they don't . . .!" She laughed +outright; but the next instant checking herself, went on with absolute +ingenuousness: "Before I went on that trip to Monterey I tho't Rance +here was the genuine thing in a gent, but the minute I kind o' glanced +over you on the road I--I seen he wasn't." She stopped, a realisation +having suddenly been borne in upon her that perhaps she was laying her +heart too bare to him. To cover up her embarrassment, therefore, she +took refuge, as before, in hospitality, and rushing over to the bar she +called to Nick to come and serve Mr. Johnson with a drink, only to +dismiss him the moment he put his head through the door with: "Never +mind, I'll help Mr. Johnson m'self." Turning to her visitor again, she +said: "Have your whisky with water, won't you?" + +"But I don't--" began Johnson in protest. + +"Say," interrupted the Girl, falling back into her favourite position of +resting both elbows on the bar, her face in her hands, "I've got you +figgered out. You're awful good or awful bad." A remark which seemed to +amuse the man, for he laughed heartily. + +"Now, what do you mean by that?" presently he asked. + +"Well, I mean so good that you're a teetotaller, or so bad that you're +tired o' life an' whisky." + +Johnson shook his head. + +"On the contrary, although I'm not good, I've lived and I've liked life +pretty well. It's been bully!" + +Surprised and delighted with his enthusiasm, the Girl raised her eyes to +his, which look he mistook--not unnaturally after all that had been +said--for one of encouragement. A moment more and the restraint that he +had exercised over himself had vanished completely. + +"So have you liked it, Girl," he went on, trying vainly to get +possession of her hand, "only you haven't lived, you haven't lived--not +with your nature. You see I've got a quick eye, too." + +To Johnson's amazement she flushed and averted her face. Following the +direction of her eyes he saw Nick standing in the door with a broad grin +on his face. + +"You git, Nick! What do you mean by . . .?" cried out the Girl in a tone +that left no doubt in the minds of her hearers that she was annoyed, if +not angry, at the intrusion. + +Nick disappeared into the dance-hall as though shot out of a gun; +whereupon, the Girl turned to Johnson with: + +"I haven't lived? That's good!" + +Johnson's next words were insinuating, but his voice was cold in +comparison with the fervent tones of a moment previous. + +"Oh, you know!" was what he said, seating himself at the poker table. + +"No, I don't," contradicted the Girl, taking a seat opposite him. + +"Yes, you do," he insisted. + +"Well, say it's an even chance I do an' an even chance I don't," she +parried. + +Once more the passion in the man was stirring. + +"I mean," he explained in a voice that barely reached her, "life for all +it's worth, to the uttermost, to the last drop in the cup, so that it +atones for what's gone before, or may come after." + +The Girl's face wore a puzzled look as she answered: + +"No, I don't believe I know what you mean by them words. Is it a--" She +cut her sentence short, and springing up, cried out: "Oh, Lord--Oh, +excuse me, I sat on my gun!" + +Johnson looked at her, genuine amusement depicted on his face. + +"Look here," said the Girl, suddenly perching herself upon the table, +"I'm goin' to make you an offer." + +"An offer?" Johnson fairly snatched the words out of her mouth. "You're +going to make me an offer?" + +"It's this," declared the Girl with a pleased look on her face. "If ever +you need to be staked--" + +Johnson eyed her uncomprehendingly. + +"Which o' course you don't," she hastened to add. "Name your price. It's +yours jest for the style I git from you an' the deportment." + +"Deportment? Me?" A half-grin formed over Johnson's face as he asked the +question; then he said: "Well, I never heard before that my society was +so desirable. Apart from the financial aspect of this matter, I--" + +"Say," broke in the Girl, gazing at him in helpless admiration, "ain't +that great? Ain't that great? Oh, you got to let me stand treat!" + +"No, really I would prefer not to take anything," responded Johnson, +putting a restraining hand on her as she was about to leap from the +table. + +At that moment Nick's hurried footsteps reached their ears. Turning, the +Girl, with a swift gesture, waved him back. There was a brief silence, +then Johnson spoke: + +"Say, Girl, you're like finding some new kind of flower." + +A slight laugh of confusion was his answer. The next moment, however, +she went on, speaking very slowly and seriously: "Well, we're kind o' +rough up here, but we're reachin' out." + +Johnson noted immediately the change in her voice. There was no +mistaking the genuineness of her emotion, nor the wistful look in her +eyes. It was plain that she yearned for someone who would teach her the +ways of the outside world; and when the man looked at the Girl with the +lamp-light softening her features, he felt her sincerity and was pleased +by her confidence. + +"Now, I take it," continued the Girl with a vague, dreamy look on her +face, "that's what we're all put on this earth for--everyone of us--is +to rise ourselves up in the world--to reach out." + +"That's true, that's true," returned Johnson with gentle and perfect +sympathy. "I venture to say that there isn't a man who hasn't thought +seriously about that. I have. If only one knew how to reach out for +something one hardly dares even hope for. Why, it's like trying to catch +the star shining just ahead." + +The Girl could not restrain her enthusiasm. + +"That's the cheese! You've struck it!" + +At this juncture Nick appeared and refused to be ordered away. At +length, the Girl inquired somewhat impatiently: + +"Well, what is it, Nick?" + +"I've been tryin' to say," announced the barkeeper, whose face wore an +expression of uneasiness as he pointed to the window, "that I have seen +an ugly-lookin' greaser hanging around outside." + +"A greaser!" exclaimed the Girl, uneasily. "Let me look." And with that +she made a movement towards the window, but was held back by Johnson's +detaining hand. All too well did he know that the Mexican was one of his +men waiting impatiently for the signal. So, with an air of concern, for +he did not intend that the Girl should run any risk, however remote, he +said authoritatively: + +"Don't go!" + +"Why not?" demanded the Girl. + +Johnson sat strangely silent. + +"I'll bolt the windows!" cried Nick. Hardly had he disappeared into the +dance-hall when a low whistle came to their ears. + +"The signal--they're waiting," said Johnson under his breath, and shot a +quick look of inquiry at the Girl to see whether she had heard the +sound. A look told him that she had, and was uneasy over it. + +"Don't that sound horrid?" said the Girl, reaching the bar in a state of +perturbation. "Say, I'm awful glad you're here. Nick's so nervous. He +knows what a lot o' money I got. Why, there's a little fortune in that +keg." + +Johnson started; then rising slowly he went over to the keg and examined +it with interest. + +"In there?" he asked, with difficulty concealing his excitement. + +"Yes; the boys sleep around it nights," she went on to confide. + +Johnson looked at her curiously. + +"But when they're gone--isn't that rather a careless place to leave it?" + +Quietly the Girl came from behind the bar and went over and stood beside +the keg; when she spoke her eyes flashed dangerously. + +"They'd have to kill me before they got it," she said, with cool +deliberation. + +"Oh, I see--it's your money." + +"No, it's the boys'." + +A look of relief crossed Johnson's features. + +"Oh, that's different," he contended; and then brightening up somewhat, +he went on: "Now, I wouldn't risk my life for that." + +"Oh, yes, you would, yes, you would," declared the Girl with feeling. A +moment later she was down on her knees putting bag after bag of the +precious gold-dust and coins into the keg. When they were all in she +closed the lid, and putting her foot down hard to make it secure, she +repeated: "Oh, yes, you would, if you seen how hard they got it. When I +think of it, I nearly cry." + +Johnson had listened absorbedly, and was strangely affected by her +words. In her rapidly-filling eyes, in the wave of colour that surged in +her cheeks, in the voice that shook despite her efforts to control it, +he read how intense was her interest in the welfare of the miners. How +the men must adore her! + +Unconsciously the Girl arose, and said: + +"There's somethin' awful pretty in the way the boys hold out before they +strike it, somethin' awful pretty in the face o' rocks, an' clay an' +alkali. Oh, Lord, what a life it is anyway! They eat dirt, they sleep in +dirt, they breathe dirt 'til their backs are bent, their hands twisted +an' warped. They're all wind-swept an' blear-eyed I tell you, an' some +o' them jest lie down in their sweat beside the sluices, an' they don't +never rise up again. I've seen 'em there!" She paused reminiscently; +then, pointing to the keg, she went on haltingly: "I got some money +there of Ol' Brownie's. He was lyin' out in the sun on a pile o' clay +two weeks ago, an' I guess the only clean thing about him was his soul, +an' he was quittin', quittin', quittin', right there on the clay, an' +quittin' hard. Oh, so hard!" Once more she stopped and covered her face +with her hands as if to shut out the horror of it all. Presently she had +herself under control and resumed: "Yes, he died--died jest like a dog. +You wanted to shoot 'im to help 'im along quicker. Before he went he sez +to me: 'Girl, give it to my ol' woman.' That was all he said, an' he +went. She'll git it, all right." + +With every word that the Girl uttered, the iron had entered deeper into +Johnson's soul. Up to the present time he had tried to regard his +profession, if he looked at it at all, from the point of view which he +inherited from his father. It was not, in all truthfulness, what he +would have chosen; it was something that, at times, he lamented; but, +nevertheless, he had practised it and had despoiled the miners with but +few moments of remorse. But now, he was beginning to look upon things +differently. In a brief space of time a woman had impelled him to see +his actions in their true light; new ambitions and desires awakened, and +he looked downward as if it were impossible to meet her honest eye. + +"An' that's what aches you," the Girl was now saying. "There ain't one +o' them men workin' for themselves alone--the Lord never put it into no +man's heart to make a beast or a pack-horse o' himself, except for some +woman or some child." She halted a moment, and throwing up her hands +impulsively, she cried: "Ain't it wonderful--ain't it wonderful that +instinct? Ain't it wonderful what a man'll do when it comes to a +woman--ain't it wonderful?" Once more she waited as if expecting him to +corroborate her words; but he remained strangely silent. A moment later +when he raised his troubled eyes, he saw that hers were dry and +twinkling. + +"Well, the boys use me as a--a sort of lady bank," presently she said; +and then added with another quick change of expression, and in a voice +that showed great determination: "You bet I'll drop down dead before +anyone'll get a dollar o' theirs outer The Polka!" + +Impulsively the road agent's hand went out to her, and with it went a +mental resolution that so far as he was concerned no hard-working miner +of Cloudy Mountain need fear for his gold! + +"That's right," was what he said. "I'm with you--I'd like to see anyone +get that." He dropped her hand and laid his on the keg; then with a +voice charged with much feeling, he added: "Girl, I wish to Heaven I +could talk more with you, but I can't. By daybreak I must be a long ways +off. I'm sorry--I should have liked to have called at your cabin." + +The Girl shot him a furtive glance. + +"Must you be a-movin' so soon?" she asked. + +"Yes; I'm only waiting till the posse gets back and you're safe." And +even as he spoke his trained ear caught the sound of horses hoofs. "Why, +they're coming now!" he exclaimed with suppressed excitement, and his +eyes immediately fastened themselves on his saddle. + +The Girl looked her disappointment when she said: + +"I'm awfully sorry you've got to go. I was goin' to say--" She stopped, +and began to roll the keg back to its place. Now she took the lantern +from the bar and placed it on the keg; then turning to him once more she +went on in a voice that was distinctly persuasive: "If you didn't have +to go so soon, I would like to have you come up to the cabin to-night +an' we would talk o' reachin' out up there. You see, the boys will be +back here--we close The Polka at one--any time after . . ." + +Hesitatingly, helplessly, Johnson stared at the Girl before him. His +acceptance, he realised only too well, meant a pleasant hour or two for +him, of which there were only too few in the mad career that he was +following, and he wanted to take advantage of it; on the other hand, his +better judgment told him that already he should be on his way. + +"Why, I--I should ride on now." He began and then stopped, the next +moment, however, he threw down his hat on the table in resignation and +announced: "I'll come." + +"Oh, good!" cried the Girl, making no attempt to conceal her delight. +"You can use this," she went on, handing him the lantern. "It's the +straight trail up; you can't miss it. But I say, don't expect too much +o' me--I've only had thirty-two dollars' worth o' education." Despite +her struggle to control herself, her voice broke and her eyes filled +with tears. "P'r'aps if I'd had more," she kept on, regretfully, "why, +you can't tell what I might have been. Say, that's a terrible tho't, +ain't it? What we might a been--an' I know it when I look at you." + +Johnson was deeply touched at the Girl's distress, and his voice broke, +too, as he said: + +"Yes, what we might have been is a terrible thought, and I know it, +Girl, when I look at you--when I look at you." + +"You bet!" ejaculated the Girl. And then to Johnson's consternation she +broke down completely, burying her face in her hands and sobbing out: +"Oh, 'tain't no use, I'm rotten, I'm ignorant, I don't know nothin' an' +I never knowed it 'till to-night! The boys always tol' me I knowed so +much, but they're such damn liars!" + +In an instant Johnson was beside her, patting her hand caressingly; she +felt the sympathy in his touch and was quick to respond to it. + +"Don't you care, Girl, you're all right," he told her, choking back with +difficulty the tears in his own voice. "Your heart's all right, that's +the main thing. And as for your looks? Well, to me you've got the face +of an angel--the face--" He broke off abruptly and ended with: "Oh, but +I must be going now!" + +A moment more and he stood framed in the doorway, his saddle in one hand +and the Girl's lantern in the other, torn by two emotions which grappled +with each other in his bosom. "Johnson, what the devil's the matter with +you?" he muttered half-aloud; then suddenly pulling himself together he +stumbled rather than walked out of The Polka into the night. + +Motionless and trying to check her sobs, the Girl remained where he had +left her; but a few minutes later, when Nick entered, all trace of her +tears had disappeared. + +"Nick," said she, all smiles now, "run over to The Palmetto restaurant +an' tell 'em to send me up two charlotte rusks an' a lemming turnover--a +good, big, fat one--jest as quick as they can--right up to the cabin for +supper." + +"He says I have the face of an angel," is what the Girl repeated over +and over again to herself when perched up again on the poker table after +the wondering barkeeper had departed on her errand, and for a brief +space of time her countenance reflected the joy that Johnson's parting +words had imprinted on her heart. But in the Girl's character there was +an element too prosaic, and too practical, to permit her thoughts to +dwell long in a region lifted far above the earth. It was inevitable, +therefore, that the notion should presently strike her as supremely +comic and, quickly leaping to the floor, she let out the one word which, +however adequately it may have expressed her conflicting emotions, is +never by any chance to be found in the vocabulary of angels in good +standing. + + + + +IX. + + +Notwithstanding that The Palmetto was the most pretentious building in +Cloudy, and was the only rooming and eating house that outwardly +asserted its right to be called an hotel, its saloon contrasted +unfavourably with its rival, The Polka. There was not the individuality +of the Girl there to charm away the impress of coarseness settled upon +it by the loafers, the habitual drunkards and the riffraff of the camp, +who were not tolerated elsewhere. In short, it did not have that certain +indefinable something which gave to The Polka Saloon an almost homelike +appearance, but was a drab, squalid, soulless place with nothing to +recommend it but its size. + +In a small parlour pungent at all times with the odour of liquor,--but +used only on rare occasions, most of The Palmetto's patrons preferring +the even more stifling atmosphere of the bar-room,--the Wells Fargo +Agent had been watching and waiting ever since he had left The Polka +Saloon. On a table in front of him was a bottle, for it was a part of +Ashby's scheme of things to solace thus all such weary hours. + +Although a shrewd judge of women of the Nina Micheltoreņa type and by no +means unmindful of their mercurial temperament, Ashby, nevertheless, had +felt that she would keep her appointment with him. In the Mexican Camp +he had read the wild jealousy in her eyes, and had assumed, not +unnaturally, that there had been scarcely time for anything to occur +which would cause a revulsion of feeling on her part. But as the moments +went by, and still she did not put in an appearance, an expression of +keen disappointment showed itself on his face and, with mechanical +regularity, he carried out the liquid programme, shutting his eyes after +each drink for moments at a time yet, apparently, in perfect control of +his mind when he opened them again; and it was in one of these moments +that he heard a step outside which he correctly surmised to be that of +the Sheriff. + +Without a word Rance walked into the room and over to the table and +helped himself to a drink from the bottle there, which action the Wells +Fargo Agent rightly interpreted as meaning that the posse had failed to +catch their quarry. At first a glint of satisfaction shone in Ashby's +eyes: not that he disliked Rance, but rather that he resented his +egotistical manner and evident desire to overawe all who came in contact +with him; and it required, therefore, no little effort on his part to +banish this look from his face and make up his mind not to mention the +subject in any manner. + +For some time, therefore, the two officers sat opposite to each other +inhaling the stale odour of tobacco and spirits peculiar to this room, +with little or no ventilation. It was enough to sicken anyone, but both +men, accustomed to such places in the pursuit of their calling, +apparently thought nothing of it, the Sheriff seemingly absorbed in +contemplating the long ash at the end of his cigar, but, in reality, +turning over in his mind whether he should leave the room or not. At +length, he inaugurated a little contest of opinion. + +"This woman isn't coming, that's certain," he declared, impatiently. + +"I rather think she will; she promised not to fail me," was the other's +quiet answer; and he added: "In ten minutes you'll see her." + +It was a rash remark and expressive of a confidence that he by no means +felt. As a matter of fact, it was induced solely by the cynical smile +which he perceived on the Sheriff's face. + +"You, evidently, take no account of the fact that the lady may have +changed her mind," observed Rance, lighting a fresh cigar. "The Nina +Micheltoreņas are fully as privileged as others of their sex." + +As he drained his glass Ashby gave the speaker a sharp glance; another +side of Rance's character had cropped out. Moreover, Ashby's quick +intuition told him that the other's failure to catch the outlaw was not +troubling him nearly as much as was the blow which his conceit had +probably received at the hands of the Girl. It was, therefore, in an +indulgent tone that he said: + +"No, Rance, not this one nor this time. You mark my words, the woman is +through with Ramerrez. At least, she is so jealous that she thinks she +is. She'll turn up here, never fear; she means business." + +The shoulders of Mr. Jack Rance strongly suggested a shrug, but the man +himself said nothing. They were anything but sympathetic companions, +these two officers, and in the silence that ensued Rance formulated +mentally more than one disparaging remark about the big man sitting +opposite to him. It is possible, of course, that the Sheriff's rebuff by +the Girl, together with the wild goose chase which he had recently taken +against his better judgment, had something to do with this bitterness; +but it was none the less true that he found himself wondering how Ashby +had succeeded in acquiring his great reputation. Among the things that +he held against him was his everlasting propensity to boast of his +achievements, to say nothing of the pedestal upon which the boys +insisted upon placing him. Was this Wells Fargo's most famous agent? Was +this the man whose warnings were given such credence that they stirred +even the largest of the gold camps into a sense of insecurity? And at +this Rance indulged again in a fit of mental merriment at the other's +expense. + +But, although he would have denied it in toto, the truth of the matter +was that the Sheriff was jealous of Ashby. Witty, generous, and a high +liver, the latter was generally regarded as a man who fascinated women; +moreover, he was known to be a favourite--and here the shoe +pinched--with the Girl. True, the demands of his profession were such as +to prevent his staying long in any camp. Nevertheless, it seemed to +Rance that he contrived frequently to turn up at The Polka when the boys +were at the diggings. + +After Ashby's observation the conversation by mutual, if unspoken, +consent, was switched into other channels. But it may be truthfully said +that Rance did not wholly recover his mental equilibrium until a door +was heard to open noiselessly and some whispered words in Spanish fell +upon their ears. + +Now the Sheriff, as well as Ashby, had the detective instinct fully +developed; moreover, both men knew a few words of that language and had +an extreme curiosity to hear the conversation going on between a man and +a woman, who were standing just outside in a sort of hallway. As a +result, therefore, both officers sprang to the door with the hope--if +indeed it was Nina Micheltoreņa as they surmised--that they might catch +a word or two which would give them a clue to what was likely to take +place at the coming interview. It came sooner than they expected. + +". . . Ramerrez--Five thousand dollars!" reached their ears in a soft, +Spanish voice. + +Ashby needed nothing more than this. In an instant, much to the +Sheriff's astonishment, and moving marvellously quick for a man of his +heavy build, he was out of the room, leaving Rance to face a woman with +a black mantilla thrown over her head who, presently, entered by another +door. + +Nina Micheltoreņa, for it was she, did not favour him with as much as an +icy look. Nor did the Sheriff give any sign of knowing her; a wise +proceeding as it turned out, for a quick turn of the head and a subtle +movement of the woman's shoulders told him that she was in anything but +a quiet state of mind. One glance towards the door behind him, however, +and the reason of her anger was all too plain: A Mexican was vainly +struggling in the clutches of Ashby. + +"Why are you dragging him in?" Far from quailing before him as did her +confederate, she confronted Ashby with eyes that flashed fire. "He came +with me--" + +Ashby cut her short. + +"We don't allow greasers in this camp and--" he began in a throaty +voice. + +"But he is waiting to take me back!" she objected, and then added: "I +wish him to wait for me outside, and unless you allow him to I'll go at +once." And with these words she made a movement towards the door. + +Ashby laid one restraining hand upon her, while with the other he held +on to the Mexican. Of a sudden there had dawned upon him the conviction +that for once in his life he had made a grievous mistake. He had +thought, by the detention of her confederate, to have two strings to his +bow, but one glance at the sneeringly censorious expression on the +Sheriff's face convinced him that no information would be forthcoming +from the woman while in her present rebellious mood. + +"All right, my lady," he said, for the time being yielding to her will, +"have your way." And turning now to the Mexican, he added none too +gently: + +"Here you, get out!" + +Whereupon the Mexican slunk out of the room. + +"There's no use of your getting into a rage," went on Ashby, turning to +the woman in a slightly conciliatory manner. "I calculated that the +greaser would be in on the job, too." + +All through this scene Rance had been sitting back in his chair chewing +his cigar in contemptuous silence, while his face wore a look of languid +insolence, a fact which, apparently, did not disturb the woman in the +least, for she ignored him completely. + +"It was well for you, Seņor Ashby, that you let him go. I tell you +frankly that in another moment I should have gone." And now throwing +back her mantilla she took out a cigarette from a dainty, little case +and lit it and coolly blew a cloud of smoke in Rance's face, saying: "It +depends on how you treat me--you, Mr. Jack Rance, as well as Seņor +Ashby--whether we come to terms or not. Perhaps I had better go away +anyway," she concluded with a shrug of admirably simulated indifference. + +This time Ashby sat perfectly still. It was not difficult to perceive +that her anger was decreasing with every word that she uttered; nor did +he fail to note how fluently she spoke English, a slight Spanish accent +giving added charm to her wonderfully soft and musical voice. How +gloriously beautiful, he told himself, she looked as she stood there, +voluptuous, compelling, alluring, the expression that had been almost +diabolical, gradually fading from her face. Was it possible, he asked +himself, that all this loveliness was soiled forever? He felt that there +was something pitiful in the fact that the woman standing before him +represented negotiable property which could be purchased by any +passer-by who had a few more nuggets in his possession than his +neighbour; and, perhaps, because of his knowledge of the piteous history +of this former belle of Monterey he put a little more consideration into +the voice that said: + +"All right, Nina, we'll get down to business. What have you to say to +us?" + +By this time Nina's passionate anger had burned itself out. In +anticipation, perhaps, of what she was about to do, she looked straight +ahead of her into space. It was not because she was assailed by some +transient emotion to forswear her treacherous desire for vengeance; she +had no illusion of that kind. Too vividly she recalled the road agent's +indifferent manner at their last interview for any feeling to dwell in +her heart other than hatred. It was that she was summoning to appear a +vision scarcely less attractive, however pregnant with tragedy, than +that of seeing herself avenged: a gay, extravagant career in Mexico or +Spain which the reward would procure for her. That was what she was +seeing, and with a pious wish for its confirmation she began to make +herself a fresh cigarette, rolling it dexterously with her white, +delicate fingers, and not until her task was accomplished and her full, +red lips were sending forth tiny clouds of smoke did she announce: + +"Ramerrez was in Cloudy Mountain to-night." + +But however much of a surprise this assertion was to both men, neither +gave vent to an exclamation. Instead Rance regarded his elegantly booted +feet; Ashby looked hard at the woman as if he would read the truth in +her eyes; while as for Nina, she continued to puff away at her little +cigarette after the manner of one that has appealed not in vain to the +magic power which can paint out the past and fill the blank with the +most beautiful of dreams. + +The Wells Fargo man was the first to make any comment; he asked: + +"You know this?" And then as she surveyed them through a scented cloud +and bowed her head, he added: "How do you know it?" + +"That I shall not tell you," replied the woman, firmly. + +Ashby made an impatient movement towards her with the question: + +"Where was he?" + +"Oh, come, Ashby!" put in Rance, speaking for the first time. "She's +putting up a game on us." + +In a flash Nina wheeled around and with eyes that blazed advanced to the +table where the Sheriff was sitting. Indeed, there was something so +tigerish about the woman that the Sheriff, in alarm, quickly pushed back +his chair. + +"I am not lying, Jack Rance." There was an evil glitter in her eye as +she watched a sarcastic smile playing around his lips. "Oh, yes, I know +you--you are the Sheriff," and so saying a peal of contemptuous +merriment burst from her, "and Ramerrez was in the camp not less than +two hours ago." + +Ashby could hardly restrain his excitement. + +"And you saw him?" came from him. + +"Yes," was her answer. + +Both men sprang to their feet; it was impossible to doubt any longer +that she spoke the truth. + +"What's his game?" demanded Rance. + +The woman answered his question with a question. + +"How about the reward, Seņor Ashby?" + +"You needn't worry about that--I'll see that you get what's coming to +you," replied the Wells Fargo Agent already getting into his coat. + +"But how are we to know?" inquired Rance, likewise getting ready to +leave. "Is he an American or a Mexican?" + +"To-night he's an American, that is, he's dressed and looks like one. +But the reward--you swear you're playing fair?" + +"On my honour," Ashby assured her. + +The woman's face stood clear--cruelly clear in the light of the kerosene +lamp above her head. About her mouth and eyes there was a repellent +expression. Her mind, still working vividly, was reviewing the past; and +a bitter memory prompted the words which were said however with a smile +that was still seductive: + +"Try to recall, Seņor Ashby, what strangers were in The Polka to-night?" + +At these ominous words the men started and regarded each other +questioningly. Their keen and trained intelligences were greatly +distressed at being so utterly in the dark. For an instant, it is true, +the thought of the greaser that Ashby had brought in rose uppermost in +their minds, but only to be dismissed quickly when they recalled the +woman's words concerning the way that the road agent was dressed. A +moment more, however, and a strange thought had fastened itself on one +of their active minds--a thought which, although persisting in forcing +itself upon the Sheriff's consideration, was in the end rejected as +wholly improbable. But who was it then? In his intensity Rance let his +cigar go out. + +"Ah!" at last he cried. "Johnson, by the eternal!" + +"Johnson?" echoed Ashby, wholly at sea and surprised at the look of +corroboration in Nina's eyes. + +"Yes, Johnson," went on Rance, insistently. Why had he not seen at once +that it was Johnson who was the road agent! There could be no mistake! +"You weren't there," he explained hurriedly, "when he came in and began +flirting with the Girl and--" + +"Ramerrez making love to the Girl?" broke in Ashby. "Ye Gods!" + +"The Girl? So that's the woman he's after now!" Nina laughed bitterly. +"Well, she's not destined to have him for long, I can tell you!" And +with that she reached out for the bottle on the table and poured herself +a small glass of whisky and swallowed it. When she turned her lips were +tightly shut over her brilliant teeth, a thousand thoughts came rushing +into her brain. There was no longer any compunction--she would strike +now and deep. Through her efforts alone the man would be captured, and +she gloried in the thought. + +"Here--here is something that will interest you!" she said; and putting +her hand in her bosom drew out a soiled, faded photograph. "There--that +will settle him for good and all! Never again will he boast of trifling +with Nina Micheltoreņa--with me, a Micheltoreņa in whose veins runs the +best and proudest blood of California!" + +Ashby fairly snatched the photograph out of her hand and, after one look +at it, passed it over to the Sheriff. + +"Good of him, isn't it?" sneered Nina; and then seemingly trying by her +very vehemence to impress upon herself the impossibility of his ever +being anything but an episode in her life, she added: "I hate him!" + +The picture was indeed an excellent one. It represented Ramerrez in the +gorgeous dress of a _caballero_--and the outlaw was a fine specimen of +that spectacular class of men. But Rance studied the photograph only +long enough to be sure that no mistake was possible. With a quick +movement he put it away in his pocket and looked long and hard at the +figure of the degraded woman standing before him and revelling in her +treachery. In that time he forgot that anyone had ever entertained a +kind thought about her; he forgot that she once was respected as well as +admired; he was conscious only of regarding her with a far deeper +disgust and repugnance than he held towards others much her inferior in +birth and education. But, presently, his face grew a shade whiter, if +that were possible, and he cursed himself for not having thought of the +danger to which the Girl might even now be exposed. In less than a +minute, therefore, both men stood ready for the work before them. But on +the threshold just before going out into the fierce storm that had burst +during the last few minutes, he paused and called back: + +"You Mexican devil! If any harm comes to the Girl, I'll strangle you +with my own hands!" And not waiting to hear the woman's mocking laughter +he passed out, followed by Ashby, into the storm. + + + + +X. + + +In the still black night and with no guide other than the dimly-lighted +lantern which she carried, the Girl had started for home--a bit of +shelter in the middle of a great silence, a little fortress in the +wilderness, as it were, with its barred doors and windows--on the top of +Cloudy Mountain. To be sure, it was not the first time that she had +followed the trail alone: Day and night, night and day, for as long, +almost, as she could remember, she had been doing it; indeed, she had +watched the alders, oaks and dwarf pines, that bordered the trail, grow +year by year as she herself had grown, until now the whispering of the +mountain's night winds spoke a language as familiar as her own; but +never before had she climbed up into the clean, wide, free sweep of this +unbounded horizon, the very air untainted and limitless as the sky +itself, with so keen and uncloying a pleasure. But there was a new +significance attached to her home-coming to-night: was she not to +entertain there her first real visitor? + +At the threshold of her cabin the Girl, her cheeks aglow and eyes as +bright, almost, as the red cape that enveloped her lithe, girlish +figure, paused, and swinging her lantern high above her head so that its +light was reflected in the room, she endeavoured to imagine what would +be the impression that a stranger would receive coming suddenly upon +these surroundings. + +And well might she have paused, for no eye ever rested upon a more +conglomerate ensemble! Yet, withal, there was a certain attractiveness +about this log-built, low, square room, half-papered with gaudy +paper--the supply, evidently, having fallen short,--that was as +unexpected as it was unusual. + +Upon the floor, which had a covering of corn sacks, were many beautiful +bear and wolf skins, Indian rugs and Navajo blankets; while +overhead--screening some old trunks and boxes neatly piled up high in +the loft, which was reached by a ladder, generally swung out of the +way--hung a faded, woollen blanket; from the opposite corner there fell +an old, patchwork, silk quilt. Dainty white curtains in all their +crispness were at the windows, and upon the walls were many rare and +weird trophies of the chase, not to mention the innumerable pictures +that had been taken from "Godey's Lady Book" and other periodicals of +that time. A little book-shelf, that had been fashioned out of a box, +was filled with old and well-read books; while the mantel that guarded +the fireplace was ornamented with various small articles, conspicuous +among which were a clock that beat loud, automatic time with a brassy +resonance, a china dog and cat of most gaudy colours, a whisky bottle +and two tumblers, and some winter berries in a jar. + +There were two pieces of furniture in the room, however, which were +placed with an eye to attract attention, and these the Girl prized most +highly: one was a homemade rocking-chair that had been made out of a +barrel and had been dyed, unsuccessfully, with indigo blue, and had +across its back a knitted tidy with a large, upstanding, satin bow; the +other was a homemade, pine wardrobe that had been rudely decorated by +one of the boys of the camp and in which the Girl kept her dresses, and +was piled up high towards the ceiling with souvenirs of her trip to +Monterey, including the hat-boxes and wicker basket that had come well +nigh to loading down the stage on that memorable journey. + +But it was upon her bed and bedroom fixings that the greatest attempt at +decoration had been made; partitioning off the room, as it were, and at +the same time forming a canopy about the bed, were curtains of cheap, +gaudy material, through the partings of which there was to be had a +glimpse of a daintily-made-up bed, whose pillows were made conspicuous +by the hand-made lace that trimmed their slips, as was the bureau-cover, +and upon which, in charming disarray, were various articles generally +included in a woman's toilet, not to mention the numberless strings of +coloured beads and other bits of feminine adornment. A table standing in +the centre of the room was covered with a small, white cloth, while +falling in folds from beneath this was a faded, red cotton cover. The +table was laid for one, the charlotte "rusks" and "lemming" +turn-over--each on a separate plate--which Nick had been commissioned to +procure, earlier in the evening, from the Palmetto restaurant, looming +up prominently in the centre; and on another plate were some chipped +beef and biscuits. A large lamp was suspended from the ceiling in the +centre of the room and was quaintly, if not grotesquely, shaded; while +other lamps flanked by composition metal reflectors concentrated light +upon the Girl's bureau, the book-shelf and mantel, leaving the remainder +of the room in variant shadow. + +All in all, what with the fire that was burning cheerily in the grate +and the strong odour of steaming coffee, the room had a soft glow and +home-like air that was most inviting. + +In that brief moment that the Girl stood in the doorway reviewing her +possessions, a multitude of expressions drifted across her countenance, +a multitude of possibilities thrilled within her bosom. But however much +she would have liked to analyse these strange feelings, she resisted the +inclination and gave all her attention to the amusing scene that was +being enacted before her eyes. + +For some time Billy Jackrabbit had been standing by the table looking +greedily down upon the charlotte russes there. He was on the point of +putting his finger through the centre of one of them when Wowkle--the +Indian woman-of-all-work of the cabin, who sat upon the floor before the +fire singing a lullaby to the papoose strapped to its cradle on her +back--turning suddenly her gaze in his direction, was just in time to +prevent him. + +"Charlotte rusk--Palmetto rest'rant--not take," were her warning words. + +Jackrabbit drew himself up quickly, but he was furious at interference +from a source where it was wholly unexpected. + +"Hm--me honest," he growled fiercely, flashing her a malignant look. + +"Huh?" was Wowkle's monosyllabic observation delivered in a guttural +tone. + +All of a sudden, Jackrabbit's gaze was arrested by a piece of paper +which lay upon the floor and in which had been wrapped the charlotte +russes; he went over to it quickly, picked it up, opened it and +proceeded to collect on his finger the cream that had adhered to it. + +"Huh!" he growled delightedly, holding up his finger for Wowkle's +inspection. The next instant, however, he slumped down beside her upon +the floor, where both the man and the woman sat in silence gazing into +the fire. The man was the first to speak. + +"Send me up--Polka. Say, p'haps me marry you--huh?" he said, coming to +the point bluntly. + +Wowkle's eyes were glued to the fire; she answered dully: + +"Me don't know." + +There was a silence, and then: + +"Me don't know," observed Jackrabbit thoughtfully. A moment later, +however, he added: "Me marry you--how much me get give fatha--huh?" + +Wowkle raised her narrowing eyes to his and told him with absolute +indifference: + +"Huh--me don't know." + +Jackrabbit's face darkened. He pondered for a long time. + +"Me don't know--" suddenly he began and then stopped. They had been +silent for some moments, when at last he ventured: "Me give fatha four +dolla"--and here he indicated the number with his two hands, the finger +with the cream locking those of the other hand--"and one blanket." + +Wowkle's eyes dilated. + +"Better keep blanket--baby cold," was her ambiguous answer. + +Whereupon Jackrabbit emitted a low growl. Presently he handed her his +pipe, and while she puffed steadily away he fondled caressingly the +string of beads which she wore around her neck. + +"You sing for get those?" he asked. + +"Me sing," she replied dully, beginning almost instantly in soft, nasal +tones: + + + "My days are as um grass"-- + + +Jackrabbit's face cleared. + +"Huh!" he growled in rejoicement. + +Immediately Wowkle edged up close to him and together they continued in +chorus: + + + "Or as um faded flo'r, + Um wintry winds sweep o'er um plain, + We pe'ish in um ho'r." + + +"But Gar," said the man when the song was ended, at the same time taking +his pipe away from her, "to-morrow we go missionary--sing like hell--get +whisky." + +But as Wowkle made no answer, once more a silence fell upon them. + +"We pe'ish in um ho'r," suddenly repeated Jackrabbit, half-singing, +half-speaking the words, and rising quickly started for the door. At the +table, however, he halted and inquired: "All right--go missionary +to-morrow--get marry--huh?" + +Wowkle hesitated, then rose, and finally started slowly towards him. +Half-way over she stopped and reminded him in a most apathetic manner: + +"P'haps me not stay marry to you for long." + +"Huh--seven monse?" queried Jackrabbit in the same tone. + +"Six monse," came laconically from the woman. + +In nowise disconcerted by her answer, the Indian now asked: + +"You come soon?" + +Wowkle thought a moment; then suddenly edging up close to him she +promised to come to him after the Girl had had her supper. + +"Huh!" fairly roared the Indian, his coal-black eyes glowing as he +looked at her. + +It was at this juncture that the Girl, after hanging up her lantern on a +peg on the outer door, broke in unexpectedly upon the strange pair of +lovers. + +Dumbfounded, the woman and the man stood gaping at her. Wowkle was the +first to regain her composure, and bending over the table she turned up +the light. + +"Hello, Billy Jackrabbit!" greeted the Girl, breezily. "Fixed it?" + +"Me fix," he grunted. + +"That's good! Now git!" ordered the Girl in the same happy tone that had +characterised her greeting. + +Slowly, stealthily, Jackrabbit left the cabin, the two women, though for +different reasons, watching him go until the door had closed behind him. + +"Now, Wowkle," said the Girl, turning to her with a smile, "it's for two +to-night." + +Wowkle's eyelashes twinkled up inquisitorially. + +"Huh?" + +"Yep." + +Wowkle's eyes narrowed to pin-points. + +"Come anotha? Never before come anotha," was her significant comment. + +"Never you mind." The Girl voiced the reprimand without the twitching of +an eyelid; and then as she hung up her cape upon the wardrobe, she +added: "Pick up the room, Wowkle!" + +The big-hipped, full-bosomed woman did not move but stood in all her +stolidness gazing at her mistress like one in a dream; whereupon the +Girl, exasperated beyond measure at the other's placidity, rushed over +to her and shook her so violently that she finally awakened to the +importance of her mistress' request. + +"He's comin' now, now; he's comin'!" the Girl was saying, when suddenly +her eyes were attracted to a pair of stockings hanging upon the wall; +quickly she released her hold on the woman and with a hop, skip and a +jump they were down and hid away in her bureau drawer. + +"My roses--what did you do with them, Wowkle?" she asked a trifle +impatiently as she fumbled in the drawer. + +"Ugh!" grunted Wowkle, and pointed to a corner of the bureau top. + +"Good!" cried the Girl, delightedly, as she spied them. The next instant +she was busily engaged in arranging them in her hair, pausing only to +take a pistol out of her pocket, which she laid on the edge of the +bureau. "No offence, Wowkle," she went on thoughtfully, a moment later, +"but I want you to put your best foot forward when you're waitin' on +table to-night. This here company o' mine's a man o' idees. Oh, he knows +everythin'! Sort of a damme style." + +Wowkle gave no sign of having heard her mistress' words, but kept right +on tidying the room. Now she went over to the cupboard and took down two +cups, which she placed on the fireplace base. It was while she was in +the act of laying down the last one that the Girl broke in suddenly upon +her thoughts with: + +"Say, Wowkle, did Billy Jackrabbit really propose to you?" + +"Yep--get marry," spoke up Jackrabbit's promised wife without looking +up. + +For some moments the Girl continued to fumble among her possessions in +the bureau drawer; at last she brought forth an orange-coloured satin +ribbon, which she placed in the Indian woman's hands with her prettiest +smile, saying: + +"Here, Wowkle, you can have that to fix up for the weddin'." + +Wowkle's eyes glowed with appreciation. + +"Huh!" she ejaculated, and proceeded to wind the ribbon about the beads +around her neck. + +Turning once more to the bureau, the Girl took out a small parcel done +up in tissue paper and began to unwrap it. + +"I'm goin' to put on them, if I can git 'em on," she said, displaying a +pair of white satin slippers. The next instant she had plumped herself +down upon the floor and was trying to encase her feet in a pair of +slippers which were much too small for them. "Remember what fun I made +o' you when you took up with Billy Jackrabbit?" suddenly she asked with +a happy little smile. "What for? sez I. Well, p'r'aps you was right. +P'r'aps it's nice to have someone you really care for--who belongs to +you. P'r'aps they ain't so much in the saloon business for a woman after +all, and you don't know what livin' really is until--" She stopped +abruptly and threw upon the floor the slipper that refused to give to +her foot. "Oh, Wowkle," she went on, taking up the other slipper, "it's +nice to have someone you can talk to, someone you can turn your heart +inside out to." + +At last she had succeeded in getting into one slipper and, rising, tried +to stand in it; but it hurt her so frightfully that she immediately sank +down upon the floor and proceeded to pat and rub and coddle her foot to +ease the pain. It was while she was thus engaged that a knock came upon +her cabin door. + +"Oh, Lord, here he is!" she cried, panic-stricken, and began to drag +herself hurriedly across the room with the intention of concealing +herself behind the curtain at the foot of the bed; while Wowkle, with +unusual celerity, made for the fire-place, where she stood with her back +to the door, gazing into the fire. + +The Girl had only gotten half-way across the room, however, when a voice +assailed her ears. + +"Miss, Miss, kin I--" came in low, subdued tones. + +"What? The Sidney Duck?" she cried, turning and seeing his head poked +through the window. + +"Beg pardon, Miss; I know men ain't lowed up here nohow," humbly +apologised that individual; "but, but--" + +Vexed and flustered, the Girl turned upon him a trifle irritably with: + +"Git! Git, I tell you!" + +"But I'm in grite trouble, Miss," began The Sidney Duck, tearfully. "The +boys are back--they missed that road agent Ramerrez and now they're +taking it out of me. If--if you'd only speak a word for me, Miss." + +"No--" began the Girl, and stopped. The next instant she ordered Wowkle +to shut the window. + +"Oh, don't be 'ard on me, Miss," whimpered the man. + +The Girl flashed him a scornful look. + +"Now, look here, Sidney Duck, there's one kind o' man I can't stand, an' +that's a cheat an' a thief, an' you're it," said the Girl, laying great +stress upon her words. "You're no better'n that road agent Ramerrez, +an'--" + +"But, Miss--" interrupted the man. + +"Miss nothin'!" snapped back the Girl, tugging away at the slippers; in +desperation once more she ordered: + +"Wowkle, close the winder! Close the winder!" + +The Sidney Duck glowered at her. He had expected her intercession on his +behalf and could not understand this new attitude of hers toward him. + +"Public 'ouse jide!" he retorted furiously, and slammed the window. + +"Ugh!" snarled Wowkle, resentfully, her eyes full of fire. + +Now at any other time, The Sidney Duck would have been made to pay +dearly for his words, but either the Girl did not hear him, or if she +did she was too engrossed to heed them; at any rate, the remark passed +unnoticed. + +"I got it on!" presently exclaimed the Girl in great joy. Nevertheless, +it was not without several ouches and moans that, finally, she stood +upon her feet. "Say, Wowkle, how do you think he'll like 'em? How do +they look? They feel awful!" she rattled on with a pained look on her +face. + +But whatever would have been the Indian woman's observation on the +subject of tight shoes in general and those of her mistress in +particular, she was not permitted to make it, for the Girl, now hobbling +over towards the bureau, went on to announce with sudden determination: + +"Say, Wowkle, I'm a-goin' the whole hog! Yes, I'm a-goin' the whole +hog," she repeated a moment later, as she drew forth various bits of +finery from a chest of drawers, with which she proceeded to adorn +herself before the mirror. Taking out first a lace shawl of bold design, +she drew it over her shoulders with the grace and ease of one who makes +it an everyday affair rather than an occasional undertaking; then she +took from a sweet-grass basket a vividly-embroidered handkerchief and +saturated it with cologne, impregnating the whole room with its strong +odour; finally she brought forth a pair of long, white gloves and began +to stretch them on. "Does it look like an effort, Wowkle?" she asked, +trying to get her hands into them. + +"Ugh!" was the Indian woman's comment at the very moment that a knock +came upon the door. "Two plates," she added with a groan, and started +for the cupboard. + +Meanwhile the Girl continued with her primping and preening, her hands +flying back and forth like an automaton from her waist-line to her +stockings. Suddenly another knock, this time more vigorous, more +insistent, came upon the rough boards of the cabin door, which, finally, +was answered by the Girl herself. + + + + +XI. + + +"Hello!" sang out Johnson, genially, as he entered the Girl's cabin. + +At once the Girl's audacity and spirit deserted her, and hanging her +head she answered meekly, bashfully: + +"Hello!" + +The man's eyes swept the Girl's figure; he looked puzzled, and asked: + +"Are you--you going out?" + +The Girl was plainly embarrassed; she stammered in reply: + +"Yes--no--I don't know--Oh, come on in!" + +"Thank you," said Johnson in his best manner, and put down his lantern +on the table. Turning now with a look of admiration in his eyes, at the +same time trying to embrace her, he went on: "Oh, Girl, I'm so glad you +let me come . . ." + +His glance, his tone, his familiarity sent the colour flying to the +Girl's cheeks; she flared up instantly, her blue eyes snapping with +resentment: + +"You stop where you are, Mr. Johnson." + +"Ugh!" came from Wowkle, at that moment closing the door which Johnson +had left ajar. + +At the sound of the woman's voice Johnson wheeled round quickly. And +then, to his great surprise, he saw that the Girl was not alone as he +had expected to find her. + +"I beg your pardon; I did not see anyone when I came in," he said in +humble apology, his eyes the while upon Wowkle who, having blown out the +candle and removed the lantern from the table to the floor, was +directing her footsteps towards the cupboard, into which she presently +disappeared, closing the door behind her. "But seeing you standing +there," went on Johnson in explanation, "and looking into your lovely +eyes, well, the temptation to take you in my arms was so great that I, +well, I took--" + +"You must be in the habit o' takin' things, Mr. Johnson," broke in the +Girl. "I seen you on the road to Monterey, goin' an' comin', an' passed +a few words with you; I seen you once since, but that don't give you no +excuse to begin this sort o' game." The Girl's tone was one of reproach +rather than of annoyance, and for the moment the young man was left with +a sense of having committed an indiscretion. Silently, sheepishly, he +moved away, while she quietly went over to the fire. + +"Besides, you might have prospected a bit first anyway," presently she +went on, watching the tips of her slender white fingers held out +transparent towards the fire. + +Just at that moment a log dropped, turning up its glowing underside. +Wheeling round with a smile, Johnson said: + +"I see how wrong I was." + +And then, seeing that the Girl made no move in his direction, he asked, +still smiling: + +"May I take off my coat?" + +The Girl remained silent, which silence he interpreted as an assent, and +went on to make himself at home. + +"Thank you," he said simply. "What a bully little place you have here! +It's awfully snug!" he continued delightedly, as his eyes wandered about +the room. "And to think that I've found you again when I--Oh, the luck +of it!" + +He went over to her and held out his hands, a broad, yet kindly smile +lighting up his strong features, making him appear handsomer, even, than +he really was, to the Girl taking in the olive-coloured skin glowing +with healthful pallor. + +"Friends?" he asked. + +Nevertheless the girl did not give him her hand, but quickly drew it +away; she answered his question with a question: + +"Are you sorry?" + +"No, I'm not sorry." + +To this she made no reply but quietly, disappointedly returned to the +fireplace, where she stood in contemplative silence, waiting for his +next words. + +But he did not speak; he contented himself with gazing at the tender +girlishness of her, the blue-black eyes, and flesh that was so bright +and pure that he knew it to be soft and firm, making him yearn for her. + +Involuntarily she turned towards him, and she saw that in his face which +caused her eyes to drop and her breath to come more quickly. + +"That damme style just catches a woman!" she ejaculated with a little +tremour in her voice. + +Then her mood underwent a sudden change in marked contrast to that of +the moment before. "Look here, Mr. Johnson," she said, "down at the +saloon to-night you said you always got what you wanted. O' course I've +got to admire you for that. I reckon women always do admire men for +gettin' what they want. But if huggin' me's included, jest count it +out." + +For a breathing space there was a dead silence. + +"That was a lovely day, Girl, on the road to Monterey, wasn't it?" of a +sudden Johnson observed dreamily. + +The Girl's eyes opened upon him wonderingly. + +"Was it?" + +"Well, wasn't it?" + +The Girl thought it was and she laughed. + +"Say, take a chair and set down for a while, won't you?" was her next +remark, she herself taking a chair at the table. + +"Thanks," he said, coming slowly towards her while his eyes wandered +about the room for a chair. + +"Say, look 'ere!" she shot out, scrutinising him closely; "I ben +thinkin' you didn't come to the saloon to see me to-night. What brought +you?" + +"It was Fate," he told her, leaning over the table and looking down upon +her admiringly. + +She pondered his answer for a moment, then blurted out: + +"You're a bluff! It may have been Fate, but I tho't you looked kind o' +funny when Rance asked you if you hadn't missed the trail an' wa'n't on +the road to see Nina Micheltoreņa--she that lives in the greaser +settlement an' has the name o' shelterin' thieves." + +At the mention of thieves, Johnson paled frightfully and the knife which +he had been toying with dropped to the floor. + +"Was it Fate or the back trail?" again queried the Girl. + +"It was Fate," calmly reiterated the man, and looked her fairly in the +eye. + +The cloud disappeared from the Girl's face. + +"Serve the coffee, Wowkle!" she called almost instantly. And then it was +that she saw that no chair had been placed at the table for him. She +sprang to her feet, exclaiming: "Oh, Lordy, you ain't got no chair yet +to--" + +"Careful, please, careful," quickly warned Johnson, as she rounded the +corner of the table upon which his guns lay. + +But fear was not one of the Girl's emotions. At the display of guns that +met her gaze she merely shrugged and inquired placidly: + +"Oh, how many guns do you carry?" + +Not unnaturally she waited for his answer before starting in quest of a +chair for him; but instead Johnson quietly went over to the chair near +the door where his coat lay, hung it up on the peg with his hat, and +returning now with a chair, he answered: + +"Oh, several when travelling through the country." + +"Well, set down," said the Girl bluntly, and hurried to his side to +adjust his chair. But she did not return to her place at the table; +instead, she took the barrel rocker near the fireplace and began to rock +nervously to and fro. In silence Johnson sat studying her, looking her +through and through, as it were. + +"It must be strange living all alone way up here in the mountains," he +remarked, breaking the spell of silence. "Isn't it lonely?" + +"Lonely? Mountains lonely?" The Girl's laugh rang out clearly. "Besides," +she went on, her eyes fairly dancing with excitement, "I got a little +pinto an' I'm all over the country on 'im. Finest little horse you ever +saw! If I want to I can ride right down into the summer at the foothills +with miles o' Injun pinks jest a-laffin' an' tiger lilies as mad as +blazes. There's a river there, too--the Injuns call it a water-road--an' +I can git on that an' drift an' drift an' smell the wild syringa on the +banks. An if I git tired o' that I can turn my horse up-grade an' gallop +right into the winter an' the lonely pines an' firs a-whisperin' an' +a-sighin'. Lonely? Mountains lonely, did you say? Oh, my mountains, my +beautiful peaks, my Sierras! God's in the air here, sure! You can see +Him layin' peaceful hands on the mountain tops. He seems so near you +want to let your soul go right on up." + +Johnson was touched at the depth of meaning in her words; he nodded his +head in appreciation. + +"I see, when you die you won't have far to go," he quietly observed. + +Minutes passed before either spoke. Then all at once the Girl rose and +took the chair facing his, the table between them as at first. + +"Wowkle, serve the coffee!" again she called. + +Immediately, Wowkle emerged from the cupboard, took the coffee-pot from +the fire and filled the cups that had been kept warm on the fireplace +base, and after placing a cup beside each plate she squatted down before +the fire in watchful silence. + +"But when it's very cold up here, cold, and it snows?" queried Johnson, +his admiration for the plucky, quaint little figure before him growing +by leaps and bounds. + +"Oh, the boys come up an' digs me out o' my front door like--like--" She +paused, her sunny laugh rippling out at the recollection of it all, and +Johnson noted the two delightful dimples in her rounded cheeks. Indeed, +she had never appeared prettier to him than when displaying her two rows +of perfect, dazzling teeth, which was the case every time that she +laughed. + +"--like a little rabbit, eh?" he supplemented, joining in the laugh. + +She nodded eagerly. + +"I get digged out near every day when the mine's shet down an' Academy +opens," went on the Girl in the same happy strain, her big blue eyes +dancing with merriment. + +Johnson looked at her wonderingly; he questioned: + +"Academy? Here? Why, who teaches in your Academy?" + +"Me--I'm her--I'm teacher," she told him with not a little show of +pride. + +With difficulty Johnson suppressed a smile; nevertheless he observed +soberly: + +"Oh, so you're the teacher?" + +"Yep--I learn m'self an' the boys at the same time," she hastened to +explain, and dropped a heaping teaspoon of coarse brown sugar into his +cup. "But o' course Academy's suspended when ther's a blizzard on 'cause +no girl could git down the mountain then." + +"Is it so very severe here when there's a blizzard on?" Johnson was +saying, when there came to his ears a strange sound--the sound of the +wind rising in the canyon below. + +The Girl looked at him in blank astonishment--a look that might easily +have been interpreted as saying, "Where do you hail from?" She answered: + +"Is it . . .? Oh, Lordy, they come in a minute! All of a sudden you +don't know where you are--it's awful!" + +"Not many women--" digressed the man, glancing apprehensively towards +the door, but she cut him short swiftly with the ejaculation: + +"Bosh!" And picking up a plate she raised it high in the air the better +to show off its contents. "Charlotte rusks an' lemming turnover!" she +announced, searching his face for some sign of joy, her own face +lighting up perceptibly. + +"Well, this is a treat!" cried out Johnson between sips of coffee. + +"Have one?" + +"You bet!" he returned with unmistakable pleasure in his voice. + +The Girl served him with one of each, and when he thanked her she beamed +with happiness. + +"Let me send you some little souvenir of to-night"--he said, a little +while later, his admiring eyes settled on her hair of burnished gold +which glistened when the light fell upon it--"something that you'd just +love to read in your course of teaching at the Academy." He paused to +search his mind for something suitable to suggest to her; at length he +questioned: "Now, what have you been reading lately?" + +The Girl's face broke into smiles as she answered: + +"Oh, it's an awful funny book about a kepple. He was a classic an' his +name was Dent." + +Johnson knitted his brows and thought a moment. "He was a classic, you +say, and his name was--Oh, yes, I know--Dante," he declared, with +difficulty controlling the laughter that well-nigh convulsed him. "And +you found Dante funny, did you?" + +"Funny? I roared!" acknowledged the Girl with a frankness that was so +genuine that Johnson could not help but admire her all the more. "You +see, he loved a lady--" resumed the Girl, toying idly with her spoon. + +"--Beatrice," supplemented Johnson, pronouncing the name with the +Italian accent which, by the way, was not lost on the Girl. + +"How?" she asked quickly, with eyes wide open. + +Johnson ignored the question. Anxious to hear her interpretation of the +story, he requested her to continue. + +"He loved a lady--" began the Girl, and broke off short. And going over +to the book-shelf she took down a volume and began to finger the leaves +absently. Presently she came back, and fixing her eyes upon him, she +went on: "It made me think of it, what you said down to the saloon +to-night about livin' so you didn't care what come after. Well, he made +up his min', this Dent--Dantes--that one hour o' happiness with her was +worth the whole da--" She checked the word on her tongue, and concluded: +"outfit that come after. He was willin' to sell out his chances for +sixty minutes with 'er. Well, I jest put the book down an' hollered." +And once more she broke into a hearty laugh. + +"Of course you did," agreed Johnson, joining in the laugh. "All the +same," he presently added, "you knew he was right." + +"I didn't!" she contradicted with spirit, and slowly went back to the +book-shelf with the book. + +"You did." + +"Didn't!" + +"You did." + +"Didn't! Didn't!" + +"I don't--" + +"You do, you do," insisted the Girl, plumping down into the chair which +she had vacated at the table. + +"Do you mean to say--" Johnson got no further, for the Girl, with a +naïveté that made her positively bewitching to the man before her, went +on as if there had been no interruption: + +"That a feller could so wind h'ms'lf up as to say, 'Jest give me one +hour o' your sassiety; time ain't nothin', nothin' ain't nothin' only to +be a da--darn fool over you!' Ain't it funny to feel like that?" And +then, before Johnson could frame an answer: + +"Yet, I s'pose there are people that love into the grave an' into death +an' after." The Girl's voice lowered, stopped. Then, looking straight +ahead of her, her eyes glistening, she broke out with: + +"Golly, it jest lifts you right up by your bootstraps to think of it, +don't it?" + +Johnson was not smiling now, but sat gazing intently at her through +half-veiled lids. + +"It does have that effect," he answered, the wonder of it all creeping +into his voice. + +"Yet, p'r'aps he was ahead o' the game. P'r'aps--" She did not finish +the sentence, but broke out with fresh enthusiasm: "Oh, say, I jest love +this conversation with you! I love to hear you talk! You give me idees!" + +Johnson's heart was too full for utterance; he could only think of his +own happiness. The next instant the Girl called to Wowkle to bring the +candle, while she, still eager and animated, her eyes bright, her lips +curving in a smile, took up a cigar and handed it to him, saying: + +"One o' your real Havanas!" + +"But I"--began Johnson, protestingly. + +Nevertheless the Girl lit a match for him from the candle which Wowkle +held up to her, and, while the latter returned the candle to the mantel, +Johnson lighted his cigar from the burning match between her fingers. + +"Oh, Girl, how I'd love to know you!" he suddenly cried with the fire of +love in his eyes. + +"But you do know me," was her answer, as she watched the smoke from his +cigar curl upwards toward the ceiling. + +"Not well enough," he sighed. + +For a brief second only she was silent. Whether she read his thoughts it +would be difficult to say; but there came a moment soon when she could +not mistake them. + +"What's your drift, anyway?" she asked, looking him full in the face. + +"To know you as Dante knew the lady--'One hour for me, one hour worth +the world,'" he told her, all the while watching and loving her beauty. + +At the thought she trembled a little, though she answered with +characteristic bluntness: + +"He didn't git it, Mr. Johnson." + +"All the same there are women we could die for," insisted Johnson, +dreamily. + +The Girl was in the act of carrying her cup to her mouth but put it down +on the table. Leaning forward, she inquired somewhat sneeringly: + +"Mr. Johnson, how many times have you died?" Johnson did not have to +think twice before answering. With wide, truthful eyes he said: + +"That day on the road to Monterey I said just that one woman for me. I +wanted to kiss you then," he added, taking her hand in his. And, strange +to say, she was not angry, not unwilling, but sweetly tender and modest +as she let it lay there. + +"But, Mr. Johnson, some men think so much o' kisses that they don't want +a second kiss from the same girl," spoke up the Girl after a moment's +reflection. + +"Doesn't that depend on whether they love her or not? Now all loves are +not alike," reasoned the man in all truthfulness. + +"No, but they all have the same aim--to git 'er if they can," contended +the Girl, gently withdrawing her hand. + +Silence filled the room. + +"Ah, I see you don't know what love is," at length sighed Johnson, +watching the colour come and go from her face. + +The Girl hesitated, then answered in a confused, uneven voice: + +"Nope. Mother used to say, 'It's a tickling sensation at the heart that +you can't scratch,' an' we'll let it go at that." + +"Oh, Girl, you're bully!" laughed the man, rising, and making an attempt +to embrace her. But all of a sudden he stopped and stood with a +bewildered look upon his face: a fierce gale was sweeping the mountain. +It filtered in through the crevices of the walls and doors; the lights +flickered; the curtains swayed; and the cabin itself rocked uncertainly +until it seemed as if it would be uprooted. It was all over in a minute. +In fact, the wind had died away almost simultaneously with the Girl's +loud cry of "Wowkle, hist the winder!" + +It is not to be wondered at, however, that Johnson looked apprehensively +about him with every fresh impulse of the gale. The Girl's description +of the storms on the mountain was fresh in his mind, and there was also +good and sufficient reason why he should not be caught in a blizzard on +the top of Cloudy Mountain! Nevertheless, as before, the calm look which +he saw on the Girl's face reassured him. Advancing once more towards +her, he stretched out his arms as if to gather her in them. + +"Look out, you'll muss my roses!" she cried, waving him back and dodging +Wowkle who, having cleared the table, was now making her last trip to +the cupboard. + +"Well, hadn't you better take them off then?" suggested Johnson, still +following her up. + +"Give a man an inch an' he'll be at Sank Hosey before you know it!" she +flung at him over her shoulder, and made straightway for the bureau. + +But although Johnson desisted, he kept his eyes upon her as she took the +roses from her hair, losing none of the picture that she made with the +light beating and playing upon her glimmering eyes, her rosy cheeks and +her parted lips. + +"Is there--is there anyone else?" he inquired falteringly, half-fearful +lest there was. + +"A man always says, 'who was the first one?' but the girl says, 'who'll +be the next one?'" she returned, as she carefully laid the roses in her +bureau drawer. + +"But the time comes when there never will be a next one." + +"No?" + +"No." + +"I'd hate to stake my pile on that," observed the Girl, drily. She blew +up each glove as it came off and likewise carefully laid them away in +the bureau drawer. + +By this time Wowkle's soft tread had ceased, her duties for the night +were over, and she stood at the table waiting to be dismissed. + +"Wowkle, git to your wigwam!" suddenly ordered her mistress, watching +her until she disappeared into the cupboard; but she did not see the +Indian woman's lips draw back in a half-grin as she closed the door +behind her. + +"Oh, you're sending her away! Must I go, too?" asked Johnson, dismally. + +"No--not jest yet; you can stay a--a hour or two longer," the Girl +informed him with a smile; and turning once more to the bureau she +busied herself there for a few minutes longer. + +Johnson's joy knew no bounds; he burst out delightedly: + +"Why, I'm like Dante! I want the world in that hour, because, you see, +I'm afraid the door of this little paradise might be shut to me after-- +Let's say this is my one hour--the hour that gave me--that kiss I want." + +"Go long! You go to grass!" returned the Girl with a nervous little +laugh. + +Johnson made one more effort and won out; that is, he succeeded, at +last, in getting her in his grasp. + +"Listen," said the determined lover, pleading for a kiss as he would +have pleaded for his very life. + +It was at this juncture that Wowkle, silently, stealthily, emerged from +the cupboard and made her way over to the door. Her feet were heavily +moccasined and she was blanketed in a stout blanket of gay colouring. + +"Ugh--some snow!" she muttered, as a gust of wind beat against her face +and drove great snow-flakes into the room, fairly taking her breath +away. But her words fell on deaf ears. For, oblivious to the storm that +was now raging outside, the youthful pair of lovers continued to +concentrate their thoughts upon the storm that was raging within their +own breasts, the Girl keeping up the struggle with herself, while the +man urged her on as only he knew how. + +"Why, if I let you take one you'd take two," denied the Girl, +half-yielding by her very words, if she but knew it. + +"No, I wouldn't--I swear I wouldn't," promised the man with great +earnestness. + +"Ugh--very bad!" was the Indian woman's muffled ejaculation as she +peered out into the night. But she had promised her lover to come to him +when supper was over, and she would not break faith with him even if it +were at the peril of her life. The next moment she went out, as did the +red light in the Girl's lantern hanging on a peg of the outer door. + +"Oh, please, please," said the Girl, half-protestingly, half-willingly. + +But the man was no longer to be denied; he kept on urging: + +"One kiss, only one." + +Here was an appeal which could no longer be resisted, and though +half-frightened by the tone of his voice and the look in his eye, the +Girl let herself be taken into his arms as she murmured: + +"'Tain't no use, I lay down my hands to you." + +And so it was that, unconscious of the great havoc that was being +wrought by the storm, unconscious of the danger that momentarily +threatened their lives, they remained locked in each other's arms. The +Girl made no attempt to silence him now or withdraw her hands from his. +Why should she? Had he not come to Cloudy Mountain to woo her? Was she +not awaiting his coming? To her it seemed but natural that the +conventions should be as nothing in the face of love. His voice, low and +musical, charged with passion, thrilled through her. + +"I love you," said the man, with a note of possession that frightened +her while it filled her with strange, sweet joy. For months she had +dreamed of him and loved him; no wonder that she looked upon him as her +hero and yielded herself entirely to her fate. + +She lifted her eyes and he saw the love in them. She freed her hands +from his grasp, and then gave them back to him in a little gesture of +surrender. + +"Yes, you're mine, an' I'm yours," she said with trembling lips. + +"I have lived but for this from the moment that I first saw you," he +told her, softly. + +"Me, too--seein' that I've prayed for it day an' night," she +acknowledged, her eyes seeking his. + +"Our destinies have brought us together; whatever happens now I am +content," he said, pressing his lips once more to hers. A little while +later he added: "My darkest hour will be lightened by the memory of you, +to-night." + + + + +XII. + + +The clock, striking the hour of two, filled in a lull that might +otherwise have seemed to require conversation. For some minutes, +Johnson, raised to a higher level of exaltation, even, than was the +Girl, had been secretly rejoicing in the Fate that had brought them +together. + +"It's wonderful that I should have found her at last and won her love," +he soliloquised. "We must be Fortune's children--she and I." + +The minutes ticked away and still they were silent. Then, of a sudden, +with infinite tenderness in his voice, Johnson asked: + +"What is your name, Girl--your real name?" + +"Min--Minnie; my father's name was Smith," she told him, her eyes cast +down under delicately tremulous lids. + +"Oh, Minnie Sm--" + +"But 'twa'n't his right name," quickly corrected the Girl, and +unconsciously both rose to their feet. "His right name was Falconer." + +"Minnie Falconer--well, that is a pretty name," commented Johnson; and +raising her hand to his lips he pressed them against it. + +"I ain't sure that's what he said it was--I ain't sure o' anythin' only +jest you," she said coyly, burying her face in his neck. + +"You may well be sure of me since I've loved--" Johnson's sentence was +cut short, a wave of remorse sweeping over him. "Turn your head away, +Girl, and don't listen to me," he went on, gently putting her away from +him. "I'm not worthy of you. Don't listen but just say no, no, no, no." + +The Girl, puzzled, was even more so when Johnson began to pace the +floor. + +"Oh, I know--I ain't good enough for you !" she cried with a little +tremour in her voice. "But I'll try hard, hard . . . If you see +anythin' better in me, why don't you bring it out, 'cause I've loved you +ever since I saw you first, 'cause I knowed that you--that you were the +right man." + +"The right man," repeated Johnson, dismally, for his conscience was +beginning to smite him hard. + +"Don't laugh!" + +"I'm not laughing," as indeed he was not. + +"O' course every girl kind o' looks ahead," went on the Girl in +explanation. + +"Yes, I suppose," he observed seriously. + +"An' figgers about bein'--well, Oh, you know--about bein' settled. An' +when the right man comes, why, she knows 'im, you bet! Jest as we both +knowed each other standin' on the road to Monterey. I said that day, +he's good, he's gran' an' he can have me." + +"I could have you," murmured Johnson, meditatively. + +The Girl nodded eagerly. + +There was a long silence in which Johnson was trying to make up his mind +to tear himself away from her,--the one woman whom he loved in the +world,--for it had been slowly borne in upon him that he was not a fit +mate for this pure young girl. Nor was his unhappiness lessened when he +recalled how she had struggled against yielding to him. At last, +difficult though it was, he took his courage in both hands, and said: + +"Girl, I have looked into your heart and my own and now I realise what +this means for us both--for you, Girl--and knowing that, it seems hard +to say good-bye as I should, must and will . . ." + +At those clear words spoken by lips which failed so utterly to hide his +misery, the Girl's face turned pale. + +"What do you mean?" she asked. + +Johnson coloured, hesitated, and finally with a swift glance at the +clock, he briefly explained: + +"I mean it's hard to go and leave you here. The clock reminded me that +long before this I should have been on my way. I shouldn't have come up +here at all. God bless you, dear," and here their eyes came together and +seemed unable to part,--"I love you as I never thought I could . . ." + +But at Johnson's queer look she hastened to inquire: + +"But it ain't for long you're goin'?" + +For long! Then she had not understood that he meant to go for all time. +How tell her the truth? While he pondered over the situation there came +to him with great suddenness the thought that, perhaps, after all, Life +never intended that she should be given to him only to be taken away +almost as suddenly; and seized with a desire to hold on to her at any +cost, he sprang forward as if to take her in his arms, but before he +reached her, he stopped short. + +"Such happiness is not for me," he muttered under his breath; and then +aloud he added: "No, no, I've got to go now while I have the courage, I +mean." He broke off as suddenly as he had begun, and taking her face in +his hands he kissed her good-bye. + +Now, accustomed as was the Girl to the strange comings and goings of the +men at the camp, it did not occur to her to question him further when he +told her that he should have been away before now. Moreover, she trusted +and loved him. And so it was without the slightest feeling of misgiving +that she watched her lover quickly take down his coat and hat from the +peg on the wall and start for the door. On the other hand, it must have +required not a little courage on the man's part to have torn himself +away from this lovely, if unconventional, creature, just as he was +beginning to love truly and appreciate her. But, then, Johnson was a man +of no mean determination! + +Not daring to trust himself to words, Johnson paused to look back over +his shoulder at the Girl before plunging forth into the night. But on +opening the door all the multitudinous wild noises of the forests +reached his ears: Sounds of whispering and rocking storm-tossed pines, +sounds of the wind making the rounds of the deep canyon below them, +sounds that would have made the blood run cold of a man more daring, +even, than himself. Like one petrified he stood blinded, almost, by the +great drifts of snow that were being driven into the room, while the +cabin rocked and shook and the roof cracked and snapped, the lights +flickered, smoked, or sent their tongues of fire upward towards the +ceiling, the curtains swayed like pendants in the air, and while +baskets, boxes, and other small furnishings of the cabin were blown in +every direction. + +But it was the Girl's quick presence of mind that saved them from being +buried, literally, under the snow. In an instant she had rushed past him +and closed both the outer and inner doors of the cabin; then, going over +to the window, she tried to look through the heavily frosted panes; but +the falling of the sleet and snow, striking the window like fine shot, +made it impossible for her to see more than a few inches away. + +"Why, it's the first time I knew that it--" She cut her sentence short +and ended with: "That's the way we git it up here! Look! Look!" + +Whereupon, Johnson went over to the window and put his face close to +hers on the frosted panes; a great sea of white snow met his gaze! + +"This means--" he said, turning away from the window and meeting her +glance--"surely it doesn't mean that I can't leave Cloudy to-night?" + +"It means you can't get off the mountain to-night," calmly answered the +Girl. + +"Good Lord!" fell from the man's lips. + +"You can't leave this room to-night," went on the Girl, decidedly. "Why, +you couldn't find your way three feet from this door--you a stranger! +You don't know the trail anyway unless you can see it." + +"But I can't stay here?" incredulously. + +"Why not? Why, that's all right! The boys'll come up an' dig us out +to-morrow or day after. There's plenty o' wood an' you can have my bed." +And with no more ado than that, the Girl went over to the bed to remove +the covers and make it ready for his occupancy. + +"I wouldn't think of taking that," protested the man, stoutly, while his +face clouded over. + +The Girl felt a thrill at the note of regard in his voice and hastened +to explain: + +"I never use it cold nights; I always roll up in my rug in front of the +fire." All of a sudden she broke out into a merry little laugh. "Jest +think of it stormin' all this time an' we didn't know it!" + +But Johnson was not in a laughing mood. Indeed, he looked very grave and +serious when presently he said: + +"But people coming up here and finding me might--" + +The Girl looked up at him in blank amazement. + +"Might what?" And then, while she waited for his answer, two shots in +close succession rang out in the night with great distinctness. + +There was no mistaking the nearness of the sound. Instantly scenting +trouble and alert at the possibility of danger, Johnson inquired: + +"What's that? What's that?" + +"Wait! Wait!" came back from the Girl, unconsciously in the same tone, +while she strained her ears for other sounds. She did not have long to +wait, however, before other shots followed, the last ones coming from +further away, so it seemed, and at greater intervals. + +"They've got a road agent--it's the posse--p'r'aps they've got Ramerrez +or one o' his band!" suddenly declared the Girl, at the same time +rushing over to the window for some verification of her words. But, as +before, the wind was beating with great force against the frosted panes, +and only a vast stretch of snow met her gaze. Turning away from the +window she now came towards him with: "You see, whoever it is, they're +snowed in--they can't get away." + +Johnson knitted his brows and muttered something under his breath which +the Girl did not catch. + +Again a shot was fired. + +"Another thief crep' into camp," coldly observed the Girl almost +simultaneously with the report. + +Johnson winced. + +"Poor devil!" he muttered. "But of course, as you say, he's only a +thief." + +In reply to which the Girl uttered words to the effect that she was glad +he had been caught. + +"Well, you're right," said Johnson, thoughtfully, after a short silence; +then determinedly and in short jerky sentences, he went on: "I've been +thinking that I must go--tear myself away. I have very important +business at dawn--imperative business . . ." + +The Girl, who now stood by the table folding up the white cloth cover, +watched him out of the corner of her eye, take down his coat from the +peg on the wall. + +"Ever sample one o' our mountain blizzards?" she asked as he slipped on +his coat. "In five minutes you wouldn't know where you was. Your +important business would land you at the bottom of a canyon 'bout twenty +feet from here." + +Johnson cleared his throat as if to speak but said nothing; whereupon +the Girl continued: + +"You say you believe in Fate. Well, Fate has caught up with you--you got +to stay here." + +Johnson was strangely silent. He was wondering how his coming there +to-night had really come about. But he could find no solution to the +problem unless it was in response to that perverse instinct which +prompts us all at times to do the very thing which in our hearts we know +to be wrong. The Girl, meanwhile, after a final creasing of the +neatly-folded cover, started for the cupboard, stopping on the way to +pick up various articles which the wind had strewn about the room. +Flinging them quickly into the cupboard she now went over to the window +and once more attempted to peer out into the night. But as before, it +was of no avail. With a shrug she straightened the curtains at the +windows and started for the door. Her action seemed to quicken his +decision, for, presently, with a gesture of resignation, he threw down +his hat and coat on the table and said as if speaking to himself: + +"Well, it is Fate--my Fate that has always made the thing I shouldn't do +so easy." And then, turning to the Girl, he added: "Come, Girl, as you +say, if I can't go, I can't. But I know as I stand here that I'll never +give you up." + +The Girl looked puzzled. + +"Why, what do you mean?" + +"I mean," began Johnson, pacing the floor slowly. Now he stopped by a +chair and pointed as though to the falling snow. "Suppose we say that's +an omen--that the old trail is blotted out and there is a fresh road. +Would you take it with me a stranger, who says: From this day I mean to +be all you'd have me. Would you take it with me far away from here and +forever?" + +It did not take the Girl long to frame an answer. Taking Johnson's hand +she said with great feeling: + +"Well, show me the girl that would want to go to Heaven alone! I'll sell +out the saloon--I'll go anywhere with you, you bet!" + +Johnson bent low over her hand and kissed it. The Girl's straightforward +answer had filled his heart to overflowing with joy. + +"You know what that means, don't you?" a moment later he asked. + +Sudden joy leapt to her blue eyes. + +"Oh, yes," she told him with a world of understanding in her voice. +There was a silence; then she went on reminiscently: "There's a little +Spanish Mission church--I pass it 'most every day. I can look in an' see +the light burnin' before the Virgin an' see the saints standin' round +with glassy eyes an' faded satin slippers. An' I often tho't what they'd +think if I was to walk right in to be made--well, some man's wife. It +makes your blood like pin-points thinkin' about it. There's somethin' +kind o' holy about love, ain't they?" + +Johnson nodded. He had never regarded love in that light before, much +less known it. For many moments he stood motionless, a new problem of +right and wrong throbbing in his bosom. + +At last, it being settled that Johnson was to pass the night in the +Girl's cabin, she went over to the bed and, once more, began to make it +ready for his occupancy. Meanwhile, Johnson, seated in the barrel rocker +before the fire, watched her with a new interest. The Girl had not gone +very far with her duties, however, when she suddenly came over to him, +plumping herself down on the floor at his feet. + +"Say, did you ever ask any other woman to marry you?" she asked as she +leaned far back in his arms. + +"No," was the man's truthful answer. + +"Oh, how glad I am! Take me--ah, take me I don't care where as long as +it is with you!" cried the Girl in an ecstasy of delight. + +"So help me, God, I'm going to . . .!" promised Johnson, his voice +strained, tense. "You're worth something better than me, Girl," he +added, a moment later, "but they say love works miracles every hour, +that it weakens the strong and strengthens the weak. With all my soul I +love you, with all my soul I--" The man let his voice die out, leaving +his sentence unfinished. Suddenly he called: "Why, Min-Minnie!" + +"I wasn't really asleep," spoke up the Girl, blinking sleepily. "I'm +jest so happy an' let down, that's all." The next moment, however, she +was forced to acknowledge that she was awfully sleepy and would have to +say good-night. + +"All right," said Johnson, rising, and kissed her good-night. + +"That's your bed over there," she told him, pointing in the direction of +the curtains. + +"But hadn't you better take the bed and let me sleep over here?" + +"Not much!" + +"You're sure you would be more comfortable by the fire--sure, now?" + +"Yes, you bet!" + +And so it was that Johnson decided to pass the night in the Girl's +canopied bed while she herself, rolled up in a blanket rug before the +fire, slept on the floor. + +"This beats a bed any time," remarked the Girl, spreading out the rug +smoothly; and then, reaching up for the old patchwork, silk quilt that +hung from the loft, she added: "There's one thing--you don't have to +make it up in the mornin'." + +"You're splendid, Girl!" laughed Johnson. Presently, he saw her quietly +closet herself in the cupboard, only to emerge a few minutes later +dressed for the night. Over her white cambric gown with its coarse lace +trimming showing at the throat, she wore a red woollen blanket robe held +in at the waist by a heavy, twisted, red cord which, to the man who got +a glimpse of her as she crossed the room, made her prettier, even, than +she had seemed at any time yet. + +Quietly, now, the Girl began to put her house in order. All the lights, +save the quaintly-shaded lamp that was suspended over the table, were +extinguished; that one, after many unsuccessful attempts, was turned +down so as to give the right minimum of light which would not interfere +with her lover's sleep. Then she went over to the door to make sure that +it was bolted. Outside the wind howled and shrieked and moaned; but +inside the cabin it had never seemed more cosey and secure and peaceful +to her. + +"Now you can talk to me from your bunk an' I'll talk to you from mine," +she said in a sleepy, lazy voice. + +Except for a prodigious yawn which came from the Girl there was an +ominous quiet hanging over the place that chilled the man. Sudden sounds +startled him, and he found it impossible to make any progress with his +preparations for the night. He was about to make some remark, however, +when to his well-attuned ears there came the sound of approaching +footsteps. In an instant he was standing in the parting made by the +curtains, his face eager, animated, tense. + +"What's that?" he whispered. + +"That's snow slidin'," the Girl informed him without the slightest trace +of anxiety in her voice. + +"God bless you, Girl," he murmured, and retreated back of the curtains. +It was only an instant before he was back again with: "Why, there is +something out there--sounded like people calling," he again whispered. + +"That's only the wind," she said, adding as she drew her robe tightly +about her: "Gettin' cold, ain't it?" + +But, notwithstanding her assurances, Johnson did not feel secure, and it +was with many misgivings that he now directed his footsteps towards the +bed behind the curtains. + +"Good-night!" he said uneasily. + +"Good-night!" unconsciously returned the Girl in the same tone. + +Taking off her slippers the Girl now put on a pair of moccasins and +quietly went over to her bed, where she knelt down and made a silent +prayer. + +"Good-night!" presently came from a little voice in the rug. + +"Good-night!" answered the man now settled in the centre of the +much-befrilled bed. + +There was a silence; then the little voice in the rug called out: + +"Say, what's your name?" + +"Dick," whispered the man behind the curtains. + +"So long, Dick!" drowsily. + +"So long, Girl!" dreamily. + +There was a brief silence; then, of a sudden, the Girl bolted upright in +bed, and asked: + +"Say, Dick, are you sure you don't know that Nina Micheltoreņa?" + +"Sure," prevaricated the man, not without some compunction. + +Whereupon the Girl fell back on her pillows and called out contentedly a +final "Good-night!" + + + + +XIII. + + +There was no mistaking then--no need to contrast her feeling of anxiety +of a few moments ago lest some other woman had preceded her in his +affections, with her indifference on former occasions when her admirers +had proved faithless, to make the Girl realise that she was experiencing +love and was dominated by a passion for this man. + +So that, with no reason whatever in her mind to question the sincerity +of Johnson's love for her, it would seem as if nothing were wanting to +make the Girl perfectly happy; that there could be no room in her heart +for any feeling other than elation. And yet, curiously enough, the Girl +could not doze off to sleep. Some mysterious force--a vague foreboding +of something about to happen--impelled her to open her eyes again and +again. + +It was an odd and wholly new sensation, this conjuring up of distressing +spectres, for no girl was given less to that sort of thing; all the +same, it was with difficulty that she checked an impulse to cry out to +her lover--whom she believed to be asleep--and make him dissipate, by +renewed assurances, the mysterious barrier which she felt was hemming +her in. + +As for Johnson, the moment that his head had touched the pillows, he +fell to thinking of the awkward situation in which he was placed, the +many complications in which his heart had involved him and, finally, he +found himself wondering whether the woman whom he loved so dearly was +also lying sleepless in her rug on the floor. + +And so it was not surprising that he should spring up the moment that he +heard cries from outside. + +"Who's that knockin', I wonder?" + +Although her voice showed no signs of distress or annoyance, the +question coming from her in a calm tone, the Girl was upon her feet +almost before she knew it. In a trice she removed all evidences that she +had been lying upon the floor, flinging the pillows and silk coverlet to +the wardrobe top. + +In that same moment Johnson was standing in the parting of the curtains, +his hand raised warningly. In another moment he was over to the door +where, after taking his pistols from his overcoat pockets, he stood in a +cool, determined attitude, fingering his weapons. + +"But some one's ben callin'," the Girl was saying, at the very moment +when above the loud roaring of the wind another knock was heard on the +cabin door. "Who can it be?" she asked as if to herself, and calmly went +over to the table, where she took up the candle and lit it. + +Springing to her side, Johnson whispered tensely: + +"Don't answer--you can't let anyone in--they wouldn't understand." + +The Girl eyed him quizzically. + +"Understand what?" And before he had time to explain, much less to check +her, she was standing at the window, candle in hand, peering out into +the night. + +"Why, it's the posse!" she cried, wheeling round suddenly. "How did they +ever risk it in this storm?" + +At these words a crushed expression appeared on Johnson's countenance; +an uncanny sense of insecurity seized him. Once more the loud, insistent +pounding was repeated, and as before, the outlaw, his hands on his guns, +commanded her not to answer. + +"But what on earth do the boys want?" inquired the Girl, seemingly +oblivious to what he was saying. Indeed, so much so that as the voice of +Nick rose high above the other sounds of the night, calling, +"Min-Minnie-Girl, let us in!" she hurriedly brushed past him and yelled +through the door: + +"What do you want?" + +Again Johnson's hand went up imperatively. + +"Don't let him come in!" he whispered. + +But even then she heard not his warning, but silently, tremulously +listened to Sonora, who shouted through the door: "Say, Girl, you all +right?" And not until her answering voice had called back her assurance +that she was safe did she turn to the man at her side and whisper in a +voice that showed plainly her agitation and fear: + +"Jack Rance is there! If he was to see you here--he's that jealous I'd +be afraid--" She checked her words and quickly put her ear close to the +door, the voices outside having become louder and more distinct. +Presently she spun round on her heel and announced excitedly: "Ashby's +there, too!" And again she put her ear to the door. + +"Ashby!" The exclamation fell from Johnson's lips before he was aware of +it. It was impossible to deceive himself any longer--the posse had +tracked him! + +"We want to come in, Girl!" suddenly rang out from the well-known voice +of Nick. + +"But you can't come in!" shouted back the Girl above the noise of the +storm; then, taking advantage of a particularly loud howl of the blast, +she turned to Johnson and inquired: "What will I say? What reason will I +give?" + +Serious as was Johnson's predicament, he could not suppress a smile. In +a surprisedly calm voice he told her to say that she had gone to bed. + +The Girl's eyes flooded with admiration. + +"Why, o' course--that's it," she said, and turned back to the door and +called through it: "I've gone to bed, Nick! I'm in bed now!" + +The barkeeper's answer was lost in another loud howl of the blast. Soon +afterwards, however, the Girl made out that Nick was endeavouring to +convey to her a warning of some kind. + +"You say you've come to warn me?" she cried. + +"Yes, Ramerrez . . .!" + +"What? Say that again?" + +"Ramerrez is on the trail--" + +"Ramerrez's on the trail!" repeated the Girl in tones of alarm; and not +waiting to hear further she motioned to Johnson to conceal himself +behind the curtains of the bed, muttering the while: + +"I got to let 'em in--I can't keep 'em out there on such a night . . ." +He had barely reached his place of concealment when the Girl slid back +the bolts and bade the boys to come in. + +Headed by Rance, the men quickly filed in and deposited their lanterns +on the floor. It was evident that they had found the storm most severe, +for their boots were soaked through and their heavy buffalo overcoats, +caps and ear-muffs were covered with snow, which all, save Rance, +proceeded to remove by shaking their shoulders and stamping their feet. +The latter, however, calmly took off his gloves, pulled out a +beautifully-creased handkerchief from his pocket, and began slowly to +flick off the snow from his elegant mink overcoat before hanging it +carefully upon a peg on the wall. After that he went over to the table +and warmed his hands over the lighted candle there. Meanwhile, Sonora, +his nose, as well as his hands which with difficulty he removed from his +heavy fur mittens, showing red and swollen from the effects of the +biting cold, had gone over to the fire, where he ejaculated: + +"Ouf, I'm cold! Glad you're safe, Girl!" + +"Yes, Girl, The Polka's had a narrow squeak," observed Nick, stamping +his feet which, as well as his legs, were wrapped with pieces of +blankets for added warmth. + +Unconsciously, at his words, the Girl's eyes travelled to the bed; then, +drawing her robe snugly about her, and seating herself, she asked with +suppressed excitement: + +"Why, Nick, what's the matter? What's--" + +Rance took it upon himself to do the answering. Sauntering over to the +Girl, he drawled out: + +"It takes you a long time to get up, seems to me. You haven't so much +on, either," he went on, piercing her with his eyes. + +Smilingly and not in the least disconcerted by the Sheriff's remark, the +Girl picked up a rug from the floor and wound it about her knees. + +"Well?" she interrogated. + +"Well, we was sure that you was in trouble," put in Sonora. "My breath +jest stopped." + +"Me? Me in trouble, Sonora?" A little laugh that was half-gay, +half-derisive, accompanied her words. + +"See here, that man Ramerrez--" followed up Rance with a grim look. + +"--feller you was dancin' with," interposed Sonora, but checked himself +instantly lest he wound the Girl's feelings. + +Whereupon, Rance, with no such compunctions, became the spokesman, a +grimace of pleasure spreading over his countenance as he thought of the +unpleasant surprise he was about to impart. Stretching out his stiffened +fingers over the blaze, he said in his most brutal tones: + +"Your polkying friend is none other than Ramerrez." + +The Girl's eyes opened wide, but they did not look at the Sheriff. They +looked straight before her. + +"I warned you, girl," spoke up Ashby, "that you should bank with us +oftener." + +The Girl gave no sign of having heard him. Her slender figure seemed to +have shrunken perceptibly as she stared stupidly, uncomprehendingly, +into space. + +"We say that Johnson was--" repeated Rance, impatiently. + +"--what?" fell from the Girl's lips, her face pale and set. + +"Are you deaf?" demanded Rance; and then, emphasising every word, he +rasped out: "The fellow you've been polkying with is the man that has +been asking people to hold up their hands." + +"Oh, go on--you can't hand me out that!" Nevertheless the Girl looked +wildly about the room. + +Angrily Rance strode over to her and sneered bitingly: + +"You don't believe it yet, eh?" + +"No, I don't believe it yet!" rapped out the Girl, laying great stress +upon the last word. "I know he isn't." + +"Well, he _is_ Ramerrez, and he _did_ come to The Polka to rob it," +retorted the Sheriff. + +All at once the note of resentment in the Girl's voice became positive; +she flared back at him, though she flushed in spite of herself. + +"But he didn't rob it!" + +"That's what gits me," fretted Sonora. "He didn't." + +"I should think it would git you," snapped back the Girl, both in her +look and voice rebuking him for his words. + +It was left to Ashby to spring another surprise. + +"We've got his horse," he said pointedly. + +"An' I never knowed one o' these men to separate from his horse," +commented Sonora, still smarting under the Girl's reprimand. + +"Right you are! And now that we've got his horse and this storm is on, +we've got him," said Rance, triumphantly. "But the last seen of +Johnson," he went on with a hasty movement towards the Girl and eyeing +her critically, "he was heading this way. You seen anything of him?" + +The Girl struggled hard to appear composed. + +"Heading this way?" she inquired, reddening. + +"So Nick said," declared Sonora, looking towards that individual for +proof of his words. + +But Nick had caught the Girl's lightning glance imposing silence upon +him; in some embarrassment he stammered out: + +"That is, he was--Sid said he saw 'im take the trail, too." + +"But the trail ends here," pointed out Rance, at the same time looking +hard at the Girl. "And if she hasn't seen him, where was he going?" + +At this juncture Nick espied a cigar butt on the floor; unseen by the +others, he hurriedly picked it up and threw it in the fire. + +"One o' our dollar Havanas! Good Lord, he's here!" he muttered to +himself. + +"Rance is right. Where was he goin'?" was the question with which he was +confronted by Sonora when about to return to the others. + +"Well, I tho't I seen him," evaded Nick with considerable uneasiness. "I +couldn't swear to it. You see it was dark, an'--Moses but the Sidney +Duck's a liar!" + +At length, Ashby decided that the man had in all probability been snowed +under, ending confidently with: + +"Something scared him off and he lit out without his horse." Which +remark brought temporary relief to the Girl, for Nick, watching her, saw +the colour return to her face. + +Unconsciously, during this discussion, the Girl had risen to her feet, +but only to fall back in her chair again almost as suddenly, a sign of +nervousness which did not escape the sharp eye of the Sheriff. + +"How do you know the man's a road agent?" A shade almost of contempt was +in the Girl's question. + +Sonora breathed on his badly nipped fingers before answering: + +"Well, two greasers jest now were pretty positive before they quit." + +Instantly the Girl's head went up in the air. + +"Greasers!" she ejaculated scornfully, while her eyes unfalteringly met +Rance's steady gaze. + +"But the woman knew him," was the Sheriff's vindictive thrust. + +The Girl started; her face went white. + +"The woman--the woman d'you say?" + +"Why, yes, it was a woman that first tol' them that Ramerrez was in the +camp to rob The Polka," Sonora informed her, though his tone showed +plainly his surprise at being compelled to repeat a thing which, he +wrongly believed, she already knew. + +"We saw her at The Palmetto," leered Rance. + +"And we missed the reward," frowned Ashby; at which Rance quickly turned +upon the speaker with: + +"But Ramerrez is trapped." + +There was a moment's startled pause in which the Girl struggled with her +passions; at last, she ventured: + +"Who's this woman?" + +The Sheriff laughed discordantly. + +"Why, the woman of the back trail," he sneered. + +"Nina Micheltoreņa! Then she does know 'im--it's true--it goes through +me!" unwittingly burst from the Girl's lips. + +The Sheriff, evidently, found the Situation amusing, for he laughed +outright. + +"He's the sort of a man who polkas with you first and then cuts your +throat," was his next stab. + +The Girl turned upon him with eyes flashing and retorted: + +"Well, it's my throat, ain't it?" + +"Well I'll be!--" The Sheriff's sentence was left unfinished, for Nick, +quickly pulling him to one side, whispered: + +"Say, Rance, the Girl's cut up because she vouched for 'im. Don't rub it +in." + +Notwithstanding, Rance, to the Girl's query of "How did this Nina +Micheltoreņa know it?" took a keen delight in telling her: + +"She's his girl." + +"His girl?" repeated the Girl, mechanically. + +"Yes. She gave us his picture," went on Rance; and taking the photograph +out of his pocket, he added maliciously, "with love written on the back +of it." + +A glance at the photograph, which she fairly snatched out of his hands, +convinced the Girl of the truthfulness of his assertion. With a movement +of pain she threw it upon the floor, crying out bitterly: + +"Nina Micheltoreņa! Nina Micheltoreņa!" Turning to Ashby with an abrupt +change of manner she said contritely: "I'm sorry, Mr. Ashby, I vouched +for 'im." + +The Wells Fargo Agent softened at the note in the Girl's voice; he was +about to utter some comforting words to her when suddenly she spoke +again. + +"I s'pose they had one o' them little lovers' quarrels an' that made 'er +tell you, eh?" She laughed a forced little laugh, though her heart was +beating strangely as she kept on: "He's the kind o' man who sort o' +polkas with every girl he meets." And at this she began to laugh almost +hysterically. + +Rance, who resented her apologising to anyone but himself, stood +scowling at her. + +"What are you laughing at?" he questioned. + +"Oh, nothin', Jack, nothin'," half-cried, half-laughed the Girl. "Only +it's kind o' funny how things come out, ain't it? Took in! Nina +Micheltoreņa! Nice company he keeps--one o' them Cachuca girls with +eyelashes at half-mast!" + +Once more, she broke out into a fit of laughter. + +"Well, well," she resumed, "an' she sold 'im out for money! Ah, Jack +Rance, you're a better guesser'n I am!" And with these words she sank +down at the table in an apathy of misery. Horror and hatred and +hopelessness had possession of her. A fierce look was in her eyes when a +moment later she raised her head and abruptly dismissed the boys, +saying: + +"Well, boys, it's gittin' late--good-night!" + +Sonora was the first to make a movement towards the door. + +"Come on, boys," he growled in his deep bass voice; "don't you intend to +let a lady go to bed?" + +One by one the men filed through the door which Nick held open for them; +but when all but himself had left, the devoted little barkeeper turned +to the Girl with a look full of meaning, and whispered: + +"Do you want me to stay?" + +"Me? Oh, no, Nick!" And with a "Good-night, all! Good-night, Sonora, an' +thank you! Good-night, Nick!" the Girl closed the door upon them. The +last that she heard from them was the muffled ejaculation: + +"Oh, Lordy, we'll never git down to Cloudy to-night!" + +Now the Girl slid the bolts and stood with her back against the door as +if to take extra precautions to bar out any intrusion, and with eyes +that blazed she yelled out: + +"Come out o' that, now! Step out there, Mr. Johnson!" + +Slowly the road agent parted the curtains and came forward in an +attitude of dejection. + +"You came here to rob me," at once began the Girl, but her anger made it +impossible for her to continue. + +"I didn't," denied the road agent, quietly, his countenance reflecting +how deeply hurt he was by her words. + +"You lie!" insisted the Girl, beside herself with rage. + +"I don't--" + +"You do!" + +"I admit that every circumstance points to--" + +"Stop! Don't you give me any more o' that Webster Unabridged. You git to +cases. If you didn't come here to steal you came to The Polka to rob it, +didn't you?" + +Johnson, his eyes lowered, was forced to admit that such were his +intentions, adding swiftly: + +"But when I knew about you--" He broke off and took a step towards her. + +"Wait! Wait! Wait where you are! Don't you take a step further or +I'll--" She made a significant gesture towards her bosom, and then, +laughing harshly, went on denouncingly: "A road agent! A road agent! +Well, ain't it my luck! Wouldn't anybody know to look at me that a +gentleman wouldn't fall my way! A road agent! A road agent!" And again +she laughed bitterly before going on: "But now you can git--git, you +thief, you imposer on a decent woman! I ought to have tol' 'em all, but +I wa'n't goin' to be the joke o' the world with you behind the curtains +an' me eatin' charlotte rusks an' lemming turnovers an' a-polkyin' with +a road agent! But now you can git--git, do you hear me?" + +Johnson heard her to the end with bowed head; and so scathing had been +her denunciations of his actions that the fact that pride alone kept her +from breaking down completely escaped his notice. With his eyes still +downcast be said in painful fragments: + +"One word only--only a word and I'm not going to say anything in defence +of myself. For it's all true--everything is true except that I would +have stolen from you. I _am_ called Ramerrez; I _have_ robbed; I _am_ a +road agent--an outlaw by profession. Yes, I'm all that--and my father +was that before me. I was brought up, educated, thrived on thieves' +money, I suppose, but until six months ago when my father died, I did +not know it. I lived much in Monterey--I lived there as a gentleman. +When we met that day I wasn't the thing I am to-day. I only learned the +truth when my father died and left me with a rancho and a band of +thieves--nothing else--nothing for us all, and I--but what's the good of +going into it--the circumstances. You wouldn't understand if I did. I +was my father's son; I have no excuse; I guess, perhaps, it was in +me--in the blood. Anyhow, I took to the road, and I didn't mind it much +after the first time. But I drew the line at killing--I wouldn't have +that. That's the man that I am, the blackguard that I am. But--" here he +raised his eyes and said with a voice that was charged with feeling--"I +swear to you that from the moment I kissed you to-night I meant to +change, I meant to--" + +"The devil you did!" broke from the Girl's lips, but with a sound that +was not unlike a sob. + +"I did, believe me, I did," insisted the man. "I meant to go straight +and take you with me--but only honestly--when I could honestly. I meant +to work for you. Why, every word you said to me to-night about being a +thief cut into me like a knife. Over and over again I have said to +myself, she must never know. And now--well, it's all over--I have +finished." + +"An' that's all?" questioned the Girl with averted face. + +"No--yes--what's the use . . .?" + +The Girl's anger blazed forth again. + +"But there's jest one thing you've overlooked explainin', Mr. Johnson. +It shows exactly what you are. It wasn't so much your bein' a road agent +I got against you. It's this:" And here she stamped her foot excitedly. +"You kissed me--you got my first kiss." + +Johnson hung his head. + +"You said," kept on the Girl, hotly, "you'd ben thinkin' o' me ever +since you saw me at Monterey, an' all the time you walked straight off +an' ben kissin' that other woman." She shrugged her shoulder and laughed +grimly. "You've got a girl," she continued, growing more and more +indignant. "It's that I've got against you. It's my first kiss I've got +against you. It's that Nina Micheltoreņa that I can't forgive. So now +you can git--git!" And with these words she unbolted the door and +concluded tensely: + +"If they kill you I don't care. Do you hear, I don't care . . ." + +At those bitter words spoken by lips which failed so utterly to hide +their misery, the Girl's face became colourless. + +With the instinct of a brave man to sell his life as dearly as possible, +Johnson took a couple of guns from his pocket; but the next moment, as +if coming to the conclusion that death without the Girl would be +preferable, he put them back, saying: + +"You're right, Girl." + +The next instant he had passed out of the door which she held wide open +for him. + +"That's the end o' that--that's the end o' that," she wound up, slamming +the door after him. But all the way from the threshold to the bureau she +kept murmuring to herself: "I don't care, I don't care . . . I'll be +like the rest o' the women I've seen. I'll give that Nina Micheltoreņa +cards an' spades. There'll be another hussy around here. There'll be--" +The threat was never finished. Instead, with eyes that fairly started +out of their sockets, she listened to the sound of a couple of shots, +the last one exploding so loud and distinct that there was no mistaking +its nearness to the cabin. + +"They've got 'im!" she cried. "Well, I don't care--I don't--" But again +she did not finish what she intended to say. For at the sound of a heavy +body falling against the cabin door she flew to it, opened it and, +throwing her arms about the sorely-wounded man, dragged him into the +cabin and placed him in a chair. Quick as lightning she was back at the +door bolting it. + +With his eyes Johnson followed her action. + +"Don't lock that door--I'm going out again--out there. Don't bar that +door," he commanded feebly, struggling to his feet and attempting to +walk towards it; but he lurched forward and would have fallen to the +floor had she not caught him. Vainly he strove to break away from her, +all the time crying out: "Don't you see, don't you see, Girl--open the +door." And then again with almost a sob: "Do you think me a man to hide +behind a woman?" He would have collapsed except for the strong arms that +held him. + +"I love you an' I'm goin' to save you," the Girl murmured while +struggling with him. "You asked me to go away with you; I will when you +git out o' this. If you can't save your own soul--" She stopped and +quickly went over to the mantel where she took down a bottle of whisky +and a glass; but in the act of pouring out a drink for him there came a +loud rap on the window, and quickly looking round she saw Rance's +piercing eyes peering into the room. For an instant she paled, but then +there flashed through her mind the comforting thought that the Sheriff +could not possibly see Johnson from his position. So, after giving the +latter his drink, she waited quietly until a rap at the door told her +that Rance had left the window when, her eye having lit on the ladder +that was held in place on the ceiling, she quickly ran over to it and +let it down, saying: + +"Go up the ladder! Climb up there to the loft You're the man that's got +my first kiss an' I'm goin' to save you . . ." + +"Oh, no, not here," protested Johnson, stubbornly. + +"Do you want them to see you in my cabin?" she cried reproachfully, +trying to lift him to his feet. + +"Oh, hurry, hurry . . .!" + +With the utmost difficulty Johnson rose to his feet and catching the +rounds of the ladder he began to ascend. But after going up a few rounds +he reeled and almost fell off, gasping: + +"I can't make it--no, I can't . . ." + +"Yes, you can," encouraged the Girl; and then, simultaneously with +another loud knock on the door: "You're the man I love an' you +must--you've got to show me the man that's in you. Oh, go on, go on, +jest a step an' you'll git there." + +"But I can't," came feebly from the voice above. Nevertheless, the next +instant he fell full length on the boarded floor of the loft with the +hand outstretched in which was the handkerchief he had been staunching +the blood from the wound in his side. + +With a whispered injunction that he was all right and was not to move on +any account, the Girl put the ladder back in its place. But no sooner +was this done than on looking up she caught sight of the stained +handkerchief. She called softly up to him to take it away, explaining +that the cracks between the boards were wide and it could plainly be +seen from below. + +"That's it!" she exclaimed on observing that he had changed the position +of his hand. "Now, don't move!" + +Finally, with the lighted candle in her hand, the Girl made a quick +survey of the room to see that nothing was in sight that would betray +her lover's presence there, and then throwing open the door she took up +such a position by it that it made it impossible for anyone to get past +her without using force. + +"You can't come in here, Jack Rance," she said in a resolute voice. "You +can tell me what you want from where you are." + +Roughly, almost brutally, Rance shoved her to one side and entered. + +"No more Jack Rance. It's the Sheriff coming after Mr. Johnson," he +said, emphasizing each word. + +The Girl eyed him defiantly. + +"Yes, I said Mr. Johnson," reiterated the Sheriff, cocking the gun that +he held in his hand. "I saw him coming in here." + +"It's more 'n I did," returned the Girl, evenly, and bolted the door. +"Do you think I'd want to shield a man who tried to rob me?" she asked, +facing him. + +Ignoring the question, Rance removed the glove of his weaponless hand +and strode to the curtains that enclosed the Girl's bed and parted them. +When he turned back he was met by a scornful look and the words: + +"So, you doubt me, do you? Well, go on--search the place. But this ends +your acquaintance with The Polka. Don't you ever speak to me again. +We're through." + +Suddenly there came a smothered groan from the man in the loft; Rance +wheeled round quickly and brought up his gun, demanding: + +"What's that? What's that?" + +Leaning against the bureau the Girl laughed outright and declared that +the Sheriff was becoming as nervous as an old woman. Her ridicule was +not without its effect, and, presently, Rance uncocked his gun and +replaced it in its holster. Advancing now to the table where the Girl +was standing, he took off his cap and shook it before laying it down; +then, pointing to the door, his eyes never leaving the Girl's face, he +went on accusingly: + +"I saw someone standing out there against the snow. I fired. I could +have sworn it was a man." + +The Girl winced. But as she stood watching him calmly remove his coat +and shake it with the air of one determined to make himself at home, she +cried out tauntingly: + +"Why do you stop? Why don't you go on--finish your search--only don't +ever speak to me again." + +At that, Rance became conciliatory. + +"Say, Min, I don't want to quarrel with you." + +Turning her back on him the Girl moved over to the bureau where she +snapped out over her shoulder: + +"Go on with your search, then p'r'aps you'll leave a lady to herself to +go to bed." + +The Sheriff followed her up with the declaration: + +"I'm plumb crazy about you, Min." + +The Girl shrugged her shoulder. + +"I could have sworn I saw--I--Oh, you know it's just you for me--just +you, and curse the man you like better. I--I--even yet I can't get over +the queer look in your face when I told you who that man really was." He +stopped and flung his overcoat down on the floor, and fixing her with a +look he demanded: "You don't love him, do you?" + +Again the Girl sent over her shoulder a forced little laugh. + +"Who--me?" + +The Sheriff's face brightened. Taking a few steps nearer to her, he +hazarded: + +"Say, Girl, was your answer final to-night about marrying me?" + +Without turning round the Girl answered coyly: + +"I might think it over, Jack." + +Instantly the man's passion was aroused. He strode over to her, put his +arms around her and kissed her forcibly. + +"I love you, I love you, Minnie!" he cried passionately. + +In the struggle that followed, the Girl's eyes fell on the bottle on the +mantel. With a cry she seized it and raised it threateningly over her +head. Another second, however, she sank down upon a chair and began to +sob, her face buried in her hands. + +Rance regarded her coldly; at last he gave vent to a mirthless laugh, +the nasty laugh of a man whose vanity is hurt. + +"So, it's as bad as that," he sneered. "I didn't quite realise it. I'm +much obliged to you. Good-night." He snatched up his coat, hesitated, +then repeated a little less angrily than before: "Good-night!" + +But the Girl, with her face still hidden, made no answer. For a moment +he watched the crouching form, the quivering shoulders, then asked, with +sudden and unwonted gentleness: + +"Can't you say good-night to me, Girl!" + +Slowly the Girl rose to her feet and faced him, aversion and pity +struggling for mastery. Then, as she noted the spot where he was now +standing, his great height bringing him so near to the low boards of the +loft where her lover was lying that it seemed as though he must hear the +wounded man's breathing, all other feelings were swept away by +overwhelming fear. With the one thought that she must get rid of +him,--do anything, say anything, but get rid of him quickly, she forced +herself forward, with extended hand, and said in a voice that held out +new promise: + +"Good-night. Jack Rance,--good-night!" + +Rance seized the hand with an almost fierce gladness in both his own, +his keen glance hungrily striving to read her face. Then, suddenly, he +released her, drawing back his hand with a quick sharpness. + +"Why, look at my hand! There's blood on it!" he said. + +And even as he spoke, under the yellow flare of the lamp, the Girl saw a +second drop of blood fall at her feet. Like a flash, the terrible +significance of it came upon her. Only by self-violence could she keep +her glance from rising, tell-tale, to the boards above. + +"Oh, I'm so sorry," she heard herself saying contritely, all the time +desperately groping to invent a reason; at length, she added futilely: +"I must have scratched you." + +Rance looked puzzled, staring at the spatter of red as though +hypnotised. + +"No, there's no scratch there," he contended, wiping off the blood with +his handkerchief. + +"Oh, yes, there is," insisted the Girl tremulously; "that is, there will +be in the mornin'. You'll see in the mornin' that there'll be--" She +stopped and stared in frozen terror at the sinister face of the Sheriff, +who was coolly watching his handkerchief turn from white to red under +the slow rain of blood from the loft above. + +"Oho!" he emitted sardonically, stepping back and pointing his gun +towards the loft. "So, he's up there!" + +The Girl's fingers clutched his arm, dragging desperately. + +"No, he isn't, Jack--no, he isn't!" she iterated in blind, mechanical +denial. + +With an abrupt movement, Rance flung her violently from him, made a grab +at the suspended ladder and lowered it into position; then, deaf to the +Girl's pleadings, harshly ordered Johnson to come down, meanwhile +covering the source of the blood-drops with his gun. + +"Oh, wait,--wait a minute!" begged the Girl helplessly. What would +happen if he couldn't obey the summons? He had spent himself in his +climb to safety. Perhaps he was unconscious, slowly bleeding to death! +But even as she tortured herself with fears, the boards above creaked as +though a heavy body was dragging itself slowly across them. Johnson was +evidently doing his best to reach the top of the ladder; but he did not +move quickly enough to suit the Sheriff. + +"Come down, or I'll--" + +"Oh, just a minute, Jack, just a minute!" broke in the Girl frantically. +"Don't shoot!--Don't you see he's tryin' to--?" + +"Come down here, Mr. Johnson!" reiterated the Sheriff, with a face +inhuman as a fiend. + +The Girl clenched her hands, heedless of the nails cutting into her +palms: "Won't you wait a moment,--please, wait, Jack!" + +"Wait? What for?" the Sheriff flung at her brutally, his finger +twitching on the trigger. + +The Girl's lips parted to answer, then closed again dumbly,--for it was +then that she saw the boots, then the legs of the road agent slide +uncertainly through the open trap, fumble clumsily for the rungs of the +ladder, then slip and stumble as the weight of the following body came +upon them while the weak fingers strained desperately for a hold. The +whole heart and soul and mind of the Girl seemed to be reaching out +impotently to give her lover strength, to hurry him down fast enough to +forestall a shot from the Sheriff. It seemed hours until the road agent +reached the bottom of the ladder, then lurched with unseeing eyes to a +chair and, finally, fell forward limply, with his arms and head resting +on the table. Still dumb with dread, the Girl watched Rance slowly +circle round the wounded man; it was not until the Sheriff returned his +pistol to its holster that she breathed freely again. + +"So, you dropped into The Polka to-night to play a little game of poker? +Funny how things change about in an hour or two!" Rance chuckled +mirthlessly; it seemed to suit his sardonic humour to taunt his helpless +rival. "You think you can play poker,--that's your conviction, is it? +Well, you can play freeze-out as to your chances, Mr. Johnson of +Sacramento. Come, speak up,--it's shooting or the tree,--which shall it +be?" + +Goaded beyond endurance by Rance's taunting of the unconscious man, the +Girl, fumbling in her bosom for her pistol, turned upon him in a sudden, +cold fury: + +"You better stop that laughin', Jack Rance, or I'll send you to finish +it in some place where things ain't so funny." + +Something in the Girl's altered tone so struck the Sheriff that he +obeyed her. He said nothing, but on his lips were the words, "By Heaven, +the Girl means it!" and his eyes showed a smouldering admiration. + +"He doesn't hear you,--he's out of it. But me--me--I hear you--I ain't +out of it," the Girl went on in compelling tones. "You're a gambler; he +was, too; well, so am I." She crossed deliberately to the bureau, and +laid her pistol away in the drawer, Rance meanwhile eyeing her with +puzzled interest. Returning, she went on, incisively as a whip lash: +"I live on chance money, drink money, card money, saloon money. We're +gamblers,--we're all gamblers!" She paused, an odd expression coming +over her face,--an expression that baffled Rance's power to read. +Presently she resumed: "Now, you asked me to-night if my answer was +final,--well, here's your chance. I'll play you the game,--straight +poker. It's two out o' three for me. Hatin' the sight o' you, it's the +nearest chance you'll ever get for me." + +"Do you mean--" began Rance, his hands resting on the table, his +hawk-like glance burning into her very thoughts. + +"Yes, with a wife in Noo Orleans all right," she interrupted him +feverishly. "If you're lucky,--you'll git 'im an' me. But if you +lose,--this man settin' between us is mine--mine to do with as I please, +an' you shut up an' lose like a gentleman." + +"You must be crazy about him!" The words seemed wrung from the Sheriff +against his will. + +"That's my business!" came like a knife-cut from the Girl. + +"Do you know you're talkin' to the Sheriff?" + +"I'm talkin' to Jack Rance, the gambler," she amended evenly. + +"You're right,--and he's just fool enough to take you up," returned +Rance with sudden decision. He looked around him for a chair; there was +one near the table, and the Girl handed it to him. With one hand he +swung it into place before the table, while with the other he jerked off +the table-cover, and flung it across the room. Johnson neither moved nor +groaned, as the edge slid from beneath his nerveless arms. + +"You and the cyards have got into my blood. I'll take you up," he said, +seating himself. + +"Your word," demanded the Girl, leaning over the table, but still +standing. + +"I can lose like a gentleman," returned Rance curtly; then, with a swift +seizure of her hand, he continued tensely, in tones that made the Girl +shrink and whiten, "I'm hungry for you, Min, and if I win, I'll take it +out on you as long as I have breath." + +A moment later, the Girl had freed her hand from his clasp, and was +saying evenly, "Fix the lamp." And while the Sheriff was adjusting the +wick that had begun to flare up smokily, she swiftly left the room, +saying casually over her shoulder that she was going to fetch something +from the closet. + +"What you goin' to get?" he called after her suspiciously. The Girl made +no reply. Rance made no movement to follow her, but instead drew a pack +of cards from his pocket and began to shuffle them with practiced +carelessness. But when a minute had passed and the girl had not +returned, he called once more, with growing impatience, to know what was +keeping her. + +"I'm jest gettin' the cards an' kind o' steadyin' my nerves," she +answered somewhat queerly through the doorway. The next moment she had +returned, quickly closing the closet door behind her, blew out her +candle, and laying a pack of cards upon the table, said significantly: + +"We'll use a fresh deck. There's a good deal depends on this, Jack." She +seated herself opposite the Sheriff and so close to the unconscious form +of the man she loved that from time to time her left arm brushed his +shoulder. + +Rance, without protest other than a shrug, took up his own deck of +cards, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and stowed them away in his +pocket. It was the Girl who spoke first: + +"Are you ready?" + +"Ready? Yes. I'm ready. Cut for deal." + +With unfaltering fingers, the Girl cut. Of the man beside her, dead or +dying, she must not, dared not think. For the moment she had become one +incarnate purpose: to win, to win at any cost,--nothing else mattered. + +Rance won the deal; and taking up the pack he asked, as he shuffled: + +"A case of show-down?" + +"Show-down." + +"Cut!" once more peremptorily from Rance; and then, when she had cut, +one question more: "Best two out of three?" + +"Best two out of three." Swift, staccato sentences, like the rapid +crossing of swords, the first preliminary interchange of strokes before +the true duel begins. + +Rance dealt the cards. Before either looked at them, he glanced across +at the Girl and asked scornfully, perhaps enviously: + +"What do you see in him?" + +"What do you see in me?" she flashed back instantly, as she picked up +her cards; and then: "What have you got?" + +"King high," declared the gambler. + +"King high here," echoed the Girl. + +"Jack next," and he showed his hand. + +"Queen next," and the Girl showed hers. + +"You've got it," conceded the gambler, easily. Then, in another tone, +"but you're making a mistake--" + +"If I am, it's my mistake! Cut!" + +Rance cut the cards. The Girl dealt them steadily. Then, + +"What have you got?" she asked. + +"One pair,--aces. What have you?" + +"Nothing," throwing her cards upon the table. + +With just a flicker of a smile, the Sheriff once more gathered up the +pack, saying smoothly: + +"Even now,--we're even." + +"It's the next hand that tells, Jack, ain't it?" + +"Yes." + +"It's the next hand that tells me,--I'm awfully sorry,--" the words +seemed to come awkwardly; her glance was troubled, almost contrite, "at +any rate, I want to say jest now that no matter how it comes out--" + +"Cut!" interjected Rance mechanically. + +"--that I'll always think of you the best I can," completed the Girl +with much feeling. "An' I want you to do the same for me." + +Silently, inscrutably, the gambler dealt the ten cards, one by one. But +as the Girl started to draw hers toward her, his long, thin fingers +reached across once more and closed not ungently upon hand and cards. + +"The last hand, Girl!" he reminded her. "And I've a feeling that I +win,--that in one minute I'll hold you in my arms." And still covering +her fingers with his own, he stole a glance at his cards. + +"I win," he announced, briefly, his eyes alone betraying the inward +fever. He dropped the cards before her on the table. "Three kings,--and +the _last hand_!" + +Suddenly, as though some inward cord had snapped under the strain, the +Girl collapsed. Limply she slid downward in her chair, one groping hand +straying aimlessly to her forehead, then dropping of its own weight. +"Quick, Jack,--I'm ill,--git me somethin'!" The voice trailed off to +nothingness as the drooping eyelids closed. + +In real consternation, the Sheriff sprang to his feet. In one sweeping +glance his alert eye caught the whisky bottle upon the mantel. "All +right, Girl, I'll fix you in no time," he said cheeringly over his +shoulder. But where the deuce did she keep her tumblers? The next minute +he was groping for them in the dark of the adjoining closet and softly +cursing himself for his own slowness. + +Instantaneously, the Girl came to life. The unturned cards upon the +table vanished with one lightning movement; the Girl's hand disappeared +beneath her skirts, raised for the moment knee-high; then the same, +swift reverse motion, and the cards were back in place, while the Girl's +eyes trembled shut again, to hide the light of triumph in them. A smile +flickered on her lips as the Sheriff returned with the glass and bottle. + +"Never mind,--I'm better now," her lips shaped weakly. + +The Sheriff set down the bottle, and put his arm around the Girl with a +rough tenderness. + +"Oh, you only fainted because you lost," he told her. + +Averting her gaze, the Girl quietly disengaged herself, rose to her feet +and turned her five cards face upwards. + +"No, Jack, it's because I've won,--three aces and a pair." + +The Sheriff shot one glance at the girl, keen, searching. Then, without +so much as the twitch of an eyelid, he accepted his defeat, took a cigar +from his pocket and lit it, the flame of the match revealing no +expression other than the nonchalance for which he was noted; then, +picking up his hat and coat he walked slowly to the door. Here he halted +and wished her a polite good-night--so ceremoniously polite that at any +other time it would have compelled her admiration. + +Pale as death and almost on the point of collapse, the Girl staggered +back to the table where the wounded road agent was half-sitting, +half-lying. + +Thrusting her hand now into the stocking from which she had obtained the +winning, if incriminating, cards, she drew forth those that remained and +scattered them in the air, crying out hysterically: + +"Three aces an' a pair an' a stockin' full o' pictures--but his life +belongs to me!" + + + + +XIV. + + +Conscious-stricken at the fraud that she had imposed upon the gambler, +the Girl lived a lifetime in the moments that followed his departure. +With her face buried in her hands she stood lost in contemplation of her +shameful secret. + +A sound--the sound of a man in great pain checked her hysterical sobs. +Dazed, she passed her hand over her face as if to clear away the dark +shades that were obstructing her vision. Another groan--and like a flash +she was down on her knees lavishing endearments upon the road agent. + +Never before, it is true, had the Girl had any experience in gun-shot +wounds. She had played the part of nurse, however, more than once when +the boys met with accidents at the mines. For the women of the +California camps at that time had endless calls upon them. It was a +period for sacrifices innumerable, and help and sympathy were never +asked that they were not freely given. So, if the Girl did not know the +very best thing to do, she knew, at least, what not to do, and it was +only a few minutes before she had cut the coat from his back. + +The next thing to be done--the dragging of the unconscious man to the +bed--was hard work, of course, but being strong of arm, as well as stout +of heart, she at last accomplished it. + +Now she cut away his shirt in order to find the wound, which proved to +be in his breast. Quickly then she felt with her fingers in an endeavour +to find the ball, but in this she was unsuccessful. So after a moment's +deliberation she made up her mind that the wound was a flesh one and +that the ball was anywhere but in the man's body--a diagnosis that was +largely due to the cheerful optimism of her nature and which, +fortunately, proved to be true. + +Presently she went to a corner of the room and soon returned with a +basin of water and some hastily torn bandages. For a good fifteen +minutes after that she washed the gash and, finally, bandaged it as well +as she knew how. And now, having done all that her knowledge or instinct +prompted, she drew up a chair and prepared to pass the rest of the night +in watching by his side. + +For an hour or so he slept the sleep of unconsciousness. In the room not +a sound could be heard, but outside the storm still roared and raged. It +was anything but an easy or cheerful situation: Here she was alone with +a wounded, if not dying, man; and she well knew that, unless there came +an abatement in the fury of the storm, it might be days before anyone +could climb the mountain. True, the Indians were not far off, but like +as not they would remain in their wigwam until the sun came forth again. +In the matter of food there was a scant supply, but probably enough to +tide them over until communication could be had with The Polka. + +For three days she watched over him, and all the time the storm +continued. On the third day he became delirious, and that was the night +of her torture. Despite a feeling that she was taking an unfair +advantage of him, the Girl strained her ears to catch a name which, in +his delirium, was constantly on his lips; but she could not make it out. +All that she knew was that it was not her name that he spoke, and it +pained her. She had given him absolute faith and trust and, already, she +was overwhelmed with the fierce flames of jealousy. It was a new +sensation, this being jealous of anyone, and it called forth a +passionate resentment. In such moments she would rise and flee to the +other end of the room until the whispered endearments had ceased. Then +she would draw near again with flushes of shame on her cheeks for having +heeded the sayings of an irresponsible person, and she would take his +head in her lap and, caressing him the while, would put cold towels on +his heated brow. + +Dawn of the fourth day saw the Girl still pale and anxious, though +despair had entirely left her; for the storm was over and colour and +speech had come back to the man early that morning. Love and good +nursing, not to speak of some excellent whisky that she happened to have +stored away in her cabin, had pulled him through. With a sigh of relief +she threw herself down on the rug for a much-needed rest. + +The man woke just before the sun rose. His first thought, that he was +home in the foothills, was dissipated by the sight of the snow ranges. +Through the window of the cabin, as far as the eye could see, nothing of +green was visible. Snow was everywhere; everything was white, save at +the eastern horizon where silver was fast changing into rose and rose to +a fiery red as the fast-rising sun sent its shafts over the snow-coated +mountains. + +And now there came to him a full realisation of what had happened and +where he was. To his amazement, though, he was almost without pain. That +his wound had been dressed he was, of course, well aware for when he +attempted to draw back still further the curtain at the window the +movement strained the tight bandage, and he was instantly made conscious +of a twinge of pain. + +Nevertheless, he persevered, for he wisely decided that it would be well +to reconnoitre, to familiarise himself, as much as possible, with the +lay of the land and find out whether the trail that he had followed to +reach the cabin which, he recalled, was perched high up above a ravine, +was the only means of communication with the valley below. It was a +useless precaution, for the snow would have wholly obliterated any such +trail had there been one and, soon realising the fact, he fell back +exhausted by his effort on the pillows. + +A half hour passed and the man began to grow restless. He had, of +course, no idea whatever of the length of time he had been in the cabin, +and he knew that he must be thinking of an immediate escape. In +desperation, he tried to get out of bed, but the task was beyond his +power. At that a terrible feeling of hopelessness assailed him. His only +chance was to reach the valley where he had little fear of capture; but +wounded, as he was, that seemed out of the question, and he saw himself +caught like a rat in a trap. In an access of rage at the situation in +which he was placed he made another effort to raise himself up on his +elbow and peer through the window at the Sierras. The noise that he +made, slight though it was, awoke the Girl. In an instant she was at his +bedside drawing the curtain over the window. + +"What you thinkin' of?" she asked. "At any moment--jest as soon as the +trail can be cleared--there'll be someone of the boys up here to see how +I've pulled through. They mustn't see you . . ." + +Forcibly, but with loving tenderness, she put him back among his pillows +and seated herself by the bed. An awkward silence followed. For now that +the man was in his right senses it was borne in upon her that he might +remember that she had fed him, given him drink and fondled him. It was a +situation embarrassing to both. Neither knew just what to say or how to +begin. At length, the voice from the bed spoke: + +"How long have I been here?" + +"Three days." + +"And you have nursed me all that--" + +"You mustn't talk," warned the girl. "It's dangerous in more ways than +one. But if you keep still no one'll suspect that you're here." + +"But I must know what happened," he insisted with increasing excitement. +"I remember nothing after I came down the ladder. The Sheriff--Rance-- +what's become . . .?" + +The Girl chided him with gentle authority. + +"You keep perfectly still--you mustn't say nothin' 'til you've rested. +Everythin's all right an' you needn't worry a bit." But then seeing that +he chafed at this, she added: "Well, then, I'll tell you all there is to +know." And then followed an account of the happenings of that night. It +was not a thoroughly truthful tale, for in her narrative she told him +only what she thought was necessary and good for him to know, keeping +the rest to herself. And when she had related all that there was to tell +she insisted upon his going to sleep again, giving him no opportunity +whatsoever to speak, since she left his bedside after drawing the +curtains. + +Unwillingly the man lay back and tried to force himself to be patient; +but he fretted at the enforced quietude and, as a result, sleep refused +to come to him. From time to time he could hear the Girl moving +noiselessly about the room. The knowledge that she was there gave him a +sense of security, and he began to let his thoughts dwell upon her. No +longer did he doubt but what she was a real influence now; and the +thought had the effect of making him keenly alive to what his life had +been. It was not a pleasant picture that he looked back upon, now that +he had caught a glimpse of what life might mean with the Girl at his +side. From the moment that he had taken her in his arms he realised to +the full that his cherished dream had come true; he realised, also, that +there was now but one answer to the question of keeping to the oath +given to his father, and that was that gratitude--for he had guessed +rightly, though she had not told him, that she had saved him from +capture by the Sheriff and his posse--demanded that he should put an end +to his vocation and devote his life henceforth to making her happy. + +Once or twice while thus communing with himself he fancied that he heard +voices. It seemed to him that he recognised Nick's voice. But whoever it +was, he spoke in whispers, and though the wounded man strove to hear, he +was unsuccessful. + +After a while he heard the door close and then the tension was somewhat +relaxed, for he knew that she was keeping his presence in her cabin a +secret with all the wiles of a clever and loving woman. And more and +more he determined to gain an honoured place for her in some +community--an honoured place for himself and her. Vague, very vague, of +course, were the new purposes and plans that had so suddenly sprang up +because of her influence, but the desire to lead a clean life had +touched his heart, and since his old calling had never been pleasing to +him, he did not for a moment doubt his ability to succeed. + +The morning was half gone when the Girl returned to her patient. Then, +in tones that did her best to make her appear free from anxiety, she +told him that it was the barkeeper, as he had surmised, with whom she +had been talking and that she had been obliged to take him into her +confidence. The man made no comment, for the situation necessarily was +in her hands, and he felt that she could be relied upon not to make any +mistake. Four people, he was told, knew of his presence in the cabin. So +far as Rance was concerned she had absolute faith in his honour, gambler +though he was; there was nothing that Nick would not do for her; and as +for the Indians, the secret was sure to be kept by them, unless +Jackrabbit got hold of some whisky--a contingency not at all likely, for +Nick had promised to see to that. In fact, all could be trusted to be as +silent as the grave. + +The invalid had listened intently; nevertheless, he sighed: + +"It's hard to lie here. I don't want to be caught _now_." + +The Girl smiled at the emphasis on the last word, for she knew that it +referred to her. Furthermore, she had divined pretty well what had been +his thoughts concerning his old life; but, being essentially a woman of +action and not words, she said nothing. + +A moment or so later he asked her to read to him. The Girl looked as she +might have looked if he had asked her to go to the moon. +Notwithstanding, she got up and, presently, returned with a lot of old +school-books, which she solemnly handed over for his inspection. + +The invalid smiled at the look of earnestness on the Girl's face. + +"Not these?" he gently inquired. "Where is the Dante you were telling me +about?" + +Once more the Girl went over to the book-shelf; when she came back she +handed him a volume, which he glanced over carefully before showing her +the place where he wished her to begin to read to him. + +At first the Girl was embarrassed and stumbled badly. But on seeing that +he seemed not to notice it she gained courage and acquitted herself +creditably, at least, so she flattered herself, for she could detect, as +she looked up from time to time, no expression other than pleasure on +his face. It may be surmised, though, that Johnson had not merely chosen +a page at random; on the contrary, when the book was in his hand he had +quickly found the lines which the Girl had, so to say, paraphrased, and +he was intensely curious to see how they would appeal to her. But now, +apparently, she saw nothing in the least amusing in them, nor in other +passages fully as sentimental. In fact, no comment of any kind was +forthcoming from her--though Johnson was looking for it and, to tell the +truth, was somewhat disappointed--when she read that Dante had probably +never spoken more than twice to Beatrice and his passion had no other +food than the mists of his own dreaming. However, it was different +when,--pausing before each word after the manner of a child,--she came +to a passage of the poet's, and read: + +"'In that moment I say most truly that the spirit of life, which hath +its dwelling in the most secret chambers of the heart, began to tremble +so violently that the least pulse of my body shook herewith, and in the +trembling it said these words: "Here is a deity stronger than I who, +coming shall rule over me."'" + +At that the Girl let the book fall and, going down on her knees and +taking both his hands in hers, she raised to him a look so full of +adoring worship that he felt himself awed before it. + +"That 'ere Dante ain't so far off after all. I know jest how he feels. +Oh, I ain't fit to read to you, to talk to you, to kiss you." + +Nevertheless, he saw to it that she did. + +After this he told her about the Inferno, and she listened eagerly to +his description of the unfortunate characters, though she declared, when +he explained some of the crimes that they had committed, that they "Got +only what was rightly comin' to them." + +The patient could hardly suppress his amusement. Dante was discarded and +instead they told each other how much love there was in that little +cabin on Cloudy Mountain. + +The days that followed were all much like this one. Food was brought up +from The Polka and, by degrees, the patient's strength came back. And it +was but natural that he became so absorbed in his newly-found happiness +that he gradually was losing all sense of danger. Late one night, +however, when he was asleep, an incident happened that warned the Girl +that it was necessary to get her lover away just as soon as he was able +to ride a horse. + +Lying on the rug in front of the fire she had been thinking of him when, +suddenly, her quick ear, more than ever alert in these days, caught the +sound of a stealthy footstep outside the cabin. With no fear whatever +except in relation to the discovery of her lover, the Girl went +noiselessly to the window and peered out into the darkness. A man was +making signs that he wished to speak with her. For a moment she stood +watching in perplexity, but almost instantly her instinct told her that +one of that race, for she believed the man to be a Mexican, would never +dare to come to her cabin at that time of night unless it was on a +friendly errand. So putting her face close to the pane to reassure +herself that she had not been mistaken in regard to his nationality, she +then went to the door and held it wide open for the man to enter, at the +same time putting her finger to her lips as a sign that he should be +very still. + +"What are you doin' here? What do you want?" she asked in a low voice, +at the same time leading him to the side of the room further away from +her lover. + +Jose Castro's first words were in Spanish, but immediately perceiving +that he failed to make her understand, he nodded comprehendingly, and +said: + +"All righta--I espeak Engleesh--I am Jose Castro too well known to the +_Maestro_. I want to see 'im." + +The Girl's intuition told her that a member of the band stood before +her, and she regarded him suspiciously. Not that she believed that he +was disloyal and had come there with hostile intent, but because she +felt that she must be absolutely sure of her ground before she revealed +the fact that Johnson was in the cabin. She let some moments pass before +she replied: + +"I don't know nothin' about your master. Who is he?" + +An indulgent smile crossed the Mexican's face. + +"That ver' good to tella other peoples; but I know 'im here too much. +You trusta me--me quita safe." + +All this was said with many gestures and an air that convinced the Girl +that he was speaking the truth. But since she deemed it best that the +invalid should be kept from any excitement, she resolved to make the +Mexican divulge to her the nature of his important errand. + +"How do you know he's here?" she began warily. "What do you want 'im +for?" + +The Mexican's shifty eyes wandered all over the room as if to make +certain that no inimical ears were listening; then he whispered: + +"I tella you something--you lika the _Maestro_?" + +Unconsciously the Girl nodded, which evidently satisfied the Mexican, +for he went on: + +"You thinka well of him--yees. Now I tella you something. The man Pedro +'e no good. 'E wisha the reward--the money for Ramerrez. 'E and the +woman--woman no good--tell Meester Ashby they thinka 'im 'ere." + +The Girl felt the colour leave her cheeks, though she made a gesture for +him to proceed. + +"Pedro not 'ere any longer," smiled the Mexican. "Me senda 'im to the +devil. Serva 'im right." + +"An' the woman?" gasped the Girl. + +"She gone--got away--Monterey by this time," replied Castro with evident +disappointment. "But Meester Ashby 'e know too much--'ees men everywhere +searched the camp--no safa 'ere now. To-norrow--" Castro stopped short; +the next instant with a joyful gleam in his eyes he cried out: +"_Maestro_!" + +"Castro's right, Girl," said Johnson, who had waked and heard the +Mexican's last words; "it is not safe a moment more here, and I must +go." + +With a little cry of loving protest the Girl abruptly left the men to +talk over the situation and sought the opposite side of the room. There, +her eyes half-closed and her lips pressed tightly together she gave +herself up to her distressing fears. After a while it was made plain to +her that she was being brought into the conversation, for every now and +then Castro would look curiously at her; at length, as if it had been +determined by them that nothing should be undertaken without her advice, +Johnson, followed by his subordinate, came over to her and related in +detail all the startling information that Castro had brought. + +Quietly the Girl listened and, in the end, it was agreed between them +that it would be safer for the men not to leave the cabin together, but +that Castro should go at once with the understanding that he should +procure horses and wait for the master at a given point across the +ravine. It was decided, too, that there was not a moment to be lost in +putting their plan into execution. In consequence, Castro immediately +took his departure. + +The hour that passed before the time set for Johnson to leave the cabin +was a most trying one for both of them. It was not so hard on the man, +of course, for he was excited over the prospect of escaping; but the +Girl, whose mind was filled with the dread of what might happen to him, +had nothing to sustain her. Despite his objection, she had stipulated +that, with Jackrabbit as a companion, she should accompany him to the +outskirts of the camp. And so, at the moment of departure, throwing +about her a cloak of some rough material, she went up to her lover and +said with a quiver in her voice: + +"I'm ready, Dick, but I'm a-figurin' that I can't let you go alone--you +jest got to take me below with you, an' that's all there is to it." + +The man shook his head. + +"There's very little risk, believe me. I'll join Castro and ride all +through the night. I'll be down below in no time at all. But we must be +going, dear." + +The man passed through the door first. But when it came the Girl's turn +she hesitated, for she had seen a dark shadow flit by the window. It was +as if someone had been stealthily watching there. In another moment, +however, it turned out to be Jackrabbit and, greatly relieved, the Girl +whispered to Johnson that he was to descend the trail between the Indian +and herself, and that on no account was he to utter a word until she +gave him permission. + +For another moment or so they stood in silence; Johnson, appreciating +fully what were the Girl's feelings, did not dare to whisper even a word +of encouragement to her. At last, she ordered the Indian to lead the +way, and they started. + +The trail curved and twisted around the mountain, and in places they had +to use the greatest care lest a misstep should carry them over a +precipice with a drop of hundreds of feet. It was a perilous descent, +inasmuch as the path was covered with snow. Moreover, it was necessary +that as little noise as possible should be made while they were making +their way past the buildings of the camp below, for the Mexican had not +been wrong when he stated that Ashby's men were quartered at, or in the +immediate vicinity of, The Palmetto. Fortunately, they passed through +without meeting anyone, and before long they came to the edge of the +plateau beneath which was the ravine which Johnson had to cross to reach +the spot where it had been agreed that Castro should be waiting with +horses for his master. It was also the place where the Girl was to leave +her lover to go on alone, and so they halted. A few moments passed +without either of them speaking; at length, the man said in as cheery a +voice as he could summon: + +"I must leave you here. I remember the way well. All danger is past." + +The Girl's lips were quivering; she asked: + +"An' when will you be back?" + +The man noted her emotion, and though he himself was conscious of a +choking sensation he contrived to say in a most optimistic tone: + +"In two weeks--not more than two weeks. It will take all that time to +arrange things at the rancho. As it is, I hardly see my way clear to +dismissing my men--you see, they belong to me, almost, and--but I'll do +so, never fear. No power on earth could make me take up the old life +again." + +The Girl said nothing in reply; instead she put both her arms around his +neck and remained a long time in his embrace. At last, summoning up all +her fortitude she put him resolutely from her, and whispered: + +"When you are ready, come. You must leave me now." And with a curt +command to the Indian she fled back into the darkness. + +For an instant the road agent's eyes followed the direction that she had +taken; then, his spirits rising at the thought that his escape was now +well-nigh assured, he turned and plunged down the ravine. + + + + +XV. + + +As has been said, it was a custom of the miners, whenever a storm made +it impossible for them to work in the mines, to turn the dance-hall of +the Polka Saloon into an Academy, the post of teacher being filled by +the Girl. It happened, therefore, that early the following morning the +men of Cloudy Mountain Camp assembled in the low, narrow room with its +walls of boards nailed across inside upright beams--a typical miners' +dance-hall of the late Forties--which they had transformed into a +veritable bower, so eager were they to please their lovely teacher. +Everyone was in high spirits, Rance alone refraining from taking any +part whatsoever in the morning's activities; dejectedly, sullenly, he +sat tilted back in an old, weather-beaten, lumber chair before the +heavily-dented, sheet-iron stove in a far corner of the room, gazing +abstractedly up towards the stove's rusty pipe that ran directly through +the ceiling; and what with his pale, waxen countenance, his eyes red and +half-closed for the want of sleep, his hair ruffled, his necktie awry, +his waistcoat unfastened, his boots unpolished, and the burnt-out cigar +which he held between his white, emaciated fingers, he was not the +immaculate-looking Rance of old, but presented a very sad spectacle +indeed. + +Outside, through the windows,--over which had been hung curtains of red +and yellow cotton,--could be seen the green firs on the mountain, their +branches dazzling under their burden of snow crystals; and stretching +out seemingly interminably until the line of earth and sky met were the +great hills white with snow except in the spots where the wind had swept +it away. But within the little, low dance-hall, everywhere were +evidences of festivity and good cheer, the walls being literally covered +with pine boughs and wreaths of berries, while here and there was an +eagle's wing or an owl's head, a hawk or a vulture, a quail or a +snow-bird, not to mention the big, stuffed game cock that was mounted on +a piece of weather-beaten board, until it would seem as if every variety +of bird native to the Sierra Mountains was represented there. + +Grouped together on one side of the wall were twelve buck horns, and +these served as a sort of rack for the miners to hang their hats and +coats during the school session. Several mottoes, likewise upon the +wall, were intended to attract the students' attention, the most +conspicuous being: "Live and Learn" and "God Bless Our School." A great +bear's skin formed a curtain between the dance-hall and the saloon, +while upon the door-frame was a large hand rudely painted, the +index-finger outstretched and pointing to the next room. It said: +"To The Bar." + +It was, however, upon the teacher's desk--a whittled-up, hand-made +affair which stood upon a slightly-raised platform--that the boys had +outdone themselves in the matter of decoration. Garlanded both on top +and around the sides with pine boughs and upon the centre of which stood +a tall glass filled with red and white berries, it looked not unlike a +sacrificial altar which, in a way, it certainly was. A box that was +intended for a seat for the teacher was also decorated with pine +branches; while several cheap, print flags adorned the primitive iron +holder of the large lamp suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the +room. Altogether it was a most festive-looking Academy that was destined +to meet the teacher's eye on this particular morning. + +For some time Nick had been standing near the window gazing in the +direction of the Girl's cabin. Turning, suddenly, to Rance, the only +other occupant of the room, he remarked somewhat sadly: + +"I'd be willin' to lose the profits of the bar if we could git back to a +week ago--before Johnson walked into this room." + +At the mention of the road agent's name Rance's eyes dropped to the +floor. It required no flash of inspiration to tell him that things would +never be what they had been. + +"Johnson," he muttered, his face ashen white and a sound in his throat +that was something like a groan. "A week--a week in her cabin--nursed +and kissed . . ." he finished shortly. + +Nick had been helping himself to a drink; he wheeled swiftly round, +confronting him. + +"Oh, say, Rance, she--" + +Rance took the words out of his mouth. + +"Never kissed him! You bet she kissed him! It was all I could do to keep +from telling the whole camp he was up there." His eyes blazed and his +hands tightened convulsively. + +"But you didn't . . ." Nick broke in on him quickly. "If I hadn't been +let into the game by the Girl I'd a thought you were a level Sheriff +lookin' for him. Rance, you're my ideal of a perfect gent." + +Rance braced up in his chair. + +"What did she see in that Sacramento shrimp, will you tell me?" +presently he questioned, contempt showing on every line of his face. + +The little barkeeper did not answer at once, but filled a glass with +whisky which he handed to him. + +"Well, you see, I figger it out this way, boss," at last he answered, +meeting him face to face frankly, earnestly, his foot the while resting +on the other's chair. "Love's like a drink that gits a hold on you an' +you can't quit. It's a turn of the head or a touch of the hands, or it's +a half sort of smile, an' you're doped, doped, doped with a feelin' like +strong liquor runnin' through your veins, an' there ain't nothin' on +earth can break it up once you've got the habit. That's love." + +Touched by the little barkeeper's droll philosophy, the Sheriff dropped +his head on his breast, while the hand which held the glass +unconsciously fell to his side. + +"I've got it," went on Nick with enthusiasm; "you've got it; the boy's +got it; the Girl's got it; the whole damn world's got it. It's all the +heaven there is on earth, an' in nine cases out of ten it's hell." + +Rance opened his lips to speak, but quickly drew them in tightly. The +next instant Nick touched him lightly on the shoulder and pointed to the +empty glass in his hand, the contents having run out upon the floor. + +With a mere glance at the empty glass Rance returned it to Nick. +Presently, then, he took out his watch and fell to studying its face +intently, and only when he had finally returned the watch to his pocket +did he voice what was in his mind. + +"Well, Nick," he said, "her road agent's got off by now." + +Whereupon, the barkeeper, too, took out his watch and consulted it. + +"Left Cloudy at three o'clock this morning--five hours off . . ." was +his brief comment. + +Once more a silence fell upon the room. Then, all of a sudden, the sound +of horses' hoofs and the murmur of rough voices came to their ears, and +almost instantly a voice was heard to cry out: + +"Hello!" + +"Hello!" came from an answering voice. + +"Why, it's The Pony Express got through at last!" announced Nick, +incredulously; and so saying he took up the whisky bottle and glasses +which lay on the teacher's desk and dashed into the saloon. He had +barely left, however, than The Pony Express, muffled up to his ears and +looking fit to brave the fiercest of storms, entered the room, hailing +the boys with: + +"Hello, boys! Letter for Ashby!" + +The Deputy--who with Trinidad and Sonora had come running in, the latter +carrying a boot-leg and a stove-polishing brush in his hand--took the +letter and started in search of the Wells Fargo Agent who, Rance had +told them, had gone to sleep. + +"Well, boys, how d'you like bein' snowed in for a week?" asked The Pony +Express, warming himself by the stove; and then without waiting for an +answer he rattled on: "There's a rumour at The Ridge that you all let +Ramerrez freeze an' missed a hangin'. Say, they're roarin' at you, +chaps!" And with a "So long, boys!" he strode out of the room. + +Sonora started in hot pursuit after him, hollering out: + +"Wait! Wait!" And when The Pony Express halted, he added: "Says you to +the boys at The Ridge as you ride by, the Academy at Cloudy is open +to-day full blast!" + +"Whoopee! Whoop!" chimed in Trinidad and began to execute a _pas seul_ +in the middle of the room, dropping into a chair just in time to avoid +running into Nick, who hurriedly returned with two glasses and a bottle. + +"Help yourselves, boys," he said; which they did to the accompaniment of +a succession of joyous yells from Trinidad. + +Meantime Rance had relighted the burnt-out cigar which he had been +holding for some time between his fingers, and was sending curls of +smoke upwards towards the ceiling. + +"Academy," he sneered. + +Sonora surveyed him critically for some moments; at length he said: + +"Say, Rance, what's the matter with you? We began this Academy game +together--we boys an' the Girl--an' there's a damn pretty piece of +sentiment back of it. She's taught some of us our letters, and--" + +"He's a wearin' mournin' because Johnson didn't fall alive into his +hands," interposed Trinidad with a laugh. + +"Is that it?" queried Sonora. + +"Ain't it enough, Rance, that he must be lyin' dead down some canyon, +with his mouth full of snow?" A mocking smile was on Trinidad's face as +he asked the question. + +"You done all you could to git 'im," went on Sonora as if there had been +no interruption. "The boys is all satisfied he's dead." + +"Dead?" Rance fairly picked up the word. "Dead? Yes, he's dead," he +declared tensely, and unconsciously arose and went over to the window +where he stood motionless, gazing through the parted curtains at the +snow-covered hills. Presently the boys saw a cynical smile spread over +his face, and a moment later, he added: "The matter with me is that I'm +a Chink." + +This depreciation of himself was so thoroughly un-Rance like, that it +brought forth great bursts of laughter from the men, but notwithstanding +which, Rance went on to admit, in the same sullen tone, that it was all +up with him and the Girl. + +"Throwed 'im!" whispered Trinidad to Sonora with a pleased look on his +face. + +Sonora, likewise, was beaming with joy when almost instantly he turned +to Nick with: + +"As sure's you live she's throwed 'im for me!" + +Nick, among his other accomplishments, had a faculty for dumbness and +said nothing; but a smile which approached a grin formed on his face as +he stood eyeing quizzically first one and then the other. Finally, +picking up the empty glasses, he left the room. + +"Will old dog Tray remember me"--immediately sung out Trinidad, +gleefully. While Sonora, in the seventh heaven of delight, began to +caper about the room. Of a sudden Nick poked his head in through the +door to inquire into the cause of their hilarity, but they ignored him +completely. At the bar-room door, however, Sonora halted and, glancing +over his shoulder in the Sheriff's direction, he added in a most +tantalising manner: + +". . . for me!" + +But while Trinidad and Sonora were going out through one door the Deputy +was entering through another. He was greatly agitated and carried in his +hand the letter which The Pony Express had entrusted to his keeping for +Ashby. + +"Why, Ashby's skipped!" he announced uneasily. "Got off just after three +this morning--posse and all." + +A question was in Nick's eyes as he turned upon the speaker with the +interjection: + +"What!" And then as the Deputy made a dash for the bar-room, he added +with a swift change of manner: "Help yourself, Dep." + +But if Nick was slow to realise the situation, not so the Sheriff, who +instantly awoke to the fact that the Wells Fargo Agent was on Johnson's +trail. His lips drew quickly back in a half-grin. + +"Ashby's after Johnson," presently he said with a savage little laugh. +"Nick, he was watchin' that greaser . . . Took him ten minutes to saddle +up--Johnson has ten minutes' start"--He broke off abruptly and ended +impatiently with: "Oh, Lord, they'll never get him! He's a wonder on the +road--you've got to take your hat off to the damn cuss!" And with a dig +at the other's ribs that was half-playful, half-serious, he was off in +pursuit of Ashby. + +A moment later the miners began to pile in for school, whooping and +yelling, their feet covered with snow. Sonora led with an armful of +wood, which he deposited on the floor beside the stove; then came +Handsome Charlie and Happy Halliday, together with Old Steady and Bill +Crow, who immediately dropped on all fours and began to play leap-frog. + +"Boys gatherin' for school," observed Trinidad, hurriedly opening the +door; and while the men proceeded to flock in, he got into his jacket +which lay on a chair beside the teacher's desk. + +"Here, Trin, here's the book!" cried out Happy Halliday; and the book, +which was securely tied in a red cotton handkerchief, went flying +through the air. + +In those few words the signal was given; the fun was on in earnest. +Instantly the miners--veritable school-boys they were, so genuine was +their merriment--braced themselves for a catch of the book, which had +landed safely in Trinidad's hands. Now it was aimed at Sonora, who +caught it on the fly; from Sonora it travelled to Old Steady, who sent +it whizzing over to Handsome. Now the Deputy made ready to receive it; +but instead it landed once more in Sonora's hands amidst cheers of "Come +on, Sonora! Whoopee! Whoop!" + +"Sh-sh-sh, boys!" warned the Deputy as Sonora was about to send the book +on another expedition through the air; "here comes the noo scholar from +Watson's." + +An ominous hush fell upon the room. One could have heard a pin drop as +the school settled itself down with anticipatory grins that said, "What +won't we do to Bucking Billy!" Therefore, there was not an eye that was +not upon the new pupil when with dinner-pail swinging on one arm and the +other holding tightly onto a small slate, he slowly advanced towards +them. + +"Did you ever play Lame Soldier, m' friend?" was Sonora's greeting, +while the miners crowded around them. + +"No," replied the big, raw-boned, gullible-looking fellow with a grin. + +"We'll play it after school; you'll be the stirrup," promised Sonora; +then turning to his mates with a laugh, which was unobserved by Bucking +Billy, he added: "We'll initiate 'im." + +Presently the miners began to move away and Trinidad, picking up a chip +which he espied under a bench, put it on his shoulder and stood in the +centre of the room, thereby indirectly challenging the new pupil to a +scrimmage. + +"Don't do it!" cried Old Steady as he hung up his hat upon a buck's horn +on the wall. + +"Go on! Go on!" encouraged Bill Crow, hanging up his hat beside Old +Steady's. + +The boys took up his words in chorus. + +"Go on! Go on!" + +Whereupon, Sonora made a dash far the chip and knocked it off of +Trinidad's shoulder, blazing huskily into his face as he did so: + +"You do, do you?" + +In the twinkling of an eye Trinidad's jacket was off and the two men +were engaged in a hand-to-hand scuffle. + +"Soak him!" came from a voice somewhere in the crowd. + +"Hit him!" urged another. + +"Bat him in the eye!" shrieked Handsome Charlie. + +Finally Sonora succeeded in throwing down his opponent and sent him +rolling along the floor, the contents of his pockets marking his trail. + +The rafters of The Polka shook to a storm of cheering, and there is no +telling when the men would have ceased had not Nick interfered at that +moment by yelling out: + +"Boys, boys, here she is!" + +"Here comes the Girl!" came simultaneously from Happy Halliday, who had +got a glimpse of her coming down the trail. + +None the worse for his defeat and fall, Trinidad sprang to his feet; +while Sonora made a dash for a seat. They had not been placed; whereupon +he cried out excitedly: + +"The seats, boys, where's the seats?" + +For the few minutes that preceded the Girl's entrance into the room no +men were ever known to work more rapidly or more harmoniously. They +fairly flew in and out of the room, now bringing in the great +whittled-up, weather-beaten benches and placing them in school-room +fashion, and then rolling in boxes and casks which served as a +ground-hold for the planks which were stretched across them for desks. +It was in the midst of these pilgrimages that Trinidad rushed over to +Nick to ask whether he did not think to-day a good time to put the +question to the Girl. + +Nick's eyes twinkled up with merriment; nevertheless, his face took on a +dubious look when presently he answered: + +"I wouldn't rush her, Trin--you've got plenty of time . . ." And when he +proceeded to put up the blackboard he almost ran into Sonora, who stood +by the teacher's desk getting into his frock coat. + +"Hurry up, boys, hurry up!" urged Trinidad, though he himself smilingly +looked on. + +A moment later the Girl, carrying a small book of poems, walked quietly +into their midst. She was paler and not as buoyant as usual, but she +managed to appear cheerful when she said: + +"Hello, boys!" + +The men were all smiles and returned her greeting with: + +"Hello, Girl!" + +Then followed the presentation of their offerings--mere trifles, to be +sure, but given out of the fulness of their hearts. Sonora led with a +bunch of berries, which was followed by Trinidad with an orange. + +"From 'Frisco," he said simply, watching the effect of his words with +pride. + +A bunch of berries was also Happy's contribution, which he made with a +stiff little bow and the one word: + +"Regards." + +Meantime Nick, faithful friend that he was, went down on his knees and +began to remove the Girl's moccasins. The knowledge of his proximity +encouraged the Girl to glance about her to see if she could detect any +signs on the men's faces which would prove that they suspected the real +truth concerning her absence. Needless to say adoration and love was all +that she saw; nevertheless, she felt ill-at-ease and, unconsciously, +repeated: + +"Hello, boys!" And then added, a little more bravely: "How's +everythin'?" + +"Bully!" spoke up Handsome Charlie, who was posing for her benefit, as +was his wont, beside one of the desks. + +"Say, we missed you," acknowledged Sonora with a world of tenderness in +his voice. "Never knew you to desert The Polka for a whole week before." + +"No, I--I . . ." stammered guiltily, and with their little gifts turned +abruptly towards her desk lest she should meet their gaze. + +"Academy's opened," suddenly announced Happy, "and--" + +"Yes, I see it is," quickly answered the Girl, brushing away a tear that +persisted in clinging to her eyelids; slowly, now, she drew off her +gloves and laid them on the desk. + +"I guess I'm kind o' nervous to-day, boys," she began. + +"No wonder," observed Sonora. "Road agent's been in camp an' we missed a +hangin'. I can't git over that." + +All a-quiver and not daring to meet the men's gaze, much less to discuss +the road agent with them, the Girl endeavoured to hide her confusion by +asking Nick to help her off with her cape. Turning presently she said in +a strained voice: + +"Well, come on, boys--come, now!" + +Immediately the boys fell in line for the opening exercises, which +consisted of an examination by the Girl of their general appearance. + +"Let me see your hands," she said to the man nearest to her; a glance +was sufficient, and he was expelled from her presence. "Let me see +yours, Sonora," she commanded. + +Holding his hands behind his back the man addressed moved towards her +slowly, for he was conscious of the grime that was on them. Before he +had spoken his apology she ordered him none too gently to go and wash +them, ending with an emphatic: + +"Git!" + +"Yes'm," was his meek answer, though he called back as he disappeared: +"Been blackenin' my boots." + +The Girl took up the word quickly. + +"Boots! Yes, an' look at them boots!" And as each man came up to her, +"An' them boots! an' them boots! Get in there the whole lot o' you an' +be sure that you leave your whisky behind." + +When all had left the room save Nick, who stood with her cape on his arm +near the desk she suddenly became conscious that she still had her hood +on, and at once began to remove it--a proceeding which brought out +clearly the extraordinary pallor of her face which, generally, had a +bright, healthy colouring. Now she beckoned to Nick to draw near. No +need for her to speak, for he had caught the questioning look in her +eyes, and it told him plainer than any words that she was anxious to +hear of her lover. He was about to tell her the little he knew when with +lips that trembled she finally whispered: + +"Have you heard anythin'? Do you think he got through safe?" + +Nick nodded in the affirmative. + +"I saw 'im off, you know," she went on in the same low voice; then, +before Nick could speak, she concluded anxiously: "But s'pose he don't +git through?" + +"Oh, he'll git through sure! We'll hear he's out of this country pretty +quick," consoled the little barkeeper just as Rance, unperceived by +them, quietly entered the room and went over to a chair by the stove. + + + + +XVI. + + +No man had more of a dread of the obvious than the Sheriff. His +position, he felt, was decidedly an unpleasant one. Nevertheless, in the +silence that followed the Girl's discovery of his presence, he struggled +to appear his old self. He was by no means unconscious of the fact that +he had omitted his usual cordial greeting to her, and he felt that she +must be scrutinising him, feature by feature. When, therefore, he shot a +covert glance at her, it was with surprise that he saw an appealing look +in her eyes. + +"Oh, Jack, I want to thank you--" she began, but stopped quickly, +deterred by the hard expression that instantly spread itself over the +Sheriff's face. Resentment, all the more bitter because he believed it +to be groundless, followed hard on the heels of her words which he +thought to be inspired solely by a delicate tactfulness. + +"Oh, don't thank me that he got away," he said icily. "It was the three +aces and the pair you held--" + +This was the Girl's opportunity; she seized it. + +"About the three aces, I want to say that--" + +It was Rance's turn to interrupt, which he did brutally. + +"He'd better keep out of my country, that's all." + +"Yes, yes." + +To the Girl, any reference to her lover was a stab. Her face was pale +with her terrible anxiety; notwithstanding, the contrast of her pallid +cheeks and masses of golden hair gave her a beauty which Rance, as he +met her eyes, found so extraordinarily tempting that he experienced a +renewed fury at his utter helplessness. At the point, however, when it +would seem from his attitude that all his self-control was about to +leave him, the Girl picked up the bell on the desk and rang it +vigorously. + +Began then the long procession of miners walking around the room before +taking their seats on the benches. At their head was Happy Halliday, who +carried in his hands a number of slates, the one on the top having a +large sponge attached. These were all more or less in bad condition, +some having no frames, while others were mere slits of slate, but all +had slate-pencils fastened to them by strings. + +"Come along, boys, get your slates!" sang out Happy as he left the line +and let the others file past him. + +"Whoop!" vociferated Trinidad in a burst of enthusiasm. + +"Trin, you're out o' step there!" reprimanded the teacher a little +sharply; and then addressing Happy she ordered him to take his place +once more in the line. + +In a little while they were all seated, and now, at last, it seemed to +the barkeeper as if the air of the room had been freed of its tension. +No longer did he experience a sense of alertness, a feeling that +something out of the ordinary was going to happen, and it was with +immense relief that he heard the Girl take up her duties and ask: + +"What books were left from last year?" + +At first no one was able to give a scrap of information on this +important matter; maybe it was because all lips were too dry to open; in +the end, however, when the silence was becoming embarrassing, Happy +moistened his lips with his tongue, and answered: + +"Why, we scared up jest a whole book left. The name of it is--is--is--" +The effort was beyond his mental powers and he came to a helpless pause. + +Swelling with importance, and drawing forth the volume in question from +his pocket, Sonora stood up and finished: + +"--is 'Old Joe Miller's Jokes.'" + +"That will do nicely," declared the Girl and seated herself on the +pine-decorated box. + +"Now, boys," continued Sonora, ever the most considerate of pupils, +"before we begin I propose no drawin' of weppings, drinkin' or swearin' +in school hours. The conduct of certain members wore on teacher last +term. I don't want to mention no names, but I want Handsome an' Happy to +hear what I'm sayin'." And after a sweeping glance at his mates, who, +already, had begun to disport themselves and jeer at the unfortunate +pair, he wound up with: "Is that straight?" + +"You bet it is!" yelled the others in chorus; whereupon Sonora dropped +into his seat. + +In time order was restored and now the Girl, looking at Rance out of her +big, frightened, blue eyes, observed: + +"Rance, last year you led off with an openin' address, an'--" + +"Yes, yes, go on Sheriff!" cried the boys, hailing her suggestion with +delight. + +Nevertheless, the Sheriff hesitated, seeing which, Trinidad contributed: +"Let 'er go, Jack!" + +At length, fixing a look upon the Girl, Rance rose and said +significantly: + +"I pass." + +"Oh, then, Sonora," suggested the Girl, covering up her embarrassment as +best she could, "won't you make a speech?" + +"Me--speak?" exploded Sonora; and again; "Me--speak? Oh, the devil!" + +"Sh-sh!" came warningly from several of the boys. + +"Why, I didn't mean that, o' course," apologised Sonora, colouring, and +incidentally expectorating on Bucking Billy's boots. But to his infinite +sorrow no protest worthy of the word was forthcoming from the apparently +insensible Bucking Billy. + +"Go on! Go on!" urged the school. + +Sonora coughed behind his hand; then he began his address. + +"Gents, I look on this place as something more 'n a place to sit around +an' spit on--the stove. I claim that there's culture in the air o' +Californay an' we're here to buck up again it an' hook on." + +"Hear! Hear! Hear!" voiced the men together, while their fists came down +heavily upon the improvised desks before them. + +"With these remarks," concluded Sonora, "I set." And suiting the action +to the word he plumped himself down heavily upon the bench, but only to +rise again quickly with a cry of pain and strike Trinidad a fierce blow, +who, he rightly suspected, was responsible for the pin that had found a +lodging-place in the seat of his trousers. + +At that not even the Girl's remonstrances prevented the boys, who had +been silent as mice all the time that the instrument of torture was +being adjusted, from giving vent to roars of laughter; and for a moment +things in the school-room were decidedly boisterous. + +"Sit down, boys, sit down!" ordered the Girl again and again; but it was +some moments before she could get the school under control. When, +finally, the skylarking had ceased, the Girl said in a voice which, +despite its strange weariness, was music to their ears: + +"Once more we meet together. There's ben a lot happened o' late that has +learned me that p'r'aps I don't know as much as I tho't I did, an' I +can't teach you much more. But if you're willin' to take me for what I +am--jest a woman who wants things better, who wants everybody all they +ought to be, why I'm willin' to rise with you an' help reach out--" She +stopped abruptly, for Handsome was waving his hand excitedly at her, and +asked a trifle impatiently: "What is it, Handsome?" + +Handsome rose and hurriedly went over to her. + +"Whisky, teacher, whisky! I want it so bad--" + +The school rose to its feet as one man. + +"Teacher! Teacher!" came tumultuously from all, their hands waving +frantically in the air. And then without waiting for permission to speak +the cry went up: "Whisky! Whisky!" + +"No, no whisky," she denied them flatly. + +Gradually the commotion subsided, for all knew that she meant what she +said, at least for the moment. + +"An' now jest a few words more on the subject o' not settin' judgment on +the errin'--a subject near my heart." + +This remark of the Girl's brought forth murmurs of wonder, and in the +midst of them the door was pushed slowly inward and The Sidney Duck, +wearing the deuce of spades which the Sheriff had pinned to his jacket +when he banished him from their presence for cheating at cards, stood on +the threshold, looking uncertainly about him. At once all eyes were +focused upon him. + +"Git! Git!" shouted the men, angrily. This was followed by a general +movement towards him, which so impressed The Sidney Duck that he turned +on his heel and was fleeing for his life when a cry from the Girl +stopped him. + +"Boys, boys," said the Girl in a reproving voice, which silenced them +almost instantly; then, beckoning to Sid to approach, she went on in her +most gentle tones: "I was jest gittin' to you, Sid, as I promised. You +can stay." + +Looking like a whipped dog The Sidney Duck advanced warily towards her. + +Sonora's brow grew thunderous. + +"What, here among gentlemen?" + +And that his protest met with instantaneous approval was shown by the +way the miners shifted uneasily in their seats and shouted +threateningly: + +"Git! Git!" + +"Why, the fellow's a--" began Trinidad, but got no further, for the Girl +stopped him by exclaiming: + +"I know, I know, Trin--I've tho't it all over!" + +For the next few minutes the Girl stood strangely still and her face +became very grave. Never before had the men seen her in a mood like +this, and they exchanged wondering glances. Presently she said: + +"Boys, of late a man in trouble has been on my mind--" She paused, her +glance having caught the peculiar light which her words had caused to +appear in Rance's eyes, and lest he should misunderstand her meaning, +she hastened to add: "Sid, o' course,--an' I fell to thinkin' o' the +Prodigal Son. He done better, didn't he?" + +"But a card sharp," objected Sonora from the depths of his big voice. + +"Yes, that's what!" interjected Trinidad, belligerently. + +The Girl's eyebrows lifted and a shade of resentment was in the +answering voice: + +"But s'pose there was a moment in his life when he was called upon to +find a extra ace--can't we forgive 'im? He says he's sorry--ain't you, +Sid?" + +All the while the Girl had been speaking The Sidney Duck kept his eyes +lowered and was swallowing nervously. Now he raised them and, with a +feeble attempt to simulate penitence, he acknowledged that he had done +wrong. Nevertheless, he declared: + +"But if I 'adn't got caught things would 'a' been different. Oh, yes, +I'm sorry." + +In an instant the Girl was at his side removing the deuce of spades from +his coat. + +"Sid, you git your chance," she said with trembling lips. "Now go an' +sit down." + +A broad smile was creeping over The Sidney Duck's countenance as he +moved towards the others; but Happy took it upon himself to limit its +spread. + +"Take that!" he blazed, striking the man in the face. "And git out of +here! + +"Happy, Happy!" cried the Girl. Her voice was so charged with reproach +that The Sidney Duck was allowed by the men to pass on without any +further molestation. Nevertheless, when he attempted to sit beside them, +they moved as far away as possible from him and compelled him to take a +stool that stood apart from the benches which held them together in +friendly proximity. + +At this point Trinidad inquired of the Girl whether she meant to infer +that honesty was not the best policy, and by way of illustration, he +went on to say: + +"S'posin' my watch had no works an' I was to sell it to the Sheriff for +one hundred dollars. Would you have much respect for me?" + +For the briefest part of a second the Girl seemed to be reflecting. + +"I'd have more respect for you than for the Sheriff," she answered +succinctly. + +"Hurrah! Whoopee! Whoop!" yelled the men, who were delighted both with +what she said as well as her pert way of saying it. + +It was in the midst of these shouts that Billy Jackrabbit and Wowkle, +unobserved by the others, quietly stole into the room and squatted +themselves down under the blackboard. When the merriment had subsided +Rance rose and took the floor. His face was paler than usual, though his +voice was calm when presently he said: + +"Well, bein' Sheriff, I'm careful about my company--I'll sit in the bar. +Cheats and road agents"--and here he paused meaningly and glanced from +The Sidney Duck to the Girl--"ar'n't jest in my line. I walk in the open +road with my head up and my face to the sun, and whatever I've pulled +up, you'll remark I've always played square and stood by the cyards." + +"I know, I know," observed the Girl and fell wearily into her seat; the +next instant she went on more confidently: "An' that's the way to +travel--in the straight road. But if ever I don't travel that road, or +you--" + +"You always will, you bet," observed Nick with feeling. + +"You bet she will!" shouted the others. + +"But if I don't," continued the Girl, insistently, "I hope there'll be +someone to lead me back--back to the right road. 'Cause remember, Rance, +some of us are lucky enough to be born good, while others have to be +'lected." + +"That's eloquence!" cried Sonora, moved almost to tears; while Rance +took a step forward as if about to make some reply; but the next +instant, his head held no longer erect and his face visibly twitching, +he passed into the bar-room. + +A silence reigned for a time, which was broken at last by the Girl +announcing with great solemnity: + +"If anybody can sing 'My Country 'Tis,' Academy's opened." + +At this request, really of a physical nature, and advanced in a spirit +of true modesty, all present, curiously enough, seemed to have lost +their voices and nudged one another in an endeavour to get the hymn +started. Someone insisted that Sonora should go ahead, but that worthy +pupil objected giving as his excuse, obviously a paltry one and trumped +up for the occasion, that he did not know the words. There was nothing +to it, therefore, but that the Indians should render the great American +anthem. And so, standing stolidly facing the others, their high-pitched, +nasal voices presently began: + + + "My country 'tis of thee, + Sweet land of liberty, + Of thee I sing." + + +"Well, if that ain't sarkism!" interjected Sonora between the lines of +the hymn. + + + "Land where our fathers died--" + + +"You bet they died hard!" cut in Trinidad, rolling his eyes upward in a +comical imitation of the Indians. + + + "Land of the Pilgrim's pride, + From every mountain side + Let freedom ring." + + +All the while the Indians were singing the last lines of the hymn the +Girl's face was a study in reminiscent dreams, but when they had +finished and were leaving the room, she came back to earth, as it were, +and clapped her hands, an appreciation which brought forth from Wowkle a +grateful "Huh!" + +"I would like to read you a little verse from a book of poems," +presently went on the teacher; and when the men had given her their +attention, she read with much feeling: + + + "'No star is ever lost we once have seen, + We always may be what we might have been.'" + + +"Why, what's the matter?" inquired Sonora, greatly moved at the sight of +the tears which, of a sudden, began to run down the teacher's cheeks. +"Why, what's--?" came simultaneously from the others, words failing +them. + +"Nothin', nothin', only it jest came over me that I'll be leavin' you +soon," stammered the Girl. "How can I do it? How can I do it?" she +wailed. + +Sonora gazed at her unbelievingly. + +"Do what?" he said. + +"What did she say?" questioned Trinidad. + +Now Sonora went over to her, and asked: + +"What d'you say? Why, what's the matter?" + +Slowly the Girl raised her head and looked at him through half-closed +lids, the tears that still clung to them, blinding her almost. Plainly +audible in the silence of the room the seconds ticked away on the clock, +and still she did not speak; at last she murmured: + +"Oh, it's nothin', nothin', only I jest remembered I've promised to +leave Cloudy soon an', p'r'aps, we might never be together again--you +an' me an' The Polka. Oh, it took me jest like that when I seen your +dear, ol' faces, your dear, plucky, ol' faces an' realised that--" She +could not go on, and buried her face in her hands, her glistening blonde +head shaking with her sobs. + +It was thus that the Sheriff, entering a moment later, found her. +Without a word he resumed his seat in front of the fire. + +Sonora continued to stare blankly at her. He was too dazed to speak, +much less to think. He broke silence slowly. + +"What--you leavin' us?" + +"Leavin' us?" inquired Happy, incredulously. + +"Careful, girl, careful," warned Nick, softly. + +The Girl hesitated a moment, and then went recklessly on: + +"It's bound to happen soon." + +Sonora looked more puzzled than ever; he rested his hand upon her desk +as if to support himself, and said: + +"I don't quite understand. Great Gilead! We done anythin' to offend +you?" + +"Oh, no, no, no!" she hastened to assure him, at the same time letting +her hand rest upon his. + +But this explanation did not satisfy Sonora. Anxious to discover what +she had at heart he went on sounding: + +"Tired of us? Ain't we got style enough for you?" + +The Girl did not answer; her breathing, swift and short, painfully +intensified the hush that had fallen on the room; at last, the boys +becoming impatient began to bombard her with questions. + +"Be you goin' to show them Ridge boys we've petered out an' culture's a +dead dog here?" began Happy, rising. + +"Do you want them to think Academy's busted?" asked Handsome. + +"Ain't we your boys no more?" put in Trinidad, wistfully. + +"Ain't I your boy?" asked Sonora, sentimentally. "Why, what is it, Girl? +Has anybody--tell me--perhaps--" + +The Girl raised her head and dried her eyes; when she spoke one could +have heard a pin drop. + +"Oh, no, no, no," she said with averted face, and added tremulously: +"There, we won't say no more about it. Let's forgit it. Only when I go +away I want to leave the key o' my cabin with Old Sonora here, an' I +want you all to come up sometimes, an' to think o' me as the girl who +loved you all, an' sometimes is wishin' you well, an' I want to think o' +little Nick here runnin' my bar an' not givin' the boys too much +whisky." Her words died away in a sob and her head fell forward, her +hand, the while, resting upon Nick's shoulder. + +At last, Sonora saw what lay beneath her tears; the situation was all +too clear to him now. + +"Hold on!" he cried hoarsely. "There's jest one reason for the Girl to +leave her home an' friends--only one: There must be some fellow away +from here that she--that she likes better 'n she does any of us." And +turning once more upon the Girl, he demanded excitedly: "Is that it? +Speak!" + +The Girl raised her tear-stained face and looked him in the eye. + +"Likes--" she repeated with a world of meaning in her voice--"in a +different way, yes." + +"Well, so help me!" ejaculated Happy, unhappily, while Sonora, with head +bent low, went over to his seat. + +The next moment the boys of the front rows had joined those of the rear +and were grouping themselves together to discuss the situation. + +"Sure you ain't makin' a mistake?" Trinidad questioned suddenly. + +The Girl came down from her seat on the platform and went over to them. + +"Mistake," she repeated dreamily. "Oh, no, no, no, boys, there's no +mistake about this. Oh, Trin!" she burst out tearfully, and two soft +arms crept gently about his neck. "An' Sonora--Ah, Sonora!" She raised +herself on her tiny toes and kissed him on the left cheek. + +The next instant she was gone. + + + + +XVII. + + +Whatever may be said to the contrary, there are few more humiliating +moments in a man's life than when he learns that some other person has +supplanted him in the affections of his adored one. And it was the +Girl's knowledge of this, together with her desire to spare the feelings +of her two old admirers,--for in her nature there was ever that +thoughtfulness of others which never permitted her to do a mean thing to +anyone,--that had caused her to flee so precipitously from the room. + +But painful as was their humiliation as they stood in silence, gazing +with saddened faces at the door through which the Girl had gone out, +their cup of bitterness was not yet full. The next moment the Sheriff, +his lips curled inscrutably, said mockingly: + +"Well, boys, the right man has come at last. Take your medicine, +gentlemen." + +His words cut Sonora to the quick, and it was with difficulty that he +braced himself to hear the worst. + +"Who's the man?" he inquired gruffly. + +The Sheriff's eyes fastened themselves upon him; at length with deadly +coldness he drawled out: + +"Johnson's the man." + +All the colour went out of Sonora's face, while his lips ejaculated: + +"Gol A'mighty!" + +"You lie!" blazed Trinidad in the next breath, and made a quick movement +towards the Sheriff. + +But Rance was not to be denied. Seeing Nick advancing towards them he +called upon him to verify his words; but that individual merely looked +first at one and then the other and did not answer, which silence +infuriated Sonora. + +"Why, you tol' me . . .?" he said with an angry look in his eye. + +"Tol' you, Sonora? Why he tol' me the same thing," protested Trinidad +with an earnestness that, at any other time, would have sent his +listeners into fits of laughter. + +This was too much for Sonora; he flew into a paroxysm of rage. + +"Well, for a first-class liar . . .!" + +"You bet!" corroborated Trinidad, relapsing, despite his anger, into his +pet phrase. + +For some minutes the dejected suitors continued in this strain, now +arguing and then condoling with one another, the boys, meanwhile, +proceeding to clear the school-room of the benches, casks and planks, +lifting or rolling them back into place as if they were made of paper. + +All of a sudden Sonora's face cleared perceptibly. Turning swiftly to +the sheriff, who sat tilted back in a chair before the fire, he said +with unexpected cheerfulness of voice: + +"Why, Johnson's dead. He got away, an'--" + +"Yes, he got away," remarked Rance, dully, shaking the ashes from his +cigar, which answer, together with the peculiar look which Sonora saw on +the other's face, made him at once suspicious that something was being +held back from them which they had a right to know. It came about, +therefore, that, with a hasty movement towards the Sheriff, his eyes +glaring, his voice husky, Sonora demanded: + +"Jack Rance, I call on you as Sheriff for Johnson! He was in your +county." + +Instantly the cry was taken up by the others, but it was Trinidad who, +shaking his fist in Rance's face, supplemented: + +"You hustle up an' run a bridle through your p'int o' teeth or your boom +for re-election 's over, you lily-fingered gambler!" + +But the Sheriff did not move a muscle, though after a moment he answered +coolly: + +"Oh, I don't know as I give a damn . . .!" Which reply, to say the +least, was somewhat disconcerting to the men who had surrounded him and +were eyeing him threateningly. + +"No talk--we want Johnson," insisted Trinidad, hotly. + +"We want Johnson," echoed the crowd in low, tense voices, their fists +clenched. + +And still Rance did not waver, but calmly puffing sway at his long, +black cigar he looked blankly into space. Presently a voice outside +calling, "Boys!" sounded throughout the room and brought him back to +actuality. He sat straight up in his chair while Nick, shifting uneasily +about on his feet, muttered: + +"Why, that's Ashby!" + +"Oh, if--" began the Sheriff and stopped. The next instant the Wells +Fargo Agent, a cool, triumphant look on his face, stood framed in the +doorway. With a hasty movement towards him Rance asked tensely: "Did you +get him?" + +The answer came back, almost before the question was asked: + +"Yes--we've got him." + +"Not Johnson?" demanded Sonora, truculently. + +"Yes, Johnson," affirmed the Wells Fargo Agent with a hard laugh, his +eyes the while upon Handsome, who, unaided, was lifting a heavy cask to +a bench nearby. + +"Not alive?" questioned Trinidad, unwilling to trust his own ears. + +"You bet!" was Ashby's sententious confirmation, at which pandemonium +broke loose, Nick alone appearing dejected and morose-looking. For his +love and devotion to the Girl were too genuine to permit of his taking +any part whatsoever in what he believed was opposed to her happiness. On +the other hand, Rance, as may be inferred, was inwardly rejoicing, +though when he perceived that Nick was eyeing him steadily he was +careful to lower his eyes lest the little barkeeper should see the +triumph shining beneath them. And, finally, unable to bear Nick's +scrutiny any longer, he explained with a feeble attempt at self-defence: + +"Well, I didn't do it, Nick, I didn't do it." But a moment later, his +face hard and set, he added: "Now he be damned! There's an end of +Johnson!" + +The words were hardly out of his mouth, however, than Johnson, his arms +bound, followed by the Deputy, strode into the room with the courage of +one who has long faced death, and stood before the men who glared at him +with fire in their eyes and murder in their hearts. + +"How do you do, Mr. Johnson. I think, Mr. Johnson, five minutes will do +for you." Rance gave to the words a peculiar accent and inflection, but +this caused the prisoner to look even more composed and calm than +before; he returned crisply: + +"I think so." + +"So this is the gentleman the Girl loves?" Sonora's face wore a cruel +grin as he stood with arms folded leering at the prisoner. + +The biting humour of the thought appealed to Rance, and he smiled grimly +to himself. + +"That's the gentleman"--he was saying when a voice outside broke in upon +his words with: + +"Nick! Boys! Boys!" + +"It's the Girl!" cried Nick in dismay, at the same time rushing over to +the door to intercept her; while Ashby, desirous of preventing any +communication between the Girl and the prisoner took up a position +between them--unnecessary precautions, since the Girl had no intention +of re-entering the room, but wished merely to say that she had forgotten +that it was recess and that the boys might have one drink. + +At the sound of her voice Johnson paled. He listened to her retreating +steps, then turning towards Nick he asked him to lock the door. + +"Why, the devil . . .!" objected the Sheriff, angrily. + +"Please," urged the prisoner with such a look of entreaty in his eyes +that Nick could not find it in his heart to deny him, and went forthwith +to the door and locked it. + +"Why, you--" began Sonora with a hurried movement towards the prisoner. + +"You keep out of this, Sonora," enjoined the Sheriff, coming forward to +take a hand in the proceedings. "I handle the rope--pick the tree . . ." + +"Then hurry . . ." said Sonora, impatiently, while Trinidad interposed +with his usual, "You bet!" + +"One moment," said the prisoner as the miners started to go out; and, +strange to relate, the Sheriff ordered the men to halt. Turning once +more to the prisoner, he said: + +"Be quick--what is it?" + +"It is true," began the unfortunate road agent in an even, unemotional +voice, "that I love the Girl." + +At these words Rance's arms flew up threateningly, while a mocking smile +sprang to his lips. + +"Well, you won't in a minute," he reminded him grimly. + +The taunt brought no change of expression to the prisoner's face or +change of tone in his voice as he went on to say that he did not care +what they did to him; that he was prepared for anything; and that every +man who travelled the path that he did faced death every day for a drink +of water or ten minutes' sleep, concluding calmly: + +"You've got me and I wouldn't care but for the Girl." + +"You've got just three minutes!" A shade almost of contempt was in +Sonora's exclamation. + +"Yes . . .!" blazed Trinidad. + +There was an impressive silence; then in a voice that trembled strangely +between pride and humility Johnson continued: + +"I don't want her to know my end. Why, that would be an awful thought +for her to go on with all her life--that I died out there--near at hand. +Why, boys, she couldn't stay here after that--she couldn't . . ." + +"That's understood," replied Rance, succinctly. + +"I'd like her to think," went on the prisoner, with difficulty choking +back the tears, "that I got away clear and went East and changed my way +of living. So you just drag me a good ways from here before you--" He +stopped abruptly and began to swallow nervously. When he spoke again it +was with a perceptible change of manner. "And when I don't write and she +never hears why she will say, 'he's forgotten me,' and that will be +about enough for her to remember, because she loved me before she knew +what I was--and you can't change love in a minute." + +All the while Johnson had been speaking the Sheriff's jealousy had been +growing steadily until, finally, turning upon the other with a +succession of oaths he struck him a fierce blow in the face. + +"I don't blame you," returned the prisoner without a trace of malice in +his voice. "Strike me again--strike me--one death is not enough for me. +Damn me--I wish you could . . . Oh, why couldn't I have let her pass! +I'm sorry I came her way--but it's too late now, it's too late . . ." + +Rance, not in the least affected by what the prisoner had been saying, +asked if that was his last word. + +Johnson nodded. + +Trinidad, simultaneously with his nod, snapped his finger, indicating +that the prisoner's time was up. + +"Dep!" called the Sheriff, sharply. + +The Deputy came forward and took his prisoner in charge. + +"Good-bye, sir!" said Nick, who was visibly affected. + +"Good-bye!" returned the prisoner, briefly. "You tell the Girl--no, come +to think of it, Nick, don't say anything . . ." + +"Come on, you!" ordered Happy. + +Whereupon with a shout and an imprecation the men removed en masse to +the door. + +"Boys," intervened Nick at this juncture, rushing into their midst, +"when Alliger was hanged Rance let 'im see his sweetheart. I think, +considerin' as how she ain't goin' to see no more o' Mr. Johnson here, +an' knowin' the Girl's feelin's--well, I think she ought to have a +chance to--" + +Nick was not allowed to finish, for instantly the men were up in arms +raising a most vigorous objection to his proposal; but, notwithstanding, +Nick, evidently bent upon calling the Girl, started for the door. + +"No," objected Rance, obstinately. + +The road agent took a step forward and, turning upon the Sheriff with a +desperately hopeless expression upon his face, he said: + +"Jack Rance, there were two of us--I've had my chance. Inside of ten +minutes I'll be dead and it will be all your way. Couldn't you let me--" + +He paused, and ended almost piteously with: + +"Oh, I thought I'd have the courage not to ask, but, Oh, couldn't you +let me--couldn't you--" + +Once more Nick intervened by shrewdly prevaricating: + +"Here's the Girl, boys!" + +But this ruse of Nick's met with no greater success than his previous +efforts, for Rance, putting his foot down heavily upon the stove, voiced +a vigorous protest. + +"All right," said the prisoner, resignedly. Nevertheless, his face +reflected his disappointment. Turning now to Nick he thanked him for his +efforts in his behalf. + +"You must excuse Rance," remarked the little barkeeper with a +significant look at the Sheriff, "for bein' so small a man as to deny +the usual courtesies, but he ain't quite himself." + +Weary of their cavilling, for he believed that in the end the Sheriff +would carry his point, and determined to go before his courage failed +him, Johnson made a movement towards the door. Speaking bravely, though +his voice trembled, he said: + +"Come, boys--come." + +But, odd as it may seem, Nick's words had taken root. + +"Wait a minute," Rance temporised. + +The prisoner halted. + +"I don't know that I'm so small a man as to deny the usual courtesies, +since you put it that way," continued Rance. "I always have extended +them. But we'll hear what you have to say--that's our protection. And it +might interest some of us to hear what the Girl will have to say to you, +Mr. Johnson--after a week in her cabin there may be more to know than--" + +Fire leapt to Johnson's eyes; he cried hoarsely-- + +"Stop!" + +"Rance, you don't know what you're sayin'," resented Nick, casting hard +looks at him; while Sonora put a heavy hand upon the Sheriff and +threatened him with: + +"Now, Rance, you stop that!" + +"We'll hear every word he has to say," insisted the Sheriff, doggedly. + +"You bet!" affirmed Trinidad. + +"Nick! Nick!" called the Girl once more, and while the little barkeeper +went over to admit her the Wells Fargo Agent took his leave, calling +back after him: + +"Well, boys, you've got him safe--I can't wait--I'm off!" + +"Dep, untie the prisoner! Boys, circle round the bar! Trin, put a man at +that door! And Sonora, put a couple of men at those windows!" And so +swift were the men in carrying out his instructions, that even as he +spoke, everyone was at his post, the Sheriff himself and Sonora +remaining unseen but on guard at the doors, while the prisoner, edging +up close to the door, was not in evidence when the Girl entered. + +"You can think of something to tell her--lie to her," had been the +Sheriff's parting suggestion. + +"I'll let her think I risked coming back to see her again," had replied +the prisoner, his throat trembling. + +"She won't know it's for the last time--we'll be there," had come +warningly from the Sheriff as he pointed to the door that led to the +bar-room. + + + * * * * * * + + +"Why, what have you got the door barred for?" asked the Girl as she came +into the room; and then without waiting for an answer: "Why, where are +the boys?" + +"Well, you see, the boys--the boys has--has--" began Nick confusedly and +stopped. + +"The boys--" There was a question in the Girl's voice. + +"Has gone." + +"Gone where?" + +"Why, to the Palmetter," came out feebly from Nick; and then with a +sudden change of manner, he added: "Oh, say, Girl, I likes you!" And +here he laid his hand affectionately upon her shoulder. "You've been my +religion--the bar an' you. Why, you don't never want to leave us--why, +I'd drop dead for you." + +"Nick, you're very nice to--" began the Girl, gratefully, and stopped, +for at that instant a gentle tap came upon the door. Turning swiftly, +she saw Johnson coming towards her. + +"Girl!" he cried in an agony of joy, and held out his arms to receive +her. + +"You? You?" she admonished softly. + +"Don't say a word," he whispered hurriedly. + +"You shouldn't have come back," she said with knitted brow. + +"I had to--to say good-bye once more." And his voice was so filled with +tenderness that she readily forgave him for the indiscretion. + +"It's all right, it's all right," murmured Nick, his hand still on the +door, which he had taken the precaution to bolt after the Girl had +passed through it. + +There was a moment's silence; then, going over to the windows, the Girl +pulled down the curtains. + +"The boys are good for quite a little bit," she said as she came back. +"Don't git nervous--I'll give you warnin' . . ." + +Nick, unwilling to witness the heartrending scene which he foresaw would +follow, noiselessly withdrew into the bar-room, leaving the prisoner +alone with the Girl. + +"Don't be afraid, my Girl," said Johnson, softly. + +But the Girl's one thought, after her first gladness, was of his safety: + +"But you can't git away now without bein' seen?" + +"Yes, there's another way out of Cloudy,--and I'm going to take it." + +The grimness of his meaning was lost on the Girl, who answered urgently: + +"Then go--go! Don't wait, go now!" + +Johnson smiled a sad little smile: + +"But remember that I'm sorry for the past, and--and don't forget me," he +said, with an odd break in his voice,--so odd that it roused the Girl +into startled wonderment. + +"Forget you? Why, Dick . . .!" + +"I mean, till we meet again," he reassured her hastily. + +The Girl heaved a troubled sigh. Her fears for him were still on edge. +Then, with a nervous start, she asked: + +"Did he call?" + +"No. He'll--he'll warn me," Johnson told her unsteadily. + +"Oh, every day that dawns I'll wait for a message from you. I'll feel +you wanting me. Every night I'll say to-morrow, and every to-morrow I'll +say to-day . . . Oh, you've changed the whole world for me! I can't let +you go, but I must, Dick, I must . . ." And bursting into tears, she +buried her face on his shoulder, repeating piteously, between shaking +sobs, "Oh, I'm so afraid,--I'm so afraid!" + +He held her close, the strength of his arms around her reassuring her +silently. "Why, you mustn't be afraid," he said in tones that were +almost steady. "In a few minutes I'll be quite free, and then--" + +"An' you'll make a little home for me when you're free--soon--will you?" +asked the Girl, with a wan smile dawning on her trembling lips. She was +drying her eyes and did not see how the light died out of the man's +face, as he gazed down at her hungrily, hopelessly. This time he could +not trust himself to speak, but merely nodded "yes." + +"A strange feelin' has come over me," went on the Girl, brokenly, "a +feelin' to hold you--to cling to you--not to let you go. Somethin' in my +heart keeps sayin', 'Don't let him go!'" + +Johnson felt his knees sagging oddly beneath him. The Girl's sure +instinct of danger, the piteousness of their case, were making a coward +of him. He tore himself from her in a panic desire to go while he still +had the manhood to play his part to the end; then suddenly broke down +completely, and with his face buried in his hands, sobbed aloud. + +"Why, Girl," he managed to say, brokenly, "it's been worth--the whole of +life just--to know you. You've brought me nearer Heaven,--you, to love a +man like me!" + +"Don't say that, Oh, don't say that," she hastened to say with a great +tenderness in her voice. "S'pose you was only a road agent an' I was a +saloon keeper. We both came out o' nothin' an' we met, but through +lovin' we're goin' to reach things now--that's us. We had to be lifted +up like this to be saved." + +Johnson tried to speak, but the words would not come. It was, therefore, +with a feeling of relief that, presently, he heard Nick at the door, +saying, "It's all clear now." + +Johnson wheeled round, but Nick had flown. Turning once more to the +Girl, he said with trembling lips: + +"Good-bye!" + +The Girl's face wore a puzzled look, and she told him that he acted as +if they were never going to meet again. + +"An' we are, we are, ain't we?" she questioned eagerly. + +A faint little smile hovered about the corners of the road agent's mouth +when presently he answered: + +"Why, surely we are . . ." + +His words cleared her face instantly. + +"I want you to think o' me here jest waitin'," she said. "You was the +first--there'll never be anyone but you. Why, you're the man I'd want +sittin' across the table if there was a little kid like I was playin' +under it. I can't say no more 'n that. Only you--you will--you must get +through safe an' come back--an' well, think o' me here jest waitin', +jest waitin', waitin' . . ." + +At these words a tightness gripped the man's throat, and in the silence +that followed the tears ran steadily down his cheeks. + +"Oh, Girl, Girl," at last he said, "that first night I went to your +cabin I saw you kneeling, praying. Say that in your heart again for me +now. Perhaps I believe it--perhaps I don't . . . I hope I do--I want +to--but say it, say it, Girl, just for the luck of it--say it . . ." + +Quickly the Girl crossed herself, and while she sent a silent prayer to +Heaven Johnson knelt at her knees, his head bowed low. + +"God bless you," he murmured when the prayer was finished and arose to +his feet; then bending over her hand he touched it softly with his lips. + +"Good-bye!" he said chokingly and started for the door. + +"Good-bye!" came slowly in return, her face no less moist than his. +Presently she murmured like one in a dream: "Dick, Dick!" + +The man hastened his steps and did not turn. At the door, however, he +burst out in an agony of despair: "Girl! Girl . . .!" + +But when the Girl looked up he had reached the open. She listened a +moment to the retreating steps, then raising her tear-stained face above +her arms, she sobbed out: "He's gone--he's gone--he's gone . . .!" She +started in pursuit of him, but half-way across the room she fell into +Nick's arms, crying out: + +"He's gone, he's gone, he's gone! Dick! Dick! Dick . . .!" + +Terribly affected at the sight of the Girl's sorrow, the little +barkeeper did his best to soothe her, now patting her little blonde head +as it rested upon his arm, now murmuring words of loving tenderness. + +Suddenly she raised her head, and then it was that she saw for the first +time the men standing huddled together near the door. In a flash the +truth of the situation dawned upon her. With a look of indescribable +horror upon her face she turned upon Nick, turned upon them all with: + +"You knew, Nick--you all knew you had 'im! You knew you had 'im an' +you're goin' to kill 'im! But you shan't--no, you shan't kill 'im--you +shan't--you shan't . . .!" + +Once more she started in pursuit of her lover, but only to fall with her +face against the door, sobbing as if her heart would break. + +Outside there was nothing in the enchanting scene to suggest finality. +Nature never was more prodigal of her magic beauties. The sun still +shone on the winter whiteness of the majestic mountains; the great arch +of sky was still an azure blue; the wild things still roamed the great +forest at will. + +Life indeed was very beautiful. + +Minutes passed and still the Girl wept. + +A wonderful thing happened then--and as suddenly as it was +characteristic of these impulsive and tender-hearted men. In thinking +over their action long afterwards the Girl recalled how for an instant +she could believe neither her ears nor her eyes. With Sonora it was +credible, at least; but with Rance--it seemed wonderful to her even when +observed through the vista of many years. And yet, men like Rance more +often than not exhibit to the world the worst side of their nature. It +is only when some cataclysm of feeling bursts that their inner soul is +disclosed and joyously viewed by eyes which have long been accustomed to +judging them solely from the icy and impenetrable reserve which they +invariably wear. + +And so it came about that Sonora--first of the two--went over to her +and laid an affectionate hand upon her shoulder. + +"Why, Girl," he said, all the kindliness of his gentle nature flooding +his eyes, "the boys an' me ain't perhaps realised jest what Johnson +stood for you, an' hearin' what you said, an' seein' you prayin' over +the cuss--" + +Rance's face lit up scornfully. + +"The cuss?" he cut in, objecting to a term which is not infrequently +used affectionately. + +"Yes, the cuss," repeated Sonora, all the vindictiveness gone from his +heart now. "I got an idee maybe God's back of this 'ere game." + +The Girl's heart was beating fast; she was hoping against hope when, a +moment later, she asked: + +"You're not goin' to pull the rope on 'im?" + +"You mean I set him free," came from Rance, his tone softer, gentler +than anyone had heard it in some time. + +"You set 'im free?" repeated the Girl, timidly, and not daring to meet +his gaze. + +"I let him go," announced the Sheriff in spite of himself. + +"You let 'im go?" questioned the Girl, still in a daze. + +"That's our verdict, an' we're prepared to back it up," declared Sonora +with a smile on his weathered face, though the tears streamed down his +cheeks. + +The Girl's face illumined with a great joy. She did not stop now to +dissipate the tears which she saw rolling down Sonora's face, as was her +wont when any of the boys were grieved or distressed, but fairly flew +out of the cabin, calling half-frantically, half-ecstatically: + +"Dick! Dick! You're free! You're free! You're free . . .!" + +The minutes passed and still the miners did not move. They stood with an +air of solemnity gazing silently at one another. Only too well did they +realise what was happening to them. They were inconsolable. Presently, +Sonora, all in a heap on a bench, took out some tobacco and began to +chew it as fast as his mouth would let him; Happy, going over to the +teacher's desk, picked up the bunch of berries which he had presented +her at the opening of the school session and began to fondle them; while +Trinidad, too overcome to speak, stood leaning against the door, gazing +sadly in the direction that the Girl had taken. As for Rance, after +calling to Nick to bring him a drink, he quietly brought out a pack of +cards from his pocket and, seemingly, became absorbed in a game of +solitaire. + +A little while later, his eyes still red from weeping, Nick remarked: + +"The Polka won't never be the same, boys--the Girl's gone." + + + + +XVIII. + + +The soft and velvety blackness of night was giving place to a pearly +grey, and the feathery streaks of a trembling dawn were shooting +heavenward when a man, whose head had been pillowed on a Mexican saddle, +rose from the ground in front of a tepee, made of blankets on crossed +sticks, and seated himself on an old tree-stump where he proceeded to +light a cigarette. + +In the little tepee, sheltered by an overhanging rock, the Girl was +still sleeping; and the man, sitting opposite the mound of earth and +rock on which it was built, was Johnson. + +A week had passed since the lovers had left Cloudy Mountain, and each +day, at the moment when the sun burst above the snow-capped mountains, +found them up and riding slowly eastward. No attempt whatever was made +at haste, but, instead, now climbing easily to the top of the passes, +now descending into the valleys, they rode slowly on, ever loathe to +leave behind them the great forests and high mountains. + +Noon of each day found them always resting in some glen where the sun +made golden lacework of the branches over their heads; while at the +approach of night when the great orb was no longer to be seen through +the tree-tops and twilight was fast settling upon the woods, they would +halt near a pool of a dancing brook where, with the relish of fatigue, +they would partake of their rations; and then, when the silences came +on, Johnson would proceed to put up with loving skill the Girl's rude +quarters and, stretching himself out on a gentle slope, covered with +pine needles matted close together, the man and the Girl would go to +sleep listening to the music of the stream as it gurgled and dashed +along, foaming and leaping, over the rocks and beneath the little +patches of snow forgotten by the sun. And to these two, whether in the +depths of the vast forest or, as now, at the edge of the merciless +desert, stretching away like a world without end, their environment +seemed nothing less than a paradise. + +There were moments, however, in the long days, which could be devoted to +reflection; and often Johnson pondered over the strange fate that had +brought him under the influence--an influence which held him now and +which he earnestly prayed would continue to hold him--and into close +relationship with a character so different from his own. A contemplation +of his past life was wholly unnecessary, for the realisation had come to +him that it was her personality alone that had awakened his dormant +sense of what was right and what was wrong, and changed the course of +his life. That his future was full of possibilities, evil as well as +good, he was only too well aware; nevertheless, his faith in himself was +that of a strong man whose powers of resistance, in this case, would be +immeasurably strengthened by constant association with a stronger +character. + +It was while he was in the midst of these thoughts that the Girl, +without letting him see her, quietly drew the blankets of the tepee a +little to one side and peered out at him. She, too, had not been without +her moments of meditation. Not that she regretted for an instant that +she had committed herself to him irrevocably but, rather, because she +feared lest he should find it difficult to detach himself, soul and +body, from the adventurous life he had been leading. Such painful +communings, however, were rare and quickly dismissed as unworthy of her; +and now as she looked at him with faith and joy in her eyes, it seemed +to her that never before had she seen him appear so resolute and strong, +and she rejoiced that he belonged to her. At the thought a blush spread +over her features, and it was not until she had drawn the blankets back +into their place that she called from behind them: + +"Are you awake, Dick?" + +At the sound of her voice the man quickly arose and, going over to the +tepee, he parted the blankets and held them open. And even as she passed +out the greyness of dawn was replaced by silver, and silver by pink +tints which lighted up the pale green of the sage brush, the dwarf +shrubs and clumps of Buffalo grass around them as well as the darker +green of the pines and hemlocks of the foothills in the near distance. + +"Another day, Girl," he said softly. "See, the dawn is breaking!" + +For some moments they stood side by side in silence, the man thinking of +the future, the woman serenely happy and lost in admiration of the calm +beauty of the scene which, in one direction, at least, differed greatly +from anything that she had ever beheld. Every night previous to the one +just passed they had encamped in the great forests; but now they looked +upon a vast expanse of level plain which to the north and east, +stretched trackless and unbroken by mountain or ravine to an +infinitude--the boundless prairies soon to be mellowed and turned to a +golden brown by the shafts of a burning sun already just below the edge +of an horizon aglow with opaline tints. + +The Girl had ever been a lover of nature. All her life the mystery and +silences of the high mountains had appealed to her soul; but never until +now had she realised the marvellous beauty and glory of the great +plains. And yet, though her eyes shone with the wonder of it all, there +was an unmistakably sad and reminiscent note in the voice that presently +murmured: + +"Another day." + +After a while, and as if under the spell of some unseen power, she +slowly turned and faced the west where she gazed long and earnestly at +the panorama of the snow-capped peaks, rising range after range, all +tipped with dazzling light. + +"Oh, Dick, look back!" she cried in distress. "The foothills are growin' +fainter." She paused, but suddenly with a far-off look in her eyes she +went on: "Every dawn--every dawn they'll be farther away. Some night +when I'm goin' to sleep I'll turn an' they won't be there--red an' +shinin'." Again she paused as if almost overwhelmed with emotion, saying +at length with a deep sigh: "Oh, that was indeed the promised land!" + +Johnson was greatly moved. It was some time before he found his voice. +At length he chided her softly: + +"We must always look ahead, Girl--not backwards. The promised land is +always ahead." + +It was perhaps strange that the Girl failed to see the new light--the +light that reflected his desire for a cleaner life and an honoured place +in another community with her ever at his side--the hope and faith in +his eyes as he spoke; but still in that sad, reminiscent mood, with her +eyes fixed on the dim distances, she failed to see it, though she +replied in a voice of resignation: + +"Always ahead--yes, it must be." And then again with tears in her eyes: +"But, Dick, all the people there in Cloudy, how far off they seem +now--like shadows movin' in a dream--like shadows I've dreamt of. Only a +few days ago I clasped their hands--I seen their faces--their dear +faces--I--" She broke off; then while the tears streamed down her +cheeks: "An' now they're fadin'--in this little while I've lost +'em--lost 'em." + +"But through you all my old life has faded away . . . I have lost +that . . ." And so saying he stretched out his arms towards her; but +very gently she waved him back with a murmured: + +"Not yet!" + +For a little while longer her gaze remained on the mountains in the +west. The mist was still over her eyes when she turned again and saw +that the sun was clearing the horizon in opulent splendour. + +"See," she cried with a quick transition of mood, "the sun has risen in +the East--far away--fair an' clear!" + +Again Johnson held out his arms to her. + +"A new day--a new life--trust me, Girl." + +In silence she slipped one hand into his; then she bowed her head and +repeated solemnly: + +"Yes--a new life." + +Suddenly she drew a little away from him and faced the west again. +Clinging tightly now to him with one hand, and the other raised high +above her head, she cried in a voice that was fraught with such +passionate longing that the man felt himself stirred to the very depths +of his emotions: + +"Oh, my mountains, I'm leavin' you! Oh, my California--my lovely +West--my Sierras, I'm leavin' you!" She ended with a sob; but the next +moment throwing herself into Johnson's arms she snuggled there, +murmuring lovingly: "Oh, my home!" + +A little while later, happy in their love and fearlessly eager to meet +the trials of the days to come in a new country, they had mounted their +mustangs and were riding eastward. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST*** + + +******* This file should be named 16551-8.txt or 16551-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/5/5/16551 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Girl of the Golden West</p> +<p>Author: David Belasco</p> +<p>Release Date: August 19, 2005 [eBook #16551]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D.</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h1>The Girl of the Golden West</h1> + +<h4>by</h4> + +<h2>David Belasco</h2> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h4>1911</h4> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +<p>"In those strange days, people coming from God knows where, joined +forces in that far Western land, and, according to the rude custom of +the camp, their very names were soon lost and unrecorded, and here they +struggled, laughed, gambled, cursed, killed, loved and worked out their +strange destinies in a manner incredible to us of to-day. Of one thing +only are we sure—they lived!"</p> + +<p class="caption"><i>Early History of California</i></p> +</blockquote></blockquote> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> + +<h3>Contents</h3> +<div class="center"> +<table> + <tr><td><a href="#1">Chapter I</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#2">Chapter II</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#3">Chapter III</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#4">Chapter IV</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#5">Chapter V</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#6">Chapter VI</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#7">Chapter VII</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#8">Chapter VIII</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#9">Chapter IX</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#10">Chapter X</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#11">Chapter XI</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#12">Chapter XII</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#13">Chapter XIII</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#14">Chapter XIV</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#15">Chapter XV</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#16">Chapter XVI</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#17">Chapter XVII</a></td></tr> + <tr><td><a href="#18">Chapter XVIII</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="1"></a> </p> +<h3>I.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>It was when coming back to the mines, after a trip to Monterey, that the +Girl first met him. It happened, too, just at a time when her mind was +ripe to receive a lasting impression. But of all this the boys of Cloudy +Mountain Camp heard not a word, needless to say, until long afterwards.</p> + +<p>Lolling back on the rear seat of the stage, her eyes half closed,—the +sole passenger now, and with the seat in front piled high with boxes and +baskets containing <i>rebozos</i>, silken souvenirs, and other finery +purchased in the shops of the old town,—the Girl was mentally reviewing +and dreaming of the delights of her week's visit there,—a visit that +had been a revelation to one whose sole experience of the world had +until now been derived from life in a rough mining camp. Before her +half-closed eyes still shimmered a vista of strange, exotic scenes and +people, the thronging crowds of carnivals and fêtes; the Mexican girls +swaying through the movements of the fandango to the music of guitars +and castanets; the great <i>rodeo</i> with its hundreds of +<i>vaqueros</i>, which +was held at one of the ranchos just outside the town; and, lastly, and +most vividly of all, the never-to-be-forgotten thrill of her first +bull-fight.</p> + +<p>Still ringing in her ears was the piercing note of the bugle which +instantly silenced the expectant throng; the hoarse roar that greeted +the entrance of the bull, and the thunder of his hoofs when he made his +first mad charge. She saw again, with marvellous fidelity, the whole +colour-scheme just before the death of the big, brave beast: the huge +arena in its unrivalled setting of mountain, sea and sky; the eager +multitude, tense with expectancy; the silver-mounted bridles and +trappings of the horses; the many-hued capes of the <i>capadors</i>; the +gaily-dressed <i>banderilleros</i>, poising their beribboned barbs; the red +flag and long, slender, flashing sword of the cool and ever watchful +<i>matador</i>; and, most prominent of all to her eyes, the brilliant, +gold-laced packets of the gentlemen-<i>picadors</i>, who, after the Mexican +fashion,—so she had been told,—deemed it in nowise beneath them to +enter the arena in person.</p> + +<p>And so it happened that now, as the stage swung round a corner, and a +horseman suddenly appeared at a point where two roads converged, and was +evidently spurring his horse with the intent of coming up with the +stage, it was only natural that, even before he was near enough to be +identified, the <i>caballero</i> should already have become a part of the +pageant of her mental picture.</p> + +<p>Up to the moment of the stranger's appearance, nothing had happened to +break the monotony of her long return journey towards Cloudy Mountain +Camp. Far back in the distance now lay the Mission where the passengers +of the stage had been hospitably entertained the night before; still +further back the red-tiled roofs and whitewashed walls of the little +pueblo of San Jose,—a veritable bower of roses; and remotest of all, +the crosses of San Carlos and the great pines, oaks and cypresses, which +bordered her dream-memory of the white-beach crescent formed by the +waves of Monterey Bay.</p> + +<p>The dawn of each day that swept her further from her week in wonderland +had ushered in the matchless spring weather of California,—the +brilliant sunshine, the fleecy clouds, the gentle wind with just a tang +in it from the distant mountains; and as the stage rolled slowly +northward through beautiful valleys, bright with yellow poppies and +silver-white lupines, every turn of the road varied her view of the +hills lying under an enchantment unlike that of any other land. Yet +strange and full of interest as every mile of the river country should +have been to a girl accustomed to the great forest of the Sierras, she +had gazed upon it for the most part with unseeing eyes, while her +thoughts turned, magnet-like, backward to the delights and the +bewilderment of the old Mexican town. So now, as the pursuing horseman +swept rapidly nearer, each swinging stride of the powerful horse, each +rhythmic movement of the graceful rider brought nearer and more vivid +the vision of a handsome <i>picador</i> holding off with his lance a +thoroughly maddened bull until the crowd roared forth its appreciation.</p> + +<p>"See, Señorita," said the horseman, at last +galloping close to the coach +and lifting his sombrero, "A beautiful bunch of syringa," and then, with +his face bent towards her and his voice full of appeal, he added in +lower tone: "for you!"</p> + +<p>For a brief second, the Girl was too much taken back to find the +adequate words with which to accept the stranger's offering. +Notwithstanding that in his glance she could read, as plainly as though +he had spoken: "I know I am taking a liberty, but please don't be angry +with me," there was something in his sweeping bow and grace of manner +that, coupled with her vague sense of his social advantage, disconcerted +her. A second more, however, and the embarrassment had passed, for on +lifting her eyes to his again she saw that her memory had not played her +false; beyond all chance of a mistake, he was the man who, ten days +earlier, had peered into the stage, as she was nearing Monterey, and +later, at the bull-fight, had found time to shoot admiring glances at +her between his daring feats of horsemanship. Therefore, genuine +admiration was in her eyes and extreme cordiality in her voice when, +after a word or two of thanks, she added, with great frankness:</p> + +<p>"But it strikes me sort o' forcible that I've seen you before." Then, +with growing enthusiasm: "My, but that bull-fight was jest grand! You +were fine! I'm right glad to know you, sir."</p> + +<p>The <i>caballero's</i> face flushed with pleasure at her free-and-easy +reception of him, while an almost inaudible "<i>Gracias</i>" fell from his +lips. At once he knew that his first surmise, that the Girl was an +American, had been correct. Not that his experience in life had +furnished him with any parallel, for the Girl constituted a new and +unique type. But he was well aware that no Spanish lady would have +received the advances of a stranger in like fashion. It was inevitable, +therefore, that for the moment he should contrast, and not wholly to her +advantage, the Girl's unconventionality with the enforced reserve of the +<i>dulcineas</i> who, custom decrees, may not be courted save in the presence +of <i>duennas</i>. But the next instant he recalled that there were, in +Sacramento, young women whose directness it would never do to mistake +for boldness; and,—to his credit be it said,—he was quick to perceive +that, however indifferent the Girl seemed to the customary formality of +introduction, there was no suggestion of indelicacy about her. All that +her frank and easy manner suggested was that she was a child of nature, +spontaneous and untrammelled by the dictates of society, and normally +and healthily at home in the company of the opposite sex.</p> + +<p>"And she is even more beautiful than I supposed," was the thought that +went through his mind.</p> + +<p>And yet, the Girl was not beautiful, at least if judged by Spanish or +Californian standards. Unlike most of their women, she was fair, and her +type purely American. Her eyes of blue were lightly but clearly browed +and abundantly fringed; her hair of burnished gold was luxuriant and +wavy, and framed a face of singularly frank and happy expression, even +though the features lacked regularity. But it was a face, so he told +himself, that any man would trust,—a face that would make a man the +better for looking at it,—a face which reflected a soul that no +environment could make other than pure and spotless. And so there was, +perhaps, a shade more of respect and a little less assurance in his +manner when he asked:</p> + +<p>"And you like Monterey?"</p> + +<p>"I love it! Ain't it romantic—an', my, what a fine time the girls there +must have!"</p> + +<p>The man laughed; the Girl's enthusiasm amused him.</p> + +<p>"Have you had a fine trip so far?" he asked, for want of something +better to say.</p> + +<p>"Mercy, yes! This 'ere stage is a pokey ol' thing, but we've made not +bad time, considerin'."</p> + +<p>"I thought you were never going to get here!"</p> + +<p>The Girl shot a coquettish glance at him.</p> + +<p>"How did you know I was comin' on this 'ere stage?"</p> + +<p>"I did not know,"—the stranger broke off and thought a moment. He may +have been asking himself whether it were best for him to be as frank as +she had been and admit his admiration for her; at last, encouraged +perhaps by a look in the Girl's blue eyes, he ventured: "But I've been +riding along this road every day since I saw you. I felt that I must see +you again."</p> + +<p>"You must like me powerful well…?" This remark, far from being a +question, was accompanied with all the physiognomical evidences of an +assertion.</p> + +<p>The stranger shot a surprised glance at her, out of the corner of his +eye. Then he admitted, in all truthfulness:</p> + +<p>"Of course I do. Who could help…?"</p> + +<p>"Have you tried not to?" questioned the Girl, smiling in his face now, +and enjoying in the full this stolen intimacy.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Señorita, why should I…? All I know is that I do."</p> + +<p>The Girl became reflective; presently she observed:</p> + +<p>"How funny it seems, an' yet, p'r'aps not so strange after all. The +boys—all my boys at the camp like me—I'm glad you do, too."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the good-natured and loquaciously-inclined driver had turned +his head and was subjecting the man cantering alongside of his stage to +a rigid inspection. With his knowledge of the various types of men in +California at that time, he had no difficulty in placing the status of +this straight-limbed, broad-shouldered, young fellow as a native +Californian. Moreover, it made no difference to him whether his +passenger had met an old acquaintance or not; it was sufficient for him +to observe that the lady, as well as himself—for the expression on her +face could by no means be described as bored or scornful—liked the +stranger's appearance; and so the better to take in all the points of +the magnificent horse which the young Californian was riding, not to +mention a commendable desire to give his only passenger a bit of +pleasant diversion on the long journey, he slowed his horse down to a +walk.</p> + +<p>"But where do you live? You have a rancho near here?" the Girl was now +asking.</p> + +<p>"My father has—I live with him."</p> + +<p>"Any sisters?"</p> + +<p>"No,—no sisters or brothers. My mother was an American; she died a few +years ago." And so saying, his glance sought and obtained an answering +one full of sympathy.</p> + +<p>"I'm downright sorry for you," said the Girl with feeling; and then in +the next breath she added:</p> + +<p>"But I'm pleased you're—you're half American."</p> + +<p>"And you, Señorita?"</p> + +<p>"I'm an orphan—my family are all dead," replied the Girl in a low +voice. "But I have my boys," she went on more cheerfully, "an' what more +do I need?" And then before he had time to ask her to explain what she +meant by the boys, she cried out: "Oh, jest look at them wonderful +berries over yonder! La, how I wish I could pick 'em!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you may," the stranger hastened to say, and instantly with his +free hand he made a movement to assist her to alight, while with the +other he checked his horse; then, with his eyes resting appealingly upon +the driver, he inquired: "It is possible, is it not, Señor?"</p> + +<p>Curiously enough, this apparently proper request was responsible for +changing the whole aspect of things. For, keenly desirous to oblige him, +though she was, there was something in the stranger's eyes as they now +rested upon her that made her feel suddenly shy; a flood of new +impressions assailed her: she wanted to evade the look and yet foster +it; but the former impulse was the stronger, and for the first time she +was conscious of a growing feeling of restraint. Indeed, some inner +voice told her that it would not be quite right for her to leave the +stage. True, she belonged to Cloudy Mountain Camp where the conventions +were unknown and where a rough, if kind, comradery existed between the +miners and herself; nevertheless, she felt that she had gone far enough +with a new acquaintance, whose accent, as well as the timbre of his +voice, gave ample evidence that he belonged to another order of society +than her own and that of the boys. So, hard though it was not to accede +to his request and, at the same time, break the monotony of her journey +with a few minutes of berry-picking with him in the fields, she made no +move to leave the stage but answered the questioning look of the +obliging driver with a negative one. Whereupon, the latter, after +declaring to the young Californian that the stage was late as it was, +called to his horses to show what they could do in the way of getting +over the ground after their long rest.</p> + +<p>The young man's face clouded with disappointment. For two hundred yards +or more he spoke not a word, though he spurred his horse in order to +keep up with the now fast-moving stage. Then, all of a sudden, as the +silence between them was beginning to grow embarrassing, the Girl made +out the figure of a man on horseback a short distance ahead, and uttered +an exclamation of surprise. The stranger followed the direction of the +Girl's eyes and, almost instantly, it was borne in upon them that the +horseman awaited their coming. The Girl turned to speak, but the tender, +sorrowful expression that she saw on the young man's face kept her +silent.</p> + +<p>"That is one of my father's men," he said, somewhat solemnly. "His +presence here may mean that I must leave you. The road to our ranch +begins there. I fear that something may be wrong."</p> + +<p>The Girl shot him a look of sympathetic inquiry, though she said +nothing. To tell the truth, the first thought that entered her mind at +his words was one of concern that their companionship was likely to +cease abruptly. During the silence that preceded his outspoken +premonition of trouble, she had been studying him closely. She found +herself admiring his aquiline features, his olive-coloured skin with its +healthful pallor, the lazy, black Spanish eyes behind which, however +tranquil they generally were, it was easy for her to discern, when he +smiled, that reckless and indomitable spirit which appeals to women all +the world over.</p> + +<p>As the stage approached the motionless horseman, the young man cried out +to the <i>vaquero</i>, for such he was, and asked in Spanish whether he had a +message for him; an answer came back in the same language, the meaning +of which the Girl failed to comprehend. A moment later her companion +turned to her and said:</p> + +<p>"It is as I feared."</p> + +<p>Once more a silence fell upon them. For a half-mile or so, apparently +deep in thought, he continued to canter at her side; at last he spoke +what was in his mind.</p> + +<p>"I hate to leave you, Señorita," he said.</p> + +<p>In an instant the light went out of the Girl's eyes, and her face was as +serious as his own when she replied:</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess I ain't particularly crazy to have you go neither."</p> + +<p>The unmistakable note of regret in the Girl's voice flattered as well as +encouraged him to go further and ask:</p> + +<p>"Will you think of me some time?"</p> + +<p>The Girl laughed.</p> + +<p>"What's the good o' my thinkin' o' you? I seen you talkin' with them +gran' Monterey ladies an' I guess you won't be thinkin' often o' me. +Like 's not by to-morrow you'll 'ave clean forgot me," she said with +forced carelessness.</p> + +<p>"I shall never forget you," declared the young man with the intense +fervour that comes so easily to the men of his race.</p> + +<p>At that a half-mistrustful, half-puzzled look crossed the Girl's face. +Was this handsome stranger finding her amusing? There was almost a +resentful glitter in her eyes when she cried out:</p> + +<p>"I 'mos' think you're makin' fun o' me!"</p> + +<p>"No, I mean every word that I say," he hastened to assure her, looking +straight into her eyes where he could scarcely have failed to read +something which the Girl had not the subtlety to conceal.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess I made you say that!" she returned, making a child-like +effort to appear to disbelieve him.</p> + +<p>The stranger could not suppress a smile; but the next moment he was +serious, and asked:</p> + +<p>"And am I never going to see you again? Won't you tell me where I can +find you?"</p> + +<p>Once more the Girl was conscious of a feeling of embarrassment. Not that +she was at all ashamed of being "The Girl of The Polka Saloon," for that +never entered her mind; but she suddenly realised that it was one thing +to converse pleasantly with a young man on the highway and another to +let him come to her home on Cloudy Mountain. Only too well could she +imagine the cool reception, if it stopped at that, that the boys of the +camp there would accord to this stylish stranger. As a consequence, she +was torn by conflicting emotions: an overwhelming desire to see him +again, and a dread of what might happen to him should he descend upon +Cloudy Mountain with all his fine airs and graces.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'm queer—" she began uncertainly and then stopped in sudden +surprise. Too long had she delayed her answer. Already the stage had +left him some distance behind. Unperceived by her a shade of annoyance +had passed over the Californian's face at her seeming reluctance to tell +him where she lived. The quick of his Spanish pride was touched; and +with a wave of his sombrero he had pulled his horse down on his +haunches. Of no avail now was her resolution to let him know the +whereabouts of the camp at any cost, for already his +"<i>Adios, Señorita</i>" was sounding faintly in her ears.</p> + +<p>With a little cry of vexation, scarcely audible, the young woman flung +herself back on the seat. She was only a girl with all a girl's ways, +and like most of her sex, however practical her life thus far, she was +not without dreams of a romance. This meeting with the handsome +<i>caballero</i> was the nearest she had come to having one. True, there was +scarcely a man at Cloudy but what had tried at one time or another to go +beyond the stage of good comradeship; but none of them had approached +the idealistic vision of the hero that was all the time lying dormant in +her mind. Of course, being a girl, and almost a queen in her own little +sphere, she accepted their rough homage in a manner that was befitting +to such an exalted personage, and gave nothing in return. But now +something was stirring within her of which she knew nothing; a feeling +was creeping over her that she could not analyse; she was conscious only +of the fact that with the departure of this attractive stranger, who had +taken no pains to conceal his admiration for her, her journey had been +robbed of all its joy.</p> + +<p>A hundred yards further on, therefore, she could not resist the +temptation to put her head out of the stage and look back at the place +where she had last seen him.</p> + +<p>He was still sitting quietly on his horse at the place where they had +parted so unceremoniously, his face turned in her direction—horse and +rider silhouetted against the western sky which showed a crimson hue +below a greenish blue that was sapphire farther from the horizon.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="2"></a> </p> +<h3>II.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Not until a turn of the road hid the stage from sight did the stranger +fix his gaze elsewhere. Even then it was not easy for him, and there had +been a moment when he was ready to throw everything to the winds and +follow it. But when on the point of doing so there suddenly flashed +through his mind the thought of the summons that he had received. And +so, not unlike one who had come to the conclusion that it was indeed a +farewell, he waved his hand resignedly in the direction that the stage +had taken and, calling to his <i>vaquero</i>, he gave his horse a thrust of +the long rowel of his spur and galloped off towards the foothills of the +Sierras.</p> + +<p>For some miles the riders travelled a road which wound through beautiful +green fields; but master and man were wholly indifferent, seeing neither +the wild flowers lining each side of the road nor the sycamores and live +oaks which were shining overhead from the recent rains. In the case of +the young man every foot of the way to his father's rancho was familiar. +All hours of the day and night he had made the trip to the highway, for +with the exception of the few years that had been given to his education +in foreign lands, his whole life had been passed on the rancho. Scarcely +less acquainted with the road than his young master was the <i>vaquero</i>, +so neither gave a glance at the country through which they were passing, +but side by side took the miles in silence.</p> + +<p>An hour passed with the young man still wrapt in thought. The truth was, +though he was scarcely ready to admit it, he had been hard hit. In more +ways than one the Girl had made a deep impression on him. Not only had +her appearance awakened his interest to the point of enthusiasm, but +there was something irresistibly attractive to him in her lack of +affectation and audacious frankness. Over and over again he thought of +her happy face, her straightforward way of looking at things and, last +but not least, her evident pleasure in meeting him. And when he +reflected on the hopelessness of their ever meeting again, a feeling of +depression seized him. But his nature—always a buoyant one—did not +permit him to remain downcast very long.</p> + +<p>By this time they were nearing the foothills. A little while longer and +the road that they were travelling became nothing more than a bridle +path. Indeed, so dense did the <i>chaparral</i> presently become that it +would have been utterly impossible for one unacquainted with the way to +keep on it. Animal life was to be seen everywhere. At the approach of +the riders innumerable rabbits scurried away; quail whirred from bush to +bush; and, occasionally, a deer broke from the thickets.</p> + +<p>At the end of another hour of hard riding they were forced to slacken +their pace. In front of them the ground could be seen, in the light of a +fast disappearing moon, to be gradually rising. Another mile or two and +vertical walls of rock rose on each side of them; while great ravines, +holding mountain torrents, necessitated their making a short detour for +the purpose of finding a place where the stream could be safely forded. +Even then it was not an easy task on account of the boulder-enclosing +whirlpools whose waters were whipped into foam by the wind that swept +through the forest.</p> + +<p>At a point of the road where there was a break in the <i>chaparral</i>, a +voice suddenly cried out in Spanish:</p> + +<p>"Who comes?"</p> + +<p>"Follow us!" was the quick answer without drawing rein; and, instantly, +on recognition of the young master's voice, a mounted sentinel spurred +his horse out from behind an overhanging rock and closed in behind them. +And as they were challenged thus several times, it happened that +presently there was quite a little band of men pushing ahead in the +darkness that had fallen.</p> + +<p>And so another hour passed. Then, suddenly, there sprung into view the +dark outlines of a low structure which proved to be a corral, and +finally they made their way through a gate and came upon a long adobe +house, situated in a large clearing and having a kind of courtyard in +front of it.</p> + +<p>In the centre of this courtyard was what evidently had once been a +fountain, though it had long since dried up. Around it squatted a group +of <i>vaqueros</i>, all smoking cigarettes and some of them lazily twisting +lariats out of horsehair. Close at hand a dozen or more wiry little +mustangs stood saddled and bridled and ready for any emergency. In +colour, one or two were of a peculiar cream and had silver white manes, +but the rest were greys and chestnuts. It was evident that they had +great speed and bottom. All in all, what with the fierce and savage +faces of the men scattered about the courtyard, the remoteness of the +adobe, and the care taken to guard against surprise, old Bartolini's +<i>hacienda</i> was an establishment not unlike that of the feudal barons or +a nest of banditti according to the point of view.</p> + +<p>At the sound of the fast galloping horses, every man on the ground +sprang to his feet and ran to his horse. For a second only they stood +still and listened intently; then, satisfied that all was well and that +the persons approaching belonged to the rancho, they returned to their +former position by the fountain—all save an Indian servant, who caught +the bridle thrown to him by the young man as he swung himself out of the +saddle. And while this one led his horse noiselessly away, another of +the same race preceded him along a corridor until he came to the +<i>Maestro's</i> room.</p> + +<p>Old Ramerrez Bartolini, or Ramerrez, as he was known to his followers, +was dying. His hair, pure white and curly, was still as luxuriant as +when he was a young man. Beneath the curls was a patrician, Spanish +face, straight nose and brilliant, piercing, black eyes. His gigantic +frame lay on a heap of stretched rawhides which raised him a few inches +from the floor. This simple couch was not necessarily an indication of +poverty, though his property had dwindled to almost nothing, for in most +Spanish adobes of that time, even in some dwellings of the very rich, +there were no beds. Over him, as well as under him, were blankets. On +each side of his head, fixed on the wall, two candles were burning, and +almost within reach of his hand there stood a rough altar, with crucifix +and candles, where a padre was making preparations to administer the +Last Sacraments.</p> + +<p>In the low-studded room the only evidence remaining of prosperity were +some fragments of rich and costly goods that once had been piled up +there. In former times the old Spaniard had possessed these in +profusion, but little was left now. Indeed, whatever property he had at +the present time was wholly in cattle and horses, and even these were +comparatively few.</p> + +<p>There had been a period, not so very long ago at that, when old Ramerrez +was a power in the land. In all matters pertaining to the province of +Alta California his advice was eagerly sought, and his opinion carried +great weight in the councils of the Spaniards. Later, under the Mexican +regime, the respect in which his name was held was scarcely less; but +with the advent of the <i>Americanos</i> all this was changed. Little by +little he lost his influence, and nothing could exceed the hatred which +he felt for the race that he deemed to be responsible for his downfall.</p> + +<p>It was odd, in a way, too, for he had married an American girl, the +daughter of a sea captain who had visited the coast, and for many years +he had held her memory sacred. And, curiously enough, it was because of +this enmity, if indirectly, that much of his fortune had been wasted.</p> + +<p>Fully resolved that England—even France or Russia, so long as Spain was +out of the question—should be given an opportunity to extend a +protectorate over his beloved land, he had sent emissaries to Europe and +supplied them with moneys—far more than he could afford—to give a +series of lavish entertainments at which the wonderful richness and +fertility of California could be exploited. At one time it seemed as if +his efforts in that direction would meet with success. His plan had met +with such favour from the authorities in the City of Mexico that +Governor Pico had been instructed by them to issue a grant for several +million of acres. But the United States Government was quick to perceive +the hidden meaning in the extravagances of these envoys in London, and +in the end all that was accomplished was the hastening of the inevitable +American occupation.</p> + +<p>From that time on it is most difficult to imagine the zeal with which he +endorsed the scheme of the native Californians for a republic of their +own. He was a leader when the latter made their attack on the Americans +in Sonoma County and were repulsed with the loss of several killed. One +of these was Ramerrez' only brother, who was the last, with the +exception of himself and son, of a proud, old, Spanish family. It was a +terrible blow, and increased, if possible, his hatred for the Americans. +Later the old man took part in the battle of San Pasquale and the Mesa. +In the last engagement he was badly wounded, but even in that condition +he announced his intention of fighting on and bitterly denounced his +fellow-officers for agreeing to surrender. As a matter of fact, he +escaped that ignominy. For, taking advantage of his great knowledge of +the country, he contrived to make his way through the American lines +with his few followers, and from that time may be said to have taken +matters into his own hand.</p> + +<p>Old Ramerrez was conscious that his end was merely a matter of hours, if +not minutes. Over and over again he had had himself propped up by his +attendants with the expectation that his command to bring his son had +been obeyed. No one knew better than he how impossible it would be to +resist another spasm like that which had seized him a little while after +his son had ridden off the rancho early that morning. Yet he relied once +more on his iron constitution, and absolutely refused to die until he +had laid upon his next of kin what he thoroughly believed to be a stern +duty. Deep down in heart, it is true, he was vaguely conscious of a +feeling of dread lest his cherished revenge should meet with opposition; +but he refused to harbour the thought, believing, not unnaturally, that, +after having imposed his will upon others for nearly seventy years, it +was extremely unlikely that his dying command should be disobeyed by his +son. And it was in the midst of these death-bed reflections that he +heard hurried footsteps and knew that his boy had come at last.</p> + +<p>When the latter entered the room his face wore an agonised expression, +for he feared that he had arrived too late. It was a relief, therefore, +to see his father, who had lain still, husbanding his little remaining +strength, open his eyes and make a sign, which included the padre as +well as the attendants, that he wished to be left alone with his son.</p> + +<p>"Art thou here at last, my son?" said the old man the moment they were +alone.</p> + +<p>"Ay, father, I came as soon as I received your message."</p> + +<p>"Come nearer, then, I have much to say to you, and I have not long to +live. Have I been a good father to you, my lad?"</p> + +<p>The young man knelt beside the couch and kissed his father's hand, while +he murmured an assent.</p> + +<p>At the touch of his son's lips a chill struck the old man's heart. It +tortured him to think how little the boy guessed of the recent history +of the man he was bending over with loving concern; how little he +divined of the revelation that must presently be made to him. For a +moment the dying man felt that, after all, perhaps it were better to +renounce his vengeance, for it had been suddenly borne in upon him that +the boy might suffer acutely in the life that he intended him to live; +but in another moment he had taken himself to task for a weakness that +he considered must have been induced by his dying condition, and he +sternly banished the thought from his mind.</p> + +<p>"My lad," he began, "you promise to carry out my wishes after I am +gone?"</p> + +<p>"Ay, father, you know that I will. What do you wish me to do?"</p> + +<p>The old man pointed to the crucifix.</p> + +<p>"You swear it?"</p> + +<p>"I swear it."</p> + +<p>No sooner had the son uttered the wished-for words than his father fell +back on the couch and closed his eyes. The effort and excitement left +him as white as a sheet. It seemed to the boy as if his father might be +sinking into the last stupor, but after a while he opened his eyes and +called for a glass of <i>aguardiente</i>.</p> + +<p>With difficulty he gulped it down; then he said feebly:</p> + +<p>"My boy, the only American that ever was good was your mother. She was +an angel. All the rest of these cursed gringos are pigs;" and his voice +growing stronger, he repeated: "Ay, pigs, hogs, swine!"</p> + +<p>The son made no reply; his father went on:</p> + +<p>"What have not these devils done to our country ever since they came +here? At first we received them most hospitably; everything they wanted +was gladly supplied to them. And what did they do in return for our +kindness? Where now are our extensive ranchos—our large herds of +cattle? They have managed to rob us of our lands through clever laws +that we of California cannot understand; they have stolen from our +people thousands and thousands of cattle! There is no infamy that—"</p> + +<p>The young man hastened to interrupt him.</p> + +<p>"You must not excite yourself, father," he said with solicitude. "They +are unscrupulous—many of them, but all are not so."</p> + +<p>"Bah!" ejaculated the old man; "the gringos are all alike. I hate them +all, I—" The old man was unable to finish. He gasped for breath. But +despite his son's entreaties to be calm, he presently cried out:</p> + +<p>"Do you know who you are?" And not waiting for a reply he went on with: +"Our name is one of the proudest in Spain—none better! The curse of a +long line of ancestors will be upon you if you tamely submit—not make +these Americans suffer for their seizure of this, our rightful land—our +beautiful California!"</p> + +<p>More anxiously than ever now the son regarded his father. His inspection +left no doubt in his mind that the end could not be far off. With great +earnestness he implored him to lie down; but the dying man shook his +head and continued to grow more and more excited.</p> + +<p>"Do you know who I am?" he demanded. "No—you think you do, but you +don't. There was a time when I had plenty of money. It pleased me +greatly to pay all your expenses—to see that you received the best +education possible both at home and abroad. Then the gringos came. +Little by little these cursed <i>Americanos</i> have taken all that I had +from me. But as they have sown so shall they reap. I have taken my +revenge, and you shall take more!" He paused to get his breath; then in +a terrible voice he cried: "Yes, I have robbed—robbed! For the last +three years, almost, your father has been a bandit!"</p> + +<p>The son sprang to his feet.</p> + +<p>"A bandit? You, father, a Ramerrez, a bandit?"</p> + +<p>"Ay, a bandit, an outlaw, as you also will be when I am no more, and +rob, rob, rob, these <i>Americanos</i>. It is my command +and—you—have—sworn…"</p> + +<p>The son's eyes were rivetted upon his father's face as the old man fell +back, completely exhausted, upon his couch of rawhides. With a strange +conflict of emotions, the young man remained standing in silence for a +few brief seconds that seemed like hours, while the pallor of death +crept over the face before him, leaving no doubt that, in the solemnity +of the moment his father had spoken nothing but the literal truth. It +was a hideous avowal to hear from the dying lips of one whom from +earliest childhood he had been taught to revere as the pattern of +Spanish honour and nobility. And yet the thought now uppermost in young +Ramerrez's mind was that oddly enough he had not been taken by surprise. +Never by a single word had any one of his father's followers given him a +hint of the truth. So absolute, so feudal was the old man's mastery over +his men that not a whisper of his occupation had ever reached his son's +ears. Nevertheless, he now told himself that in some curious, +instinctive way, he had <i>known</i>,—or rather, had refused to know, +putting off the hour of open avowal, shutting his eyes to the +accumulating facts that day by day had silently spoken of lawlessness +and peril. Three years, his father had just said; well, that explained +how it was that no suspicions had ever awakened until after he had +completed his education and returned home from his travels. But since +then a child must have noted that something was wrong: the grim, +sinister faces of the men, constantly on guard, as though the old +<i>hacienda</i> were in a state of siege; the altered disposition of his +father, always given to gloomy moods, but lately doubly silent and +saturnine, full of strange savagery and smouldering fire. Yes, somewhere +in the back of his mind he had known the whole, shameful truth; had +known the purpose of those silent, stealthy excursions, and equally +silent returns,—and more than once the broken heads and bandaged arms +that coincided so oddly with some new tale of a daring hold-up that he +was sure to hear of, the next time that he chanced to ride into +Monterey. For three years, young Ramerrez had known that sooner or later +he would be facing such a moment as this, called upon to make the choice +that should make or mar him for life. And now, for the first time he +realised why he had never voiced his suspicions, never questioned, never +hastened the time of decision,—it was because even now he did not know +which way he wished to decide! He knew only that he was torn and racked +by terrible emotions, that on one side was a mighty impulse to disregard +the oath he had blindly taken and refuse to do his father's bidding; and +on the other, some new and unguessed craving for excitement and danger, +some inherited lawlessness in his blood, something akin to the +intoxication of the arena, when the thunder of the bull's hoofs rang in +his ears. And so, when the old man's lips opened once more, and shaped, +almost inaudibly, the solemn words:</p> + +<p>"You have sworn,—" the scales were turned and the son bowed his head in +silence.</p> + +<p>A moment later and the room was filled with men who fell on their knees. +On every face, save one, there was an expression of overwhelming grief +and despair; but on that one, ashen grey as it was with the agony of +approaching death, there was a look of contentment as he made a sign to +the padre that he was now ready for him to administer the last rites of +his church.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="3"></a> </p> +<h3>III.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>The Polka Saloon!</p> + +<p>How the name stirs the blood and rouses the imagination!</p> + +<p>No need to be a Forty-Niner to picture it all as if there that night: +the great high and square room lighted by candles and the warm, yellow +light of kerosene lamps; the fireplace with its huge logs blazing and +roaring; the faro tables with the little rings of miners around them; +and the long, pine bar behind which a typical barkeeper of the period +was busily engaged in passing the bottle to the men clamorous for whisky +in which to drink the health of the Girl.</p> + +<p>And the spirit of the place! When and where was there ever such a fine +fellowship—transforming as it unquestionably did an ordinary saloon +into a veritable haven of good cheer for miners weary after a long and +often discouraging day in the gulches?</p> + +<p>In a word, the Polka was a marvellous tribute to its girl-proprietor's +sense of domesticity. Nothing that could insure the comfort for her +patrons was omitted. Nothing, it would seem, could occur that would +disturb the harmonious aspect of the scene.</p> + +<p>But alas! the night was yet young.</p> + +<p>Now the moment for which not a few of that good-humoured and +musically-inclined company were waiting arrived. Clear above the babel +of voices sounded a chord, and the poor old concertina player began +singing in a voice that was as wheezy as his instrument:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Camp town ladies sing this song<br /> +<span class="ind4">Dooda! Dooda!</span><br /> + Camp town race track five miles long<br /> +<span class="ind4">Dooda! Dooda! Day!"</span><br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Throughout the solo nothing more nerve-racking or explosive than an +occasional hilarious whoop punctuated the melody. For once, at any rate, +it seemed likely to go the distance; but no sooner did the chorus, which +had been taken up, to a man, by the motley crowd and was rip-roaring +along at a great rate, reach the second line than there sounded the +reports of a fusillade of gun-shots from the direction of the street. +The effect was magical: every voice trailed off into uncertainty and +then ceased.</p> + +<p>Instantly the atmosphere became charged with tension; a hush fell upon +the room, the joyous light of battle in every eye, if nothing else, +attesting the approach of the foe; while all present, after listening +contemptuously to a series of wild and unearthly yells which announced +an immediate arrival, sprang to their feet and concentrated their +glances on the entrance of the saloon through which there presently +burst a party of lively boys from The Ridge.</p> + +<p>A psychological moment followed, during which the occupants of The Polka +Saloon glared fiercely at the newcomers, who, needless to say, returned +their hostile stares. The chances of war, judging from past +performances, far outnumbered those of peace. But as often happens in +affairs of this kind when neither side is unprepared, the desire for +gun-play gave way to mirthless laughter, and, presently, the hilarious +crowd from the rival camp, turning abruptly on their heels, betook +themselves en masse into the dance-hall.</p> + +<p>For the briefest of periods, there was a look of keen disappointment on +the faces of the Cloudy Mountain boys as they gazed upon the receding +figures of their sworn enemies; but almost in as little time as it takes +to tell it there was a tumultuous lining up at the bar, the flat surface +of which soon resounded with the heavy blows dealt it by the fists of +the men desirous of accentuating the rhythm when roaring +out:<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Gwine to run all night,<br /> + Gwine to run all day,<br /> + Bet my money on a bob-tail nag,<br /> + Somebody bet on the bay!"<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Among those standing at the bar, and looking out of bleared eyes at a +flashy lithograph tacked upon the wall which pictured a Spanish woman in +short skirts and advertised "Espaniola Cigaroos," were two miners: one +with curly hair and a pink-and-white complexion; the other, tall, +loose-limbed and good-natured looking. They were known respectively as +Handsome Charlie and Happy Halliday, and had been arguing in a maudlin +fashion over the relative merits of Spanish and American beauties. The +moment the song was concluded they banged their glasses significantly on +the bar; but since it was an unbroken rule of the house that at the +close of the musician's performance he should be rewarded by a drink, +which was always passed up to him, they needs must wait. The little +barkeeper paid no attention to their demands until he had satisfied the +thirst of the old concertina player who, presently, could be seen +drawing aside the bear-pelt curtain and passing through the small, +square opening of the partition which separated the Polka Saloon from +its dance-hall.</p> + +<p>"Not goin', old Dooda Day, are you?" The question, almost a bellow, +which, needless to say, was unanswered, came from Sonora Slim who, with +his great pal Trinidad Joe, was playing faro at a table on one side of +the room. Apparently, both were losing steadily to the dealer whose +chair, placed up against the pine-boarded wall, was slightly raised +above the floor. This last individual was as fat and unctuous looking as +his confederate, the Look-out, was thin and sneaky; moreover, he bore +the sobriquet of The Sidney Duck and, obviously, was from Australia.</p> + +<p>"Say, what did the last eight do?" Sonora now asked, turning to the +case-keeper.</p> + +<p>"Lose."</p> + +<p>"Well, let the tail go with the hide," returned Sonora, resignedly.</p> + +<p>"And the ace—how many times did it win?" inquired Trinidad.</p> + +<p>"Four times," was the case-keeper's answer.</p> + +<p>All this time a full-blooded Indian with long, blue-black hair, very +thick and oily, had been watching the game with excited eyes. His dress +was part Indian and part American, and he wore all kinds of imitation +jewelry including a huge scarf-pin which flashed from his vivid red tie. +Furthermore, he possessed a watch,—a large, brassy-looking +article,—which he brought out on every possible occasion. +When not engaged in +helping himself to the dregs that remained in the glasses carelessly +left about the room, he was generally to be found squatted down on the +floor and playing a solitaire of his own devising. But now he reached +over Sonora's shoulder and put some coins on the table in front of the +dealer.</p> + +<p>"Give Billy Jackrabbit fer two dolla' Mexican chip," he demanded in a +guttural voice.</p> + +<p>The Sidney Duck did as requested. While he was shuffling the cards for a +new deal, the players beat time with their feet to the music that +floated in from the dance-hall. The tune seemed to have an unusually +exhilarating effect on Happy Halliday, for letting out a series of +whoops he staggered off towards the adjoining room with the evident +intention of getting his fill of the music, not forgetting to yell back +just before he disappeared:</p> + +<p>"Root hog or die, boys!"</p> + +<p>Happy's boisterous exit caused a peculiar expression to appear +immediately on Handsome's face, which might be interpreted as one of +envy at his friend's exuberant condition; at all events, he proceeded +forthwith to order several drinks, gulping them down in rapid +succession.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, at the faro table, the luck was going decidedly against the +boys. In fact, so much so, that there was a dangerous note in Sonora's +voice when, presently, he blurted out:</p> + +<p>"See here, gambolier Sid, you're too lucky!"</p> + +<p>"You bet!" approved Trinidad, and then added:</p> + +<p>"More chips, Australier!"</p> + +<p>But Trinidad's comment, as well as his request, only brought forth the +oily smile that The Sidney Duck always smiled when any reference was +made to his game. It was his policy to fawn upon all and never permit +himself to think that an insult was intended. So he gathered in +Trinidad's money and gave him chips in return. For some seconds the men +played on without anything disturbing the game except the loud voice of +the caller of the wheel-of-fortune in the dance-hall. But the boys were +to hear something more from there besides, "Round goes the wheel!" For, +all at once there came to their ears the sounds of an altercation in +which it was not difficult to recognise the penetrating voice of Happy +Halliday.</p> + +<p>"Now, git, you loafer!" he was saying in tones that left no doubt in the +minds of his friends that Happy was hot under the collar over something.</p> + +<p>A shot followed.</p> + +<p>"Missed, by the Lord Harry!" ejaculated Happy, deeply humiliated at his +failure to increase the mortuary record of the camp.</p> + +<p>The incident, however, passed unnoticed by the faro players; not a man +within sound of the shot, for that matter, inquired what the trouble was +about; and even Nick, picking up his tray filled with glasses and a +bottle, walked straightway into the dance-hall looking as if the matter +were not worth a moment's thought.</p> + +<p>At Nick's going the Indian's face brightened; it gave him the +opportunity for which he had been waiting. Nobly he maintained his +reputation as a thief by quietly going behind the bar and lifting from a +box four cigars which he stowed away in his pockets. But even that, +apparently did not satisfy him, for when he espied the butt of a cigar, +flung into the sawdust on the floor by a man who had just come in, he +picked it up before squatting down again to resume his card playing.</p> + +<p>The newcomer, a man of, say, forty years, came slowly into the room +without a word of salutation to anyone. In common with his +fellow-miners, he wore a flannel shirt and boots. The latter gave every +evidence of age as did his clothes which, nevertheless, were neat. His +face wore a mild, gentle look and would have said that he was +companionable enough; yet it was impossible not to see that he was not +willingly seeking the cheer of the saloon but came there solely because +he had no other place to go. In a word, he had every appearance of a man +down on his luck.</p> + +<p>Men were continually coming in and going out, but no one paid the +slightest attention to him, even though a succession of audible sighs +escaped his lips. At length he went over to the counter and took a sheet +or two of the paper,—which was kept there for the few who desired to +write home,—a quill-pen and ink; and picking up a small wooden box he +seated himself upon it before a desk—which had been built from a rude +packing-case—and began wearily and laboriously to write.</p> + +<p>"The lone star now rises!"</p> + +<p>It was the stentorian voice of the caller of the wheel-of-fortune. One +would have thought that the sound would have had the effect of a +thunder-clap upon the figure at the desk; but he gave no sign whatever +of having heard it; nor did he see the suspicious glance which Nick, +entering at that moment, shot at Billy Jackrabbit who was stealing +noiselessly towards the dance-hall where the whoops were becoming so +frequent and evincing such exuberance of spirits that the ubiquitous, if +generally unconcerned, Nick felt it incumbent to give an explanation of +them.</p> + +<p>"Boys from The Ridge cuttin' up a bit," he tendered apologetically, and +took up a position at the end of the bar where he could command a view +of both rooms.</p> + +<p>As a partial acknowledgment that he had heard Nick's communication, +Sonora turned round slightly in his seat at the faro table and shot a +glance towards the dance-hall. Contempt showed on his rugged features +when he turned round again and addressed the stocky, little man sitting +at his elbow.</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't dance with men for partners! When I shassay, Trin, I want +a feminine piece of flesh an' blood"—he sneered, and then went on to +amplify—"with garters on."</p> + +<p>"You bet!" agreed his faithful, if laconic pal, on feeling the other's +playful dig in his ribs.</p> + +<p>The subject of men dancing together was a never-ceasing topic of +conversation between these two cronies. But whatever the attitude of +others Sonora knew that Trinidad would never fail him when it came to +nice discriminations of this sort. His reference to an article of +feminine apparel, however, was responsible for his recalling the fact +that he had not as yet received his daily assurance from the presiding +genius of the bar that he stood well in the estimation of the only lady +in the camp. Therefore, leaving the table, he went over to Nick and +whispered:</p> + +<p>"Has the Girl said anythin' about me to-day, Nick?"</p> + +<p>Now the role of confidential adviser to the boys was not a new one to +the barkeeper, nor was anyone in the camp more familiar than he with +their good qualities as well as their failings. Every morning before +going to work in the placers it was their custom to stop in at The Polka +for their first drink—which was, generally, "on the house." Invariably, +Nick received them in his shirt-sleeves,—for that matter he was the +proud possessor of the sole "biled shirt" in the camp,—and what with +his red flannel undershirt that extended far below the line of his +cuffs, his brilliantly-coloured waistcoat and tie, and his hair combed +down very low in a cow-lick over his forehead, he was indeed an odd +little figure of a man as he listened patiently to the boys' grievances +and doled out sympathy to them. On the other hand, absolutely devoted to +the fair proprietress of the saloon,—though solely in the character of +a good comrade,—he never ceased trying to advance her interests; and +since one and all of her customers believed themselves to be in love +with her, one of his most successful methods was to flatter each one in +turn into thinking that he had made a tremendous impression upon her. It +was not a difficult thing to do inasmuch as long custom and repetition +had made him an adept at highly-coloured lying.</p> + +<p>"Well, you got the first chance," asseverated Nick, dropping his voice +to a whisper.</p> + +<p>Sonora grinned from ear to ear; he expanded his broad chest and held his +head proudly; and waving his hand in lordly fashion he sung out:</p> + +<p>"Cigars for all hands and drinks, too, Nick!"</p> + +<p>The genial prevaricator could scarcely restrain himself from laughing +outright as he watched the other return to his place at the faro table; +and when, in due course, he served the concoctions and passed around the +high-priced cigars, there was a smile on his face which said as plainly +as if spoken that Sonora was not the only person present that had reason +to be pleased with himself.</p> + +<p>Then occurred one of those terpsichorean performances which never failed +to shock old Sonora's sense of the fitness of things. For the next +moment two Ridge boys, dancing together, waltzed through the opening +between the two rooms and, letting out ear-piercing whoops with every +rotation, whirled round and round the room until they brought up against +the bar where they, breathlessly, called for drinks.</p> + +<p>An angry lull fell upon the room; the card game stopped. However, before +anyone seated there could give vent to his resentment at this boisterous +intrusion of the men from the rival camp, the smooth, oily and inviting +voice of the unprincipled Sidney Duck, scenting easy prey because of +their inebriated condition, called out in its cockney accent:</p> + +<p>"'Ello, boys—'ow's things at The Ridge?"</p> + +<p>"Wipes this camp off the earth!" returned a voice that was provocative +in the extreme—a reply that instantly brought every man at the faro +table to his feet. For a time, at least, it seemed as if the boys from +The Ridge would get the trouble they were looking for.</p> + +<p>A murmur of angry amazement arose, while Sonora, his watery blue eyes +glinting, followed up his explosive, "What!" with a suggestive movement +towards his hip. But quick as he was Nick was still quicker and had The +Ridge boy, as well as Sonora, covered before their hands had even +reached their guns.</p> + +<p>"You…!" the little barkeeper's sentence was bristled out and +contained along with the expletives some comparatively mild words which +gave the would-be combatants to understand that any such foolishness +would not be tolerated in The Polka unless he himself "'lowed it to be +ne'ssary."</p> + +<p>Not unnaturally The Ridge boys failed to see anything offensive in +language that had a gun behind it; and realising the futility of any +further attempt to get away with a successful disturbance they wisely +yielded to superior quickness at the draw. With a whoop of resignation +they rushed back to the dance-hall where the voice of the caller was +exhorting the gents—whose partners were mostly big, husky, hairy-faced +men clumsily enacting parts generally assigned to members of the gentler +sex—to swing:</p> + +<p>"With the right-hand gent, first partner swing with the left-hand gent, +first partner swing with the right-hand gent; first partner swing with +the left-hand gent, and the partner in the centre, and gents all +around!"</p> + +<p>Back at the faro table now,—the incident having passed quickly into +oblivion,—Sonora called to the dealer for "a slug's worth of chips"—a +request that was promptly acceded to. But they had played only a few +minutes when a thin but somewhat sweet tenor voice was heard +singing:<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Wait for the waggon,<br /> + Wait for the waggon,<br /> + Wait for the waggon,<br /> + And we'll all take a ride.<br /> + Wait for the waggon—"<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>"Here he is, gentlemen, just back from his triumphs of The Ridge!" broke +in Nick, whose province it was to act as master of ceremonies; and +coming forward as the singer emerged from the dance-hall he introduced +him to the assembled company in the most approved music-hall manner:</p> +<p>"Allow me to present to you, Jake Wallace the Camp favour-ite!" he said +with an exaggeratedly low bow.</p> + +<p>"How-dy, Jake! Hello, Jake, old man! How be you, Jake!" were some of the +greetings that were hurled at the Minstrel who, robed in a long linen +duster, his face half-blacked, and banjo in hand, acknowledged the words +of welcome with a broad grin as he stood bowing in the centre of the +room.</p> + +<p>That Jake Wallace was a typical camp minstrel from the top of his dusty +stove-pipe hat to the sole of his flapping negro shoes, one could see +with half an eye as he made his way to a small platform—a musician's +stand—at one end of the bar; nor could there be any question about his +being a prudent one, for the musician did not seat himself until he had +carefully examined the sheet-iron shield inside the railing, which was +attached in such a way that it could be sprung up by working a spring in +the floor and render him fairly safe from a chance shot during a fracas.</p> + +<p>"My first selection, friends, will be 'The Little—'," +announced the Minstrel with a smile as he begun to tune his +instrument.</p> + +<p>"Aw, give us 'Old Dog Tray,'" cut in Sonora, impatiently from his seat +at the card table.</p> + +<p>Jake bowed his ready acquiescence to the request and kept right on +tuning up.</p> + +<p>"I say, Nick, have you saw the Girl?" asked Trinidad in a low voice, +taking advantage of the interval to stroll over to the bar.</p> + +<p>Mysteriously, Nick's eyes wandered about the room to see if anyone was +listening; at length, with marvellous insincerity, he said:</p> + +<p>"You've got the first chance, Trin; I gave 'er your message."</p> + +<p>Trinidad Joe fairly beamed upon him.</p> + +<p>"Whisky for everybody, Nick!" he ordered bumptuously; and as before the +little barkeeper's face wore an expression of pleasure not a whit less +than that of the man whom, presently, he followed to the faro table with +a bottle and four glasses.</p> + +<p>As soon as Trinidad had seated himself the Minstrel struck a chord and +announced impressively:</p> + +<p>"'Old Dog Tray,' gents, 'or Echoes from Home'!" He cleared his throat, +and the next instant in quavering tones he warbled:<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"How of-ten do I pic-ture<br /> + The old folks down at home,<br /> + And of-ten wonder if they think of me,<br /> + Would an-gel mother know me,<br /> + If back there I did roam,<br /> + Would old dog Tray re-member me."<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>At the first few words of his song the man at the desk who, up to this +time, had been wholly oblivious to what was taking place, arose from his +seat, put the ink-bottle back on the bar, opened a cigar-box there and +took from it a stamp, which he put on his letter. This he carried to a +mail-box attached to the door; then, returning, he threw himself +dejectedly down in a chair and put his head in his hands, where it +remained throughout the song.</p> + +<p>At the conclusion of his solo, the Minstrel's emotions were seemingly +deeply stirred by his own melodious voice and he gasped audibly; +whereupon, Nick came to his relief with a stiff drink which, apparently, +went to the right spot, for presently the singer's voice rang out +vigorously: "Now, boys!"</p> + +<p>No second invitation was needed, and the chorus was taken up by all, the +singers beating time with their feet and chips.<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">ALL.<br /> +<span class="ind2">"Oh, mother, an-gel mother, are you waitin'</span><br /> +<span class="ind4">there beside the lit-tle cottage on the lea—</span>"</p> + +<p class="noindent">JAKE.<br /> +<span class="ind2">"On the lea—"</span></p> + +<p class="noindent">ALL.<br /> +<span class="ind2">"How of-ten would she bless me</span><br /> +<span class="ind4">in all them days so fair—</span><br /> +<span class="ind2">Would old dog Tray re-member me—"</span></p> + +<p class="noindent">SONORA.<br /> +<span class="ind2">"Re-member me."</span><br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>All the while the miners had been singing, the sad and morose-looking +individual had been steadily growing more and more disconsolate; and +when Sonora rumbled out the last deep note in his big, bass voice, he +heaved a great sob and broke down completely.</p> + +<p>In surprised consternation everyone turned in the direction from whence +had come the sound. But it was Sonora who, affected both by the pathos +of the song and the sight of the pathetic figure before them, quietly +went over and laid a hand upon the other's arm.</p> + +<p>"Why, Larkins—Jim—what's the trouble—what's +the matter?" he asked, a +thousand thoughts fluttering within his breast. "I wouldn't feel so +bad."</p> + +<p>With a desperate effort Larkins, his face twitching perceptibly, the +lines about his eyes deepening, struggled to control himself. At last, +after taking in the astonished faces about him, he plunged into his tale +of woe.</p> + +<p>"Say, boys, I'm homesick—I'm broke—and what's more, +I don't care who +knows it." He paused, his fingers opening and closing spasmodically, and +for a moment it seemed as if he could not continue—a moment of silence +in which the Minstrel began to pick gently on his banjo the air of Old +Dog Tray.</p> + +<p>"I want to go home!" suddenly burst from the unfortunate man's lips. +"I'm tired o' drillin' rocks; I want to be in the fields again; I want +to see the grain growin'; I want the dirt in the furrows at home; I want +old Pensylvanny; I want my folks; I'm done, boys, I'm done, I'm done +…!" And with these words he buried his face in his +hands.<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Oh, mother, an-gel mother, are you +waitin'—"<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">sang the Minstrel, dolefully.</p> + +<p>Men looked at one another and were distressingly affected; The Polka had +never witnessed a more painful episode. Throwing a coin at the Minstrel, +Sonora stopped him with an impatient gesture; the latter nodded +understandingly at the same time that Nick, apparently indifferent to +Larkin's collapse, began to dance a jig behind the bar. A look of +scowling reproach instantly appeared on Sonora's face. It was +uncalled-for since, far from being heartless and indifferent to the +man's misfortunes, the little barkeeper had taken this means to distract +the miners' attention from the pitiful sight.</p> + +<p>"Boys, Jim Larkins 'lows he's goin' back East," announced Sonora. "Chip +in every mother's son o' you."</p> + +<p>Immediately every man at the faro table demanded cash from The Sidney +Duck; a moment later they, as well as the men who were not playing +cards, threw their money into the hat which Sonora passed around. It was +indeed a well-filled hat that Sonora held out to the weeping man.</p> + +<p>"Here you are, Jim," he said simply.</p> + +<p>The sudden transition from poverty to comparative affluence was too much +for Larkins! Looking through tear-dimmed eyes at Sonora he struggled for +words with which to express his gratitude, but they refused to come; and +at last with a sob he turned away. At the door, however, he stopped and +choked out: "Thank you, boys, thank you."</p> + +<p>The next moment he was gone.</p> + +<p>At once a wave of relief swept over the room. Indeed, the incident was +forgotten before the unfortunate man had gone ten paces from The Polka, +for then it was that Trinidad suddenly rose in his seat, lunged across +the table for The Sidney Duck's card-box, and cried out angrily:</p> + +<p>"You're cheatin'! That ain't a square deal! You're a cheat!"</p> + +<p>In a moment the place was in an uproar. Every man at the table sprung to +his feet; chairs were kicked over; chips flew in every direction; guns +came from every belt; and so occupied were the men in watching The +Sidney Duck that no one perceived the Lookout sneak out through the door +save Nick, who was returning from the dance-hall with a tray of empty +glasses. But whether or not he was aware that the Australian's +confederate was bent upon running away he made no attempt to stop him, +for in common with every man present, including Sonora and Trinidad, who +had seized the gambler and brought him out in front of his card-table, +Nick's eyes were fastened upon another man whom none had seen enter, but +whose remarkable personality, now as often, made itself felt even though +he spoke not a word.</p> + +<p>"Lift his hand!" cried Sonora, looking as if for sanction at the +newcomer, who stood in the centre of the room, calmly smoking a huge +cigar.</p> + +<p>Forcing up The Sidney Duck's arms, Trinidad threw upon the table a deck +of cards which he had found concealed about the other's person, bursting +out with:</p> + +<p>"There! Look at that, the infernal, good-for-nothin' cheat!"</p> + +<p>"String 'im up!" suggested Sonora, and as before he shot a questioning +look at the man, who was regarding the scene with bored interest.</p> + +<p>"You bet!" shouted Trinidad, pulling at the Australian's arm.</p> + +<p>"For 'eaven's sake, don't, don't, don't!" wailed The Sidney Duck, +terror-stricken.</p> + +<p>The Sheriff of Manzaneta County, for such was the newcomer's office, +raised his steely grey eyes inquisitorially to Nick's who, with a +hostile stare at the Australian, emitted:</p> + +<p>"Chicken lifter!"</p> + +<p>"String 'im! String 'im!" insisted Trinidad, at the same time dragging +the culprit towards the door.</p> + +<p>"No, boys, no!" cried the unfortunate wretch, struggling uselessly to +break away from his captors.</p> + +<p>At this stage the Sheriff of Manzaneta County took a hand in the +proceedings, and drawled out:</p> + +<p>"Well, gentlemen—" He stopped short and seemingly became reflective.</p> +<p>Instantly, as was their wont whenever the Sheriff spoke, all eyes fixed +themselves upon him. Indeed, it needed but a second glance at this cool, +deliberate individual to see how great was his influence upon them. He +was tall,—fully six feet one,—thin, and angular; his hair and +moustache were black enough to bring out strongly the unhealthy pallor +of his face; his eyes were steel grey and were heavily fringed and +arched; his nose straight and his mouth hard, determined, but just, the +lips of which were thin and drawn tightly over brilliantly-white teeth; +and his soft, pale hands were almost feminine looking except for the +unusual length of his fingers. On his head was a black beaver hat with a +straight brim; a black broadcloth suit—cut after the "'Frisco" fashion +of the day—gave every evidence that its owner paid not a little +attention to it. From the bosom of his white, puffed shirt an enormous +diamond, held in place by side gold chains, flashed forth; while +glittering on his fingers was another stone almost as large. Below his +trousers could plainly be seen the highly-polished boots; the heels and +instep being higher than those generally in use. In a word, it was +impossible not to get the impression that he was scrupulously immaculate +and careful about his attire. And his voice—the voice that tells +character as nothing else does—was smooth and drawling, though +fearlessness and sincerity could easily be detected in it. Such was Mr. +Jack Rance, Gambler and Sheriff of Manzaneta County.</p> + +<p>"This is a case for you, Jack Rance," suddenly spoke up Sonora.</p> + +<p>"Yes," chimed in Trinidad; and then as he gave the Australian a rough +shake, he added: "Here's the Sheriff to take charge of you."</p> + +<p>But Mr. Jack Rance, the Sheriff of Manzaneta County, was never known to +move otherwise than slowly, deliberately. Taking from his pocket a +smoothly-creased handkerchief he proceeded to dust languidly first one +and then the other of his boots; and not until he had succeeded in +flicking the last grain of dust from them did he take up the business in +hand.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, what's wrong with the cyards?" he now began in his peculiar +drawling voice.</p> + +<p>Sonora pointed to the faro table.</p> + +<p>"The Sidney Duck's cheated!" he said—an accusation which was +responsible for a renewal of outcries and caused a number of men to +pounce upon the faro dealer.</p> + +<p>Trinidad ran a significant hand around his collar.</p> + +<p>"String 'im! Come on, you—!" once more he cried. But on seeing the +Sheriff raise a restraining hand he desisted from pulling the Australian +along.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute!" commanded the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>The miners with the prisoner in their midst stood stock-still. Now the +Sheriff's features lost some of their usual inscrutability and for a +moment became hard and stern. Slowly he let his eyes wander +comprehensively about the saloon: first, they travelled to a small +balcony—reached by a ladder drawn down or up at will—decorated with +red calico curtains, garlands of cedar and bittersweet, while the +railing was ornamented with a wildcat's skin and a stuffed fawn's head; +from the ceiling with its strings of red peppers, onions and apples they +fell on a stuffed grizzly bear, which stood at the entrance to the +dance-hall, with a little green parasol in its paw and an old silk hat +upon its head; from it they shifted to the gaudy bar with its +paraphernalia of fancy glasses, show-cases of coloured liquors and its +pair of scales for weighing the gold dust; and from that to a keg, the +top of which could be withdrawn without engendering the slightest +suspicion that it represented other than an ordinary receptacle for +liquor. Two notices tacked upon the wall also caught and held his +glance, his eyes dwelling most affectionately on the one reading: "A +Real Home For The Boys."</p> + +<p>That there was such a thing as sentiment in the make-up of the Sheriff +of Manzaneta County few people, perhaps, would have believed. +Nevertheless, at the thought that this placard inspired, he dismissed +whatever inclination he might have had to deal leniently with the +culprit, and calmly observed:</p> + +<p>"There is no reason, gentlemen, of being in a hurry. I've got something +to say about this. I don't forget, although I am the Sheriff of +Manzaneta County, that I'm running four games. But it's men like The +Sidney Duck here that casts reflections on square-minded, sporting men +like myself. And worse—far worse, gentlemen, he casts reflections on +The Polka, the establishment of the one decent woman in Cloudy."</p> + +<p>"You bet!" affirmed Nick, indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a lady, d'you hear me?" stormed Sonora, addressing the prisoner; +then: "You lily-livered skunk!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, let's string 'im up!" urged Trinidad.</p> + +<p>"Yes, come on, you…!" was Handsome's ejaculation, contriving, at +last, to get his hands on the faro dealer.</p> + +<p>But again the Sheriff would have none of it.</p> + +<p>"Hold on, hold on—" he began and paused to philosophise: "After all, +gents, what's death? A kick and you're off;" and then went on: "I've +thought of a worse punishment. Give him his coat."</p> + +<p>Surprised and perplexed at this order, Handsome, reluctantly, assisted +the culprit into his coat.</p> + +<p>"Put him over there," the Sheriff now ordered.</p> + +<p>Whereupon, obedient to the instructions of that personage, The Sidney +Duck was roughly put down into a chair; and while he was firmly held +into it, Rance strolled nonchalantly over to the faro table and picked +out a card from the deck there. Returning, he quickly plucked a +stick-pin from the prisoner's scarf, saying, while he suited his action +to his words:</p> + +<p>"See, now I place the deuce of spades over his heart as a warning. He +can't leave the camp, and he never plays cyards again—see?" And while +the men, awed to silence, stood looking at one another, he instructed +Handsome to pass the word through the camp.</p> + +<p>"Ow, now, don't si that! Don't si that!" bawled out the card sharp.</p> + +<p>The sentence met with universal approval. Rance waved an authoritative +hand towards the door; and the incident, a few seconds later, passed +into its place in the camp records. Albeit, in those seconds, and while +the men were engrossed in the agreeable task of ejecting The Sidney +Duck, The Polka harboured another guest, no less unwelcome, who made his +way unobserved through the saloon to become an unobtrusive spectator of +the doings in the dance-hall.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="4"></a> </p> +<h3>IV.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>In the space of six months one can do little or much harm. The young +bandit,—for he had kept his oath to his father,—flattered himself +that he had done much. In all the mining camps of the Sierras the mere +mention of the name of Ramerrez brought forth execrations. Not a stage +started out with its precious golden freight without its passengers +having misgivings that they would be held up before reaching Sacramento. +Messengers armed with shotguns were always to be found at their post +beside the drivers; yet, despite all precautions, not a week passed +without a report that the stage out of this or that camp, had been +attacked and the passengers forced to surrender their money and +valuables. Under no circumstances, however, were any of Ramerrez's own +countrymen molested. If, by any chance, the road agent made a mistake +and stopped a party of native Californians or Mexicans, they were at +once permitted to proceed on their way with the bandit-leader's profuse +apologies.</p> + +<p>But it was altogether different with Americans. The men of that race +were compelled to surrender their gold; although so far as he was +concerned, their women were exempt from robbery. As a matter of fact, he +had few chances to show his chivalry, since few women were living, at +that time, in the Sierras. Nevertheless, it happened in rare instances +that a stage was held up which contained one or two of them, and they +were never known to complain of his treatment. And so far, at least, he +had contrived to avoid any serious bloodshed. Two or three messengers, +it is true, had been slightly wounded; but that was the most that his +worst enemies could charge against him.</p> + +<p>As for Ramerrez's own attitude towards the life he was leading, it must +be confessed that, the plunge once taken, his days and nights were too +full of excitement and adventure to leave him time to brood. Somewhat to +his own surprise, he had inherited his father's power of iron +domination. Young as he was, not one of his father's seasoned band of +cut-throats ever questioned his right or his ability to command. At +first, no doubt, they followed him through a rude spirit of loyalty; but +after a short time it was because they had found in him all the +qualities of a leader of men, one whose plans never miscarried. Fully +two-thirds of the present band were vassals, as it were, in his family, +while all were of Spanish or Mexican descent. In truth, Ramerrez himself +was the only one among them who had any gringo blood in his veins. And +hence not a tale of the outlaw's doings was complete without the +narrator insisting upon it that the leader of the band—the road agent +himself—closely resembled an American. One and all of his victims +agreed that he spoke with an American accent, while the few who had been +able to see his features on a certain occasion when the red bandanna, +which he wore about his face, had fallen, never failed to maintain that +he looked like an American.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, Ramerrez not only bore the imprint of his mother's +race in features and in speech, but the more he made war upon them, the +more he realised that it was without any real feeling of hostility. In +spite of his early training and in spite of his oath, he could not share +his father's bitterness. True, the gringos had wrecked the fortunes of +his house; it was due to them that his sole inheritance was an outlaw's +name and an outlaw's leadership. And yet, despite it all, there was +another fact that he could not forget,—the fact that he himself was one +half gringo, one half the same race as that of the unforgotten Girl whom +he had met on the road to Sacramento. Indeed, it had been impossible to +forget her, for she had stirred some depth in him, the existence of +which he had never before suspected. He was haunted by the thought of +her attractive face, her blue eyes and merry, contagious laugh. For the +hundredth time he recalled his feelings on that glorious day when he had +intercepted her on the great highway. And with this memory would come a +sudden shame of himself and occupation,—a realisation of the barrier +which he had deliberately put between the present and the past. Up to +the hour when he had parted from her, and had remained spellbound, +seated on his horse at the fork of the roads, watching the vanishing +coach up to the last minute, he was still a Spanish gentleman, still +worthy in himself,—whatever his father had done,—to +offer his love and +his devotion to a pure and honest girl. But now he was an outlaw, a road +agent going from one robbery to another, likely at any time to stain his +hand with the life-blood of a fellow man. And this pretence that he was +stealing in a righteous cause, that he was avenging the wrongs that had +been done to his countrymen,—why, it was the rankest hypocrisy! He knew +in his heart that vengeance and race hatred had nothing whatever to do +with it. It was because he loved it like a game, a game of unforeseen, +unguessed danger. The fever of it was in his blood, like strong +drink,—and with every day's adventure, the thirst for it grew stronger.</p> + +<p>Yet, however personally daring, Ramerrez was the last person in the +world to trust to chance for his operations, more than was absolutely +necessary. He handled his men with shrewd judgment and strict +discipline. Furthermore, never was an attack made that was not the +outcome of a carefully matured plan. A prime factor in Ramerrez' success +had from the first been the information which he was able to obtain from +the Mexicans, not connected with his band, concerning the places that +the miners used as temporary depositories for their gold; and it was +information of this sort that led Ramerrez and his men to choose a +certain Mexican settlement in the mountains as a base of operations: +namely, the tempting fact that a large amount of gold was stored nightly +in the Polka Saloon, at the neighbouring camp on Cloudy Mountain.</p> + +<p>And there was still another reason.</p> + +<p>Despite the fact that his heart had been genuinely touched by the many +and unusual attractions of the Girl, it is not intended to convey the +idea that he was austere or incapable of passion for anyone else. For +that was not so. Although, to give the bandit his due, he had remained +quite exemplary, when one considers his natural charm as well as the +fascination which his adventurous life had for his country-women. +Unfortunately, however, in one of his weak moments, he had foolishly +permitted himself to become entangled with a Mexican woman—Nina +Micheltoreña, by name—whose jealous nature now +threatened to prove a +serious handicap to him. It was a particularly awkward situation in +which he found himself placed, inasmuch as this woman had furnished him +with much valuable information. In fact, it was she who had called his +attention to the probable spoils to be had in the American camp near by. +It can readily be imagined, therefore, that it was not without a +premonition of trouble to come that he sought the Mexican settlement +with the intention of paying her a hundred-fold for her valuable +assistance in the past and then be through with her for good and all.</p> + + +<p>The Mexican or greaser settlements had little in them that resembled +their American neighbours. In the latter there were few women, for the +long distance that the American pioneers had to travel before reaching +the gold-fields of California, the hardships that they knew had to be +encountered, deterred them from bringing their wives and daughters. But +with the Mexicans it was wholly different. The number of women in their +camps almost equalled that of the men, and the former could always be +seen, whenever the weather permitted, strolling about or sitting in the +doorways chatting with their neighbours, while children were everywhere. +In fact, everything about the Mexican settlements conveyed the +impression that they had come to stay—a decided contrast to the +transient appearance of the camps of the Americans.</p> + +<p>It was one evening late in the fall that Ramerrez and his band halted +just outside of this particular Mexican settlement. And after +instructing his men where they should meet him the following day, he +sent them off to enjoy themselves for the night with their friends. For, +Ramerrez, although exercising restraint over his band, never failed to +see to it that they had their pleasures as well as their duties—a trait +in his character that had not a little to do with his great influence +over his men. And so it happened that he made his way alone up the main +street to the hall where a dance was going on.</p> + +<p>The scene that met his eyes on entering the long, low room was a gay +one. It was a motley crowd gathered there in which the Mexicans, not +unnaturally, predominated. Here and there, however, were native +Californians, Frenchmen, Germans and a few Americans, the latter +conspicuous by the absence of colour in their dress; for with the +exception of an occasional coatless man in a red or blue shirt, they +wore faded, old, black coats,—frequently frock-coats, at that,—which +certainly contrasted unfavourably, at least so far as heightening the +gaiety of the scene was concerned, with the green velvet jackets, +brilliant waistcoats with gold filigree and silver buttons and red +sashes of the Mexicans. That there was not a man present but what was +togged out in his best and was armed, it goes without saying, even if +the weapons of the Mexicans were in the form of murderous knives +concealed somewhere about their persons instead of belts with guns and +knives openly displayed, as was the case with the Americans.</p> + +<p>At the time of the outlaw's entrance into the dance-hall the fandango +was over. But presently the fiddles, accompanied by guitars, struck up a +waltz, and almost instantly some twenty or more men and women took the +floor; those not engaged in dancing surrounding the dancers, clapping +their hands and shouting their applause. In order to see if the woman he +sought was present, it was necessary for Ramerrez to push to the very +front of the crowd of lookers-on, where he was not long in observing +that nearly all the women present were of striking appearance and danced +well; likewise, he noted, that none compared either in looks or grace +with Nina Micheltoreña who, he had to acknowledge, even if his feelings +for her were dead, was a superb specimen of a woman.</p> + +<p>Good blood ran in the veins of Nina Micheltoreña. It is not in the +province of this story to tell how it was that a favourite in the best +circles of Monterey came to be living in a Mexican camp in the Sierras. +Suffice it to say that her fall from grace had been rapid, though her +dissolute career had in no way diminished her beauty. Indeed, her +features were well-nigh perfect, her skin transparently clear, if dark, +and her form was suppleness itself as she danced. And that she was the +undisputed belle of the evening was made apparent by the number of men +who watched her with eyes that marvelled at her grace when dancing, and +surrounded her whenever she stopped, each pleading with her to accept +him as a partner.</p> + +<p>Almost every colour of the rainbow had a place in her costume for the +occasion: The bodice was of light blue silk; the skirt orange; +encircling her small waist was a green sash; while her jet-black hair +was fastened with a crimson ribbon. Diamonds flashed from the earrings +in her ears as well as from the rings on her fingers. All in all, it was +scarcely to be wondered at that her charms stirred to the very depths +the fierce passion of the desperate characters about her.</p> + +<p>That Ramerrez dreaded the interview which he had determined to have with +his confederate can easily be understood by anyone who has ever tried to +sever his relations with an enamoured woman. In fact the outlaw dreaded +it so much that he decided to postpone it as long as he could. And so, +after sauntering aimlessly about the room, and coming, unexpectedly, +across a woman of his acquaintance, he began to converse with her, +supposing, all the time, that Nina Micheltoreña was too occupied with +the worshippers at her shrine to perceive that he was in the dance-hall. +But it was decidedly a case of the wish being father to the thought: Not +a movement had he made since he entered that she was not cognisant of it +and, although she hated to acknowledge it to herself, deep down in her +heart she was conscious that he was not as thoroughly under the sway of +her dark eyes as she would have wished. Something had happened in the +last few weeks that had brought about a change in him, but just what it +was she was unable to determine. There were moments when she saw plainly +that he was much more occupied with his daring plans than he was with +thoughts of her. So far, it was true, there had been no evidences on his +part of any hesitation in confiding his schemes to her. Of that she was +positive. But, on the other hand, she had undoubtedly lost some of her +influence over him. It did not lessen her nervousness to realise that he +had been in the hall for some time without making any effort to see her. +Besides, the appointment had been of his own making, inasmuch as he had +sent word by one of his band that she should meet him to-night in this +place. Furthermore, she knew that he had in mind one of the boldest +projects he had yet attempted and needed, to insure success, every scrap +of knowledge that she possessed. In the meantime, while she waited for +him to seek her out, she resolved to show him the extent of her power to +fascinate others; and from that moment never had she seemed more +attractive and alluring to her admirers, in all of whom she appeared to +excite the fiercest of passions. In fact, one word whispered in an ear +by those voluptuous lips and marvellously sweet, musical voice, and the +recipient would have done her bidding, even had she demanded a man's +life as the price of her favour.</p> + +<p>It is necessary, however, to single out one man as proving an exception +to this sweeping assertion, although this particular person seemed no +less devoted than the other men present. He was plainly an American and +apparently a stranger to his countrymen as well as to the Mexicans. His +hair was white and closely cropped, the eyebrows heavy and very black, +the lips nervous and thin but denoting great determination, and the face +was tanned to the colour of old leather, sufficiently so as to be +noticeable even in a country where all faces were tanned, swarthy, and +dark. One would have thought that this big, heavy, but extremely-active +man whose clothes, notwithstanding the wear and tear of the road, were +plainly cut on "'Frisco patterns," was precisely the person calculated +to make an impression upon a woman like Nina Micheltoreña; and, yet, +oddly enough, he was the only man in the room whose attentions seemed +distasteful to her. It could not be accounted for on the ground of his +nationality, for she danced gladly with others of his race. Nor did +it look like caprice on her part. On the contrary, there was an +expression on her face that resembled something like fear when she +refused to be cajoled into dancing with him. At length, finding her +adamant, the man left the room.</p> + +<p>But as time went by and still Ramerrez kept aloof, Nina Micheltoreña's +excitement began to increase immeasureably. To such a woman the outlaw's +neglect could mean but one thing—another woman. And, finally, unable to +control herself any longer, she made her way to where the woman with +whom Ramerrez had been conversing was standing alone.</p> + +<p>"What has the Señor been saying to you?" she demanded, jealousy and +ungovernable passion blazing forth from her eyes.</p> + +<p>"Nothing of interest to you," replied the other with a shrug of her +shoulders.</p> + +<p>"It's a lie!" burst from Nina's lips. "I heard him making love to you! I +was standing near and heard every tone, every inflection of his voice! I +saw how he looked at you!" And so crazed was she by jealousy that her +face became distorted and almost ugly, if such a thing were possible, +and her great eyes filled with hatred.</p> + +<p>The other woman laughed scornfully.</p> + +<p>"Make your man stay away from me then—if you can," she retorted.</p> + +<p>At that the infuriated Nina drew a knife and cried:</p> + +<p>"Swear to me that you'll not see him to-night, or—"</p> + +<p>The sentence was never finished. Quick as lightning Ramerrez stepped in +and caught Nina's up-raised arm. For one instant her eyes flashed fire +at him; another, and submissive to his will, she slipped the knife +somewhere in the folds of her dress and the attention that she had +succeeded in attracting was diverted elsewhere. Those who had rushed up +expecting a tragedy returned, once more, to their dancing.</p> + +<p>"I have been looking for you, Nina," he said, taking her to one side. "I +want to speak with you."</p> + +<p>Nina laughed airily, but only another woman would have been able to +detect the danger lurking in that laugh.</p> + +<p>"Have you just come in?" she inquired casually. "It is generally not +difficult to find me when there is dancing." And then with a significant +smile: "But perhaps there were so many men about me that I was +completely hidden from the view of the Señor."</p> + +<p>Ramerrez bowed politely his belief in the truth of her words; then he +said somewhat seriously:</p> + +<p>"I see a vacant table over in the corner where we can talk without +danger of being overheard. Come!" He led the way, the woman following +him, to a rough table of pine at the farther end of the room where, +immediately, a bottle and two glasses were placed before them. When they +had pledged each other, Ramerrez went on to say, in a low voice, that he +had made the appointment in order to deliver to her her share for the +information that led to his successful holdup of the stage at a place +known as "The Forks," a few miles back; and taking from his pocket a +sack of gold he placed it on the table before her.</p> + +<p>There was a silence in which Nina made no movement to pick up the gold; +whereupon, Ramerrez repeated a little harshly:</p> + +<p>"Your share."</p> + +<p>Slowly the woman rose, picking up the sack as she did so, and with a +request that he await her, she made her way over to the bar where she +handed it to the Mexican in charge with a few words of instruction. In +another moment she was again seated at the table with him.</p> + +<p>"Why did you send for me to meet you here?" she now asked. "Why did you +not come to my room—surely you knew that there was danger here?"</p> + +<p>Carelessly, Ramerrez let his eyes wander about the room; no one was +paying the slightest attention to them and, apparently, there being +nothing to fear, he answered:</p> + +<p>"From whom?"</p> + +<p>For a brief space of time the woman looked at him as if she would ferret +out his innermost thoughts; at length, she said with a shrug of the +shoulders:</p> + +<p>"Few here are to be thoroughly trusted. The woman you were with—she +knows you?"</p> + +<p>"I never met her but once before," was his laconic rejoinder.</p> + +<p>Nina eyed him suspiciously; at last she was satisfied that he spoke the +truth, but there was still that cold, abstracted manner of his to be +explained. However, cleverly taking her cue from him she inquired in +business-like tones:</p> + +<p>"And how about The Polka Saloon—the raid on Cloudy Mountain Camp?"</p> + +<p>A shade of annoyance crossed Ramerrez' face.</p> + +<p>"I have decided to give that up—at least for a time."</p> + +<p>Again Nina regarded him curiously; when she spoke there was a suspicious +gleam in her eyes, though she said lightly:</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you're right—it will not be an easy job."</p> + +<p>"Far from it," quickly agreed the man. "But the real reason is, that I +have planned to go below for a while."</p> + +<p>The woman's eyes narrowed.</p> + +<p>"You are going away then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And what about me? Do I go with you?"</p> + +<p>Ramerrez laughed uneasily.</p> + +<p>"It is impossible. The fact is, it is best that this should be our last +meeting." And seeing the change that came over her face he went on in +more conciliatory tones: "Now, Nina, be reasonable. It is time that we +understood each other. This interview must be final."</p> + +<p>"And you came here to tell me this?" blazed the woman, scowling darkly +upon him. And for the moment she looked all that she was reputed to +be—a dangerous woman!</p> + +<p>Receiving no answer, she spoke again.</p> + +<p>"But you said that you would love me always?"</p> + +<p>The man flushed.</p> + +<p>"Did I say that once? What a memory you have!"</p> + +<p>"And you never meant it?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose so—at the time."</p> + +<p>"Then you don't love me any more?"</p> + +<p>Ramerrez made no answer.</p> + +<p>For some moments Nina sat perfectly still. Her mind was busy trying to +determine upon the best course to pursue. At length she decided to make +one more attempt to see whether he was really in earnest. And if +not…</p> + +<p>"But to-night," she hazarded, leaning far over the table and putting her +face close to his, her eyes the while flooded with voluptuousness, "you +will come with me to my room?"</p> + +<p>Ramerrez shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No, Nina, all that is over."</p> + +<p>The woman bit her lips with vexation.</p> + +<p>"Are you made of stone? What is the matter with you to-night? Is there +anything wrong with my beauty? Have you seen anyone handsomer than I +am?"</p> + +<p>"No…"</p> + +<p>"Then why not come? You don't hate?"</p> + +<p>"I don't hate you in the least, but I won't go to your room."</p> + +<p>"So!"</p> + +<p>There was a world of meaning in that one word. For a while she seemed to +be reflecting; suddenly with great earnestness she said:</p> + +<p>"Once for all, Ramerrez, listen to me. Rather than give you up to any +other woman I will give you up to death. Now do you still refuse me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes…" answered Ramerrez not unkindly and wholly unmoved by her +threat. "We've been good pals, Nina, but it's best for both that we +should part."</p> + +<p>In the silence that ensued the woman did some hard thinking. That a man +could ever tire of her without some other woman coming into his life +never once entered into her mind. Something told her, nevertheless, that +the woman with whom he had been conversing was not the woman that she +sought; and at a loss to discover the person to whom he had transferred +his affections, her mind reverted to his avowed purpose of withdrawing +from the proposed Cloudy Mountain expedition. The more Nina reflected on +that subject the more convinced she became that, for some reason or +other, Ramerrez had been deceiving her. It was made all the more clear +to her when she recalled that when Ramerrez' messenger had brought his +master's message that she was to meet him, she had asked where the +band's next rendezvous was to be, and that he, knowing full well that +his countrywoman had ever been cognizant of his master's plans, had +freely given the desired information. Like a flash it came to her now +that no such meeting-place would have been selected for any undertaking +other than a descent upon Cloudy Mountain Camp. Nor was her intuition or +reasoning at fault: Ramerrez had not given up his intention of getting +the miners' gold that he knew from her to be packed away somewhere in +The Polka Saloon; but what she did not suspect, despite his peculiar +behaviour, was that he had taken advantage of the proximity of the two +camps to sever his relation, business and otherwise, with her. And yet, +did he but know it, she was destined to play no small part in his life +for the next few weeks!</p> + +<p>Nina Micheltoreña had now decided upon her future course of action: She +would let him think that his desire to break off all relations with her +would not be opposed. Ever a keen judge of men and their ways, she was +well aware that any effort to reclaim him to-night would meet with +disaster. And so when Ramerrez, surprised at her long silence, looked +up, he was met with a smiling face and the words:</p> + +<p>"So be it, Ramerrez. But if anything happens, remember you have only +yourself to blame."</p> + +<p>Ramerrez was astounded at her cool dismissal of the subject. To judge by +the expression on his face he had indeed obtained his release far easier +than he had deemed it possible. As a matter of fact, her indifference so +piqued him that before he was conscious of his words he had asked +somewhat lamely:</p> + +<p>"You wish me well? We part as friends?"</p> + +<p>Nina regarded him with well-simulated surprise, and replied:</p> + +<p>"Why, of course—the best of friends. Good luck, +<i>amigo</i>!" And with that she rose and left him.</p> + +<p>And so it was that later that evening after assuring herself that +neither Ramerrez nor any of his band remained in the dance-hall, Nina, +her face set and pale, exchanged a few whispered words with that same +big man towards whom, earlier in the evening, she had shown such +animosity.</p> + +<p>The effect of these words was magical; the man could not suppress a +grunt of intense satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"She says I'm to meet her to-morrow night at the Palmetto Restaurant," +said Ashby to himself after the woman had lost herself in a crowd of her +own countrymen. "She will tell where I can put my hands on this +Ramerrez. Bah! It's too good to be true. Nevertheless, I'll be on hand, +my lady, for if anyone knows of this fellow's movements I'll wager you +do."</p> + +<p>At that moment Ashby, the Wells Fargo Agent, was nearer than ever before +to the most brilliant capture of all his career.</p> + + +<p>Late the following afternoon, some five miles from the Mexican +settlement, on a small tableland high above a black ravine which was +thickly timbered with the giant trees of the Sierras, Ramerrez' band was +awaiting the coming of the <i>Maestro</i>. It was not to be a long wait and +they stood around smoking and talking in low tones. Suddenly, the sound +of horses climbing was heard, and soon a horseman came in sight whose +appearance had the effect of throwing them instantly into a state of +excitement, one and all drawing their guns and making a dash for their +horses, which were tied to trees. A moment later, however, another +horseman appeared, and laughing boisterously at themselves they slid +their guns back into their belts and retied their horses, for the man +whom they recognised so quickly, the individual who saved the situation, +as it were, was none other than Jose Castro, an ex-<i>padrona</i> of the +bull-fights and the second in command to Ramerrez. He was a wiry, +hard-faced and shifty-eyed Mexican, but was as thoroughly devoted to +Ramerrez as he had been to the young leader's father. On the other hand, +the man who had caused them to fear that a stranger had surprised them, +and that they had been trapped, was Ramerrez or Johnson—the name that +he had assumed for the dangerous work he was about to engage in—and +they had failed to know him, dressed as he was in the very latest +fashion prevailing among the Americans in Sacramento in '49. Nor was it +to be wondered at, for on his head was a soft, brown hat—large, but not +nearly the proportions of a sombrero; a plain, rough tweed coat and a +waistcoat of a darker tan, which showed a blue flannel shirt beneath it; +and his legs were encased in boots topped by dark brown leggings. In a +word, his get-up resembled closely the type of American referred to +disdainfully by the miners of that time as a Sacramento guy; whereas, +the night before he had taken great pains to attire himself as gaudily +as any of the Mexicans at the dance, and he had worn a short black +jacket of a velvety material that was not unlike corduroy and covered +with braid; his breeches were of the same stuff; above his boots were +leather gaiters; and around his waist was a red sash.</p> + +<p>It was now close to four o'clock in the afternoon and the band began +their preparations for the raid. To the rear of the small, open space +where they had been waiting was a fairly good-sized cave, in the opening +of which they deposited various articles unnecessary for the expedition. +It took only a short time to do this, and within half an hour from the +time that their leader had so startled them by his strange appearance, +the outlaws were ready to take the trail for Cloudy Mountain. One +comprehensive glance the pseudo-American—and he certainly looked the +part—shot at his picturesque, if rough-looking followers, not a few of +whom showed red bandannas under their sombreros or around their +necks—and then with a satisfied expression on his +face—for he had a leader's +pride in his men—he gave the signal and led the way along and down the +steep trail from the tableland. And as from time to time he glanced back +over his shoulders to where the men were coming along in single file, he +could see that in every eye was a glint of exultation at the prospect of +booty.</p> + +<p>After they had gone about three miles they crossed the black ravine, and +from there they began to ascend. Up and up they went, the path very hard +on the horses, until finally they came to the top of a pass where it had +been arranged that the band should await further instructions, none +going on further save the two leaders. Here, saddle-girths and guns were +inspected, the last orders given, and with a wave of the hand in +response to the muttered wishes of good luck, Johnson,—for as such he +will be known from this time on,—followed by Castro, made his way +through the forest towards Cloudy Mountain.</p> + +<p>For an hour or so Johnson rode along in that direction, checking the +speed of his horse every time the sun came into view and showed that +there was yet some time before sunset. Presently, he made a sign to +Castro to take the lead, for he had never been in this locality before, +and was relying on his subordinate to find a spot from which he could +reconnoitre the scene of the proposed raid without the slightest danger +of meeting any of the miners.</p> + +<p>At a very sharp turn of the road to the left Castro struck off through +the forest to the right and, within a few minutes, reached a place where +the trees had thinned out and were replaced by the few scrubs that grew +in a spot almost barren. A minute or so more and the two men, their +horses tied, were able to get an uninterrupted view of Cloudy Mountain.</p> + +<p>The scene before them was one of grandeur. Day was giving place to +night, fall to winter, and yet at this hour all the winds were stilled. +In the distance gleamed the snow-capped Sierras, range after range as +far as the eye could see to the northwest; in the opposite direction +there stood out against the steel-blue of the sky a succession of wooded +peaks ever rising higher and higher until culminating in the faraway +white mountains of the south; and below, they looked upon a ravine that +was brownish-green until the rays of the departing orb touched the +leaves with opal tints.</p> + +<p>Now the fast-falling sun flung its banner of gorgeous colours across the +western sky. Immediately a wonderful light played upon the fleecy cumuli +gathered in the upper heavens of the east and changed them from pearl to +brilliant scarlet. For a moment, also, the purple hills became wonderful +piles of dull gold and copper; a moment more and the magic hand of the +King of Day was withdrawn.</p> + +<p>In front of them now, dark, gloomy and threatening rose Cloudy Mountain, +from which the Mining Camp took its name; and on a plateau near its base +the camp itself could plainly be seen. It consisted of a group of +miners' cabins set among pines, firs and manzaneta bushes with two +larger pine-slab buildings, and scattered around in various places were +shafts, whose crude timber-hoists appeared merely as vague outlines in +the fast-fading light. The distance to the camp from where they stood +was not over three miles as the crow flies, but it appeared much less in +the rarefied atmosphere.</p> + +<p>As the two bandits stood on the edge of the precipice looking across and +beyond the intervening gulch or ravine, here and there a light twinkled +out from the cabins and, presently, a much stronger illumination shot +forth from one of the larger and more pretentious buildings. Castro was +quick to call his master's attention to it.</p> + +<p>"There—that place with the light is The Palmetto Hotel!" he exclaimed. +"And over there—the one with the larger light is The Polka Saloon!" For +even as he spoke the powerful kerosene lamp of The Polka Saloon, flanked +by a composition metal reflector, flashed out its light into the gloom +enveloping the desolate, ominous-looking mountains.</p> + +<p>Johnson regarded this building long and thoughtfully. Then his eyes made +out a steep trail which zigzagged from The Polka Saloon up the barren +slopes of the mountain until it reached a cabin perched on the very top, +the steps and porch of which were held up by poles made of trees. There, +also, a light could be seen, but dimly. It was a strange place for +anyone to erect a dwelling-place, and he found himself wondering what +manner of person dwelt there. Of one thing he was certain: whoever it +was the mountains were loved for themselves, for no mere digger of gold +would think of erecting a habitation in view of those strange, vast, and +silent heights!</p> + +<p>And as he meditated thus, he perceived that the far off Sierras were +forming a background for a sinuous coil of smoke from the cabin. For +some time he watched it curling up into the great arch of sky. It was as +if he were hypnotised by it and, in a vague, shadowy way, he had a sense +of being connected, somehow, with the little cabin and its recluse. Was +this feeling that he had a premonition of danger? Was this a moment of +foreboding and distrust of the situation yet to be revealed? For like +most venturesome men he always had a moment before every one of his +undertakings in which his instinct either urged him forward or held him +back.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he became conscious that his eyes no longer saw the smoke. He +stared hard to glimpse it, but it was gone. And with a supreme effort he +wrenched himself free from a sort of paralysis which was stealing away +his senses.</p> + +<p>Now the light in the cabin disappeared, and since the shades of night, +for which he had been waiting, had fallen, he called to the impatient +and wondering Castro, and together they went back to the trail.</p> + +<p>But even as they crossed the gulch and reached the outskirts of the camp +a great white moon rose from behind the Sierras. To Castro, hidden now +in the pines, it meant nothing so long as it did not interfere with his +purpose. As a matter of fact he was already listening intently to the +bursts of song and shouts of revelry that came every now and then from +the nearby saloon. But his master, unaccountably under the spell of the +moon's mystery and romance, watched it until it shed its silvery and +magic light upon the lone cabin on the top of Cloudy Mountain, which +Fate had chosen for the decisive scene of his dramatic life.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="5"></a> </p> +<h3>V.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Inside The Polka, not a bit more, and not a bit less sardonic—it was +this imperturbability which made him so resistless to most people—than +he was prior to the banishment of The Sidney Duck, the Sheriff of +Manzaneta County waited patiently until the returning puppets of his +will had had time to compose themselves. It took them merely the +briefest of periods, but it served to increase visibly the long ash at +the end of Rance's cigar. At length he shot a hawk-like glance at Sonora +and proposed a little game of poker.</p> + +<p>"This time, gentlemen—" he said, with a significant pause +and accent—"just for social recreation. What do you say?"</p> + +<p>"I'm your Injun!" acquiesced Sonora, rubbing his hands together +gleefully at the prospect of winning from the Sheriff, whom he liked +none too well.</p> + +<p>"That's me, too!" concurred Trinidad.</p> + +<p>"Chips, then, Nick!" called out the Sheriff, quietly taking a seat at +the table; while Sonora, bubbling over with spirits, hitched up his +trousers in sailor fashion and executed an impromptu hornpipe, bellowing +in his deep, base voice:<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"I shipped aboard of a liner, boys—"<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>"Renzo, boys, renzo," finished Trinidad, falling in place at the table.</p> + +<p>At this point the outside door was unexpectedly pushed open, inward, and +the Deputy-Sheriff came into their midst.</p> + +<p>"Ashby just rode in with his posse," he announced huskily to his +superior.</p> + +<p>The Sheriff flashed a look of annoyance and inquired of the gaunt, +hollow-cheeked, muscular Deputy whose beaver overcoat was thrown open so +that his gun and powder-flask showed plainly in his belt:</p> + +<p>"Why, what's he doing here?"</p> + +<p>"He's after Ramerrez," answered the Deputy, eyeing him intently.</p> + +<p>Rance received this information in silence and went on with his +shuffling of the cards; presently, unconcernedly, he remarked:</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez—Oh, that's the polite road agent who has been visiting the +other camps?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; he's just turned into your county," declared the Deputy, +meaningly.</p> + +<p>"What?" Sonora looked dumbfounded.</p> + +<p>The Deputy nodded and proceeded to the bar. And while he drained the +contents of his glass, the Minstrel played on his banjo, much to the +amusement of the men, who showed their appreciation by laughing +heartily, the last bars of, "Pop Goes the Weasel."</p> + +<p>"Hello, Sheriff!" greeted Ashby, coming in just as the merriment over +the Minstrel's little joke had died away. Ashby's voice—quick, sharp +and decisive was that of a man accustomed to ordering men, but his +manner was suave, if a trifle gruff. Moreover, he was a man of whom it +could be said, paradoxical as it may seem, that he was never known to be +drunk nor ever known to be sober. It was plain from his appearance that +he had been some time on the road.</p> + +<p>Rance rose and politely extended his hand. And, although the greeting +between the two men was none too cordial, yet in their look, as they +eyed each other, was the respect which men have for others engaged more +or less in the same business and in whom they recognise certain +qualities which they have in common. In point of age Ashby was, perhaps, +the senior. As far as reputation was concerned, both men were accounted +nervy and square. Rance introduced him to Sonora and the others, saying:</p> + +<p>"Boys, Mr. Ashby of Wells Fargo."</p> + +<p>The latter had a pleasant word or two for the men; then, turning to the +Deputy, he said:</p> + +<p>"And how are you these days?"</p> + +<p>"Fit. And yourself?"</p> + +<p>"Same here." Turning now to the barkeeper, Ashby, with easy familiarity, +added: "Say, Nick, give us a drink."</p> + +<p>"Sure!" came promptly from the little barkeeper.</p> + +<p>"Everybody'll have the same?" inquired Ashby, turning once more to the +men.</p> + +<p>"The same!" returned the men in chorus.</p> + +<p>Thereupon, Nick briskly slapped down a bottle and four glasses before +the Sheriff, and leaving him to do the honours, disappeared into the +dance-hall.</p> + +<p>"'Well, I trust the Girl who runs The Polka is well?" inquired Ashby, +pushing his glass near the bottle.</p> + +<p>"Fine as silk," vouched Sonora, adding in the next breath: "But, say, +Mr. Ashby, how long you been chasm' up this road agent?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he only took to the road a few months ago," was Ashby's answer. +"Wells Fargo have had me and a posse busy ever since. He's a wonder!"</p> + +<p>"Must be to evade you," complimented Sonora, much to the discomfort of +the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I can smell a road agent in the wind," declared Ashby somewhat +boastfully. "But, Rance, I expect to get that fellow right here in your +county."</p> + +<p>The Sheriff looked as if he scouted the idea, and was about to speak, +but checked the word on his tongue. Then followed a short silence in +which the Deputy, smiling a trifle derisively, went out of the saloon.</p> + +<p>"Is this fellow a Spaniard?" questioned the Sheriff, drawling as usual, +but at the same time jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards a +placard on the wall, which read:<br /> </p> + + +<div class="center"> +<table><tr><td align="center"> +<b>"FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD<br /> +FOR THE ROAD AGENT RAMERREZ,<br /> +OR INFORMATION<br /> +LEADING TO HIS CAPTURE.</b> +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> + <br />(SIGNED) <b>WELLS FARGO."</b><br /> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<p>"No—can't prove it. The fact of his leading a crew of greasers and +Spaniards signifies nothing. His name is assumed, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"They say he robs you like a gentleman," remarked Rance with some show +of interest.</p> + +<p>"Well, look out for the greasers up the road!" was Ashby's warning as he +emptied his glass and put it down before him.</p> + +<p>"We don't let them pass through here," shrugged Rance, likewise putting +down his glass on the table.</p> + +<p>Ashby now picked up the whisky bottle and carried it over to the +deserted faro table before which he settled himself comfortably in a +chair.</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, I've had a long ride—wake me up when The Pony Express goes +through!" he called over his shoulder as he put his coat over him.</p> + +<p>But no sooner was he comfortably ensconced for a snooze than Nick came +bustling in with a kettle of boiling water and several glasses +half-filled with whisky and lemon. Stopping before Ashby he said in his +best professional manner:</p> + +<p>"Re-gards of the Girl—hot whisky straight with lemming extract."</p> + +<p>Ashby took up his glass, as did, in turn, the men at the other table. +But it was Rance who, with arm uplifted, toasted:</p> + +<p>"The Girl, gentlemen, the only Girl in Camp, the Girl I mean to make +Mrs. Jack Rance!"</p> + +<p>Confident that neither would catch him in the act, Nick winked first at +Sonora and then at Trinidad. That the little barkeeper was successful in +making the former, at least, believe that he possessed the Girl's +affections was manifested by the big miner's next remark.</p> + +<p>"That's a joke, Rance. She makes you look like a Chinaman."</p> + +<p>Rance sprang to his feet, white with rage.</p> + +<p>"You prove that!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"In what particular spot will you have it?" taunted Sonora, as his hand +crept for his gun.</p> + +<p>Simultaneously, every man in the room made a dash for cover. Nick ducked +behind the bar, for, as he told himself when safely settled there, he +was too old a bird to get anywhere near the line of fire when two old +stagers got to making lead fly about. Nor was Trinidad slow in arriving +at the other end of the bar where he caromed against Jake, who had +dropped his banjo and was frantically trying to kick the spring of the +iron shield in an endeavour to protect himself—a feat which, at last, +he succeeded in performing. But, fortunately, for all concerned, as the +two men stood eyeing each other, their hands on their hips ready to +draw, Nick, from his position behind the bar, glimpsed through the +window the Girl on the point of entering the saloon.</p> + +<p>"Here comes the Girl!" he cried excitedly. "Aw, leave your guns +alone—take your drinks, quick!"</p> + +<p>For a fraction of a second the men looked sheepishly at one another, +even Nick appearing a trifle uncomfortable, as he picked up the kettle +and went off with it.</p> + +<p>"Once more we're friends, eh, boys?" said Rance, with a forced laugh; +and then as he lifted his glass high in the air, he gave the toast:</p> + +<p>"The Girl!"</p> + +<p>"The Girl!" repeated all—all save Ashby, whose snores by this time +could be heard throughout the big room—and drained their glasses.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="6"></a> </p> +<h3>VI.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>There was a general movement towards the bar when the fair proprietress +of The Polka, who had lingered longer than usual in her little cabin on +top of the mountain, breezily entered the place by the main door. In a +coarse, blue skirt, and rough, white flannel blouse, cut away and held +in place at the throat by a crimson ribbon, the Girl made a pretty +picture; it was not difficult to see why the boys of Cloudy Mountain +Camp had a feeling which fell little short of adoration for this +sun-browned maid, with the spirit of the mountain in her eyes. That each +in his own way had given her to understand that he was desperately +smitten with her, goes without saying. But, although she accepted their +rough homage as a matter of course, such a thought as falling in love +with anyone of them had never entered her mind.</p> + +<p>As far back, almost, as she could remember, the Girl had lived among +them and had ever been a true comrade, sharing their disappointments and +thrilling with their successes. Of a nature pure and simple, she was, +nevertheless, frank and outspoken. Moreover, she knew to a dot what was +meant when someone—bolder than his mates—stretched out his arms to +her. One such exhibition on a man's part she was likely to forgive and +forget, but the wrath and scorn that had blazed forth from her blue eyes +on such an occasion had been sufficient to prevent a repetition of the +offence. In short, unspoiled by their coarse flattery, and, to all +appearances, happy and care-free, she attended to the running of The +Polka wholly unsmirched by her environment.</p> + +<p>But a keen observer would not have failed to detect that the Girl took a +little less pleasure in her surroundings than she had taken in them +before she had made the trip to Monterey. Downright glad, to use her own +expression, as she had been on her return to see the boys of the camp +and hear their boisterous shouts of welcome when the stage drew up in +front of The Polka, she had to acknowledge that her home-coming was not +quite what she expected. It was as if she had suddenly been startled out +of a beautiful dream wherein she had been listening to the soft music of +her lover's voice and brought face to face with the actualities of life, +which, in her case, to say the least, were very real.</p> + +<p>For hours after leaving her admirer sitting motionless on his horse on +the great highway between Monterey and Sacramento, the Girl had indulged +in some pertinent thoughts which, if the truth were known, were anything +but complimentary to her behaviour. And, however successful she was +later on in persuading herself that he would eventually seek her out, +there was no question that at first she felt that the chances of her +ever setting eyes on him again were almost negligible. All the more +bitterly, therefore, did she regret her folly in not having told him +where she lived; particularly so since she assured herself that not only +was he the handsomest man that she had ever seen, but that he was the +only one who had ever succeeded in chaining her attention. That he had +been making love to her with his eyes, if not with words, she knew only +too well—a fact that had been anything but displeasing to her. Indeed, +far from having felt sorry that she had encouraged him, she, +unblushingly, acknowledged to herself that, if she had the thing to do +over again, she would encourage him still more.</p> + +<p>Was she then a flirt? Not at all, in the common acceptation of the word. +All her knowledge of the ways of the world had been derived from Mother +Nature, who had supplied her with a quick and ready wit to turn aside, +with a smile, the protestations of the boys; had taught her how to live +on intimate terms with them and yet not be intimate; but when it came to +playing at love, which every city maid of the same age is an adept at, +she was strangely ignorant. Of a truth, then, it was something far +broader and deeper that had entered into her heart—love. Not +infrequently love comes as suddenly as this to young women who live in +small mining camps or out-of-the-way places where the men are +practically of a type; it is their unfamiliarity with the class which a +stranger represents when he makes his appearance in their midst that is +responsible, fully as much as his own personality, for their being +attracted to him. It is not impossible, of course, that if the Girl had +met him in Cloudy,—say as a miner there,—the result would have been +precisely the same. But it is much more likely that the attendant +conditions of their meeting aided him in appealing to her imagination, +and in touching a chord in her nature which, under other circumstances, +would not have responded in as many months as there were minutes on that +eventful day.</p> + +<p>Little wonder then, that as each succeeding mile travelled by the stage +took her further and further away from him, something which, as yet, she +did not dare to name, kept tugging at her heartstrings and which she +endeavoured to overcome by listening to the stage driver's long-winded +reminiscences and anecdotes concerning the country through which they +were passing. But, although she made a brave effort to appear +interested, it did not take him long to realise that something was on +his passenger's mind and, being a wise man, he gradually relapsed into +silence, with the result that, before the long journey ended at Cloudy +Mountain, she had deceived herself into believing that she was certain +to see her admirer again.</p> + +<p>But as the days grew into weeks, the weeks into months, and the Girl +neither saw nor heard anything of him, it was inevitable that the +picture that he had left on her mind should begin to grow dim. +Nevertheless, it was surprising what a knack his figure had of appearing +before her at various times of the day and night, when she never failed +to compare him with the miners in the camp, and, needless to say, +unflatteringly to them. There came a time, it is true, when she was +sorely tempted to tell one of them something of this new-found friend of +hers; but rightly surmising the effect that her praising of her paragon +would have upon the recipient of her confidences, she wisely resolved to +lock up his image in her heart.</p> + +<p>Of course, there were moments, too, when the Girl regretted that there +was no other woman—some friend of her own sex in the camp—to +whom she could confide her little romance. But since that boon was denied her, +she took to seeking out the most solitary places to dream of him. In +such moods she would climb to a high crag, a few feet from her cabin, +and with a reminiscent and far-away look in her eyes she would sit for +hours gazing at the great canyons and gorges, the broad forests and +wooded hillsides, the waterfalls flashing silver in the distance, and, +above all, at the wonderously-grand and snow-capped peaks of the main +range.</p> + +<p>At other times she would take the trail leading from the camp to the +country below, and after wandering about aimlessly in the beautiful and +mysterious forests, she would select some little glen through which a +brook trickled and murmured underneath the ferns into a pool, and +seating herself on a clump of velvet moss, the great sugar pines and +firs forming a canopy over her head, she would whisper her secret +thoughts and wild hopes to the gorgeously-plumed birds and saucy +squirrels scampering all about her. The hours spent thus were as oases +in her otherwise practical existence, and after a while she would return +laden down with great bunches of ferns and wild flowers which, +eventually, found a place on the walls of The Polka.<br /> </p> + + +<div class="center"> +<table><tr><td align="center"> +<span class="small">* + +* + +* + + +* + + +* + + +* + +</span><br /> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + + +<p>Glancing at the bar to see that everything was to her satisfaction, the +Girl greeted the boys warmly, almost rapturously with:</p> + +<p>"Hello, boys! How's everythin'? Gettin' taken care of?"</p> + +<p>"Hello, Girl!" sang out Sonora in what he considered was his most +fetching manner. He had been the first to reach the coveted position +opposite the Girl, although Handsome, who had followed her in, was +leaning at the end of the bar nearest to the dance-hall.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Sonora!" returned the Girl with an amused smile, for it was +impossible with her keen sense of humour not to see Sonora's attempts to +make himself irresistible to her. Nor did she fail to observe that +Trinidad, likewise, had spruced himself up a little more than usual, +with the same purpose in mind.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Girl!" he said, strolling up to her with a ludicrous swagger.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Trin!" came from the Girl, smilingly.</p> + +<p>There was an awkward pause in which both Sonora and Trinidad floundered +about in their minds for something to say; at length, a brilliant +inspiration came to the former, and he asked:</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, make me a prairie oyster, will you?"</p> + +<p>"All, right, Sonora, I'll fix you right up," returned the Girl, smiling +to herself at his effort. But at the moment that she was reaching for a +bottle back of the bar, a terrific whoop came from the dance-hall, and +ever-watchful lest the boys' fun should get beyond her control, she +called to her factotum to quiet things down in the next room, concluding +warningly:</p> + +<p>"They've had about enough."</p> + +<p>When the barkeeper had gone to do her bidding, the Girl picked up an +egg, and, poising it over a glass, she went on:</p> + +<p>"Say, look 'ere, Sonora, before I crack this 'ere egg, I'd like to state +that eggs is four bits apiece. Only two hens left—" She broke off +short, and turning upon Handsome, who had been gradually sidling up +until his elbows almost touched hers, she repulsed him a trifle +impatiently:</p> + +<p>"Oh, run away, Handsome!"</p> + +<p>A flush of pleasure at Handsome's evident discomfiture spread over +Sonora's countenance, and comical, indeed, to the Girl, was the majestic +air he took on when he ordered recklessly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, crack the egg—I'll stand for it."</p> + +<p>But Sonora's fancied advantage over the others was of short duration, +for the next instant Nick, stepping quickly forward with a drink, handed +it to the Girl with the words:</p> + +<p>"Regards of Blonde Harry."</p> + +<p>Again Sonora experienced a feeling akin to jealousy at what he termed +Blonde Harry's impudence. It almost immediately gave way to a paroxysm +of chuckling; for, the Girl, quickly taking the glass from Nick's hand, +flung its contents into a nearby receptacle.</p> + +<p>"There—tell 'im that it hit the spot!" She laughed.</p> + +<p>Nick roared with the others, but on the threshold of the dance-hall he +paused, hesitated, and finally came back, and advised in a low tone:</p> + +<p>"Throw around a few kind words, Girl—good for the bar."</p> + +<p>The Girl surveyed the barkeeper with playful disapproval in her eye. +However advantageous might be his method of working up trade, she +disdained to follow his advice, and her laughing answer was:</p> + +<p>"Oh, you Nick!"</p> + +<p>The peal of laughter that rung in Nick's ears as he disappeared through +the door, awakened Ashby and brought him instantly to his feet. Despite +his size, he was remarkably quick in his movements, and in no time at +all he was standing before the bar with a glass, which he had filled +from the bottle that had stood in front of him on the table, and was +saying:</p> + +<p>"Compliments of Wells Fargo."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," returned the Girl; and then while she shook the prairie +oyster: "You see we live high-shouldered here."</p> + +<p>"That's what!" put in Sonora with a broad grin.</p> + +<p>"What cigars have you?" asked Ashby, at the conclusion of his round of +drinks.</p> + +<p>"Regalias, Auroras and Eurekas," reeled off the Girl with her eye upon +Billy Jackrabbit, who had quietly come in and was sneaking about in an +endeavour to find something worth pilfering.</p> + +<p>"Oh, any will do," Ashby told her, with a smile; and while he was +helping himself from a box of Regalias, Nick suddenly appeared, calling +out excitedly:</p> + +<p>"Man jest come in threatenin' to shoot up the furniture!"</p> + +<p>"Who is it?" calmly inquired the Girl, returning the cigar-box to its +place on the shelf.</p> + +<p>"Old man Watson!"</p> + +<p>"Leave 'im shoot,—he's good for it!"</p> + +<p>"Nick! Nick!" yelled several voices in the dance-hall where old man +Watson was surely having the time of his life.</p> + +<p>And still the Girl paid not the slightest attention to the shooting or +the cries of the men; what did concern her, however, was the fact that +the Indian was drinking up the dregs in the whisky glasses on the faro +table.</p> + +<p>"Here, you, Billy Jackrabbit! What are you doin' here?" she exclaimed +sharply, causing that generally imperturbable redskin to start +perceptibly. "Did you marry my squaw yet?"</p> + +<p>Billy Jackrabbit's face wore as stolid an expression as ever, when he +answered:</p> + +<p>"Not so much married squaw—yet."</p> + +<p>"Not so much married…" repeated the Girl when the merriment, which +his words provoked, had subsided. "Come 'ere, you thievin' redskin!" And +when he had slid up to the bar, and she had extracted from his pockets a +number of cigars which she knew had been pilfered, she added: "You git +up to my cabin an' marry my squaw before I git there." And at another +emphatic "Git!" the Indian, much to the amusement of all, started for +the Girl's cabin.</p> + +<p>"Here—here's your prairie oyster, Sonora," at last said the Girl; and +then turning to the Sheriff and speaking to him for the first time, she +called out gaily: "Hello, Rance!"</p> + +<p>"Hello, Girl!" replied the Gambler without even a glance at her or +ceasing to shuffle the cards.</p> + +<p>Presently, Sonora pulled out a bag of gold-dust and told the Girl to +clear the slate out of it. She was in the act of taking the sack when +Nick, rushing into the room and jerking his thumb over his shoulder, +said:</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, there's a fellow in there wants to know if we can help out +on provisions."</p> + +<p>"Sure; what does he want?" returned the Girl with a show of willingness +to accommodate him.</p> + +<p>"Bread."</p> + +<p>"Bread? Does he think we're runnin' a bakery?"</p> + +<p>"Then he asked for sardines."</p> + +<p>"Sardines? Great Gilead! You tell 'im we have nothin' but straight +provisions here. We got pickled oysters, smokin' tobacco an' the best +whisky he ever saw," rapped out the Girl, proudly, and turned her +attention to the slate.</p> + +<p>"You bet!" vouched Trinidad with a nod, as Nick departed on his errand.</p> + +<p>Finally, the Girl, having made her calculations, opened the counter +drawer and brought forth some silver Mexican dollars, saying:</p> + +<p>"Sonora, an' Mr. Ashby, your change!"</p> + +<p>Ashby picked up his money, only to throw it instantly back on the bar, +and say gallantly:</p> + +<p>"Keep the change—buy a ribbon at The Ridge—compliments of Wells +Fargo."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," smiled the Girl, sweeping the money into the drawer, but +her manner showed plainly that it was not an unusual thing for the +patrons of The Polka to refuse to accept the change.</p> + +<p>Not to be outdone, Sonora quickly arose and went over to the counter +where, pointing to his stack of silver dollars, he said:</p> + +<p>"Girl, buy two ribbons at The Ridge;" and then with a significant glance +towards Ashby, he added: "Fawn's my colour."</p> + +<p>And again, as before, the voice that said, "Thank you," was colourless, +while her eyes rested upon the ubiquitous Nick, who had entered with an +armful of wood and was intent upon making the room warmer.</p> + +<p>Rance snorted disapprovingly at Sonora's prodigality. That he considered +that both his and Ashby's attentions to the Girl had gone far enough was +made apparent by the severe manner in which he envisaged them and +drawled out:</p> + +<p>"Play cyards?"</p> + +<p>But to that gentleman's surprise the men did not move. Instead, Ashby +raising a warning finger to the Girl, went on to advise that she should +bank with them oftener, concluding with:</p> + +<p>"And then if this road agent Ramerrez should drop in, you won't lose so +much—"</p> + +<p>"The devil you say!" cut in Sonora; while Trinidad broke out into a +scornful laugh.</p> + +<p>"Oh, go on, Mr. Ashby!" smilingly scoffed the Girl. "I keep the specie +in an empty keg now. But I've took to bankin' personally in my +stockin'," she confided without the slightest trace of embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"But say, we've got an awful pile this month," observed Nick, anxiously, +leaving the fireplace and joining the little ring of men about her. "It +makes me sort o' nervous—why, Sonora's got ten thousand alone fer safe +keepin' in that keg an'—"</p> + +<p>"—Ramerrez' band's everywhere," completed Ashby with a start, his quick +and trained ear having caught the sound of horses' hoofs.</p> + +<p>"But if a road agent did come here, I could offer 'im a drink an' he'd +treat me like a perfect lady," contended the Girl, confidently.</p> + +<p>"You bet he would, the durned old halibut!" was Sonora's comment, while +Nick took occasion to ask the Girl for some tobacco.</p> + +<p>"Solace or Honeydew?" she inquired, her hands already on the assortment +of tobacco underneath the bar.</p> + +<p>"Dew," was Nick's laconic answer.</p> + +<p>And then it was that the Girl heard for the first time the sound of the +galloping hoofs; startled for the moment, she inquired somewhat +uneasily:</p> + +<p>"Who's this, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>But no sooner were the words spoken than a voice outside in the darkness +sung out sharply:</p> + +<p>"Hello!"</p> + +<p>"Hello!" instantly returned another voice, which the Girl recognised at +once as being that of the Deputy.</p> + +<p>"Big holdup last night at The Forks!" the first voice was now saying.</p> + +<p>"Holdup!" repeated several voices outside in tones of excitement.</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez—" went on the first voice, at which ominous word all, +including Ashby, began to exchange significant glances as they echoed:</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez!"</p> + +<p>The name had barely died on their lips, however, than Nick precipitated +himself into their midst and announced that The Pony Express had +arrived, handing up to the Girl, at the same time, a bundle of letters +and one paper.</p> + +<p>"You see!" maintained Ashby, stoutly, as he watched her sort the +letters; "I was right when I told you…"</p> + +<p>"Look sharp! There's a greaser on the trail!" rang out warningly the +voice of The Pony Express.</p> + +<p>"A greaser!" exclaimed Rance, for the first time showing any interest in +the proceedings; and then without looking up and after the manner of a +man speaking to a good dog, he told the Deputy, who had followed Nick +into the room:</p> + +<p>"Find him, Dep."</p> + +<p>For some time the Girl occupied herself with cashing in the chips which +Nick brought to her—a task which she performed with amazing correctness +and speed considering that her knowledge of the science of mathematics +had been derived solely from the handling of money at The Polka. Now she +went over to Sonora, who sat at a table reading.</p> + +<p>"You got the newspaper, I see," she observed. "But you, Trin, I'm sorry +you ain't got nothin'," she added, with a sad, little smile.</p> + +<p>"So long!" hollered The Pony Express at that moment; whereupon, Ashby +rushed over to the door and called after him:</p> + +<p>"Pony Express, I want you!" Satisfied that his command had been heard he +retraced his footsteps and found Handsome peering eagerly over Sonora's +shoulder.</p> + +<p>"So, Sonora, you've got a newspaper," Handsome was saying.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but the infernal thing's two months old," returned the other +disgustedly.</p> + +<p>Handsome laughed, and wheeling round was just in time to see the door +flung open and a young fellow advance towards Ashby.</p> + +<p>The Pony Express was a young man of not more than twenty years of age. +He was smooth-faced and unshaven and, needless to say, was light of +build, for these riders were selected for their weight as well as for +their nerve. He wore a sombrero, a buckskin hunting-shirt, tight +trousers tucked into high boots with spurs, all of which were +weather-beaten and faded by wind, rain, dust and alkali. A pair of Colt +revolvers could be seen in his holsters, and he carried in his hands, +which were covered with heavy gloves, a mail pouch—it being the +company's orders not to let his <i>muchilo</i> of heavy leather out of his +hands for a second.</p> + +<p>"You drop mail at the greaser settlement?" inquired Ashby in his +peremptory and incisive manner.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," quickly responded the young man; and then volunteered: "It's +a tough place."</p> + +<p>Ashby scrutinised the newcomer closely before going on with:</p> + +<p>"Know a girl there named Nina Micheltoreña?"</p> + +<p>But before The Pony Express had time to reply the Girl interposed +scornfully:</p> + +<p>"Nina Micheltoreña? Why, they all know 'er! She's one o' them Cachuca +girls with droopy, Spanish eyes! Oh, ask the boys about 'er!" And with +that she started to leave the room, stopping on her way to clap both +Trinidad and Sonora playfully on the back. "Yes, ask the boys about 'er, +they'll tell you!" And so saying she fled from the room, followed by the +men she was poking fun at.</p> + +<p>"Hold her letters, you understand?" instructed Ashby who, with the +Sheriff, was alone now with The Pony Express.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," he replied earnestly. A moment later there being no further +orders forthcoming he hastily took his leave.</p> + +<p>Ashby now turned his attention to Rance.</p> + +<p>"Sheriff," said he, "to-night I expect to see this Nina Micheltoreña +either here or at The Palmetto."</p> + +<p>Rance never raised an eyebrow.</p> + +<p>"You do?" he remarked a moment later with studied carelessness. "Well, +the boys had better look to their watches. I met that lady once."</p> + +<p>Ashby shot him a look of inquiry.</p> + +<p>"She's looking to that five thousand reward for Ramerrez," he told him.</p> + +<p>Rance's interest was growing by leaps and bounds though he continued to +riffle the cards.</p> + +<p>"What? She's after that?"</p> + +<p>"Sure thing. She knows something…" And having delivered himself of +this Ashby strode over to the opposite side of the room where his coat +and hat were hanging upon an elk horn. While putting them on he came +face to face with the Girl who, having merely glanced in at the +dance-hall, was returning to take up her duties behind the bar. "Well, +I'll have a look at that greaser up the road," he said, addressing her, +and then went on half-jocularly, half-seriously: "He may have his eye on +the find in that stocking."</p> + +<p>"You be darned!" was the Girl's parting shot at him as he went out into +the night.</p> + +<p>There was a long and impressive pause in which, apparently, the Sheriff +was making up his mind to speak of matters scarcely incident to the +situation that had gone before; while fully conscious that she was to be +asked to give him an answer—she whose answer had been given many +times—the Girl stood at the bar in an attitude of amused expectancy, +and fussing with things there. At length, Rance, glancing shyly over his +shoulder to make sure that they were alone, became all at once grave and +his voice fell soft and almost caressingly.</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl!"</p> + +<p>The young woman addressed stole a look at him from under her lashes, all +the while smiling a wise, little smile to herself, but not a word did +she vouchsafe in reply.</p> + +<p>Again Rance called to her over his shoulder:</p> + +<p>"I say, Girl!"</p> + +<p>The Girl took up a glass and began to polish it. At last she deigned to +favour him with "Hm?" which, apparently, he did not hear, for again a +silence fell upon them. Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, +the Sheriff threw down his cards on the table, and facing her he said:</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, will you marry me?"</p> + +<p>"Nope," returned the Girl with a saucy toss of the head.</p> + +<p>Rance rose and strode over to the bar. Looking fixedly at her with his +steely grey eyes he demanded the reason.</p> + +<p>"'Cause you got a wife in Noo Orleans—or so the mountain breezes say," +was her ready answer.</p> + +<p>Rance gave no sign of having heard her. Throwing away the cigar he was +smoking he asked in the most nonchalant manner:</p> + +<p>"Give me some of them cigars—my kind."</p> + +<p>Reaching for a box behind her the Girl placed it before him.</p> + +<p>"Them's your kind, Jack."</p> + +<p>From an inside pocket of his broadcloth coat Rance took out an elaborate +cigar-case, filled it slowly, leaving out one cigar which he placed +between his lips. When he had this one going satisfactorily he rested +both elbows on the edge of the bar, and said bluntly:</p> + +<p>"I'm stuck on you."</p> + +<p>The Girl's lips parted a little mockingly.</p> + +<p>"Thank you."</p> + +<p>Rance puffed away for a moment or two in silence, and then with sudden +determination he went on:</p> + +<p>"I'm going to marry you."</p> + +<p>"Think so?" questioned the Girl, drawing herself up proudly. And while +Rance proceeded to relight his cigar, it having gone out, she plumped +both elbows on the bar and looked him straight in the eye, and +announced: "They ain't a man here goin' to marry me."</p> + +<p>The scene had precisely the appearance of a struggle between two +powerful wills. How long they would have remained with elbows almost +touching and looking into each other's eyes it is difficult to +determine; but an interruption came in the person of the barkeeper, who +darted in, calling: "One good cigar!"</p> + +<p>Instantly the Girl reached behind her for the box containing the +choicest cigars, and handing one to Nick, she said:</p> + +<p>"Here's your poison—three bits. Why look at 'em," she went on in the +next breath to Rance; "there's Handsome with two wives I know of +somewhere East. And—" She broke off short and ended with: "Nick, who's +that cigar for?"</p> + +<p>"Tommy," he told her.</p> + +<p>"Here, give that back!" she cried quickly putting out her hand for it. +"Tommy don't know a good cigar when he's smokin' it." And so saying she +put the choice cigar back in its place among its fellows and handed him +one from another box with the remark: "Same price, Nick."</p> + +<p>Nick chuckled and went out.</p> + +<p>"An' look at Trin with a widow in Sacramento. An' you—" The Girl broke +off short and laughed in his face. "Oh, not one o' you travellin' under +your own name!"</p> + +<p>"One whisky!" ordered Nick, coming into the room with a rush. Without a +word the Girl took down a bottle and poured it out for him while he +stood quietly looking on, grinning from ear to ear. For Rance's weakness +was known to him as it was to every other man in Manzaneta County, and +he believed that the Sheriff had taken advantage of his absence to press +his hopeless suit.</p> + +<p>"Here you be!" sang out the Girl, and passed the glass over to him.</p> + +<p>"He wants it with water," returned Nick, with a snicker.</p> + +<p>With a contemptuous gesture the Girl put the bottle back on the shelf.</p> + +<p>"No—no you don't; no fancy drinks here!" she objected.</p> + +<p>"But he says he won't take it without water," protested Nick, though +there was a twinkle in his eye. "He's a fellow that's jest rode in from +The Crossin', so he says."</p> + +<p>The Girl folded her arms and declared in a tone of finality:</p> + +<p>"He'll take it straight or git."</p> + +<p>"But he won't git," contended Nick chuckling. There was an ominous +silence. Such behaviour was without a parallel in the annals of Cloudy. +For much less than this, as the little barkeeper very well knew, many a +man had been disciplined by the Girl. So, with his eyes fixed upon her +face, he was already revelling in the situation by way of anticipation, +and rejoicing in the coming requital for his own rebuff when the +stranger had declined to leave as ordered. It was merely a question of +his waiting for the words which would, as he put it, "take the fellow +down a peg." They were soon forthcoming.</p> + +<p>"You jest send 'im to me," commanded the Girl. "I'll curl his hair for +him!"</p> + +<p>Nick's face showed that the message was to his liking. It was evident, +also, that he meant to lose no time in delivering it. A moment after he +disappeared, Rance, who had been toying with a twenty dollar gold piece +which he took from his pocket, turned to the Girl and said with great +earnestness:</p> + +<p>"Girl, I'll give you a thousand dollars on the spot for a kiss," which +offer met with no response other than a nervous little laugh and the +words:</p> + +<p>"Some men invite bein' played."</p> + +<p>The gambler shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Well, what are men made for?" said he, flinging the gold piece down on +the bar in payment for the cigar.</p> + +<p>"That's true," placidly commented the Girl, making the change.</p> + +<p>Rance tried another tack.</p> + +<p>"You can't keep on running this place alone; it's getting too big for +you; too much money circulating through The Polka. You need a man behind +you." All this was said in short, jerky sentences; moreover, when she +placed his change in front of him he pushed it back almost angrily.</p> + +<p>"Come now, marry me," again he pleaded.</p> + +<p>"Nope."</p> + +<p>"My wife won't know it."</p> + +<p>"Nope."</p> + +<p>"Now, see here, there's just one—"</p> + +<p>"Nope—take it straight, Jack, nope…" interrupted +the Girl. She had made up her mind that he had gone far enough; and +firmly grabbing his hand she slipped his change into it.</p> + +<p>Without a word the Sheriff dropped the coins into the cuspidor. The Girl +saw the action and her eyes flashed with anger. The next moment, +however, she looked up at him and said more gently than any time yet:</p> + +<p>"No, Jack, I can't marry you. Ah, come along—start your game +again—go +on, Jack." And so saying she came out from behind the bar and went over +to the faro table with: "Whoop la! Mula! Go! Good Lord, look at that +faro table!"</p> + +<p>But Rance was on the verge of losing control of himself. There was +passion in his steely grey eyes when he advanced towards her, but +although the Girl saw the look she did not flinch, and met it in a +clear, straight glance.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Jack Rance," she said, "let's have it out right now. I run +The Polka 'cause I like it. My father taught me the business an', well, +don't you worry 'bout me—I can look after m'self. I carry my little +wepping"—and with that she touched significantly the little pocket of +her dress. "I'm independent, I'm happy, The Polka's payin', an' it's +bully!" she wound up, laughing. Then, with one of her quick changes of +mood, she turned upon him angrily and demanded: "Say, what the devil do +you mean by proposin' to me with a wife in Noo Orleans? Now, this is a +respectable saloon, an' I don't want no more of it."</p> + +<p>A look of gloom came into Rance's eyes.</p> + +<p>"I didn't say anything—" he began.</p> + +<p>"Push me that Queen," interrupted the Girl, sharply, gathering up the +cards at the faro table, and pointing to one that was just beyond her +reach. But when Rance handed it to her and was moving silently away, she +added: "Ah, no offence, Jack, but I got other idees o' married life from +what you have."</p> + +<p>"Aw, nonsense!" came from the Sheriff in a voice that was not free from +irritation.</p> + +<p>The Girl glanced up at him quickly. Her mind was not the abode of +hardened convictions, but was tender to sentiment, and something in his +manner at once softening her, she said:</p> + +<p>"Nonsense? I dunno 'bout that. You see—" and her eyes took on a far +away look—"I had a home once an' I ain't forgot it—a home up over our +little saloon down in Soledad. I ain't forgot my father an' my mother +an' what a happy kepple they were. Lord, how they loved each other—it +was beautiful!"</p> + +<p>Despite his seemingly callous exterior, there was a soft spot in the +gambler's heart. Every word that the Girl uttered had its effect on him. +Now his hands, which had been clenched, opened out and a new light came +into his eyes. Suddenly, however, it was replaced by one of anger, for +the door, at that moment, was hesitatingly pushed open, and The Sidney +Duck stood with his hand on the knob, snivelling:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Miss, I—"</p> + +<p>The Girl fairly flew over to him.</p> + +<p>"Say, I've heard about you! You git!" she cried; and when she was +certain that he was gone she came back and took a seat at the table +where she continued, in the same reminiscent vein as before: "I can see +mother now fussin' over father an' pettin' 'im, an' father dealin' +faro—Ah, he was square! An' me a kid, as little as a kitten, under the +table sneakin' chips for candy. Talk 'bout married life—that was a +little heaven! Why, mother tho't so much o' that man, she was so much +heart an' soul with 'im that she learned to be the best case-keeper you +ever saw. Many a sleeper she caught! You see, when she played, she was +playin' for the ol' man." She stopped as if overcome with emotion, and +then added with great feeling: "I guess everybody's got some remembrance +o' their mother tucked away. I always see mine at the faro table with +her foot snuggled up to Dad's, an' the light o' lovin' in her eyes. Ah, +she was a lady…!" Impulsively she rose and walked over to the bar.</p> +<p>"No," she went on, when behind it once more, "I couldn't share that +table an' The Polka with any man—unless there was a heap o' carin' back +of it. No, I couldn't, Jack, I couldn't…"</p> + +<p>By this time the Sheriff's anger had completely vanished; dejection was +plainly written on every line of his face.</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess the boys were right; I am a Chinaman," he drawled out.</p> + +<p>At once the Girl was all sympathy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no you're not, Jack!" she protested, speaking as tenderly as she +dared without encouraging him.</p> + +<p>Rance was quick to detect the change in her voice. Now he leaned over +the end of the bar and said in tones that still held hope:</p> + +<p>"Once when I rode in here it was nothing but Jack, Jack, Jack Rance. By +the Eternal, I nearly got you then!"</p> + +<p>"Did you?" The Girl was her saucy self again.</p> + +<p>Rance ignored her manner, and went on:</p> + +<p>"Then you went on that trip to Sacramento and Monterey and you were +different."</p> + +<p>In spite of herself the Girl started, which Rance's quick eye did not +fail to note.</p> + +<p>"Who's the man?" he blazed.</p> + +<p>For answer the Girl burst out into a peal of laughter. It was forced, +and the man knew it.</p> + +<p>"I suppose he's one o' them high-toned, Sacramento shrimps!" he burst +out gruffly; then he added meaningly: "Do you think he'd have you?"</p> + +<p>At those words a wondering look shone in the Girl's eyes, and she asked +in all seriousness:</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with me? Is there anythin' 'bout me a high-toned gent +would object to?" And then as the full force of the insult was borne in +upon her she stepped out from behind the bar, and demanded: "Look here, +Jack Rance, ain't I always been a perfect lady?"</p> + +<p>Rance laughed discordantly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, heaven knows your character's all right!" And so saying he seated +himself again at the table.</p> + +<p>The girl flared up still more at this; she retorted:</p> + +<p>"Well, that ain't your fault, Jack Rance!" But the words were hardly out +of her mouth than she regretted having spoken them. She waited a moment, +and then as he did not speak she murmured an "Adios, Jack," and took up +her position behind the bar where, if Rance had been looking, he would +have seen her start on hearing a voice in the next room and fix her eyes +in a sort of fascinated wonder, on a man who, after parting the pelt +curtain, came into the saloon with just a suggestion of swagger in his +bearing.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="7"></a> </p> +<h3>VII.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>"Where's the man who wanted to curl my hair?"</p> + +<p>Incisive and harsh, with scarcely a trace of the musical tones she +recollected so well, as was Johnson's voice, it deceived the Girl not an +instant. Even before she was able to get a glimpse of his face it did +not fail to tell her that the handsome <i>caballero</i>, with whom she had +ridden on that never-to-be-forgotten day on the Monterey road, was +standing before her. That his attire now, as might be expected, was +wholly different from what it had been then, it never occurred to her to +note; for, to tell the truth, she was vainly struggling to suppress the +joy that she felt at seeing him again, and before she was aware of it +there slipped through her lips:</p> + +<p>"Why, howdy do, stranger!"</p> + +<p>At the sound of her voice Johnson wheeled round in glad surprise and +amazement; but the quick look of recognition that he flashed upon her +wholly escaped the Sheriff whose attitude was indicative of keen +resentment at this intrusion, and whose eyes were taking in the newcomer +from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"We're not much on strangers here," he blurted out at last.</p> + +<p>Johnson turned on his heel and faced the speaker. An angry retort rose +to his lips, but he checked it. Although, perhaps, not fully +appreciating his action, he was, nevertheless, not unaware that, from +the point of view of the Polka, his refusal to take his whisky straight +might be regarded as nothing less than an insult. And now that it was +too late he was inclined, however much he resented an attempt to +interfere in a matter which he believed concerned himself solely, to +regret the provocation and challenging words of his entrance if only +because of a realisation that a quarrel would be likely to upset his +plans. On the other hand, with every fraction of a second that passed he +was conscious of becoming more and more desirous of humbling the man +standing before him and scrutinising him so insolently; moreover, he +felt intuitively that the eyes of the Girl were on him as well as on the +other principal to this silent but no less ominous conflict going on, +and such being the case it was obviously impossible for him to withdraw +from the position he had taken. As a sort of compromise, therefore, he +said, tentatively:</p> + +<p>"I'm the man who wanted water in his whisky."</p> + +<p>"You!" exclaimed the Girl; and then added reprovingly: "Oh, Nick, this +gentleman takes his whisky as he likes it!"</p> + +<p>And this from the Girl! The little barkeeper had all the appearance of a +man who thought the world was coming to an end. He did not accept the +Girl's ultimatum until he had drawn down his face into an expression of +mock solemnity and ejaculated half-aloud:</p> + +<p>"Moses, what's come over 'er!"</p> + +<p>Johnson took a few steps nearer the Girl and bowed low.</p> + +<p>"In the presence of a lady I will take nothing," he said impressively. +"But pardon me, you seem to be almost at home here."</p> + +<p>The girl leaned her elbows on the bar and her chin in her hands, and +answered with a tantalising little laugh:</p> + +<p>"Who—me?"</p> + +<p>After a loud guffaw Nick took it upon himself to explain matters; +turning to Johnson he said:</p> + +<p>"Why, she's the Girl who runs The Polka!"</p> + +<p>Johnson's face wore a look of puzzled consternation; he saw no reason +for levity.</p> + +<p>"You…?"</p> + +<p>"Yep," nodded the Girl with a merry twinkle in her eyes.</p> + +<p>Johnson's face fell.</p> + +<p>"She runs The Polka," he murmured to himself. Of all places to have +chosen—this! So the thing he had dreaded had happened!</p> + +<p>For odd as it unquestionably seemed to him that she should turn up as +the proprietress of a saloon after months of searching high and low for +her, it was not this reflection that was uppermost in his mind; on the +contrary, it was the deeply humiliating thought that he had come upon +her when about to ply his vocation. Regret came swiftly that he had not +thought to inquire who was the owner of The Polka Saloon. Bitterly he +cursed himself for his dense stupidity. And yet, it was doubtful whether +any of his band could have informed him. All that they knew of the place +was that the miners of Cloudy Mountain Camp were said to keep a large +amount of placer gold there; all that he had done was to acquaint +himself with the best means of getting it. But his ruminations were soon +dissipated by Rance, who had come so close that their feet almost +touched, and was speaking in a voice that showed the quarrelsome frame +of mind that he was in.</p> + +<p>"You're from The Crossing, the barkeeper said—" he began, and then +added pointedly: "I don't remember you."</p> + +<p>Johnson slowly turned from the Girl to the speaker and calmly corrected:</p> + +<p>"You're mistaken; I said I rode over from The Crossing." And turning his +back on the man he faced the Girl with: "So, you run The Polka?"</p> + +<p>"I'm the Girl—the girl that runs The Polka," she said, and to his +astonishment seemed to glory in her occupation.</p> + +<p>Presently, much to their delight, an opportunity came to them to +exchange a word or two with each other without interruption. For, Rance, +as if revolving some plan of action in his mind, had turned on his heel +and walked off a little way. A moment more, however, and he was back +again and more malevolently aggressive than ever.</p> + +<p>"No strangers are allowed in this camp," he said, glowering at Johnson; +and then, his remark having passed unheeded by the other, he sneered: +"Perhaps you're off the road; men often get mixed up when they're +visiting Nina Micheltoreña on the back trail."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Rance!" protested the Girl.</p> + +<p>But Johnson, though angered, let the insinuation pass unnoticed, and +went on to say that he had stopped in to rest his horse and, perhaps, if +invited, try his luck at a game of cards. And with this intimation he +crossed over to the poker table where he picked up the deck that Rance +had been using.</p> + +<p>Rance hesitated, and finally followed up the stranger until he brought +up face to face with him.</p> + +<p>"You want a game, eh?" he drawled, coolly impudent. "I haven't heard +your name, young man."</p> + +<p>"Name," echoed the Girl with a cynical laugh. "Oh, names out here—"</p> + +<p>"My name's Johnson—" spoke up the man, throwing down the cards on the +table.</p> + +<p>"Is what?" laughed the Girl, saucily, and, apparently, trying to relieve +the strained situation by her bantering tone.</p> + +<p>"—Of Sacramento," he finished easily.</p> + +<p>"Of Sacramento," repeated the Girl in the same jesting manner as before; +then, quickly coming out from behind the bar, she went over to him and +put out her hand, saying:</p> + +<p>"I admire to know you, Mr. Johnson o' Sacramento."</p> + +<p>Johnson bowed low over her hand.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said simply.</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, I—" began Rance, fuming at her behaviour.</p> + +<p>"Oh, sit down, Rance!" The interruption came from the Girl as she pushed +him lightly out of her way; then, perching herself up on one end of the +faro table, at which Johnson had taken a seat, she ventured:</p> + +<p>"Say, Mr. Johnson, do you know what I think o' you?"</p> + +<p>Johnson eyed her uncertainly, while Rance's eyes blazed as she blurted +out:</p> + +<p>"Well, I think you staked out a claim in a etiquette book." And then +before Johnson could answer her, she went on to say: "So you think you +can play poker?"</p> + +<p>"That's my conviction," Johnson told her, smilingly.</p> + +<p>"Out o' every fifty men who think they can play poker one ain't +mistaken," was the Girl's caustic observation. The next instant, +however, she jumped down from the table and was back at her post, where, +fearful lest he should think her wanting in hospitality, she proposed: +"Try a cigar, Mr. Johnson?"</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said, rising, and following her to the bar.</p> + +<p>"Best in the house—my compliments."</p> + +<p>"You're very kind," said Johnson, taking the candle that she had lighted +for him; then, when his cigar was going, and in a voice that was +intended for her alone, he went on: "So you remember me?"</p> + +<p>"If you remember me," returned the Girl, likewise in a low tone.</p> + +<p>"What the devil are they talking about anyway?" muttered Rance to +himself as he stole a glance at them over his shoulder, though he kept +on shuffling the cards.</p> + +<p>"I met you on the road to Monterey," said Johnson with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Yes, comin' an' goin'," smiled back the Girl. "You passed me a bunch o' +wild syringa over the wheel; you also asked me to go a-berryin'—" and +here she paused long enough to glance up at him coquettishly before +adding: "But I didn't see it, Mr. Johnson."</p> + +<p>"I noticed that," observed Johnson, laughing.</p> + +<p>"An' when you went away you said—" The Girl broke off abruptly and +replaced the candle on the bar; then with a shy, embarrassed look on her +face she ended with: "Oh, I dunno."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you do, yes, you do," maintained Johnson. "I said I'll think of +you all the time—well, I've thought of you ever since."</p> + +<p>There was a moment of embarrassment. Then:</p> + +<p>"Somehow I kind o' tho't you might drop in," she said with averted eyes. +"But as you didn't—" She paused and summoned to her face a look which +she believed would adequately reflect a knowledge of the proprieties. +"O' course," she tittered out, "it wa'n't my place to remember +you—first."</p> + +<p>"But I didn't know where you lived—you never told me, you know," +contended the road agent, which contention so satisfied the Girl—for +she remembered only too well that she had not told him—that she +determined to show him further evidences of her regard.</p> + +<p>Say, I got a special bottle here—best in the house. Will you…?"</p> + +<p>"Why—"</p> + +<p>The girl did not wait for him to finish his sentence, but quickly placed +a bottle and glass before him.</p> + +<p>"My compliments," she whispered, smiling.</p> + +<p>"You're very kind—thanks," returned the road agent, and proceeded to +pour out a drink.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, little of what was taking place had been lost on Jack Rance. +As the whispered conversation continued, he grew more and more jealous, +and at the moment that Johnson was on the point of putting the glass to +his lips, Rance, rising quickly, went over to him and deliberately +knocked the glass out of his hand.</p> + +<p>With a crash it fell to the floor.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Mr. Johnson, your ways are offensive to me!" he cried; +"damned offensive! My name is Rance—Jack Rance. Your business +here—your business?" And without waiting for the other's reply he +called out huskily: "Boys! Boys! Come in here!"</p> + +<p>At this sudden and unexpected summons in the Sheriff's well-known voice +there was a rush from the dance-hall; in an instant the good-natured, +roistering crowd, nosing a fight, crowded to the bar, where the two men +stood glaring at each other in suppressed excitement.</p> + +<p>"Boys," declared the Sheriff, his eye never leaving Johnson's face, +"there's a man here who won't explain his business. He won't tell—"</p> + +<p>"Won't he?" cut in Sonora, blusteringly. "Well, we'll see—we'll make +'im!"</p> + +<p>There was a howl of execration from the bar. It moved the Girl to +instant action. Quick as thought she turned and strode to where the +cries were the most menacing—towards the boys who knew her best and +ever obeyed her unquestioningly.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute!" she cried, holding up her hand authoritatively. "I know +the gent!"</p> + +<p>The men exchanged incredulous glances; from all sides came the explosive +cries:</p> + +<p>"What's that? You know him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," she affirmed dramatically; and turning now to Rance with a swift +change of manner, she confessed: "I didn't tell you—but I know 'im."</p> + +<p>The Sheriff started as if struck.</p> + +<p>"The Sacramento shrimp by all that is holy!" he muttered between his +teeth as the truth slowly dawned upon him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, boys, this is Mr. Johnson o' Sacramento," announced the Girl with +a simple and unconscious dignity that did not fail to impress all +present. "I vouch to Cloudy for Mr. Johnson!"</p> + +<p>Consternation!</p> + +<p>And then the situation vaguely dawning upon them there ensued an +outburst of cheering compared to which the previous howl of execration +was silence.</p> + +<p>Johnson smiled pleasantly at the Girl in acknowledgment of her +confirmation of him, then shot a half-curious, half-amused look at the +crowd surrounding him and regarding him with a new interest. Apparently +what he saw was to his liking, for his manner was most friendly when +bowing politely, he said:</p> + +<p>"How are you, boys?"</p> + +<p>At once the miners returned his salutation in true western fashion: +every man in the place, save Rance, taking off his hat and sweeping it +before him in an arc as they cried out in chorus:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Johnson!"</p> + +<p>"Boys, Rance ain't a-runnin' The Polka yet!" observed Sonora with a +mocking smile on his lips, and gloating over the opportunity to give the +Sheriff a dig.</p> + +<p>The men shouted their approval of this jibe. Indeed, they might have +gone just a little too far with their badgering of the Sheriff, +considering the mood that he was in; so, perhaps, it was fortunate that +Nick should break in upon them at this time with:</p> + +<p>"Gents, the boys from The Ridge invites you to dance with them."</p> + +<p>No great amount of enthusiasm was evinced at this. Nevertheless, it was +a distinct declaration of peace; and, taking advantage of it, Johnson +advanced toward the Girl, bowed low, and asked with elaborate formality:</p> + +<p>"May I have the honour of a waltz?"</p> + +<p>Flabbergasted and awed to silence by what they termed Johnson's "style," +Happy and Handsome stood staring helplessly at one another; at length +Happy broke out with:</p> + +<p>"Say, Handsome, ain't he got a purty action? An' ornamental sort o' +cuss, ain't he? But say, kind o' presumin' like, ain't it, for a fellow +breathin' the obscurity o' The Crossin' to learn gents like us how to +ketch the ladies pronto?"</p> + +<p>"Which same," allowed Handsome, "shorely's a most painful, not to say +humiliatin' state o' things." And then to the Girl he whispered: "It's +up to you—make a holy show of 'im."</p> + +<p>The Girl laughed.</p> + +<p>"Me waltz? Me?" she cried, answering Johnson at last. "Oh, I can't waltz +but I can polky."</p> + +<p>Once more Johnson bent his tall figure to the ground, and said:</p> + +<p>"Then may I have the pleasure of the next polka?"</p> + +<p>By this time Sonora had recovered from his astonishment. After giving +vent to a grunt expressive of his contempt, he blurted out:</p> + +<p>"That fellow's too flip!"</p> + +<p>But the idea had taken hold of the Girl, though she temporised shyly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, I dunno! Makes me feel kind o' foolish, you know, kind o' retirin' +like a elk in summer."</p> + +<p>Johnson smiled in spite of himself.</p> + +<p>"Elks are retiring," was his comment as he again advanced and offered +his arm in an impressive and ceremonious manner.</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't like everybody's hand on the back o' my waist," said the +Girl, running her hands up and down her dress skirt. "But, somehow—" +She stopped, and fixing her eyes recklessly on Rance, made a movement as +if about to accept; but another look at Johnson's proffered arm so +embarrassed her that she sent a look of appeal to the rough fellows, who +stood watching her with grinning faces.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lord, must I?" she asked; then, hanging back no longer, she +suddenly flung herself into his arms with the cry: "Oh, come along!"</p> + +<p>Promptly Johnson put his arm around the Girl's waist, and breaking into +a polka he swung her off to the dance-hall where their appearance was +greeted with a succession of wild whoops from the men there, as well as +from the hilarious boys, who had rushed pell-mell after them.</p> + +<p>Left to himself and in a rage Rance began to pace the floor.</p> + +<p>"Cleaned out—cleaned out for fair by a high-toned, fine-haired dog +named Johnson! Well, I'll be—" The sentence was never finished, his +attention being caught and held by something which Nick was carrying in +from the dance-hall.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" he demanded brusquely.</p> + +<p>Nick's eyes were twinkling when he answered:</p> + +<p>"Johnson's saddle."</p> + +<p>Rance could control himself no longer; with a sweep of his long arm he +knocked the saddle out of the other's hand, saying:</p> + +<p>"Nick, I've a great notion to walk out of this door and never step my +foot in here again."</p> + +<p>Nick did not answer at once. While he did not especially care for Rance +he did not propose to let his patronage, which was not inconsiderable, +go elsewhere without making an effort to hold it. Therefore, he thought +a moment before picking up the saddle and placing it in the corner of +the room.</p> + +<p>"Aw, what you givin' us, Rance! She's only a-kiddin' 'im," at last he +said consolingly.</p> + +<p>The Sheriff was about to question this when a loud cry from outside +arrested him.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" he asked with his eyes upon the door.</p> + +<p>"Why that's—that's Ashby's voice," the barkeeper informed him; and +going to the door, followed by Rance, as well as the men who, on hearing +the cry, had rushed in from the dance-hall, he opened it, and they heard +again the voice that they all recognised now as that of the Wells Fargo +Agent.</p> + +<p>"Come on!" he was saying gruffly.</p> + +<p>"What the deuce is up?" inquired Trinidad simultaneously with the +Deputy's cry of "Bring him in!" And almost instantly the Deputy, +followed by Ashby and others, entered, dragging along with him the +unfortunate Jose Castro. The rough handling that he had received had not +improved his appearance. His clothing, half Mexican, the rest of odds +and ends, had been torn in several places. He looked oily, greasy and +unwashed, while the eyes that looked around in affright had lost none of +their habitual trickiness and sullenness.</p> + +<p>And precisely as Castro appeared wholly different than when last seen in +the company of his master, so, too, was Ashby metamorphosed. His hat was +on the back of his head; his coat looked as if he had been engaged in +some kind of a struggle; his hair was ruffled and long locks straggled +down over his forehead; while his face wore a brutal, savage, pitiless, +nasty look.</p> + +<p>By this time all the regular habitués of the saloon had come in and were +crowding around the greaser with scowling, angry faces.</p> + +<p>"The greaser on the trail!" gurgled Ashby in his glass, having left his +prisoner for a moment to fortify himself with a drink of whisky.</p> + +<p>Whereupon, the Sheriff advanced and, with rough hands, jerked the +prisoner's head brutally.</p> + +<p>"Here you," he said, "give us a look at your face."</p> + +<p>But the Sheriff had never seen him before. And in obedience to his +commands to "Tie him up!" the Deputy and Billy Jackrabbit took a lariat +from the wall and proceeded to bind their prisoner fast. When this was +done Ashby called to Nick to serve him another drink, adding:</p> + +<p>"Come on, boys!"</p> + +<p>Instantly there was an exclamatory lining up at the bar, only Sonora, +apparently, seeming disinclined to accept, which Ashby was quick to +note. Turning to him quickly, he inquired:</p> + +<p>"Say, my friend, don't you drink?"</p> + +<p>But no insult had been intended by Sonora's omission; it was merely most +inconsiderate on his part of the feelings of others; and, therefore, +there was a note of apology in the voice that presently said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, Mr. Ashby, I'm with you all right."</p> + +<p>During this conversation the eyes of the greaser had been wandering all +over the room. But as the men moved away from him to take their drinks +he started violently and an expression of dismay crossed his features. +"Ramerrez' saddle!" he muttered to himself. "<i>The Maestro</i>—he is +taken!"</p> + +<p>Just then there came a particularly loud burst of approval from the +spectators of the dancing going on in the adjoining room, and +instinctively the men at the bar half-turned towards the noise. The +prisoner's eyes followed their gaze and a fiendish grin replaced the +look of dismay on his face. "No, he is there dancing with a girl," he +said under his breath. A moment later Nick let down the bearskin +curtain, shutting off completely the Mexican's view of the dance-hall.</p> + +<p>"Come, now, tell us what your name is?" The voice was Ashby's who, +together with the others, now surrounded the prisoner. "Speak up—who +are you?"</p> + +<p>"My name ees Jose Castro;" and then he added with a show of pride: +"<i>Ex-padrona</i> of the bull-fights."</p> + +<p>"But the bull-fights are at Monterey! Why do you come to this place?"</p> + +<p>All eyes instantly turned from the prisoner to Rance, who had asked the +question while seated at the table, and from him they returned to the +prisoner, most of the men giving vent to exclamations of anger in tones +that made the greaser squirm, while Trinidad expressed the prevailing +admiration of the Sheriff's poser by crying out:</p> + +<p>"That's the talk—you bet! Why do you come here?"</p> + +<p>Castro's face wore an air of candour as he replied:</p> + +<p>"To tell the Señor Sheriff I know where ees Ramerrez."</p> + +<p>Rance turned on the prisoner a grim look.</p> + +<p>"You lie!" he vociferated, at the same time raising his hand to check +the angry mutterings of the men that boded ill for the greaser.</p> + +<p>"Nay," denied Castro, strenuously, "pleanty Mexican +<i>vaquero</i>—my friend +Peralta, Weelejos all weeth Ramerrez—so I know where ees."</p> + +<p>Rance advanced and shot a finger in his face.</p> + +<p>"You're one of his men yourself!" he cried hotly. But if he had hoped by +his accusation to take the man off his guard, it was eminently +unsuccessful, for the look on the greaser's face was innocence itself +when he declared:</p> + +<p>"No, no, Señor Sheriff."</p> + +<p>Rance reflected a moment; suddenly, then, he took another tack.</p> + +<p>"You see that man there?" he queried, pointing to the Wells Fargo Agent. +"That is Ashby. He is the man that pays out that reward you've heard +of." Then after a pause to let his words sink in, he demanded gruffly: +"Where is Ramerrez' camp?"</p> + +<p>At once the prisoner became voluble.</p> + +<p>"Come with me one mile, Señor," he said, "and by the soul of my mother, +the blessed Maria Saltaja, we weel put a knife into hees back."</p> + +<p>"One mile, eh?" repeated Rance, coolly.</p> + +<p>The miners looked incredulous.</p> + +<p>"If I tho't—" began Sonora, but Rance rudely cut in with:</p> + +<p>"Where is this trail?"</p> + +<p>"Up the Madrona Canyada," was the greaser's instant reply.</p> + +<p>At this juncture a Ridge boy, who had pushed aside the bear-skin curtain +and was gazing with mouth wide open at the proceedings, suddenly cried +out:</p> + +<p>"Why, hello, boys! What's the—" He got no further. In a twinkling and +with cries of "Shut up! Git!" the men made for the intruder and bodily +threw him out of the room. When quiet was restored Rance motioned to the +prisoner to proceed.</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez can be taken—too well taken," declared the Mexican, gaining +confidence as he went on, "if many men come with me—in forty minutes +there—back."</p> + +<p>Rance turned to Ashby and asked him what he thought about it.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what to think," was the Wells Fargo Agent's reply. "But it +certainly is curious. This is the second warning—intimation that we +have had that he is somewhere in this vicinity."</p> + +<p>"And this Nina Micheltoreña—you say she is coming +here to-night?"</p> + +<p>Ashby nodded assent.</p> + +<p>"All the same, Rance," he maintained, "I wouldn't go. Better drop in to +The Palmetto later."</p> + +<p>"What? Risk losin' 'im?" exclaimed Sonora, who had been listening +intently to their conversation.</p> + +<p>"We'll take the chance, boys, in spite of Ashby's advice," Rance said +decisively. It was with not a little surprise that he heard the shouts +with which his words were approved by all save the Wells Fargo Agent.</p> + +<p>Now the miners made a rush for their coats, hats and saddles, while from +all sides came the cries of, "Come on, boys! Careful—there! +Ready—Sheriff!"</p> + +<p>Gladly, cheerfully, Nick, too, did what he could to get the men started +by setting up the drinks for all hands, though he remarked as he did so:</p> + +<p>"It's goin' to snow, boys; I don't like the sniff in the air."</p> + +<p>But even the probability of encountering a storm—which in that altitude +was something decidedly to be reckoned with—did not deter the men from +proceeding to make ready for the road agent's capture. In an incredibly +short space of time they had loaded up and got their horses together, +and from the harmony in their ranks while carrying out orders, it was +evident that not a man there doubted the success of their undertaking.</p> + +<p>"We'll git this road agent!" sung out Trinidad, going out through the +door.</p> + +<p>"Right you are, pard!" agreed Sonora; but at the door he called back to +the greaser: "Come on, you oily, garlic-eatin', red-peppery, +dog-trottin', sunbaked son of a skunk!"</p> + +<p>"Come on, you…!" came simultaneously from the Deputy, now untying +the rope which bound the prisoner.</p> + +<p>The greaser's teeth were chattering; he begged:</p> + +<p>"One dreenk—I freeze…"</p> + +<p>Turning to Nick the Deputy told him to give the man a drink, adding as +he left the room:</p> + +<p>"Watch him—keep your eye on him a moment for me, will you?"</p> + +<p>Nick nodded; and then regarding the Mexican with a contemptuous look, he +asked:</p> + +<p>"What'll you have?"</p> + +<p>The Mexican rose to his feet and began hesitatingly:</p> + +<p>"Geeve me—" He paused; and then, starting with the thought that had +come to him, he shot a glance at the dance-hall and called out loudly, +rolling his r's even more pronouncedly than is the custom with his race: +"Aguardiente! Aguardiente!"</p> + +<p>"Sit down!" ordered Nick, vaguely conscious that there was something in +the greaser's voice that was not there before.</p> + +<p>The greaser obeyed, but not until he knew for a certainty that his voice +had been heard by his master.</p> + +<p>"So you did bring in my saddle, eh, Nick?" asked the road agent, coming +quickly, but unconcernedly into the room and standing behind his man.</p> + +<p>Up to this time, Nick's eyes had not left the prisoner, but with the +appearance on the scene of Johnson, he felt that his responsibility +ceased in a measure. He turned and gave his attention to matters +pertaining to the bar. As a consequence, he did not see the look of +recognition that passed between the two men, nor did he hear the +whispered dialogue in Spanish that followed.</p> + +<p>"<i>Maestro! Ramerrez!</i>" came in whispered tones from Castro.</p> + +<p>"Speak quickly—go on," came likewise in whispered tones from the road +agent.</p> + +<p>"I let them take me according to your bidding," went on Castro.</p> + +<p>"Careful, Jose, careful," warned his master while stooping to pick up +his saddle, which he afterwards laid on the faro table. It was while he +was thus engaged that Nick came over to the prisoner with a glass of +liquor, which he handed to him gruffly with:</p> + +<p>"Here!"</p> + +<p>At that moment several voices from the dance-hail called somewhat +impatiently: "Nick, Nick!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, The Ridge boys are goin'!" he said, and seeming intuitively to know +what was wanted he made for the bar. But before acceding to their +wishes, he turned to Johnson, took out his gun and offered it to him +with the words: "Say, watch this greaser for a moment, will you?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," responded Johnson, quickly, declining the other's pistol by +touching his own holster significantly. "Tell the Girl you pressed me +into service," he concluded with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Sure." But on the point of going, the little barkeeper turned to him +and confided: "Say, the Girl's taken an awful fancy to you."</p> + +<p>"No?" deprecated the road agent.</p> + +<p>"Yes," affirmed Nick. "Drop in often—great bar!"</p> + +<p>Johnson smiled an assent as the other went out of the room leaving +master and man together.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, Jose, go on," he said, when they were alone.</p> +<p>"<i>Bueno!</i> Our men await the signal in the bushes close by. I will lead +the Sheriff far off—then I will slip away. You quietly rob the place +and fly—it is death for you to linger—Ashby is here."</p> + +<p>"Ashby!" The road agent started in alarm.</p> + +<p>"Ashby—" reiterated Castro and stopped on seeing that Nick had returned +to see that all was well.</p> + +<p>"All right, Nick, everything's all right," Johnson reassured him.</p> + +<p>The outlaw's position remained unchanged until Nick had withdrawn. From +where he stood he now saw for the first time the preparations that were +being made for his capture: the red torchlights and white candle-lighted +lanterns which were reflected through the windows; and a moment more he +heard the shouts of the miners calling to one another. Of a sudden he +was aroused to a consciousness, at least, of their danger by Castro's +warning:</p> + +<p>"By to-morrow's twilight you must be safe in your rancho."</p> + +<p>The road agent shook his head determinedly.</p> + +<p>"No, we raid on."</p> + +<p>Castro was visibly excited.</p> + +<p>"There are a hundred men on your track."</p> + +<p>Johnson smiled.</p> + +<p>"Oh, one minute's start of the devil does me, Jose."</p> + +<p>"Ah, but I fear the woman—Nina Micheltoreña—I +fear her terribly. She +is close at hand—knowing all, angry with you, and jealous—and still +loving you."</p> + +<p>"Loving me? Oh, no, Jose! Nina, like you, loves the spoils, not me. No, +I raid on…"</p> + +<p>A silence fell upon the two men, which was broken by Sonora calling out:</p> + +<p>"Bring along the greaser, Dep!"</p> + +<p>"All right!" answered the loud voice of the Deputy.</p> + +<p>"You hear—we start," whispered Castro to his master. "Give the signal." +And notwithstanding, the miners were coming through the door for him and +stood waiting, torches in hand, he contrived to finish: "Antonio awaits +for it. Only the woman and her servant will stay behind here."</p> + +<p>"Adios!" whispered the master.</p> + +<p>"Adios!" returned his man simultaneously with the approach of the Deputy +towards them.</p> + +<p>It was then that the Girl's gay, happy voice floated in on them from the +dance-hall; she cried out:</p> + +<p>"Good-night, boys, good-night! Remember me to The Ridge!"</p> + +<p>"You bet we will! So long! Whoop! Whooppee!" chorussed the men, while +the Deputy, grabbing the Mexican by the collar, ordered him to, "Come +on!"</p> + +<p>The situation was not without its humorous side to the road agent; he +could not resist following the crowd to the door where he stood and +watched his would-be captors silently mount; listened to the Sheriff +give the word, which was immediately followed by the sound of horses +grunting as they sprang forward into the darkness in a desperate effort +to escape the maddening pain of the descending quirts and cruel spurs. +It was a scene to set the blood racing through the veins, viewed in any +light; and not until the yells of the men had grown indistinct, and all +that could be heard was the ever-decreasing sound of rushing hoofs, did +the outlaw turn back into the saloon over which there hung a silence +which, by contrast, he found strangely depressing.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="8"></a> </p> +<h3>VIII.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>There was a subtle change, an obvious lack of warmth in Johnson's +manner, which the Girl was quick to feel upon returning to the now +practically deserted saloon.</p> + +<p>"Don't it feel funny here—kind o' creepy?" She gave the words a +peculiar emphasis, which made Johnson flash a quick, inquisitorial look +at her; and then, no comment being forthcoming, she went on to explain: +"I s'pose though that's 'cause I don't remember seein' the bar so empty +before."</p> + +<p>A somewhat awkward silence followed, which at length was broken by the +Girl, who ordered:</p> + +<p>"Lights out now! Put out the candle here, too, Nick!" But while the +little barkeeper proceeded to carry out her instructions she turned to +Johnson with an eager, frank expression on her face, and said: "Oh, you +ain't goin', are you?"</p> + +<p>"No—not yet—no—" stammered Johnson, half-surprisedly, +half-wonderingly.</p> + +<p>The Girl's face wore a pleased look as she answered:</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm so glad o' that!"</p> + +<p>Another embarrassing silence followed. At last Nick made a movement +towards the window, saying:</p> + +<p>"I'm goin' to put the shutters up."</p> + +<p>"So early? What?" The Girl looked her surprise.</p> + +<p>"Well, you see, the boys are out huntin' Ramerrez, and there's too much +money here…" said Nick in a low tone.</p> + +<p>The Girl laughed lightly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right—cash in—but don't put the head on the +keg—I ain't cashed in m'self yet."</p> + +<p>Rolling the keg to one side of the room, Nick beckoned to the Girl to +come close to him, which she did; and pointing to Johnson, who was +strolling about the room, humming softly to himself, he whispered:</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, know anythin' about—about him?"</p> + +<p>But very significant as was Nick's pantomime, which included the keg and +Johnson, it succeeded only in bringing forth a laugh from the Girl, and +the words:</p> + +<p>"Oh, sure!"</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, the faithful guardian of the Girl's interests sent a +startled glance of inquiry about the room, and again asked:</p> + +<p>"All right, eh?"</p> + +<p>The Girl ignored the implication contained in the other's glance, and +answered "Yep," in such a tone of finality that Nick, reassured at last, +began to put things ship-shape for the night. This took but a moment or +two, however, and then he quietly disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mr. Johnson, it seems to be us a-keepin' house here to-night, +don't it?" said the Girl, alone now with the road agent.</p> + +<p>Her observation might easily have been interpreted as purposely +introductory to an intimate scene, notwithstanding that it was made in a +thoroughly matter-of-fact tone and without the slightest trace of +coquetry. But Johnson did not make the mistake of misconstruing her +words, puzzled though he was to find a clue to them. His curiosity about +her was intense, and it showed plainly in the voice that said presently:</p> + +<p>"Isn't it strange how things come about? Strange that I should have +looked everywhere for you and in the end find you here—at The Polka."</p> + +<p>Johnson's emphasis on his last words sent a bright red rushing over her, +colouring her neck, her ears and her broad, white forehead.</p> + +<p>"Anythin' wrong with The Polka?"</p> + +<p>Johnson was conscious of an indiscreet remark; nevertheless he ventured:</p> + +<p>"Well, it's hardly the place for a young woman like you."</p> + +<p>The Girl made no reply to this but busied herself with the closing-up of +the saloon. Johnson interpreted her silence as a difference of opinion. +Nevertheless, he repeated with emphasis:</p> + +<p>"It is decidedly no place for you."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Well, it's rather unprotected, and—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, pshaw!" interrupted the Girl somewhat irritably. "I tol' Ashby only +to-night that I bet if a rud agent come in here I could offer 'im a +drink an' he'd treat me like a perfect lady." She stopped and turned +upon him impulsively with: "Say, that reminds me, won't you take +somethin'?"</p> + +<p>Before answering, Johnson shot her a quick look of inquiry to see +whether there was not a hidden meaning in her words. Of course there was +not, the remark being impelled by a sudden consciousness that he might +consider her inhospitable. Nevertheless, her going behind the bar and +picking up a bottle came somewhat as a relief to him.</p> + +<p>"No, thank you," at last he said; and then as he leaned heavily on the +bar: "But I would very much like to ask you a question."</p> + +<p>Instantly, to his great surprise, the Girl was eyeing him with mingled +reproach and coquetry. So he was going to do it! Was it possible that he +thought so lightly of her, she wondered. With all her heart she wished +that he would not make the same mistake that others had.</p> + +<p>"I know what it is—every stranger asks it—but I didn't think you +would. You want to know if I am decent? Well, I am, you bet!" she +returned, a defiant note creeping into her voice as she uttered the +concluding words.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Girl, I'm not blind!" His eyes quailed before the look that flamed +in hers. "And that was not the question."</p> + +<p>Instinctively something told the Girl that the man spoke the truth, but +notwithstanding which, she permitted her eyes to express disbelief and +"Dear me suz!" fell from her lips with an odd little laugh. On the other +hand, Johnson declined to treat the subject other than seriously. He had +no desire, of course, to enlarge upon the unconventionality of her +attitude, but he felt that his feelings towards her, even if they were +only friendly, justified him in giving her a warning. Moreover, he +refused to admit to himself that this was a mere chance meeting. He had +a consciousness, vague, but nevertheless real that, at last, after all +his searching, Fate had brought him face to face with the one woman in +all the world for him. Unknown to himself, therefore, there was a sort +of jealous proprietorship in his manner towards her as he now said:</p> + +<p>"What I meant was this: I am sorry to find you here almost at the mercy +of the passer-by, where a man may come, may drink, may rob you if he +will—" and here a flush of shame spread over his features in spite of +himself—"and where, I daresay, more than one has laid claim to a kiss."</p> + +<p>The Girl turned upon him in good-natured contempt.</p> + +<p>"There's a good many people claimin' things they never git. I've got my +first kiss to give."</p> + +<p>Once more a brief silence fell upon them in which the Girl busied +herself with her cash box. She was not unaware that his eyes were upon +her, but she was by no means sure that he believed her words. Nor could +she tell herself, unfortunately for her peace of mind, that it made no +difference to her.</p> + +<p>"Have you been here long?" suddenly he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yep."</p> + +<p>"Lived in The Polka?"</p> + +<p>"Nope."</p> + +<p>"Where do you live?"</p> + +<p>"Cabin up the mountain a little ways."</p> + +<p>"Cabin up the mountain a little ways," echoed Johnson, reflectively. The +next instant the little figure before him had faded from his sight and +instead there appeared a vision of the little hut on the top of Cloudy +Mountain. Only a few hours back he had stood on the precipice which +looked towards it, and had felt a vague, indefinable something, had +heard a voice speak to him out of the vastness which he now believed to +have been her spirit calling to him.</p> + +<p>"You're worth something better than this," after a while he murmured +with the tenderness of real love in his voice.</p> + +<p>"What's better'n this?" questioned the Girl with a toss of her pretty +blonde head. "I ain't a-boastin' but if keepin' this saloon don't give +me sort of a position 'round here I dunno what does."</p> + +<p>But the next moment there had flashed through her mind a new thought +concerning him. She came out from behind the bar and confronted him with +the question:</p> + +<p>"Look 'ere, you ain't one o' them exhorters from the Missionaries' Camp, +are you?"</p> + +<p>The road agent smiled.</p> + +<p>"My profession has its faults," he acknowledged, "but I am not an +exhorter."</p> + +<p>But still the Girl was nonplussed, and eyed him steadily for a moment or +two.</p> + +<p>"You know I can't figger out jest exactly what you are?" she admitted +smilingly.</p> + +<p>"Well, try…" he suggested, slightly colouring under her persistent +gaze.</p> + +<p>"Well, you ain't one o' us."</p> + +<p>"No?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can tell—I can spot my man every time. I tell you, keepin' +saloon's a great educator." And so saying she plumped herself down in a +chair and went on very seriously now: "I dunno but what it's a good way +to bring up girls—they git to know things. Now," and here she looked at +him long and earnestly, "I'd trust you."</p> + +<p>Johnson was conscious of a guilty feeling, though he said as he took a +seat beside her:</p> + +<p>"You would trust me?"</p> + +<p>The Girl nodded an assent and observed in a tone that was intended to be +thoroughly conclusive:</p> + +<p>"Notice I danced with you to-night?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," was his brief reply, though the next moment he wondered that he +had not found something more to say.</p> + +<p>"I seen from the first that you were the real article."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," he said absently, still lost in thought.</p> + +<p>"Why, that was a compliment I handed out to you," returned the Girl with +a pained look on her face.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" he ejaculated with a faint little smile.</p> + +<p>Now the Girl, who had drawn up her chair close to his, leaned over and +said in a low, confidential voice:</p> + +<p>"Your kind don't prevail much here. I can tell—I got what you call a +quick eye."</p> + +<p>As might be expected Johnson flushed guiltily at this remark. No +different, for that matter, would have acted many a man whose conscience +was far clearer.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm afraid that men like me prevail—prevail, as you +say,—almost everywhere," he said, laying such stress on the words +that it would seem +almost impossible for anyone not to see that they were shot through with +self-depreciation.</p> + +<p>The Girl gave him a playful dig with her elbow.</p> + +<p>"Go on! What are you givin' me! O' course they don't…!" She laughed +outright; but the next instant checking herself, went on with absolute +ingenuousness: "Before I went on that trip to Monterey I tho't Rance +here was the genuine thing in a gent, but the minute I kind o' glanced +over you on the road I—I seen he wasn't." She stopped, a realisation +having suddenly been borne in upon her that perhaps she was laying her +heart too bare to him. To cover up her embarrassment, therefore, she +took refuge, as before, in hospitality, and rushing over to the bar she +called to Nick to come and serve Mr. Johnson with a drink, only to +dismiss him the moment he put his head through the door with: "Never +mind, I'll help Mr. Johnson m'self." Turning to her visitor again, she +said: "Have your whisky with water, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"But I don't—" began Johnson in protest.</p> + +<p>"Say," interrupted the Girl, falling back into her favourite position of +resting both elbows on the bar, her face in her hands, "I've got you +figgered out. You're awful good or awful bad." A remark which seemed to +amuse the man, for he laughed heartily.</p> + +<p>"Now, what do you mean by that?" presently he asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, I mean so good that you're a teetotaller, or so bad that you're +tired o' life an' whisky."</p> + +<p>Johnson shook his head.</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, although I'm not good, I've lived and I've liked life +pretty well. It's been bully!"</p> + +<p>Surprised and delighted with his enthusiasm, the Girl raised her eyes to +his, which look he mistook—not unnaturally after all that had been +said—for one of encouragement. A moment more and the restraint that he +had exercised over himself had vanished completely.</p> + +<p>"So have you liked it, Girl," he went on, trying vainly to get +possession of her hand, "only you haven't lived, you haven't lived—not +with your nature. You see I've got a quick eye, too."</p> + +<p>To Johnson's amazement she flushed and averted her face. Following the +direction of her eyes he saw Nick standing in the door with a broad grin +on his face.</p> + +<p>"You git, Nick! What do you mean by…?" cried out the Girl in a tone +that left no doubt in the minds of her hearers that she was annoyed, if +not angry, at the intrusion.</p> + +<p>Nick disappeared into the dance-hall as though shot out of a gun; +whereupon, the Girl turned to Johnson with:</p> + +<p>"I haven't lived? That's good!"</p> + +<p>Johnson's next words were insinuating, but his voice was cold in +comparison with the fervent tones of a moment previous.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you know!" was what he said, seating himself at the poker table.</p> + +<p>"No, I don't," contradicted the Girl, taking a seat opposite him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you do," he insisted.</p> + +<p>"Well, say it's an even chance I do an' an even chance I don't," she +parried.</p> + +<p>Once more the passion in the man was stirring.</p> + +<p>"I mean," he explained in a voice that barely reached her, "life for all +it's worth, to the uttermost, to the last drop in the cup, so that it +atones for what's gone before, or may come after."</p> + +<p>The Girl's face wore a puzzled look as she answered:</p> + +<p>"No, I don't believe I know what you mean by them words. Is it a—" She +cut her sentence short, and springing up, cried out: "Oh, Lord—Oh, +excuse me, I sat on my gun!"</p> + +<p>Johnson looked at her, genuine amusement depicted on his face.</p> + +<p>"Look here," said the Girl, suddenly perching herself upon the table, +"I'm goin' to make you an offer."</p> + +<p>"An offer?" Johnson fairly snatched the words out of her mouth. "You're +going to make me an offer?"</p> + +<p>"It's this," declared the Girl with a pleased look on her face. "If ever +you need to be staked—"</p> + +<p>Johnson eyed her uncomprehendingly.</p> + +<p>"Which o' course you don't," she hastened to add. "Name your price. It's +yours jest for the style I git from you an' the deportment."</p> + +<p>"Deportment? Me?" A half-grin formed over Johnson's face as he asked the +question; then he said: "Well, I never heard before that my society was +so desirable. Apart from the financial aspect of this matter, I—"</p> + +<p>"Say," broke in the Girl, gazing at him in helpless admiration, "ain't +that great? Ain't that great? Oh, you got to let me stand treat!"</p> + +<p>"No, really I would prefer not to take anything," responded Johnson, +putting a restraining hand on her as she was about to leap from the +table.</p> + +<p>At that moment Nick's hurried footsteps reached their ears. Turning, the +Girl, with a swift gesture, waved him back. There was a brief silence, +then Johnson spoke:</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, you're like finding some new kind of flower."</p> + +<p>A slight laugh of confusion was his answer. The next moment, however, +she went on, speaking very slowly and seriously: "Well, we're kind o' +rough up here, but we're reachin' out."</p> + +<p>Johnson noted immediately the change in her voice. There was no +mistaking the genuineness of her emotion, nor the wistful look in her +eyes. It was plain that she yearned for someone who would teach her the +ways of the outside world; and when the man looked at the Girl with the +lamp-light softening her features, he felt her sincerity and was pleased +by her confidence.</p> + +<p>"Now, I take it," continued the Girl with a vague, dreamy look on her +face, "that's what we're all put on this earth for—everyone of us—is +to rise ourselves up in the world—to reach out."</p> + +<p>"That's true, that's true," returned Johnson with gentle and perfect +sympathy. "I venture to say that there isn't a man who hasn't thought +seriously about that. I have. If only one knew how to reach out for +something one hardly dares even hope for. Why, it's like trying to catch +the star shining just ahead."</p> + +<p>The Girl could not restrain her enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"That's the cheese! You've struck it!"</p> + +<p>At this juncture Nick appeared and refused to be ordered away. At +length, the Girl inquired somewhat impatiently:</p> + +<p>"Well, what is it, Nick?"</p> + +<p>"I've been tryin' to say," announced the barkeeper, whose face wore an +expression of uneasiness as he pointed to the window, "that I have seen +an ugly-lookin' greaser hanging around outside."</p> + +<p>"A greaser!" exclaimed the Girl, uneasily. "Let me look." And with that +she made a movement towards the window, but was held back by Johnson's +detaining hand. All too well did he know that the Mexican was one of his +men waiting impatiently for the signal. So, with an air of concern, for +he did not intend that the Girl should run any risk, however remote, he +said authoritatively:</p> + +<p>"Don't go!"</p> + +<p>"Why not?" demanded the Girl.</p> + +<p>Johnson sat strangely silent.</p> + +<p>"I'll bolt the windows!" cried Nick. Hardly had he disappeared into the +dance-hall when a low whistle came to their ears.</p> + +<p>"The signal—they're waiting," said Johnson under his breath, and shot a +quick look of inquiry at the Girl to see whether she had heard the +sound. A look told him that she had, and was uneasy over it.</p> + +<p>"Don't that sound horrid?" said the Girl, reaching the bar in a state of +perturbation. "Say, I'm awful glad you're here. Nick's so nervous. He +knows what a lot o' money I got. Why, there's a little fortune in that +keg."</p> + +<p>Johnson started; then rising slowly he went over to the keg and examined +it with interest.</p> + +<p>"In there?" he asked, with difficulty concealing his excitement.</p> + +<p>"Yes; the boys sleep around it nights," she went on to confide.</p> + +<p>Johnson looked at her curiously.</p> + +<p>"But when they're gone—isn't that rather a careless place to leave it?"</p> + +<p>Quietly the Girl came from behind the bar and went over and stood beside +the keg; when she spoke her eyes flashed dangerously.</p> + +<p>"They'd have to kill me before they got it," she said, with cool +deliberation.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see—it's your money."</p> + +<p>"No, it's the boys'."</p> + +<p>A look of relief crossed Johnson's features.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's different," he contended; and then brightening up somewhat, +he went on: "Now, I wouldn't risk my life for that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, you would, yes, you would," declared the Girl with feeling. A +moment later she was down on her knees putting bag after bag of the +precious gold-dust and coins into the keg. When they were all in she +closed the lid, and putting her foot down hard to make it secure, she +repeated: "Oh, yes, you would, if you seen how hard they got it. When I +think of it, I nearly cry."</p> + +<p>Johnson had listened absorbedly, and was strangely affected by her +words. In her rapidly-filling eyes, in the wave of colour that surged in +her cheeks, in the voice that shook despite her efforts to control it, +he read how intense was her interest in the welfare of the miners. How +the men must adore her!</p> + +<p>Unconsciously the Girl arose, and said:</p> + +<p>"There's somethin' awful pretty in the way the boys hold out before they +strike it, somethin' awful pretty in the face o' rocks, an' clay an' +alkali. Oh, Lord, what a life it is anyway! They eat dirt, they sleep in +dirt, they breathe dirt 'til their backs are bent, their hands twisted +an' warped. They're all wind-swept an' blear-eyed I tell you, an' some +o' them jest lie down in their sweat beside the sluices, an' they don't +never rise up again. I've seen 'em there!" She paused reminiscently; +then, pointing to the keg, she went on haltingly: "I got some money +there of Ol' Brownie's. He was lyin' out in the sun on a pile o' clay +two weeks ago, an' I guess the only clean thing about him was his soul, +an' he was quittin', quittin', quittin', right there on the clay, an' +quittin' hard. Oh, so hard!" Once more she stopped and covered her face +with her hands as if to shut out the horror of it all. Presently she had +herself under control and resumed: "Yes, he died—died jest like a dog. +You wanted to shoot 'im to help 'im along quicker. Before he went he sez +to me: 'Girl, give it to my ol' woman.' That was all he said, an' he +went. She'll git it, all right."</p> + +<p>With every word that the Girl uttered, the iron had entered deeper into +Johnson's soul. Up to the present time he had tried to regard his +profession, if he looked at it at all, from the point of view which he +inherited from his father. It was not, in all truthfulness, what he +would have chosen; it was something that, at times, he lamented; but, +nevertheless, he had practised it and had despoiled the miners with but +few moments of remorse. But now, he was beginning to look upon things +differently. In a brief space of time a woman had impelled him to see +his actions in their true light; new ambitions and desires awakened, and +he looked downward as if it were impossible to meet her honest eye.</p> + +<p>"An' that's what aches you," the Girl was now saying. "There ain't one +o' them men workin' for themselves alone—the Lord never put it into no +man's heart to make a beast or a pack-horse o' himself, except for some +woman or some child." She halted a moment, and throwing up her hands +impulsively, she cried: "Ain't it wonderful—ain't it wonderful that +instinct? Ain't it wonderful what a man'll do when it comes to a +woman—ain't it wonderful?" Once more she waited as if expecting him to +corroborate her words; but he remained strangely silent. A moment later +when he raised his troubled eyes, he saw that hers were dry and +twinkling.</p> + +<p>"Well, the boys use me as a—a sort of lady bank," presently she said; +and then added with another quick change of expression, and in a voice +that showed great determination: "You bet I'll drop down dead before +anyone'll get a dollar o' theirs outer The Polka!"</p> + +<p>Impulsively the road agent's hand went out to her, and with it went a +mental resolution that so far as he was concerned no hard-working miner +of Cloudy Mountain need fear for his gold!</p> + +<p>"That's right," was what he said. "I'm with you—I'd like to see anyone +get that." He dropped her hand and laid his on the keg; then with a +voice charged with much feeling, he added: "Girl, I wish to Heaven I +could talk more with you, but I can't. By daybreak I must be a long ways +off. I'm sorry—I should have liked to have called at your cabin."</p> + +<p>The Girl shot him a furtive glance.</p> + +<p>"Must you be a-movin' so soon?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I'm only waiting till the posse gets back and you're safe." And +even as he spoke his trained ear caught the sound of horses hoofs. "Why, +they're coming now!" he exclaimed with suppressed excitement, and his +eyes immediately fastened themselves on his saddle.</p> + +<p>The Girl looked her disappointment when she said:</p> + +<p>"I'm awfully sorry you've got to go. I was goin' to say—" She stopped, +and began to roll the keg back to its place. Now she took the lantern +from the bar and placed it on the keg; then turning to him once more she +went on in a voice that was distinctly persuasive: "If you didn't have +to go so soon, I would like to have you come up to the cabin to-night +an' we would talk o' reachin' out up there. You see, the boys will be +back here—we close The Polka at one—any time after…"</p> + +<p>Hesitatingly, helplessly, Johnson stared at the Girl before him. His +acceptance, he realised only too well, meant a pleasant hour or two for +him, of which there were only too few in the mad career that he was +following, and he wanted to take advantage of it; on the other hand, his +better judgment told him that already he should be on his way.</p> + +<p>"Why, I—I should ride on now." He began and then stopped, the next +moment, however, he threw down his hat on the table in resignation and +announced: "I'll come."</p> + +<p>"Oh, good!" cried the Girl, making no attempt to conceal her delight. +"You can use this," she went on, handing him the lantern. "It's the +straight trail up; you can't miss it. But I say, don't expect too much +o' me—I've only had thirty-two dollars' worth o' education." Despite +her struggle to control herself, her voice broke and her eyes filled +with tears. "P'r'aps if I'd had more," she kept on, regretfully, "why, +you can't tell what I might have been. Say, that's a terrible tho't, +ain't it? What we might a been—an' I know it when I look at you."</p> + +<p>Johnson was deeply touched at the Girl's distress, and his voice broke, +too, as he said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, what we might have been is a terrible thought, and I know it, +Girl, when I look at you—when I look at you."</p> + +<p>"You bet!" ejaculated the Girl. And then to Johnson's consternation she +broke down completely, burying her face in her hands and sobbing out:</p> +<p>"Oh, 'tain't no use, I'm rotten, I'm ignorant, I don't know nothin' an' +I never knowed it 'till to-night! The boys always tol' me I knowed so +much, but they're such damn liars!"</p> + +<p>In an instant Johnson was beside her, patting her hand caressingly; she +felt the sympathy in his touch and was quick to respond to it.</p> + +<p>"Don't you care, Girl, you're all right," he told her, choking back with +difficulty the tears in his own voice. "Your heart's all right, that's +the main thing. And as for your looks? Well, to me you've got the face +of an angel—the face—" He broke off abruptly and ended with: "Oh, but +I must be going now!"</p> + +<p>A moment more and he stood framed in the doorway, his saddle in one hand +and the Girl's lantern in the other, torn by two emotions which grappled +with each other in his bosom. "Johnson, what the devil's the matter with +you?" he muttered half-aloud; then suddenly pulling himself together he +stumbled rather than walked out of The Polka into the night.</p> + +<p>Motionless and trying to check her sobs, the Girl remained where he had +left her; but a few minutes later, when Nick entered, all trace of her +tears had disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Nick," said she, all smiles now, "run over to The Palmetto restaurant +an' tell 'em to send me up two charlotte rusks an' a lemming turnover—a +good, big, fat one—jest as quick as they can—right up to the cabin +for supper."</p> + +<p>"He says I have the face of an angel," is what the Girl repeated over +and over again to herself when perched up again on the poker table after +the wondering barkeeper had departed on her errand, and for a brief +space of time her countenance reflected the joy that Johnson's parting +words had imprinted on her heart. But in the Girl's character there was +an element too prosaic, and too practical, to permit her thoughts to +dwell long in a region lifted far above the earth. It was inevitable, +therefore, that the notion should presently strike her as supremely +comic and, quickly leaping to the floor, she let out the one word which, +however adequately it may have expressed her conflicting emotions, is +never by any chance to be found in the vocabulary of angels in good +standing.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="9"></a> </p> +<h3>IX.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Notwithstanding that The Palmetto was the most pretentious building in +Cloudy, and was the only rooming and eating house that outwardly +asserted its right to be called an hotel, its saloon contrasted +unfavourably with its rival, The Polka. There was not the individuality +of the Girl there to charm away the impress of coarseness settled upon +it by the loafers, the habitual drunkards and the riffraff of the camp, +who were not tolerated elsewhere. In short, it did not have that certain +indefinable something which gave to The Polka Saloon an almost homelike +appearance, but was a drab, squalid, soulless place with nothing to +recommend it but its size.</p> + +<p>In a small parlour pungent at all times with the odour of liquor,—but +used only on rare occasions, most of The Palmetto's patrons preferring +the even more stifling atmosphere of the bar-room,—the Wells Fargo +Agent had been watching and waiting ever since he had left The Polka +Saloon. On a table in front of him was a bottle, for it was a part of +Ashby's scheme of things to solace thus all such weary hours.</p> + +<p>Although a shrewd judge of women of the Nina Micheltoreña type +and by no +means unmindful of their mercurial temperament, Ashby, nevertheless, had +felt that she would keep her appointment with him. In the Mexican Camp +he had read the wild jealousy in her eyes, and had assumed, not +unnaturally, that there had been scarcely time for anything to occur +which would cause a revulsion of feeling on her part. But as the moments +went by, and still she did not put in an appearance, an expression of +keen disappointment showed itself on his face and, with mechanical +regularity, he carried out the liquid programme, shutting his eyes after +each drink for moments at a time yet, apparently, in perfect control of +his mind when he opened them again; and it was in one of these moments +that he heard a step outside which he correctly surmised to be that of +the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>Without a word Rance walked into the room and over to the table and +helped himself to a drink from the bottle there, which action the Wells +Fargo Agent rightly interpreted as meaning that the posse had failed to +catch their quarry. At first a glint of satisfaction shone in Ashby's +eyes: not that he disliked Rance, but rather that he resented his +egotistical manner and evident desire to overawe all who came in contact +with him; and it required, therefore, no little effort on his part to +banish this look from his face and make up his mind not to mention the +subject in any manner.</p> + +<p>For some time, therefore, the two officers sat opposite to each other +inhaling the stale odour of tobacco and spirits peculiar to this room, +with little or no ventilation. It was enough to sicken anyone, but both +men, accustomed to such places in the pursuit of their calling, +apparently thought nothing of it, the Sheriff seemingly absorbed in +contemplating the long ash at the end of his cigar, but, in reality, +turning over in his mind whether he should leave the room or not. At +length, he inaugurated a little contest of opinion.</p> + +<p>"This woman isn't coming, that's certain," he declared, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"I rather think she will; she promised not to fail me," was the other's +quiet answer; and he added: "In ten minutes you'll see her."</p> + +<p>It was a rash remark and expressive of a confidence that he by no means +felt. As a matter of fact, it was induced solely by the cynical smile +which he perceived on the Sheriff's face.</p> + +<p>"You, evidently, take no account of the fact that the lady may have +changed her mind," observed Rance, lighting a fresh cigar. "The Nina +Micheltoreñas are fully as privileged as others of their sex."</p> + +<p>As he drained his glass Ashby gave the speaker a sharp glance; another +side of Rance's character had cropped out. Moreover, Ashby's quick +intuition told him that the other's failure to catch the outlaw was not +troubling him nearly as much as was the blow which his conceit had +probably received at the hands of the Girl. It was, therefore, in an +indulgent tone that he said:</p> + +<p>"No, Rance, not this one nor this time. You mark my words, the woman is +through with Ramerrez. At least, she is so jealous that she thinks she +is. She'll turn up here, never fear; she means business."</p> + +<p>The shoulders of Mr. Jack Rance strongly suggested a shrug, but the man +himself said nothing. They were anything but sympathetic companions, +these two officers, and in the silence that ensued Rance formulated +mentally more than one disparaging remark about the big man sitting +opposite to him. It is possible, of course, that the Sheriff's rebuff by +the Girl, together with the wild goose chase which he had recently taken +against his better judgment, had something to do with this bitterness; +but it was none the less true that he found himself wondering how Ashby +had succeeded in acquiring his great reputation. Among the things that +he held against him was his everlasting propensity to boast of his +achievements, to say nothing of the pedestal upon which the boys +insisted upon placing him. Was this Wells Fargo's most famous agent? Was +this the man whose warnings were given such credence that they stirred +even the largest of the gold camps into a sense of insecurity? And at +this Rance indulged again in a fit of mental merriment at the other's +expense.</p> + +<p>But, although he would have denied it in toto, the truth of the matter +was that the Sheriff was jealous of Ashby. Witty, generous, and a high +liver, the latter was generally regarded as a man who fascinated women; +moreover, he was known to be a favourite—and here the shoe +pinched—with the Girl. True, the demands of his profession were such as +to prevent his staying long in any camp. Nevertheless, it seemed to +Rance that he contrived frequently to turn up at The Polka when the boys +were at the diggings.</p> + +<p>After Ashby's observation the conversation by mutual, if unspoken, +consent, was switched into other channels. But it may be truthfully said +that Rance did not wholly recover his mental equilibrium until a door +was heard to open noiselessly and some whispered words in Spanish fell +upon their ears.</p> + +<p>Now the Sheriff, as well as Ashby, had the detective instinct fully +developed; moreover, both men knew a few words of that language and had +an extreme curiosity to hear the conversation going on between a man and +a woman, who were standing just outside in a sort of hallway. As a +result, therefore, both officers sprang to the door with the hope—if +indeed it was Nina Micheltoreña as they +surmised—that they might catch +a word or two which would give them a clue to what was likely to take +place at the coming interview. It came sooner than they expected.</p> + +<p>"… Ramerrez—Five thousand dollars!" reached their ears in a soft, +Spanish voice.</p> + +<p>Ashby needed nothing more than this. In an instant, much to the +Sheriff's astonishment, and moving marvellously quick for a man of his +heavy build, he was out of the room, leaving Rance to face a woman with +a black mantilla thrown over her head who, presently, entered by another +door.</p> + +<p>Nina Micheltoreña, for it was she, did not favour him with as +much as an icy look. Nor did the Sheriff give any sign of knowing her; a wise +proceeding as it turned out, for a quick turn of the head and a subtle +movement of the woman's shoulders told him that she was in anything but +a quiet state of mind. One glance towards the door behind him, however, +and the reason of her anger was all too plain: A Mexican was vainly +struggling in the clutches of Ashby.</p> + +<p>"Why are you dragging him in?" Far from quailing before him as did her +confederate, she confronted Ashby with eyes that flashed fire. "He came +with me—"</p> + +<p>Ashby cut her short.</p> + +<p>"We don't allow greasers in this camp and—" he began in a throaty +voice.</p> + +<p>"But he is waiting to take me back!" she objected, and then added: "I +wish him to wait for me outside, and unless you allow him to I'll go at +once." And with these words she made a movement towards the door.</p> + +<p>Ashby laid one restraining hand upon her, while with the other he held +on to the Mexican. Of a sudden there had dawned upon him the conviction +that for once in his life he had made a grievous mistake. He had +thought, by the detention of her confederate, to have two strings to his +bow, but one glance at the sneeringly censorious expression on the +Sheriff's face convinced him that no information would be forthcoming +from the woman while in her present rebellious mood.</p> + +<p>"All right, my lady," he said, for the time being yielding to her will, +"have your way." And turning now to the Mexican, he added none too +gently:</p> + +<p>"Here you, get out!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon the Mexican slunk out of the room.</p> + +<p>"There's no use of your getting into a rage," went on Ashby, turning to +the woman in a slightly conciliatory manner. "I calculated that the +greaser would be in on the job, too."</p> + +<p>All through this scene Rance had been sitting back in his chair chewing +his cigar in contemptuous silence, while his face wore a look of languid +insolence, a fact which, apparently, did not disturb the woman in the +least, for she ignored him completely.</p> + +<p>"It was well for you, Señor Ashby, that you let him go. I tell you +frankly that in another moment I should have gone." And now throwing +back her mantilla she took out a cigarette from a dainty, little case +and lit it and coolly blew a cloud of smoke in Rance's face, saying: "It +depends on how you treat me—you, Mr. Jack Rance, as well as Señor +Ashby—whether we come to terms or not. Perhaps I had better go away +anyway," she concluded with a shrug of admirably simulated indifference.</p> + +<p>This time Ashby sat perfectly still. It was not difficult to perceive +that her anger was decreasing with every word that she uttered; nor did +he fail to note how fluently she spoke English, a slight Spanish accent +giving added charm to her wonderfully soft and musical voice. How +gloriously beautiful, he told himself, she looked as she stood there, +voluptuous, compelling, alluring, the expression that had been almost +diabolical, gradually fading from her face. Was it possible, he asked +himself, that all this loveliness was soiled forever? He felt that there +was something pitiful in the fact that the woman standing before him +represented negotiable property which could be purchased by any +passer-by who had a few more nuggets in his possession than his +neighbour; and, perhaps, because of his knowledge of the piteous history +of this former belle of Monterey he put a little more consideration into +the voice that said:</p> + +<p>"All right, Nina, we'll get down to business. What have you to say to +us?"</p> + +<p>By this time Nina's passionate anger had burned itself out. In +anticipation, perhaps, of what she was about to do, she looked straight +ahead of her into space. It was not because she was assailed by some +transient emotion to forswear her treacherous desire for vengeance; she +had no illusion of that kind. Too vividly she recalled the road agent's +indifferent manner at their last interview for any feeling to dwell in +her heart other than hatred. It was that she was summoning to appear a +vision scarcely less attractive, however pregnant with tragedy, than +that of seeing herself avenged: a gay, extravagant career in Mexico or +Spain which the reward would procure for her. That was what she was +seeing, and with a pious wish for its confirmation she began to make +herself a fresh cigarette, rolling it dexterously with her white, +delicate fingers, and not until her task was accomplished and her full, +red lips were sending forth tiny clouds of smoke did she announce:</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez was in Cloudy Mountain to-night."</p> + +<p>But however much of a surprise this assertion was to both men, neither +gave vent to an exclamation. Instead Rance regarded his elegantly booted +feet; Ashby looked hard at the woman as if he would read the truth in +her eyes; while as for Nina, she continued to puff away at her little +cigarette after the manner of one that has appealed not in vain to the +magic power which can paint out the past and fill the blank with the +most beautiful of dreams.</p> + +<p>The Wells Fargo man was the first to make any comment; he asked:</p> + +<p>"You know this?" And then as she surveyed them through a scented cloud +and bowed her head, he added: "How do you know it?"</p> + +<p>"That I shall not tell you," replied the woman, firmly.</p> + +<p>Ashby made an impatient movement towards her with the question:</p> + +<p>"Where was he?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, Ashby!" put in Rance, speaking for the first time. "She's +putting up a game on us."</p> + +<p>In a flash Nina wheeled around and with eyes that blazed advanced to the +table where the Sheriff was sitting. Indeed, there was something so +tigerish about the woman that the Sheriff, in alarm, quickly pushed back +his chair.</p> + +<p>"I am not lying, Jack Rance." There was an evil glitter in her eye as +she watched a sarcastic smile playing around his lips. "Oh, yes, I know +you—you are the Sheriff," and so saying a peal of contemptuous +merriment burst from her, "and Ramerrez was in the camp not less than +two hours ago."</p> + +<p>Ashby could hardly restrain his excitement.</p> + +<p>"And you saw him?" came from him.</p> + +<p>"Yes," was her answer.</p> + +<p>Both men sprang to their feet; it was impossible to doubt any longer +that she spoke the truth.</p> + +<p>"What's his game?" demanded Rance.</p> + +<p>The woman answered his question with a question.</p> + +<p>"How about the reward, Señor Ashby?"</p> + +<p>"You needn't worry about that—I'll see that you get what's coming to +you," replied the Wells Fargo Agent already getting into his coat.</p> + +<p>"But how are we to know?" inquired Rance, likewise getting ready to +leave. "Is he an American or a Mexican?"</p> + +<p>"To-night he's an American, that is, he's dressed and looks like one. +But the reward—you swear you're playing fair?"</p> + +<p>"On my honour," Ashby assured her.</p> + +<p>The woman's face stood clear—cruelly clear in the light of the kerosene +lamp above her head. About her mouth and eyes there was a repellent +expression. Her mind, still working vividly, was reviewing the past; and +a bitter memory prompted the words which were said however with a smile +that was still seductive:</p> + +<p>"Try to recall, Señor Ashby, what strangers were in +The Polka to-night?"</p> + +<p>At these ominous words the men started and regarded each other +questioningly. Their keen and trained intelligences were greatly +distressed at being so utterly in the dark. For an instant, it is true, +the thought of the greaser that Ashby had brought in rose uppermost in +their minds, but only to be dismissed quickly when they recalled the +woman's words concerning the way that the road agent was dressed. A +moment more, however, and a strange thought had fastened itself on one +of their active minds—a thought which, although persisting in forcing +itself upon the Sheriff's consideration, was in the end rejected as +wholly improbable. But who was it then? In his intensity Rance let his +cigar go out.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" at last he cried. "Johnson, by the eternal!"</p> + +<p>"Johnson?" echoed Ashby, wholly at sea and surprised at the look of +corroboration in Nina's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Johnson," went on Rance, insistently. Why had he not seen at once +that it was Johnson who was the road agent! There could be no mistake! +"You weren't there," he explained hurriedly, "when he came in and began +flirting with the Girl and—"</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez making love to the Girl?" broke in Ashby. "Ye Gods!"</p> + +<p>"The Girl? So that's the woman he's after now!" Nina laughed bitterly. +"Well, she's not destined to have him for long, I can tell you!" And +with that she reached out for the bottle on the table and poured herself +a small glass of whisky and swallowed it. When she turned her lips were +tightly shut over her brilliant teeth, a thousand thoughts came rushing +into her brain. There was no longer any compunction—she would strike +now and deep. Through her efforts alone the man would be captured, and +she gloried in the thought.</p> + +<p>"Here—here is something that will interest you!" she said; and putting +her hand in her bosom drew out a soiled, faded photograph. "There—that +will settle him for good and all! Never again will he boast of trifling +with Nina Micheltoreña—with me, a Micheltoreña in whose +veins runs the best and proudest blood of California!"</p> + +<p>Ashby fairly snatched the photograph out of her hand and, after one look +at it, passed it over to the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>"Good of him, isn't it?" sneered Nina; and then seemingly trying by her +very vehemence to impress upon herself the impossibility of his ever +being anything but an episode in her life, she added: "I hate him!"</p> + +<p>The picture was indeed an excellent one. It represented Ramerrez in the +gorgeous dress of a <i>caballero</i>—and the outlaw was a fine specimen of +that spectacular class of men. But Rance studied the photograph only +long enough to be sure that no mistake was possible. With a quick +movement he put it away in his pocket and looked long and hard at the +figure of the degraded woman standing before him and revelling in her +treachery. In that time he forgot that anyone had ever entertained a +kind thought about her; he forgot that she once was respected as well as +admired; he was conscious only of regarding her with a far deeper +disgust and repugnance than he held towards others much her inferior in +birth and education. But, presently, his face grew a shade whiter, if +that were possible, and he cursed himself for not having thought of the +danger to which the Girl might even now be exposed. In less than a +minute, therefore, both men stood ready for the work before them. But on +the threshold just before going out into the fierce storm that had burst +during the last few minutes, he paused and called back:</p> + +<p>"You Mexican devil! If any harm comes to the Girl, I'll strangle you +with my own hands!" And not waiting to hear the woman's mocking laughter +he passed out, followed by Ashby, into the storm.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="10"></a> </p> +<h3>X.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>In the still black night and with no guide other than the dimly-lighted +lantern which she carried, the Girl had started for home—a bit of +shelter in the middle of a great silence, a little fortress in the +wilderness, as it were, with its barred doors and windows—on the top of +Cloudy Mountain. To be sure, it was not the first time that she had +followed the trail alone: Day and night, night and day, for as long, +almost, as she could remember, she had been doing it; indeed, she had +watched the alders, oaks and dwarf pines, that bordered the trail, grow +year by year as she herself had grown, until now the whispering of the +mountain's night winds spoke a language as familiar as her own; but +never before had she climbed up into the clean, wide, free sweep of this +unbounded horizon, the very air untainted and limitless as the sky +itself, with so keen and uncloying a pleasure. But there was a new +significance attached to her home-coming to-night: was she not to +entertain there her first real visitor?</p> + +<p>At the threshold of her cabin the Girl, her cheeks aglow and eyes as +bright, almost, as the red cape that enveloped her lithe, girlish +figure, paused, and swinging her lantern high above her head so that its +light was reflected in the room, she endeavoured to imagine what would +be the impression that a stranger would receive coming suddenly upon +these surroundings.</p> + +<p>And well might she have paused, for no eye ever rested upon a more +conglomerate ensemble! Yet, withal, there was a certain attractiveness +about this log-built, low, square room, half-papered with gaudy +paper—the supply, evidently, having fallen short,—that was as +unexpected as it was unusual.</p> + +<p>Upon the floor, which had a covering of corn sacks, were many beautiful +bear and wolf skins, Indian rugs and Navajo blankets; while +overhead—screening some old trunks and boxes neatly piled up high in +the loft, which was reached by a ladder, generally swung out of the +way—hung a faded, woollen blanket; from the opposite corner there fell +an old, patchwork, silk quilt. Dainty white curtains in all their +crispness were at the windows, and upon the walls were many rare and +weird trophies of the chase, not to mention the innumerable pictures +that had been taken from "Godey's Lady Book" and other periodicals of +that time. A little book-shelf, that had been fashioned out of a box, +was filled with old and well-read books; while the mantel that guarded +the fireplace was ornamented with various small articles, conspicuous +among which were a clock that beat loud, automatic time with a brassy +resonance, a china dog and cat of most gaudy colours, a whisky bottle +and two tumblers, and some winter berries in a jar.</p> + +<p>There were two pieces of furniture in the room, however, which were +placed with an eye to attract attention, and these the Girl prized most +highly: one was a homemade rocking-chair that had been made out of a +barrel and had been dyed, unsuccessfully, with indigo blue, and had +across its back a knitted tidy with a large, upstanding, satin bow; the +other was a homemade, pine wardrobe that had been rudely decorated by +one of the boys of the camp and in which the Girl kept her dresses, and +was piled up high towards the ceiling with souvenirs of her trip to +Monterey, including the hat-boxes and wicker basket that had come well +nigh to loading down the stage on that memorable journey.</p> + +<p>But it was upon her bed and bedroom fixings that the greatest attempt at +decoration had been made; partitioning off the room, as it were, and at +the same time forming a canopy about the bed, were curtains of cheap, +gaudy material, through the partings of which there was to be had a +glimpse of a daintily-made-up bed, whose pillows were made conspicuous +by the hand-made lace that trimmed their slips, as was the bureau-cover, +and upon which, in charming disarray, were various articles generally +included in a woman's toilet, not to mention the numberless strings of +coloured beads and other bits of feminine adornment. A table standing in +the centre of the room was covered with a small, white cloth, while +falling in folds from beneath this was a faded, red cotton cover. The +table was laid for one, the charlotte "rusks" and "lemming" +turn-over—each on a separate plate—which Nick had been commissioned to +procure, earlier in the evening, from the Palmetto restaurant, looming +up prominently in the centre; and on another plate were some chipped +beef and biscuits. A large lamp was suspended from the ceiling in the +centre of the room and was quaintly, if not grotesquely, shaded; while +other lamps flanked by composition metal reflectors concentrated light +upon the Girl's bureau, the book-shelf and mantel, leaving the remainder +of the room in variant shadow.</p> + +<p>All in all, what with the fire that was burning cheerily in the grate +and the strong odour of steaming coffee, the room had a soft glow and +home-like air that was most inviting.</p> + +<p>In that brief moment that the Girl stood in the doorway reviewing her +possessions, a multitude of expressions drifted across her countenance, +a multitude of possibilities thrilled within her bosom. But however much +she would have liked to analyse these strange feelings, she resisted the +inclination and gave all her attention to the amusing scene that was +being enacted before her eyes.</p> + +<p>For some time Billy Jackrabbit had been standing by the table looking +greedily down upon the charlotte russes there. He was on the point of +putting his finger through the centre of one of them when Wowkle—the +Indian woman-of-all-work of the cabin, who sat upon the floor before the +fire singing a lullaby to the papoose strapped to its cradle on her +back—turning suddenly her gaze in his direction, was just in time to +prevent him.</p> + +<p>"Charlotte rusk—Palmetto rest'rant—not take," +were her warning words.</p> + +<p>Jackrabbit drew himself up quickly, but he was furious at interference +from a source where it was wholly unexpected.</p> + +<p>"Hm—me honest," he growled fiercely, flashing her a malignant look.</p> + +<p>"Huh?" was Wowkle's monosyllabic observation delivered in a guttural +tone.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden, Jackrabbit's gaze was arrested by a piece of paper +which lay upon the floor and in which had been wrapped the charlotte +russes; he went over to it quickly, picked it up, opened it and +proceeded to collect on his finger the cream that had adhered to it.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" he growled delightedly, holding up his finger for Wowkle's +inspection. The next instant, however, he slumped down beside her upon +the floor, where both the man and the woman sat in silence gazing into +the fire. The man was the first to speak.</p> + +<p>"Send me up—Polka. Say, p'haps me marry you—huh?" he said, +coming to the point bluntly.</p> + +<p>Wowkle's eyes were glued to the fire; she answered dully:</p> + +<p>"Me don't know."</p> + +<p>There was a silence, and then:</p> + +<p>"Me don't know," observed Jackrabbit thoughtfully. A moment later, +however, he added: "Me marry you—how much me get give fatha—huh?" </p> + +<p>Wowkle raised her narrowing eyes to his and told him with absolute +indifference:</p> + +<p>"Huh—me don't know."</p> + +<p>Jackrabbit's face darkened. He pondered for a long time.</p> + +<p>"Me don't know—" suddenly he began and then stopped. They had been +silent for some moments, when at last he ventured: "Me give fatha four +dolla"—and here he indicated the number with his two hands, the finger +with the cream locking those of the other hand—"and one blanket."</p> + +<p>Wowkle's eyes dilated.</p> + +<p>"Better keep blanket—baby cold," was her ambiguous answer.</p> + +<p>Whereupon Jackrabbit emitted a low growl. Presently he handed her his +pipe, and while she puffed steadily away he fondled caressingly the +string of beads which she wore around her neck.</p> + +<p>"You sing for get those?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Me sing," she replied dully, beginning almost instantly in soft, nasal +tones:<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"My days are as um grass"—<br /> </p> +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Jackrabbit's face cleared.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" he growled in rejoicement.</p> + +<p>Immediately Wowkle edged up close to him and together they continued in +chorus:<br /> </p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Or as um faded flo'r,<br /> + Um wintry winds sweep o'er um plain,<br /> + We pe'ish in um ho'r."<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>"But Gar," said the man when the song was ended, at the same time taking +his pipe away from her, "to-morrow we go missionary—sing like +hell—get whisky."</p> + +<p>But as Wowkle made no answer, once more a silence fell upon them.</p> + +<p>"We pe'ish in um ho'r," suddenly repeated Jackrabbit, half-singing, +half-speaking the words, and rising quickly started for the door. At the +table, however, he halted and inquired: "All right—go missionary +to-morrow—get marry—huh?"</p> + +<p>Wowkle hesitated, then rose, and finally started slowly towards him. +Half-way over she stopped and reminded him in a most apathetic manner:</p> + +<p>"P'haps me not stay marry to you for long."</p> + +<p>"Huh—seven monse?" queried Jackrabbit in the same tone.</p> + +<p>"Six monse," came laconically from the woman.</p> + +<p>In nowise disconcerted by her answer, the Indian now asked:</p> + +<p>"You come soon?"</p> + +<p>Wowkle thought a moment; then suddenly edging up close to him she +promised to come to him after the Girl had had her supper.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" fairly roared the Indian, his coal-black eyes glowing as he +looked at her.</p> + +<p>It was at this juncture that the Girl, after hanging up her lantern on a +peg on the outer door, broke in unexpectedly upon the strange pair of +lovers.</p> + +<p>Dumbfounded, the woman and the man stood gaping at her. Wowkle was the +first to regain her composure, and bending over the table she turned up +the light.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Billy Jackrabbit!" greeted the Girl, breezily. "Fixed it?"</p> + +<p>"Me fix," he grunted.</p> + +<p>"That's good! Now git!" ordered the Girl in the same happy tone that had +characterised her greeting.</p> + +<p>Slowly, stealthily, Jackrabbit left the cabin, the two women, though for +different reasons, watching him go until the door had closed behind him.</p> + +<p>"Now, Wowkle," said the Girl, turning to her with a smile, "it's for two +to-night."</p> + +<p>Wowkle's eyelashes twinkled up inquisitorially.</p> + +<p>"Huh?"</p> + +<p>"Yep."</p> + +<p>Wowkle's eyes narrowed to pin-points.</p> + +<p>"Come anotha? Never before come anotha," was her significant comment.</p> + +<p>"Never you mind." The Girl voiced the reprimand without the twitching of +an eyelid; and then as she hung up her cape upon the wardrobe, she +added: "Pick up the room, Wowkle!"</p> + +<p>The big-hipped, full-bosomed woman did not move but stood in all her +stolidness gazing at her mistress like one in a dream; whereupon the +Girl, exasperated beyond measure at the other's placidity, rushed over +to her and shook her so violently that she finally awakened to the +importance of her mistress' request.</p> + +<p>"He's comin' now, now; he's comin'!" the Girl was saying, when suddenly +her eyes were attracted to a pair of stockings hanging upon the wall; +quickly she released her hold on the woman and with a hop, skip and a +jump they were down and hid away in her bureau drawer.</p> + +<p>"My roses—what did you do with them, Wowkle?" she asked a trifle +impatiently as she fumbled in the drawer.</p> + +<p>"Ugh!" grunted Wowkle, and pointed to a corner of the bureau top.</p> + +<p>"Good!" cried the Girl, delightedly, as she spied them. The next instant +she was busily engaged in arranging them in her hair, pausing only to +take a pistol out of her pocket, which she laid on the edge of the +bureau. "No offence, Wowkle," she went on thoughtfully, a moment later, +"but I want you to put your best foot forward when you're waitin' on +table to-night. This here company o' mine's a man o' idees. Oh, he knows +everythin'! Sort of a damme style."</p> + +<p>Wowkle gave no sign of having heard her mistress' words, but kept right +on tidying the room. Now she went over to the cupboard and took down two +cups, which she placed on the fireplace base. It was while she was in +the act of laying down the last one that the Girl broke in suddenly upon +her thoughts with:</p> + +<p>"Say, Wowkle, did Billy Jackrabbit really propose to you?"</p> + +<p>"Yep—get marry," spoke up Jackrabbit's promised wife without looking +up.</p> + +<p>For some moments the Girl continued to fumble among her possessions in +the bureau drawer; at last she brought forth an orange-coloured satin +ribbon, which she placed in the Indian woman's hands with her prettiest +smile, saying:</p> + +<p>"Here, Wowkle, you can have that to fix up for the weddin'."</p> + +<p>Wowkle's eyes glowed with appreciation.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" she ejaculated, and proceeded to wind the ribbon about the beads +around her neck.</p> + +<p>Turning once more to the bureau, the Girl took out a small parcel done +up in tissue paper and began to unwrap it.</p> + +<p>"I'm goin' to put on them, if I can git 'em on," she said, displaying a +pair of white satin slippers. The next instant she had plumped herself +down upon the floor and was trying to encase her feet in a pair of +slippers which were much too small for them. "Remember what fun I made +o' you when you took up with Billy Jackrabbit?" suddenly she asked with +a happy little smile. "What for? sez I. Well, p'r'aps you was right. +P'r'aps it's nice to have someone you really care for—who belongs to +you. P'r'aps they ain't so much in the saloon business for a woman after +all, and you don't know what livin' really is until—" She stopped +abruptly and threw upon the floor the slipper that refused to give to +her foot. "Oh, Wowkle," she went on, taking up the other slipper, "it's +nice to have someone you can talk to, someone you can turn your heart +inside out to."</p> + +<p>At last she had succeeded in getting into one slipper and, rising, tried +to stand in it; but it hurt her so frightfully that she immediately sank +down upon the floor and proceeded to pat and rub and coddle her foot to +ease the pain. It was while she was thus engaged that a knock came upon +her cabin door.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lord, here he is!" she cried, panic-stricken, and began to drag +herself hurriedly across the room with the intention of concealing +herself behind the curtain at the foot of the bed; while Wowkle, with +unusual celerity, made for the fire-place, where she stood with her back +to the door, gazing into the fire.</p> + +<p>The Girl had only gotten half-way across the room, however, when a voice +assailed her ears.</p> + +<p>"Miss, Miss, kin I—" came in low, subdued tones.</p> + +<p>"What? The Sidney Duck?" she cried, turning and seeing his head poked +through the window.</p> + +<p>"Beg pardon, Miss; I know men ain't lowed up here nohow," humbly +apologised that individual; "but, but—"</p> + +<p>Vexed and flustered, the Girl turned upon him a trifle irritably with:</p> + +<p>"Git! Git, I tell you!"</p> + +<p>"But I'm in grite trouble, Miss," began The Sidney Duck, tearfully. "The +boys are back—they missed that road agent Ramerrez and now they're +taking it out of me. If—if you'd only speak a word for me, Miss."</p> + +<p>"No—" began the Girl, and stopped. The next instant she ordered Wowkle +to shut the window.</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't be 'ard on me, Miss," whimpered the man.</p> + +<p>The Girl flashed him a scornful look.</p> + +<p>"Now, look here, Sidney Duck, there's one kind o' man I can't stand, an' +that's a cheat an' a thief, an' you're it," said the Girl, laying great +stress upon her words. "You're no better'n that road agent Ramerrez, +an'—"</p> + +<p>"But, Miss—" interrupted the man.</p> + +<p>"Miss nothin'!" snapped back the Girl, tugging away at the slippers; in +desperation once more she ordered:</p> + +<p>"Wowkle, close the winder! Close the winder!"</p> + +<p>The Sidney Duck glowered at her. He had expected her intercession on his +behalf and could not understand this new attitude of hers toward him.</p> + +<p>"Public 'ouse jide!" he retorted furiously, and slammed the window.</p> + +<p>"Ugh!" snarled Wowkle, resentfully, her eyes full of fire.</p> + +<p>Now at any other time, The Sidney Duck would have been made to pay +dearly for his words, but either the Girl did not hear him, or if she +did she was too engrossed to heed them; at any rate, the remark passed +unnoticed.</p> + +<p>"I got it on!" presently exclaimed the Girl in great joy. Nevertheless, +it was not without several ouches and moans that, finally, she stood +upon her feet. "Say, Wowkle, how do you think he'll like 'em? How do +they look? They feel awful!" she rattled on with a pained look on her +face.</p> + +<p>But whatever would have been the Indian woman's observation on the +subject of tight shoes in general and those of her mistress in +particular, she was not permitted to make it, for the Girl, now hobbling +over towards the bureau, went on to announce with sudden determination:</p> + +<p>"Say, Wowkle, I'm a-goin' the whole hog! Yes, I'm a-goin' the whole +hog," she repeated a moment later, as she drew forth various bits of +finery from a chest of drawers, with which she proceeded to adorn +herself before the mirror. Taking out first a lace shawl of bold design, +she drew it over her shoulders with the grace and ease of one who makes +it an everyday affair rather than an occasional undertaking; then she +took from a sweet-grass basket a vividly-embroidered handkerchief and +saturated it with cologne, impregnating the whole room with its strong +odour; finally she brought forth a pair of long, white gloves and began +to stretch them on. "Does it look like an effort, Wowkle?" she asked, +trying to get her hands into them.</p> + +<p>"Ugh!" was the Indian woman's comment at the very moment that a knock +came upon the door. "Two plates," she added with a groan, and started +for the cupboard.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the Girl continued with her primping and preening, her hands +flying back and forth like an automaton from her waist-line to her +stockings. Suddenly another knock, this time more vigorous, more +insistent, came upon the rough boards of the cabin door, which, finally, +was answered by the Girl herself.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="11"></a> </p> +<h3>XI.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>"Hello!" sang out Johnson, genially, as he entered the Girl's cabin.</p> + +<p>At once the Girl's audacity and spirit deserted her, and hanging her +head she answered meekly, bashfully:</p> + +<p>"Hello!"</p> + +<p>The man's eyes swept the Girl's figure; he looked puzzled, and asked:</p> + +<p>"Are you—you going out?"</p> + +<p>The Girl was plainly embarrassed; she stammered in reply:</p> + +<p>"Yes—no—I don't know—Oh, come on in!"</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Johnson in his best manner, and put down his lantern +on the table. Turning now with a look of admiration in his eyes, at the +same time trying to embrace her, he went on: "Oh, Girl, I'm so glad you +let me come…"</p> + +<p>His glance, his tone, his familiarity sent the colour flying to the +Girl's cheeks; she flared up instantly, her blue eyes snapping with +resentment:</p> + +<p>"You stop where you are, Mr. Johnson."</p> + +<p>"Ugh!" came from Wowkle, at that moment closing the door which Johnson +had left ajar.</p> + +<p>At the sound of the woman's voice Johnson wheeled round quickly. And +then, to his great surprise, he saw that the Girl was not alone as he +had expected to find her.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon; I did not see anyone when I came in," he said in +humble apology, his eyes the while upon Wowkle who, having blown out the +candle and removed the lantern from the table to the floor, was +directing her footsteps towards the cupboard, into which she presently +disappeared, closing the door behind her. "But seeing you standing +there," went on Johnson in explanation, "and looking into your lovely +eyes, well, the temptation to take you in my arms was so great that I, +well, I took—"</p> + +<p>"You must be in the habit o' takin' things, Mr. Johnson," broke in the +Girl. "I seen you on the road to Monterey, goin' an' comin', an' passed +a few words with you; I seen you once since, but that don't give you no +excuse to begin this sort o' game." The Girl's tone was one of reproach +rather than of annoyance, and for the moment the young man was left with +a sense of having committed an indiscretion. Silently, sheepishly, he +moved away, while she quietly went over to the fire.</p> + +<p>"Besides, you might have prospected a bit first anyway," presently she +went on, watching the tips of her slender white fingers held out +transparent towards the fire.</p> + +<p>Just at that moment a log dropped, turning up its glowing underside. +Wheeling round with a smile, Johnson said:</p> + +<p>"I see how wrong I was."</p> + +<p>And then, seeing that the Girl made no move in his direction, he asked, +still smiling:</p> + +<p>"May I take off my coat?"</p> + +<p>The Girl remained silent, which silence he interpreted as an assent, and +went on to make himself at home.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said simply. "What a bully little place you have here! +It's awfully snug!" he continued delightedly, as his eyes wandered about +the room. "And to think that I've found you again when I—Oh, the luck +of it!"</p> + +<p>He went over to her and held out his hands, a broad, yet kindly smile +lighting up his strong features, making him appear handsomer, even, than +he really was, to the Girl taking in the olive-coloured skin glowing +with healthful pallor.</p> + +<p>"Friends?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless the girl did not give him her hand, but quickly drew it +away; she answered his question with a question:</p> + +<p>"Are you sorry?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not sorry."</p> + +<p>To this she made no reply but quietly, disappointedly returned to the +fireplace, where she stood in contemplative silence, waiting for his +next words.</p> + +<p>But he did not speak; he contented himself with gazing at the tender +girlishness of her, the blue-black eyes, and flesh that was so bright +and pure that he knew it to be soft and firm, making him yearn for her.</p> + +<p>Involuntarily she turned towards him, and she saw that in his face which +caused her eyes to drop and her breath to come more quickly.</p> + +<p>"That damme style just catches a woman!" she ejaculated with a little +tremour in her voice.</p> + +<p>Then her mood underwent a sudden change in marked contrast to that of +the moment before. "Look here, Mr. Johnson," she said, "down at the +saloon to-night you said you always got what you wanted. O' course I've +got to admire you for that. I reckon women always do admire men for +gettin' what they want. But if huggin' me's included, jest count it +out."</p> + +<p>For a breathing space there was a dead silence.</p> + +<p>"That was a lovely day, Girl, on the road to Monterey, wasn't it?" of a +sudden Johnson observed dreamily.</p> + +<p>The Girl's eyes opened upon him wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"Was it?"</p> + +<p>"Well, wasn't it?"</p> + +<p>The Girl thought it was and she laughed.</p> + +<p>"Say, take a chair and set down for a while, won't you?" was her next +remark, she herself taking a chair at the table.</p> + +<p>"Thanks," he said, coming slowly towards her while his eyes wandered +about the room for a chair.</p> + +<p>"Say, look 'ere!" she shot out, scrutinising him closely; "I ben +thinkin' you didn't come to the saloon to see me to-night. What brought +you?"</p> + +<p>"It was Fate," he told her, leaning over the table and looking down upon +her admiringly.</p> + +<p>She pondered his answer for a moment, then blurted out:</p> + +<p>"You're a bluff! It may have been Fate, but I tho't you looked kind o' +funny when Rance asked you if you hadn't missed the trail an' wa'n't on +the road to see Nina Micheltoreña—she that lives in the greaser +settlement an' has the name o' shelterin' thieves."</p> + +<p>At the mention of thieves, Johnson paled frightfully and the knife which +he had been toying with dropped to the floor.</p> + +<p>"Was it Fate or the back trail?" again queried the Girl.</p> + +<p>"It was Fate," calmly reiterated the man, and looked her fairly in the +eye.</p> + +<p>The cloud disappeared from the Girl's face.</p> + +<p>"Serve the coffee, Wowkle!" she called almost instantly. And then it was +that she saw that no chair had been placed at the table for him. She +sprang to her feet, exclaiming: "Oh, Lordy, you ain't got no chair yet +to—"</p> + +<p>"Careful, please, careful," quickly warned Johnson, as she rounded the +corner of the table upon which his guns lay.</p> + +<p>But fear was not one of the Girl's emotions. At the display of guns that +met her gaze she merely shrugged and inquired placidly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, how many guns do you carry?"</p> + +<p>Not unnaturally she waited for his answer before starting in quest of a +chair for him; but instead Johnson quietly went over to the chair near +the door where his coat lay, hung it up on the peg with his hat, and +returning now with a chair, he answered:</p> + +<p>"Oh, several when travelling through the country."</p> + +<p>"Well, set down," said the Girl bluntly, and hurried to his side to +adjust his chair. But she did not return to her place at the table; +instead, she took the barrel rocker near the fireplace and began to rock +nervously to and fro. In silence Johnson sat studying her, looking her +through and through, as it were.</p> + +<p>"It must be strange living all alone way up here in the mountains," he +remarked, breaking the spell of silence. "Isn't it lonely?"</p> + +<p>"Lonely? Mountains lonely?" The Girl's laugh rang out clearly. +"Besides," she went on, her eyes fairly dancing with excitement, "I got +a little pinto an' I'm all over the country on 'im. Finest little horse +you ever saw! If I want to I can ride right down into the summer at the +foothills with miles o' Injun pinks jest a-laffin' an' tiger lilies as +mad as blazes. There's a river there, too—the Injuns call it a +water-road—an' I can git on that an' drift an' drift an' smell the wild +syringa on the banks. An if I git tired o' that I can turn my horse +up-grade an' gallop right into the winter an' the lonely pines an' firs +a-whisperin' an' a-sighin'. Lonely? Mountains lonely, did you say? Oh, +my mountains, my beautiful peaks, my Sierras! God's in the air here, +sure! You can see Him layin' peaceful hands on the mountain tops. He +seems so near you want to let your soul go right on up."</p> + +<p>Johnson was touched at the depth of meaning in her words; he nodded his +head in appreciation.</p> + +<p>"I see, when you die you won't have far to go," he quietly observed.</p> + +<p>Minutes passed before either spoke. Then all at once the Girl rose and +took the chair facing his, the table between them as at first.</p> + +<p>"Wowkle, serve the coffee!" again she called.</p> + +<p>Immediately, Wowkle emerged from the cupboard, took the coffee-pot from +the fire and filled the cups that had been kept warm on the fireplace +base, and after placing a cup beside each plate she squatted down before +the fire in watchful silence.</p> + +<p>"But when it's very cold up here, cold, and it snows?" queried Johnson, +his admiration for the plucky, quaint little figure before him growing +by leaps and bounds.</p> + +<p>"Oh, the boys come up an' digs me out o' my front door +like—like—" She +paused, her sunny laugh rippling out at the recollection of it all, and +Johnson noted the two delightful dimples in her rounded cheeks. Indeed, +she had never appeared prettier to him than when displaying her two rows +of perfect, dazzling teeth, which was the case every time that she +laughed.</p> + +<p>"—like a little rabbit, eh?" he supplemented, joining in the laugh.</p> + +<p>She nodded eagerly.</p> + +<p>"I get digged out near every day when the mine's shet down an' Academy +opens," went on the Girl in the same happy strain, her big blue eyes +dancing with merriment.</p> + +<p>Johnson looked at her wonderingly; he questioned:</p> + +<p>"Academy? Here? Why, who teaches in your Academy?"</p> + +<p>"Me—I'm her—I'm teacher," she told him with not a little show of +pride.</p> + +<p>With difficulty Johnson suppressed a smile; nevertheless he observed +soberly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, so you're the teacher?"</p> + +<p>"Yep—I learn m'self an' the boys at the same time," she hastened to +explain, and dropped a heaping teaspoon of coarse brown sugar into his +cup. "But o' course Academy's suspended when ther's a blizzard on 'cause +no girl could git down the mountain then."</p> + +<p>"Is it so very severe here when there's a blizzard on?" Johnson was +saying, when there came to his ears a strange sound—the sound of the +wind rising in the canyon below.</p> + +<p>The Girl looked at him in blank astonishment—a look that might easily +have been interpreted as saying, "Where do you hail from?" She answered:</p> + +<p>"Is it…? Oh, Lordy, they come in a minute! All of a sudden you +don't know where you are—it's awful!"</p> + +<p>"Not many women—" digressed the man, glancing apprehensively towards +the door, but she cut him short swiftly with the ejaculation:</p> + +<p>"Bosh!" And picking up a plate she raised it high in the air the better +to show off its contents. "Charlotte rusks an' lemming turnover!" she +announced, searching his face for some sign of joy, her own face +lighting up perceptibly.</p> + +<p>"Well, this is a treat!" cried out Johnson between sips of coffee.</p> + +<p>"Have one?"</p> + +<p>"You bet!" he returned with unmistakable pleasure in his voice.</p> + +<p>The Girl served him with one of each, and when he thanked her she beamed +with happiness.</p> + +<p>"Let me send you some little souvenir of to-night"—he said, a little +while later, his admiring eyes settled on her hair of burnished gold +which glistened when the light fell upon it—"something that you'd just +love to read in your course of teaching at the Academy." He paused to +search his mind for something suitable to suggest to her; at length he +questioned: "Now, what have you been reading lately?"</p> + +<p>The Girl's face broke into smiles as she answered:</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's an awful funny book about a kepple. He was a classic an' his +name was Dent."</p> + +<p>Johnson knitted his brows and thought a moment. "He was a classic, you +say, and his name was—Oh, yes, I know—Dante," he declared, with +difficulty controlling the laughter that well-nigh convulsed him. "And +you found Dante funny, did you?"</p> + +<p>"Funny? I roared!" acknowledged the Girl with a frankness that was so +genuine that Johnson could not help but admire her all the more. "You +see, he loved a lady—" resumed the Girl, toying idly with her spoon.</p> + +<p>"—Beatrice," supplemented Johnson, pronouncing the name with the +Italian accent which, by the way, was not lost on the Girl.</p> + +<p>"How?" she asked quickly, with eyes wide open.</p> + +<p>Johnson ignored the question. Anxious to hear her interpretation of the +story, he requested her to continue.</p> + +<p>"He loved a lady—" began the Girl, and broke off short. And going over +to the book-shelf she took down a volume and began to finger the leaves +absently. Presently she came back, and fixing her eyes upon him, she +went on: "It made me think of it, what you said down to the saloon +to-night about livin' so you didn't care what come after. Well, he made +up his min', this Dent—Dantes—that one hour o' happiness with her was +worth the whole da—" She checked the word on her tongue, and concluded: +"outfit that come after. He was willin' to sell out his chances for +sixty minutes with 'er. Well, I jest put the book down an' hollered." +And once more she broke into a hearty laugh.</p> + +<p>"Of course you did," agreed Johnson, joining in the laugh. "All the +same," he presently added, "you knew he was right."</p> + +<p>"I didn't!" she contradicted with spirit, and slowly went back to the +book-shelf with the book.</p> + +<p>"You did."</p> + +<p>"Didn't!"</p> + +<p>"You did."</p> + +<p>"Didn't! Didn't!"</p> + +<p>"I don't—"</p> + +<p>"You do, you do," insisted the Girl, plumping down into the chair which +she had vacated at the table.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say—" Johnson got no further, for the Girl, with a +naïveté that made her positively bewitching to the man before +her, went on as if there had been no interruption:</p> + +<p>"That a feller could so wind h'ms'lf up as to say, 'Jest give me one +hour o' your sassiety; time ain't nothin', nothin' ain't nothin' only to +be a da—darn fool over you!' Ain't it funny to feel like that?" And +then, before Johnson could frame an answer:</p> + +<p>"Yet, I s'pose there are people that love into the grave an' into death +an' after." The Girl's voice lowered, stopped. Then, looking straight +ahead of her, her eyes glistening, she broke out with:</p> + +<p>"Golly, it jest lifts you right up by your bootstraps to think of it, +don't it?"</p> + +<p>Johnson was not smiling now, but sat gazing intently at her through +half-veiled lids.</p> + +<p>"It does have that effect," he answered, the wonder of it all creeping +into his voice.</p> + +<p>"Yet, p'r'aps he was ahead o' the game. P'r'aps—" She did not finish +the sentence, but broke out with fresh enthusiasm: "Oh, say, I jest love +this conversation with you! I love to hear you talk! You give me idees!"</p> + +<p>Johnson's heart was too full for utterance; he could only think of his +own happiness. The next instant the Girl called to Wowkle to bring the +candle, while she, still eager and animated, her eyes bright, her lips +curving in a smile, took up a cigar and handed it to him, saying:</p> + +<p>"One o' your real Havanas!"</p> + +<p>"But I"—began Johnson, protestingly.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless the Girl lit a match for him from the candle which Wowkle +held up to her, and, while the latter returned the candle to the mantel, +Johnson lighted his cigar from the burning match between her fingers.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Girl, how I'd love to know you!" he suddenly cried with the fire of +love in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"But you do know me," was her answer, as she watched the smoke from his +cigar curl upwards toward the ceiling.</p> + +<p>"Not well enough," he sighed.</p> + +<p>For a brief second only she was silent. Whether she read his thoughts it +would be difficult to say; but there came a moment soon when she could +not mistake them.</p> + +<p>"What's your drift, anyway?" she asked, looking him full in the face.</p> + +<p>"To know you as Dante knew the lady—'One hour for me, one hour worth +the world,'" he told her, all the while watching and loving her beauty.</p> + +<p>At the thought she trembled a little, though she answered with +characteristic bluntness:</p> + +<p>"He didn't git it, Mr. Johnson."</p> + +<p>"All the same there are women we could die for," insisted Johnson, +dreamily.</p> + +<p>The Girl was in the act of carrying her cup to her mouth but put it down +on the table. Leaning forward, she inquired somewhat sneeringly:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Johnson, how many times have you died?" Johnson did not have to +think twice before answering. With wide, truthful eyes he said:</p> + +<p>"That day on the road to Monterey I said just that one woman for me. I +wanted to kiss you then," he added, taking her hand in his. And, strange +to say, she was not angry, not unwilling, but sweetly tender and modest +as she let it lay there.</p> + +<p>"But, Mr. Johnson, some men think so much o' kisses that they don't want +a second kiss from the same girl," spoke up the Girl after a moment's +reflection.</p> + +<p>"Doesn't that depend on whether they love her or not? Now all loves are +not alike," reasoned the man in all truthfulness.</p> + +<p>"No, but they all have the same aim—to git 'er if they can," contended +the Girl, gently withdrawing her hand.</p> + +<p>Silence filled the room.</p> + +<p>"Ah, I see you don't know what love is," at length sighed Johnson, +watching the colour come and go from her face.</p> + +<p>The Girl hesitated, then answered in a confused, uneven voice:</p> + +<p>"Nope. Mother used to say, 'It's a tickling sensation at the heart that +you can't scratch,' an' we'll let it go at that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Girl, you're bully!" laughed the man, rising, and making an attempt +to embrace her. But all of a sudden he stopped and stood with a +bewildered look upon his face: a fierce gale was sweeping the mountain. +It filtered in through the crevices of the walls and doors; the lights +flickered; the curtains swayed; and the cabin itself rocked uncertainly +until it seemed as if it would be uprooted. It was all over in a minute. +In fact, the wind had died away almost simultaneously with the Girl's +loud cry of "Wowkle, hist the winder!"</p> + +<p>It is not to be wondered at, however, that Johnson looked apprehensively +about him with every fresh impulse of the gale. The Girl's description +of the storms on the mountain was fresh in his mind, and there was also +good and sufficient reason why he should not be caught in a blizzard on +the top of Cloudy Mountain! Nevertheless, as before, the calm look which +he saw on the Girl's face reassured him. Advancing once more towards +her, he stretched out his arms as if to gather her in them.</p> + +<p>"Look out, you'll muss my roses!" she cried, waving him back and dodging +Wowkle who, having cleared the table, was now making her last trip to +the cupboard.</p> + +<p>"Well, hadn't you better take them off then?" suggested Johnson, still +following her up.</p> + +<p>"Give a man an inch an' he'll be at Sank Hosey before you know it!" she +flung at him over her shoulder, and made straightway for the bureau.</p> + +<p>But although Johnson desisted, he kept his eyes upon her as she took the +roses from her hair, losing none of the picture that she made with the +light beating and playing upon her glimmering eyes, her rosy cheeks and +her parted lips.</p> + +<p>"Is there—is there anyone else?" he inquired falteringly, half-fearful +lest there was.</p> + +<p>"A man always says, 'who was the first one?' but the girl says, 'who'll +be the next one?'" she returned, as she carefully laid the roses in her +bureau drawer.</p> + +<p>"But the time comes when there never will be a next one."</p> + +<p>"No?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"I'd hate to stake my pile on that," observed the Girl, drily. She blew +up each glove as it came off and likewise carefully laid them away in +the bureau drawer.</p> + +<p>By this time Wowkle's soft tread had ceased, her duties for the night +were over, and she stood at the table waiting to be dismissed.</p> + +<p>"Wowkle, git to your wigwam!" suddenly ordered her mistress, watching +her until she disappeared into the cupboard; but she did not see the +Indian woman's lips draw back in a half-grin as she closed the door +behind her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you're sending her away! Must I go, too?" asked Johnson, dismally.</p> + +<p>"No—not jest yet; you can stay a—a hour or two longer," the Girl +informed him with a smile; and turning once more to the bureau she +busied herself there for a few minutes longer.</p> + +<p>Johnson's joy knew no bounds; he burst out delightedly:</p> + +<p>"Why, I'm like Dante! I want the world in that hour, because, you see, +I'm afraid the door of this little paradise might be shut to me +after—Let's say this is my one hour—the hour that gave +me—that kiss I want."</p> + +<p>"Go long! You go to grass!" returned the Girl with a nervous little +laugh.</p> + +<p>Johnson made one more effort and won out; that is, he succeeded, at +last, in getting her in his grasp.</p> + +<p>"Listen," said the determined lover, pleading for a kiss as he would +have pleaded for his very life.</p> + +<p>It was at this juncture that Wowkle, silently, stealthily, emerged from +the cupboard and made her way over to the door. Her feet were heavily +moccasined and she was blanketed in a stout blanket of gay colouring.</p> + +<p>"Ugh—some snow!" she muttered, as a gust of wind beat against her face +and drove great snow-flakes into the room, fairly taking her breath +away. But her words fell on deaf ears. For, oblivious to the storm that +was now raging outside, the youthful pair of lovers continued to +concentrate their thoughts upon the storm that was raging within their +own breasts, the Girl keeping up the struggle with herself, while the +man urged her on as only he knew how.</p> + +<p>"Why, if I let you take one you'd take two," denied the Girl, +half-yielding by her very words, if she but knew it.</p> + +<p>"No, I wouldn't—I swear I wouldn't," promised the man with great +earnestness.</p> + +<p>"Ugh—very bad!" was the Indian woman's muffled ejaculation as she +peered out into the night. But she had promised her lover to come to him +when supper was over, and she would not break faith with him even if it +were at the peril of her life. The next moment she went out, as did the +red light in the Girl's lantern hanging on a peg of the outer door.</p> + +<p>"Oh, please, please," said the Girl, half-protestingly, half-willingly.</p> + +<p>But the man was no longer to be denied; he kept on urging:</p> + +<p>"One kiss, only one."</p> + +<p>Here was an appeal which could no longer be resisted, and though +half-frightened by the tone of his voice and the look in his eye, the +Girl let herself be taken into his arms as she murmured:</p> + +<p>"'Tain't no use, I lay down my hands to you."</p> + +<p>And so it was that, unconscious of the great havoc that was being +wrought by the storm, unconscious of the danger that momentarily +threatened their lives, they remained locked in each other's arms. The +Girl made no attempt to silence him now or withdraw her hands from his. +Why should she? Had he not come to Cloudy Mountain to woo her? Was she +not awaiting his coming? To her it seemed but natural that the +conventions should be as nothing in the face of love. His voice, low and +musical, charged with passion, thrilled through her.</p> + +<p>"I love you," said the man, with a note of possession that frightened +her while it filled her with strange, sweet joy. For months she had +dreamed of him and loved him; no wonder that she looked upon him as her +hero and yielded herself entirely to her fate.</p> + +<p>She lifted her eyes and he saw the love in them. She freed her hands +from his grasp, and then gave them back to him in a little gesture of +surrender.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you're mine, an' I'm yours," she said with trembling lips.</p> + +<p>"I have lived but for this from the moment that I first saw you," he +told her, softly.</p> + +<p>"Me, too—seein' that I've prayed for it day an' night," she +acknowledged, her eyes seeking his.</p> + +<p>"Our destinies have brought us together; whatever happens now I am +content," he said, pressing his lips once more to hers. A little while +later he added: "My darkest hour will be lightened by the memory of you, +to-night."</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="12"></a> </p> +<h3>XII.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>The clock, striking the hour of two, filled in a lull that might +otherwise have seemed to require conversation. For some minutes, +Johnson, raised to a higher level of exaltation, even, than was the +Girl, had been secretly rejoicing in the Fate that had brought them +together.</p> + +<p>"It's wonderful that I should have found her at last and won her love," +he soliloquised. "We must be Fortune's children—she and I."</p> + +<p>The minutes ticked away and still they were silent. Then, of a sudden, +with infinite tenderness in his voice, Johnson asked:</p> + +<p>"What is your name, Girl—your real name?"</p> + +<p>"Min—Minnie; my father's name was Smith," she told him, her eyes cast +down under delicately tremulous lids.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Minnie Sm—"</p> + +<p>"But 'twa'n't his right name," quickly corrected the Girl, and +unconsciously both rose to their feet. "His right name was Falconer."</p> + +<p>"Minnie Falconer—well, that is a pretty name," commented Johnson; and +raising her hand to his lips he pressed them against it.</p> + +<p>"I ain't sure that's what he said it was—I ain't sure o' anythin' only +jest you," she said coyly, burying her face in his neck.</p> + +<p>"You may well be sure of me since I've loved—" Johnson's sentence was +cut short, a wave of remorse sweeping over him. "Turn your head away, +Girl, and don't listen to me," he went on, gently putting her away from +him. "I'm not worthy of you. Don't listen but just say no, no, no, no."</p> + +<p>The Girl, puzzled, was even more so when Johnson began to pace the +floor.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know—I ain't good enough for you !" she cried with a little +tremour in her voice. "But I'll try hard, hard… If you see +anythin' better in me, why don't you bring it out, 'cause I've loved you +ever since I saw you first, 'cause I knowed that you—that you were the +right man."</p> + +<p>"The right man," repeated Johnson, dismally, for his conscience was +beginning to smite him hard.</p> + +<p>"Don't laugh!"</p> + +<p>"I'm not laughing," as indeed he was not.</p> + +<p>"O' course every girl kind o' looks ahead," went on the Girl in +explanation.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I suppose," he observed seriously.</p> + +<p>"An' figgers about bein'—well, Oh, you know—about bein' +settled. An' +when the right man comes, why, she knows 'im, you bet! Jest as we both +knowed each other standin' on the road to Monterey. I said that day, +he's good, he's gran' an' he can have me."</p> + +<p>"I could have you," murmured Johnson, meditatively.</p> + +<p>The Girl nodded eagerly.</p> + +<p>There was a long silence in which Johnson was trying to make up his mind +to tear himself away from her,—the one woman whom he loved in the +world,—for it had been slowly borne in upon him that he was not a fit +mate for this pure young girl. Nor was his unhappiness lessened when he +recalled how she had struggled against yielding to him. At last, +difficult though it was, he took his courage in both hands, and said:</p> + +<p>"Girl, I have looked into your heart and my own and now I realise what +this means for us both—for you, Girl—and knowing that, it seems hard +to say good-bye as I should, must and will…"</p> + +<p>At those clear words spoken by lips which failed so utterly to hide his +misery, the Girl's face turned pale.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" she asked.</p> + +<p>Johnson coloured, hesitated, and finally with a swift glance at the +clock, he briefly explained:</p> + +<p>"I mean it's hard to go and leave you here. The clock reminded me that +long before this I should have been on my way. I shouldn't have come up +here at all. God bless you, dear," and here their eyes came together and +seemed unable to part,—"I love you as I never thought I could…"</p> + +<p>But at Johnson's queer look she hastened to inquire:</p> + +<p>"But it ain't for long you're goin'?"</p> + +<p>For long! Then she had not understood that he meant to go for all time. +How tell her the truth? While he pondered over the situation there came +to him with great suddenness the thought that, perhaps, after all, Life +never intended that she should be given to him only to be taken away +almost as suddenly; and seized with a desire to hold on to her at any +cost, he sprang forward as if to take her in his arms, but before he +reached her, he stopped short.</p> + +<p>"Such happiness is not for me," he muttered under his breath; and then +aloud he added: "No, no, I've got to go now while I have the courage, I +mean." He broke off as suddenly as he had begun, and taking her face in +his hands he kissed her good-bye.</p> + +<p>Now, accustomed as was the Girl to the strange comings and goings of the +men at the camp, it did not occur to her to question him further when he +told her that he should have been away before now. Moreover, she trusted +and loved him. And so it was without the slightest feeling of misgiving +that she watched her lover quickly take down his coat and hat from the +peg on the wall and start for the door. On the other hand, it must have +required not a little courage on the man's part to have torn himself +away from this lovely, if unconventional, creature, just as he was +beginning to love truly and appreciate her. But, then, Johnson was a man +of no mean determination!</p> + +<p>Not daring to trust himself to words, Johnson paused to look back over +his shoulder at the Girl before plunging forth into the night. But on +opening the door all the multitudinous wild noises of the forests +reached his ears: Sounds of whispering and rocking storm-tossed pines, +sounds of the wind making the rounds of the deep canyon below them, +sounds that would have made the blood run cold of a man more daring, +even, than himself. Like one petrified he stood blinded, almost, by the +great drifts of snow that were being driven into the room, while the +cabin rocked and shook and the roof cracked and snapped, the lights +flickered, smoked, or sent their tongues of fire upward towards the +ceiling, the curtains swayed like pendants in the air, and while +baskets, boxes, and other small furnishings of the cabin were blown in +every direction.</p> + +<p>But it was the Girl's quick presence of mind that saved them from being +buried, literally, under the snow. In an instant she had rushed past him +and closed both the outer and inner doors of the cabin; then, going over +to the window, she tried to look through the heavily frosted panes; but +the falling of the sleet and snow, striking the window like fine shot, +made it impossible for her to see more than a few inches away.</p> + +<p>"Why, it's the first time I knew that it—" She cut her sentence short +and ended with: "That's the way we git it up here! Look! Look!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon, Johnson went over to the window and put his face close to +hers on the frosted panes; a great sea of white snow met his gaze!</p> + +<p>"This means—" he said, turning away from the window and meeting her +glance—"surely it doesn't mean that I can't leave Cloudy to-night?"</p> + +<p>"It means you can't get off the mountain to-night," calmly answered the +Girl.</p> + +<p>"Good Lord!" fell from the man's lips.</p> + +<p>"You can't leave this room to-night," went on the Girl, decidedly. "Why, +you couldn't find your way three feet from this door—you a stranger! +You don't know the trail anyway unless you can see it."</p> + +<p>"But I can't stay here?" incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Why not? Why, that's all right! The boys'll come up an' dig us out +to-morrow or day after. There's plenty o' wood an' you can have my bed." +And with no more ado than that, the Girl went over to the bed to remove +the covers and make it ready for his occupancy.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't think of taking that," protested the man, stoutly, while his +face clouded over.</p> + +<p>The Girl felt a thrill at the note of regard in his voice and hastened +to explain:</p> + +<p>"I never use it cold nights; I always roll up in my rug in front of the +fire." All of a sudden she broke out into a merry little laugh. "Jest +think of it stormin' all this time an' we didn't know it!"</p> + +<p>But Johnson was not in a laughing mood. Indeed, he looked very grave and +serious when presently he said:</p> + +<p>"But people coming up here and finding me might—"</p> + +<p>The Girl looked up at him in blank amazement.</p> + +<p>"Might what?" And then, while she waited for his answer, two shots in +close succession rang out in the night with great distinctness.</p> + +<p>There was no mistaking the nearness of the sound. Instantly scenting +trouble and alert at the possibility of danger, Johnson inquired:</p> + +<p>"What's that? What's that?"</p> + +<p>"Wait! Wait!" came back from the Girl, unconsciously in the same tone, +while she strained her ears for other sounds. She did not have long to +wait, however, before other shots followed, the last ones coming from +further away, so it seemed, and at greater intervals.</p> + +<p>"They've got a road agent—it's the posse—p'r'aps they've +got Ramerrez +or one o' his band!" suddenly declared the Girl, at the same time +rushing over to the window for some verification of her words. But, as +before, the wind was beating with great force against the frosted panes, +and only a vast stretch of snow met her gaze. Turning away from the +window she now came towards him with: "You see, whoever it is, they're +snowed in—they can't get away."</p> + +<p>Johnson knitted his brows and muttered something under his breath which +the Girl did not catch.</p> + +<p>Again a shot was fired.</p> + +<p>"Another thief crep' into camp," coldly observed the Girl almost +simultaneously with the report.</p> + +<p>Johnson winced.</p> + +<p>"Poor devil!" he muttered. "But of course, as you say, he's only a +thief."</p> + +<p>In reply to which the Girl uttered words to the effect that she was glad +he had been caught.</p> + +<p>"Well, you're right," said Johnson, thoughtfully, after a short silence; +then determinedly and in short jerky sentences, he went on: "I've been +thinking that I must go—tear myself away. I have very important +business at dawn—imperative business…"</p> + +<p>The Girl, who now stood by the table folding up the white cloth cover, +watched him out of the corner of her eye, take down his coat from the +peg on the wall.</p> + +<p>"Ever sample one o' our mountain blizzards?" she asked as he slipped on +his coat. "In five minutes you wouldn't know where you was. Your +important business would land you at the bottom of a canyon 'bout twenty +feet from here."</p> + +<p>Johnson cleared his throat as if to speak but said nothing; whereupon +the Girl continued:</p> + +<p>"You say you believe in Fate. Well, Fate has caught up with you—you got +to stay here."</p> + +<p>Johnson was strangely silent. He was wondering how his coming there +to-night had really come about. But he could find no solution to the +problem unless it was in response to that perverse instinct which +prompts us all at times to do the very thing which in our hearts we know +to be wrong. The Girl, meanwhile, after a final creasing of the +neatly-folded cover, started for the cupboard, stopping on the way to +pick up various articles which the wind had strewn about the room. +Flinging them quickly into the cupboard she now went over to the window +and once more attempted to peer out into the night. But as before, it +was of no avail. With a shrug she straightened the curtains at the +windows and started for the door. Her action seemed to quicken his +decision, for, presently, with a gesture of resignation, he threw down +his hat and coat on the table and said as if speaking to himself:</p> + +<p>"Well, it is Fate—my Fate that has always made the thing I shouldn't do +so easy." And then, turning to the Girl, he added: "Come, Girl, as you +say, if I can't go, I can't. But I know as I stand here that I'll never +give you up."</p> + +<p>The Girl looked puzzled.</p> + +<p>"Why, what do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean," began Johnson, pacing the floor slowly. Now he stopped by a +chair and pointed as though to the falling snow. "Suppose we say that's +an omen—that the old trail is blotted out and there is a fresh road. +Would you take it with me a stranger, who says: From this day I mean to +be all you'd have me. Would you take it with me far away from here and +forever?"</p> + +<p>It did not take the Girl long to frame an answer. Taking Johnson's hand +she said with great feeling:</p> + +<p>"Well, show me the girl that would want to go to Heaven alone! I'll sell +out the saloon—I'll go anywhere with you, you bet!"</p> + +<p>Johnson bent low over her hand and kissed it. The Girl's straightforward +answer had filled his heart to overflowing with joy.</p> + +<p>"You know what that means, don't you?" a moment later he asked.</p> + +<p>Sudden joy leapt to her blue eyes.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," she told him with a world of understanding in her voice. +There was a silence; then she went on reminiscently: "There's a little +Spanish Mission church—I pass it 'most every day. I can look in an' see +the light burnin' before the Virgin an' see the saints standin' round +with glassy eyes an' faded satin slippers. An' I often tho't what they'd +think if I was to walk right in to be made—well, some man's wife. It +makes your blood like pin-points thinkin' about it. There's somethin' +kind o' holy about love, ain't they?"</p> + +<p>Johnson nodded. He had never regarded love in that light before, much +less known it. For many moments he stood motionless, a new problem of +right and wrong throbbing in his bosom.</p> + +<p>At last, it being settled that Johnson was to pass the night in the +Girl's cabin, she went over to the bed and, once more, began to make it +ready for his occupancy. Meanwhile, Johnson, seated in the barrel rocker +before the fire, watched her with a new interest. The Girl had not gone +very far with her duties, however, when she suddenly came over to him, +plumping herself down on the floor at his feet.</p> + +<p>"Say, did you ever ask any other woman to marry you?" she asked as she +leaned far back in his arms.</p> + +<p>"No," was the man's truthful answer.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how glad I am! Take me—ah, take me I don't care where as long as +it is with you!" cried the Girl in an ecstasy of delight.</p> + +<p>"So help me, God, I'm going to…!" promised Johnson, his voice +strained, tense. "You're worth something better than me, Girl," he +added, a moment later, "but they say love works miracles every hour, +that it weakens the strong and strengthens the weak. With all my soul I +love you, with all my soul I—" The man let his voice die out, leaving +his sentence unfinished. Suddenly he called: "Why, Min-Minnie!"</p> + +<p>"I wasn't really asleep," spoke up the Girl, blinking sleepily. "I'm +jest so happy an' let down, that's all." The next moment, however, she +was forced to acknowledge that she was awfully sleepy and would have to +say good-night.</p> + +<p>"All right," said Johnson, rising, and kissed her good-night.</p> + +<p>"That's your bed over there," she told him, pointing in the direction of +the curtains.</p> + +<p>"But hadn't you better take the bed and let me sleep over here?"</p> + +<p>"Not much!"</p> + +<p>"You're sure you would be more comfortable by the fire—sure, now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you bet!"</p> + +<p>And so it was that Johnson decided to pass the night in the Girl's +canopied bed while she herself, rolled up in a blanket rug before the +fire, slept on the floor.</p> + +<p>"This beats a bed any time," remarked the Girl, spreading out the rug +smoothly; and then, reaching up for the old patchwork, silk quilt that +hung from the loft, she added: "There's one thing—you don't have to +make it up in the mornin'."</p> + +<p>"You're splendid, Girl!" laughed Johnson. Presently, he saw her quietly +closet herself in the cupboard, only to emerge a few minutes later +dressed for the night. Over her white cambric gown with its coarse lace +trimming showing at the throat, she wore a red woollen blanket robe held +in at the waist by a heavy, twisted, red cord which, to the man who got +a glimpse of her as she crossed the room, made her prettier, even, than +she had seemed at any time yet.</p> + +<p>Quietly, now, the Girl began to put her house in order. All the lights, +save the quaintly-shaded lamp that was suspended over the table, were +extinguished; that one, after many unsuccessful attempts, was turned +down so as to give the right minimum of light which would not interfere +with her lover's sleep. Then she went over to the door to make sure that +it was bolted. Outside the wind howled and shrieked and moaned; but +inside the cabin it had never seemed more cosey and secure and peaceful +to her.</p> + +<p>"Now you can talk to me from your bunk an' I'll talk to you from mine," +she said in a sleepy, lazy voice.</p> + +<p>Except for a prodigious yawn which came from the Girl there was an +ominous quiet hanging over the place that chilled the man. Sudden sounds +startled him, and he found it impossible to make any progress with his +preparations for the night. He was about to make some remark, however, +when to his well-attuned ears there came the sound of approaching +footsteps. In an instant he was standing in the parting made by the +curtains, his face eager, animated, tense.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"That's snow slidin'," the Girl informed him without the slightest trace +of anxiety in her voice.</p> + +<p>"God bless you, Girl," he murmured, and retreated back of the curtains. +It was only an instant before he was back again with: "Why, there is +something out there—sounded like people calling," he again whispered.</p> + +<p>"That's only the wind," she said, adding as she drew her robe tightly +about her: "Gettin' cold, ain't it?"</p> + +<p>But, notwithstanding her assurances, Johnson did not feel secure, and it +was with many misgivings that he now directed his footsteps towards the +bed behind the curtains.</p> + +<p>"Good-night!" he said uneasily.</p> + +<p>"Good-night!" unconsciously returned the Girl in the same tone.</p> + +<p>Taking off her slippers the Girl now put on a pair of moccasins and +quietly went over to her bed, where she knelt down and made a silent +prayer.</p> + +<p>"Good-night!" presently came from a little voice in the rug.</p> + +<p>"Good-night!" answered the man now settled in the centre of the +much-befrilled bed.</p> + +<p>There was a silence; then the little voice in the rug called out:</p> + +<p>"Say, what's your name?"</p> + +<p>"Dick," whispered the man behind the curtains.</p> + +<p>"So long, Dick!" drowsily.</p> + +<p>"So long, Girl!" dreamily.</p> + +<p>There was a brief silence; then, of a sudden, the Girl bolted upright in +bed, and asked:</p> + +<p>"Say, Dick, are you sure you don't know that Nina Micheltoreña?"</p> + +<p>"Sure," prevaricated the man, not without some compunction.</p> + +<p>Whereupon the Girl fell back on her pillows and called out contentedly a +final "Good-night!"</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="13"></a> </p> +<h3>XIII.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>There was no mistaking then—no need to contrast her feeling of anxiety +of a few moments ago lest some other woman had preceded her in his +affections, with her indifference on former occasions when her admirers +had proved faithless, to make the Girl realise that she was experiencing +love and was dominated by a passion for this man.</p> + +<p>So that, with no reason whatever in her mind to question the sincerity +of Johnson's love for her, it would seem as if nothing were wanting to +make the Girl perfectly happy; that there could be no room in her heart +for any feeling other than elation. And yet, curiously enough, the Girl +could not doze off to sleep. Some mysterious force—a vague foreboding +of something about to happen—impelled her to open her eyes again and +again.</p> + +<p>It was an odd and wholly new sensation, this conjuring up of distressing +spectres, for no girl was given less to that sort of thing; all the +same, it was with difficulty that she checked an impulse to cry out to +her lover—whom she believed to be asleep—and make him dissipate, by +renewed assurances, the mysterious barrier which she felt was hemming +her in.</p> + +<p>As for Johnson, the moment that his head had touched the pillows, he +fell to thinking of the awkward situation in which he was placed, the +many complications in which his heart had involved him and, finally, he +found himself wondering whether the woman whom he loved so dearly was +also lying sleepless in her rug on the floor.</p> + +<p>And so it was not surprising that he should spring up the moment that he +heard cries from outside.</p> + +<p>"Who's that knockin', I wonder?"</p> + +<p>Although her voice showed no signs of distress or annoyance, the +question coming from her in a calm tone, the Girl was upon her feet +almost before she knew it. In a trice she removed all evidences that she +had been lying upon the floor, flinging the pillows and silk coverlet to +the wardrobe top.</p> + +<p>In that same moment Johnson was standing in the parting of the curtains, +his hand raised warningly. In another moment he was over to the door +where, after taking his pistols from his overcoat pockets, he stood in a +cool, determined attitude, fingering his weapons.</p> + +<p>"But some one's ben callin'," the Girl was saying, at the very moment +when above the loud roaring of the wind another knock was heard on the +cabin door. "Who can it be?" she asked as if to herself, and calmly went +over to the table, where she took up the candle and lit it.</p> + +<p>Springing to her side, Johnson whispered tensely:</p> + +<p>"Don't answer—you can't let anyone in—they wouldn't understand."</p> + +<p>The Girl eyed him quizzically.</p> + +<p>"Understand what?" And before he had time to explain, much less to check +her, she was standing at the window, candle in hand, peering out into +the night.</p> + +<p>"Why, it's the posse!" she cried, wheeling round suddenly. "How did they +ever risk it in this storm?"</p> + +<p>At these words a crushed expression appeared on Johnson's countenance; +an uncanny sense of insecurity seized him. Once more the loud, insistent +pounding was repeated, and as before, the outlaw, his hands on his guns, +commanded her not to answer.</p> + +<p>"But what on earth do the boys want?" inquired the Girl, seemingly +oblivious to what he was saying. Indeed, so much so that as the voice of +Nick rose high above the other sounds of the night, calling,</p> +<p>"Min-Minnie-Girl, let us in!" she hurriedly brushed past him and yelled +through the door:</p> + +<p>"What do you want?"</p> + +<p>Again Johnson's hand went up imperatively.</p> + +<p>"Don't let him come in!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>But even then she heard not his warning, but silently, tremulously +listened to Sonora, who shouted through the door: "Say, Girl, you all +right?" And not until her answering voice had called back her assurance +that she was safe did she turn to the man at her side and whisper in a +voice that showed plainly her agitation and fear:</p> + +<p>"Jack Rance is there! If he was to see you here—he's that jealous I'd +be afraid—" She checked her words and quickly put her ear close to the +door, the voices outside having become louder and more distinct. +Presently she spun round on her heel and announced excitedly: "Ashby's +there, too!" And again she put her ear to the door.</p> + +<p>"Ashby!" The exclamation fell from Johnson's lips before he was aware of +it. It was impossible to deceive himself any longer—the posse had +tracked him!</p> + +<p>"We want to come in, Girl!" suddenly rang out from the well-known voice +of Nick.</p> + +<p>"But you can't come in!" shouted back the Girl above the noise of the +storm; then, taking advantage of a particularly loud howl of the blast, +she turned to Johnson and inquired: "What will I say? What reason will I +give?"</p> + +<p>Serious as was Johnson's predicament, he could not suppress a smile. In +a surprisedly calm voice he told her to say that she had gone to bed.</p> + +<p>The Girl's eyes flooded with admiration.</p> + +<p>"Why, o' course—that's it," she said, and turned back to the door and +called through it: "I've gone to bed, Nick! I'm in bed now!"</p> + +<p>The barkeeper's answer was lost in another loud howl of the blast. Soon +afterwards, however, the Girl made out that Nick was endeavouring to +convey to her a warning of some kind.</p> + +<p>"You say you've come to warn me?" she cried.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Ramerrez…!"</p> + +<p>"What? Say that again?"</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez is on the trail—"</p> + +<p>"Ramerrez's on the trail!" repeated the Girl in tones of alarm; and not +waiting to hear further she motioned to Johnson to conceal himself +behind the curtains of the bed, muttering the while:</p> + +<p>"I got to let 'em in—I can't keep 'em out there +on such a night…" +He had barely reached his place of concealment when the Girl slid back +the bolts and bade the boys to come in.</p> + +<p>Headed by Rance, the men quickly filed in and deposited their lanterns +on the floor. It was evident that they had found the storm most severe, +for their boots were soaked through and their heavy buffalo overcoats, +caps and ear-muffs were covered with snow, which all, save Rance, +proceeded to remove by shaking their shoulders and stamping their feet. +The latter, however, calmly took off his gloves, pulled out a +beautifully-creased handkerchief from his pocket, and began slowly to +flick off the snow from his elegant mink overcoat before hanging it +carefully upon a peg on the wall. After that he went over to the table +and warmed his hands over the lighted candle there. Meanwhile, Sonora, +his nose, as well as his hands which with difficulty he removed from his +heavy fur mittens, showing red and swollen from the effects of the +biting cold, had gone over to the fire, where he ejaculated:</p> + +<p>"Ouf, I'm cold! Glad you're safe, Girl!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Girl, The Polka's had a narrow squeak," observed Nick, stamping +his feet which, as well as his legs, were wrapped with pieces of +blankets for added warmth.</p> + +<p>Unconsciously, at his words, the Girl's eyes travelled to the bed; then, +drawing her robe snugly about her, and seating herself, she asked with +suppressed excitement:</p> + +<p>"Why, Nick, what's the matter? What's—"</p> + +<p>Rance took it upon himself to do the answering. Sauntering over to the +Girl, he drawled out:</p> + +<p>"It takes you a long time to get up, seems to me. You haven't so much +on, either," he went on, piercing her with his eyes.</p> + +<p>Smilingly and not in the least disconcerted by the Sheriff's remark, the +Girl picked up a rug from the floor and wound it about her knees.</p> + +<p>"Well?" she interrogated.</p> + +<p>"Well, we was sure that you was in trouble," put in Sonora. "My breath +jest stopped."</p> + +<p>"Me? Me in trouble, Sonora?" A little laugh that was half-gay, +half-derisive, accompanied her words.</p> + +<p>"See here, that man Ramerrez—" followed up Rance with a grim look.</p> + +<p>"—feller you was dancin' with," interposed Sonora, but checked himself +instantly lest he wound the Girl's feelings.</p> + +<p>Whereupon, Rance, with no such compunctions, became the spokesman, a +grimace of pleasure spreading over his countenance as he thought of the +unpleasant surprise he was about to impart. Stretching out his stiffened +fingers over the blaze, he said in his most brutal tones:</p> + +<p>"Your polkying friend is none other than Ramerrez."</p> + +<p>The Girl's eyes opened wide, but they did not look at the Sheriff. They +looked straight before her.</p> + +<p>"I warned you, girl," spoke up Ashby, "that you should bank with us +oftener."</p> + +<p>The Girl gave no sign of having heard him. Her slender figure seemed to +have shrunken perceptibly as she stared stupidly, uncomprehendingly, +into space.</p> + +<p>"We say that Johnson was—" repeated Rance, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"—what?" fell from the Girl's lips, her face pale and set.</p> + +<p>"Are you deaf?" demanded Rance; and then, emphasising every word, he +rasped out: "The fellow you've been polkying with is the man that has +been asking people to hold up their hands."</p> + +<p>"Oh, go on—you can't hand me out that!" Nevertheless the Girl looked +wildly about the room.</p> + +<p>Angrily Rance strode over to her and sneered bitingly:</p> + +<p>"You don't believe it yet, eh?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't believe it yet!" rapped out the Girl, laying great stress +upon the last word. "I know he isn't."</p> + +<p>"Well, he <i>is</i> Ramerrez, and he <i>did</i> come to The Polka to rob it," +retorted the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>All at once the note of resentment in the Girl's voice became positive; +she flared back at him, though she flushed in spite of herself.</p> + +<p>"But he didn't rob it!"</p> + +<p>"That's what gits me," fretted Sonora. "He didn't."</p> + +<p>"I should think it would git you," snapped back the Girl, both in her +look and voice rebuking him for his words.</p> + +<p>It was left to Ashby to spring another surprise.</p> + +<p>"We've got his horse," he said pointedly.</p> + +<p>"An' I never knowed one o' these men to separate from his horse," +commented Sonora, still smarting under the Girl's reprimand.</p> + +<p>"Right you are! And now that we've got his horse and this storm is on, +we've got him," said Rance, triumphantly. "But the last seen of +Johnson," he went on with a hasty movement towards the Girl and eyeing +her critically, "he was heading this way. You seen anything of him?"</p> + +<p>The Girl struggled hard to appear composed.</p> + +<p>"Heading this way?" she inquired, reddening.</p> + +<p>"So Nick said," declared Sonora, looking towards that individual for +proof of his words.</p> + +<p>But Nick had caught the Girl's lightning glance imposing silence upon +him; in some embarrassment he stammered out:</p> + +<p>"That is, he was—Sid said he saw 'im take the trail, too."</p> + +<p>"But the trail ends here," pointed out Rance, at the same time looking +hard at the Girl. "And if she hasn't seen him, where was he going?"</p> + +<p>At this juncture Nick espied a cigar butt on the floor; unseen by the +others, he hurriedly picked it up and threw it in the fire.</p> + +<p>"One o' our dollar Havanas! Good Lord, he's here!" he muttered to +himself.</p> + +<p>"Rance is right. Where was he goin'?" was the question with which he was +confronted by Sonora when about to return to the others.</p> + +<p>"Well, I tho't I seen him," evaded Nick with considerable uneasiness. "I +couldn't swear to it. You see it was dark, an'—Moses but the Sidney +Duck's a liar!"</p> + +<p>At length, Ashby decided that the man had in all probability been snowed +under, ending confidently with:</p> + +<p>"Something scared him off and he lit out without his horse." Which +remark brought temporary relief to the Girl, for Nick, watching her, saw +the colour return to her face.</p> + +<p>Unconsciously, during this discussion, the Girl had risen to her feet, +but only to fall back in her chair again almost as suddenly, a sign of +nervousness which did not escape the sharp eye of the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>"How do you know the man's a road agent?" A shade almost of contempt was +in the Girl's question.</p> + +<p>Sonora breathed on his badly nipped fingers before answering:</p> + +<p>"Well, two greasers jest now were pretty positive before they quit."</p> + +<p>Instantly the Girl's head went up in the air.</p> + +<p>"Greasers!" she ejaculated scornfully, while her eyes unfalteringly met +Rance's steady gaze.</p> + +<p>"But the woman knew him," was the Sheriff's vindictive thrust.</p> + +<p>The Girl started; her face went white.</p> + +<p>"The woman—the woman d'you say?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, it was a woman that first tol' them that Ramerrez was in the +camp to rob The Polka," Sonora informed her, though his tone showed +plainly his surprise at being compelled to repeat a thing which, he +wrongly believed, she already knew.</p> + +<p>"We saw her at The Palmetto," leered Rance.</p> + +<p>"And we missed the reward," frowned Ashby; at which Rance quickly turned +upon the speaker with:</p> + +<p>"But Ramerrez is trapped."</p> + +<p>There was a moment's startled pause in which the Girl struggled with her +passions; at last, she ventured:</p> + +<p>"Who's this woman?"</p> + +<p>The Sheriff laughed discordantly.</p> + +<p>"Why, the woman of the back trail," he sneered.</p> + +<p>"Nina Micheltoreña! Then she does know 'im—it's +true—it goes through +me!" unwittingly burst from the Girl's lips.</p> + +<p>The Sheriff, evidently, found the Situation amusing, for he laughed +outright.</p> + +<p>"He's the sort of a man who polkas with you first and then cuts your +throat," was his next stab.</p> + +<p>The Girl turned upon him with eyes flashing and retorted:</p> + +<p>"Well, it's my throat, ain't it?"</p> + +<p>"Well I'll be!—" The Sheriff's sentence was left unfinished, for Nick, +quickly pulling him to one side, whispered:</p> + +<p>"Say, Rance, the Girl's cut up because she vouched for 'im. Don't rub it +in."</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding, Rance, to the Girl's query of "How did this Nina +Micheltoreña know it?" took a keen delight in telling her:</p> + +<p>"She's his girl."</p> + +<p>"His girl?" repeated the Girl, mechanically.</p> + +<p>"Yes. She gave us his picture," went on Rance; and taking the photograph +out of his pocket, he added maliciously, "with love written on the back +of it."</p> + +<p>A glance at the photograph, which she fairly snatched out of his hands, +convinced the Girl of the truthfulness of his assertion. With a movement +of pain she threw it upon the floor, crying out bitterly:</p> + +<p>"Nina Micheltoreña! Nina Micheltoreña!" Turning to Ashby +with an abrupt +change of manner she said contritely: "I'm sorry, Mr. Ashby, I vouched +for 'im."</p> + +<p>The Wells Fargo Agent softened at the note in the Girl's voice; he was +about to utter some comforting words to her when suddenly she spoke +again.</p> + +<p>"I s'pose they had one o' them little lovers' quarrels an' that made 'er +tell you, eh?" She laughed a forced little laugh, though her heart was +beating strangely as she kept on: "He's the kind o' man who sort o' +polkas with every girl he meets." And at this she began to laugh almost +hysterically.</p> + +<p>Rance, who resented her apologising to anyone but himself, stood +scowling at her.</p> + +<p>"What are you laughing at?" he questioned.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothin', Jack, nothin'," half-cried, half-laughed the Girl. "Only +it's kind o' funny how things come out, ain't it? Took in! Nina +Micheltoreña! Nice company he keeps—one o' them Cachuca girls with +eyelashes at half-mast!"</p> + +<p>Once more, she broke out into a fit of laughter.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," she resumed, "an' she sold 'im out for money! Ah, Jack +Rance, you're a better guesser'n I am!" And with these words she sank +down at the table in an apathy of misery. Horror and hatred and +hopelessness had possession of her. A fierce look was in her eyes when a +moment later she raised her head and abruptly dismissed the boys, +saying:</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, it's gittin' late—good-night!"</p> + +<p>Sonora was the first to make a movement towards the door.</p> + +<p>"Come on, boys," he growled in his deep bass voice; "don't you intend to +let a lady go to bed?"</p> + +<p>One by one the men filed through the door which Nick held open for them; +but when all but himself had left, the devoted little barkeeper turned +to the Girl with a look full of meaning, and whispered:</p> + +<p>"Do you want me to stay?"</p> + +<p>"Me? Oh, no, Nick!" And with a "Good-night, all! Good-night, Sonora, an' +thank you! Good-night, Nick!" the Girl closed the door upon them. The +last that she heard from them was the muffled ejaculation:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lordy, we'll never git down to Cloudy to-night!"</p> + +<p>Now the Girl slid the bolts and stood with her back against the door as +if to take extra precautions to bar out any intrusion, and with eyes +that blazed she yelled out:</p> + +<p>"Come out o' that, now! Step out there, Mr. Johnson!"</p> + +<p>Slowly the road agent parted the curtains and came forward in an +attitude of dejection.</p> + +<p>"You came here to rob me," at once began the Girl, but her anger made it +impossible for her to continue.</p> + +<p>"I didn't," denied the road agent, quietly, his countenance reflecting +how deeply hurt he was by her words.</p> + +<p>"You lie!" insisted the Girl, beside herself with rage.</p> + +<p>"I don't—"</p> + +<p>"You do!"</p> + +<p>"I admit that every circumstance points to—"</p> + +<p>"Stop! Don't you give me any more o' that Webster Unabridged. You git to +cases. If you didn't come here to steal you came to The Polka to rob it, +didn't you?"</p> + +<p>Johnson, his eyes lowered, was forced to admit that such were his +intentions, adding swiftly:</p> + +<p>"But when I knew about you—" He broke off and took a step towards her.</p> + +<p>"Wait! Wait! Wait where you are! Don't you take a step further or +I'll—" She made a significant gesture towards her bosom, and then, +laughing harshly, went on denouncingly: "A road agent! A road agent! +Well, ain't it my luck! Wouldn't anybody know to look at me that a +gentleman wouldn't fall my way! A road agent! A road agent!" And again +she laughed bitterly before going on: "But now you can git—git, you +thief, you imposer on a decent woman! I ought to have tol' 'em all, but +I wa'n't goin' to be the joke o' the world with you behind the curtains +an' me eatin' charlotte rusks an' lemming turnovers an' a-polkyin' with +a road agent! But now you can git—git, do you hear me?"</p> + +<p>Johnson heard her to the end with bowed head; and so scathing had been +her denunciations of his actions that the fact that pride alone kept her +from breaking down completely escaped his notice. With his eyes still +downcast be said in painful fragments:</p> + +<p>"One word only—only a word and I'm not going to say anything in defence +of myself. For it's all true—everything is true except that I would +have stolen from you. I <i>am</i> called Ramerrez; I <i>have</i> robbed; I <i>am</i> a +road agent—an outlaw by profession. Yes, I'm all that—and my father +was that before me. I was brought up, educated, thrived on thieves' +money, I suppose, but until six months ago when my father died, I did +not know it. I lived much in Monterey—I lived there as a gentleman. +When we met that day I wasn't the thing I am to-day. I only learned the +truth when my father died and left me with a rancho and a band of +thieves—nothing else—nothing for us all, +and I—but what's the good of +going into it—the circumstances. You wouldn't understand if I did. I +was my father's son; I have no excuse; I guess, perhaps, it was in +me—in the blood. Anyhow, I took to the road, and I didn't mind it much +after the first time. But I drew the line at killing—I wouldn't have +that. That's the man that I am, the blackguard that I am. But—" here he +raised his eyes and said with a voice that was charged with feeling—"I +swear to you that from the moment I kissed you to-night I meant to +change, I meant to—"</p> + +<p>"The devil you did!" broke from the Girl's lips, but with a sound that +was not unlike a sob.</p> + +<p>"I did, believe me, I did," insisted the man. "I meant to go straight +and take you with me—but only honestly—when I could honestly. I meant +to work for you. Why, every word you said to me to-night about being a +thief cut into me like a knife. Over and over again I have said to +myself, she must never know. And now—well, it's all over—I have +finished."</p> + +<p>"An' that's all?" questioned the Girl with averted face.</p> + +<p>"No—yes—what's the use…?"</p> + +<p>The Girl's anger blazed forth again.</p> + +<p>"But there's jest one thing you've overlooked explainin', Mr. Johnson. +It shows exactly what you are. It wasn't so much your bein' a road agent +I got against you. It's this:" And here she stamped her foot excitedly. +"You kissed me—you got my first kiss."</p> + +<p>Johnson hung his head.</p> + +<p>"You said," kept on the Girl, hotly, "you'd ben thinkin' o' me ever +since you saw me at Monterey, an' all the time you walked straight off +an' ben kissin' that other woman." She shrugged her shoulder and laughed +grimly. "You've got a girl," she continued, growing more and more +indignant. "It's that I've got against you. It's my first kiss I've got +against you. It's that Nina Micheltoreña that I can't forgive. So now +you can git—git!" And with these words she unbolted the door and +concluded tensely:</p> + +<p>"If they kill you I don't care. Do you hear, I don't care…"</p> + +<p>At those bitter words spoken by lips which failed so utterly to hide +their misery, the Girl's face became colourless.</p> + +<p>With the instinct of a brave man to sell his life as dearly as possible, +Johnson took a couple of guns from his pocket; but the next moment, as +if coming to the conclusion that death without the Girl would be +preferable, he put them back, saying:</p> + +<p>"You're right, Girl."</p> + +<p>The next instant he had passed out of the door which she held wide open +for him.</p> + +<p>"That's the end o' that—that's the end o' that," she wound up, slamming +the door after him. But all the way from the threshold to the bureau she +kept murmuring to herself: "I don't care, I don't care… I'll be +like the rest o' the women I've seen. I'll give that Nina Micheltoreña +cards an' spades. There'll be another hussy around here. There'll be—" +The threat was never finished. Instead, with eyes that fairly started +out of their sockets, she listened to the sound of a couple of shots, +the last one exploding so loud and distinct that there was no mistaking +its nearness to the cabin.</p> + +<p>"They've got 'im!" she cried. "Well, I don't care—I don't—" But again +she did not finish what she intended to say. For at the sound of a heavy +body falling against the cabin door she flew to it, opened it and, +throwing her arms about the sorely-wounded man, dragged him into the +cabin and placed him in a chair. Quick as lightning she was back at the +door bolting it.</p> + +<p>With his eyes Johnson followed her action.</p> + +<p>"Don't lock that door—I'm going out again—out there. Don't bar that +door," he commanded feebly, struggling to his feet and attempting to +walk towards it; but he lurched forward and would have fallen to the +floor had she not caught him. Vainly he strove to break away from her, +all the time crying out: "Don't you see, don't you see, Girl—open the +door." And then again with almost a sob: "Do you think me a man to hide +behind a woman?" He would have collapsed except for the strong arms that +held him.</p> + +<p>"I love you an' I'm goin' to save you," the Girl murmured while +struggling with him. "You asked me to go away with you; I will when you +git out o' this. If you can't save your own soul—" She stopped and +quickly went over to the mantel where she took down a bottle of whisky +and a glass; but in the act of pouring out a drink for him there came a +loud rap on the window, and quickly looking round she saw Rance's +piercing eyes peering into the room. For an instant she paled, but then +there flashed through her mind the comforting thought that the Sheriff +could not possibly see Johnson from his position. So, after giving the +latter his drink, she waited quietly until a rap at the door told her +that Rance had left the window when, her eye having lit on the ladder +that was held in place on the ceiling, she quickly ran over to it and +let it down, saying:</p> + +<p>"Go up the ladder! Climb up there to the loft You're the man that's got +my first kiss an' I'm goin' to save you…"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, not here," protested Johnson, stubbornly.</p> + +<p>"Do you want them to see you in my cabin?" she cried reproachfully, +trying to lift him to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Oh, hurry, hurry…!"</p> + +<p>With the utmost difficulty Johnson rose to his feet and catching the +rounds of the ladder he began to ascend. But after going up a few rounds +he reeled and almost fell off, gasping:</p> + +<p>"I can't make it—no, I can't…"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you can," encouraged the Girl; and then, simultaneously with +another loud knock on the door: "You're the man I love an' you +must—you've got to show me the man that's in you. Oh, go on, go on, +jest a step an' you'll git there."</p> + +<p>"But I can't," came feebly from the voice above. Nevertheless, the next +instant he fell full length on the boarded floor of the loft with the +hand outstretched in which was the handkerchief he had been staunching +the blood from the wound in his side.</p> + +<p>With a whispered injunction that he was all right and was not to move on +any account, the Girl put the ladder back in its place. But no sooner +was this done than on looking up she caught sight of the stained +handkerchief. She called softly up to him to take it away, explaining +that the cracks between the boards were wide and it could plainly be +seen from below.</p> + +<p>"That's it!" she exclaimed on observing that he had changed the position +of his hand. "Now, don't move!"</p> + +<p>Finally, with the lighted candle in her hand, the Girl made a quick +survey of the room to see that nothing was in sight that would betray +her lover's presence there, and then throwing open the door she took up +such a position by it that it made it impossible for anyone to get past +her without using force.</p> + +<p>"You can't come in here, Jack Rance," she said in a resolute voice. "You +can tell me what you want from where you are."</p> + +<p>Roughly, almost brutally, Rance shoved her to one side and entered.</p> + +<p>"No more Jack Rance. It's the Sheriff coming after Mr. Johnson," he +said, emphasizing each word.</p> + +<p>The Girl eyed him defiantly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I said Mr. Johnson," reiterated the Sheriff, cocking the gun that +he held in his hand. "I saw him coming in here."</p> + +<p>"It's more 'n I did," returned the Girl, evenly, and bolted the door. +"Do you think I'd want to shield a man who tried to rob me?" she asked, +facing him.</p> + +<p>Ignoring the question, Rance removed the glove of his weaponless hand +and strode to the curtains that enclosed the Girl's bed and parted them. +When he turned back he was met by a scornful look and the words:</p> + +<p>"So, you doubt me, do you? Well, go on—search the place. But this ends +your acquaintance with The Polka. Don't you ever speak to me again. +We're through."</p> + +<p>Suddenly there came a smothered groan from the man in the loft; Rance +wheeled round quickly and brought up his gun, demanding:</p> + +<p>"What's that? What's that?"</p> + +<p>Leaning against the bureau the Girl laughed outright and declared that +the Sheriff was becoming as nervous as an old woman. Her ridicule was +not without its effect, and, presently, Rance uncocked his gun and +replaced it in its holster. Advancing now to the table where the Girl +was standing, he took off his cap and shook it before laying it down; +then, pointing to the door, his eyes never leaving the Girl's face, he +went on accusingly:</p> + +<p>"I saw someone standing out there against the snow. I fired. I could +have sworn it was a man."</p> + +<p>The Girl winced. But as she stood watching him calmly remove his coat +and shake it with the air of one determined to make himself at home, she +cried out tauntingly:</p> + +<p>"Why do you stop? Why don't you go on—finish your search—only don't +ever speak to me again."</p> + +<p>At that, Rance became conciliatory.</p> + +<p>"Say, Min, I don't want to quarrel with you."</p> + +<p>Turning her back on him the Girl moved over to the bureau where she +snapped out over her shoulder:</p> + +<p>"Go on with your search, then p'r'aps you'll leave a lady to herself to +go to bed."</p> + +<p>The Sheriff followed her up with the declaration:</p> + +<p>"I'm plumb crazy about you, Min."</p> + +<p>The Girl shrugged her shoulder.</p> + +<p>"I could have sworn I saw—I—Oh, you know it's just you for me—just +you, and curse the man you like better. I—I—even yet I can't get over +the queer look in your face when I told you who that man really was." He +stopped and flung his overcoat down on the floor, and fixing her with a +look he demanded: "You don't love him, do you?"</p> + +<p>Again the Girl sent over her shoulder a forced little laugh.</p> + +<p>"Who—me?"</p> + +<p>The Sheriff's face brightened. Taking a few steps nearer to her, he +hazarded:</p> + +<p>"Say, Girl, was your answer final to-night about marrying me?"</p> + +<p>Without turning round the Girl answered coyly:</p> + +<p>"I might think it over, Jack."</p> + +<p>Instantly the man's passion was aroused. He strode over to her, put his +arms around her and kissed her forcibly.</p> + +<p>"I love you, I love you, Minnie!" he cried passionately.</p> + +<p>In the struggle that followed, the Girl's eyes fell on the bottle on the +mantel. With a cry she seized it and raised it threateningly over her +head. Another second, however, she sank down upon a chair and began to +sob, her face buried in her hands.</p> + +<p>Rance regarded her coldly; at last he gave vent to a mirthless laugh, +the nasty laugh of a man whose vanity is hurt.</p> + +<p>"So, it's as bad as that," he sneered. "I didn't quite realise it. I'm +much obliged to you. Good-night." He snatched up his coat, hesitated, +then repeated a little less angrily than before: "Good-night!"</p> + +<p>But the Girl, with her face still hidden, made no answer. For a moment +he watched the crouching form, the quivering shoulders, then asked, with +sudden and unwonted gentleness:</p> + +<p>"Can't you say good-night to me, Girl!"</p> + +<p>Slowly the Girl rose to her feet and faced him, aversion and pity +struggling for mastery. Then, as she noted the spot where he was now +standing, his great height bringing him so near to the low boards of the +loft where her lover was lying that it seemed as though he must hear the +wounded man's breathing, all other feelings were swept away by +overwhelming fear. With the one thought that she must get rid of +him,—do anything, say anything, but get rid of him quickly, she forced +herself forward, with extended hand, and said in a voice that held out +new promise:</p> + +<p>"Good-night. Jack Rance,—good-night!"</p> + +<p>Rance seized the hand with an almost fierce gladness in both his own, +his keen glance hungrily striving to read her face. Then, suddenly, he +released her, drawing back his hand with a quick sharpness.</p> + +<p>"Why, look at my hand! There's blood on it!" he said.</p> + +<p>And even as he spoke, under the yellow flare of the lamp, the Girl saw a +second drop of blood fall at her feet. Like a flash, the terrible +significance of it came upon her. Only by self-violence could she keep +her glance from rising, tell-tale, to the boards above.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm so sorry," she heard herself saying contritely, all the time +desperately groping to invent a reason; at length, she added futilely: +"I must have scratched you."</p> + +<p>Rance looked puzzled, staring at the spatter of red as though +hypnotised.</p> + +<p>"No, there's no scratch there," he contended, wiping off the blood with +his handkerchief.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, there is," insisted the Girl tremulously; "that is, there will +be in the mornin'. You'll see in the mornin' that there'll be—" She +stopped and stared in frozen terror at the sinister face of the Sheriff, +who was coolly watching his handkerchief turn from white to red under +the slow rain of blood from the loft above.</p> + +<p>"Oho!" he emitted sardonically, stepping back and pointing his gun +towards the loft. "So, he's up there!"</p> + +<p>The Girl's fingers clutched his arm, dragging desperately.</p> + +<p>"No, he isn't, Jack—no, he isn't!" she iterated in blind, mechanical +denial.</p> + +<p>With an abrupt movement, Rance flung her violently from him, made a grab +at the suspended ladder and lowered it into position; then, deaf to the +Girl's pleadings, harshly ordered Johnson to come down, meanwhile +covering the source of the blood-drops with his gun.</p> + +<p>"Oh, wait,—wait a minute!" begged the Girl helplessly. What would +happen if he couldn't obey the summons? He had spent himself in his +climb to safety. Perhaps he was unconscious, slowly bleeding to death! +But even as she tortured herself with fears, the boards above creaked as +though a heavy body was dragging itself slowly across them. Johnson was +evidently doing his best to reach the top of the ladder; but he did not +move quickly enough to suit the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>"Come down, or I'll—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, just a minute, Jack, just a minute!" broke in the Girl frantically. +"Don't shoot!—Don't you see he's tryin' to—?"</p> + +<p>"Come down here, Mr. Johnson!" reiterated the Sheriff, with a face +inhuman as a fiend.</p> + +<p>The Girl clenched her hands, heedless of the nails cutting into her +palms: "Won't you wait a moment,—please, wait, Jack!"</p> + +<p>"Wait? What for?" the Sheriff flung at her brutally, his finger +twitching on the trigger.</p> + +<p>The Girl's lips parted to answer, then closed again dumbly,—for it was +then that she saw the boots, then the legs of the road agent slide +uncertainly through the open trap, fumble clumsily for the rungs of the +ladder, then slip and stumble as the weight of the following body came +upon them while the weak fingers strained desperately for a hold. The +whole heart and soul and mind of the Girl seemed to be reaching out +impotently to give her lover strength, to hurry him down fast enough to +forestall a shot from the Sheriff. It seemed hours until the road agent +reached the bottom of the ladder, then lurched with unseeing eyes to a +chair and, finally, fell forward limply, with his arms and head resting +on the table. Still dumb with dread, the Girl watched Rance slowly +circle round the wounded man; it was not until the Sheriff returned his +pistol to its holster that she breathed freely again.</p> + +<p>"So, you dropped into The Polka to-night to play a little game of poker? +Funny how things change about in an hour or two!" Rance chuckled +mirthlessly; it seemed to suit his sardonic humour to taunt his helpless +rival. "You think you can play poker,—that's your conviction, is it? +Well, you can play freeze-out as to your chances, Mr. Johnson of +Sacramento. Come, speak up,—it's shooting or the tree,—which shall it +be?"</p> + +<p>Goaded beyond endurance by Rance's taunting of the unconscious man, the +Girl, fumbling in her bosom for her pistol, turned upon him in a sudden, +cold fury:</p> + +<p>"You better stop that laughin', Jack Rance, or I'll send you to finish +it in some place where things ain't so funny."</p> + +<p>Something in the Girl's altered tone so struck the Sheriff that he +obeyed her. He said nothing, but on his lips were the words, "By Heaven, +the Girl means it!" and his eyes showed a smouldering admiration.</p> + +<p>"He doesn't hear you,—he's out of it. But +me—me—I hear you—I ain't +out of it," the Girl went on in compelling tones. "You're a gambler; he +was, too; well, so am I." She crossed deliberately to the bureau, and +laid her pistol away in the drawer, Rance meanwhile eyeing her with +puzzled interest. Returning, she went on, incisively as a whip lash:</p> +<p>"I live on chance money, drink money, card money, saloon money. We're +gamblers,—we're all gamblers!" She paused, an odd expression coming +over her face,—an expression that baffled Rance's power to read. +Presently she resumed: "Now, you asked me to-night if my answer was +final,—well, here's your chance. I'll play you the game,—straight +poker. It's two out o' three for me. Hatin' the sight o' you, it's the +nearest chance you'll ever get for me."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean—" began Rance, his hands resting on the table, his +hawk-like glance burning into her very thoughts.</p> + +<p>"Yes, with a wife in Noo Orleans all right," she interrupted him +feverishly. "If you're lucky,—you'll git 'im an' me. But if you +lose,—this man settin' between us is mine—mine to do with as I please, +an' you shut up an' lose like a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"You must be crazy about him!" The words seemed wrung from the Sheriff +against his will.</p> + +<p>"That's my business!" came like a knife-cut from the Girl.</p> + +<p>"Do you know you're talkin' to the Sheriff?"</p> + +<p>"I'm talkin' to Jack Rance, the gambler," she amended evenly.</p> + +<p>"You're right,—and he's just fool enough to take you up," returned +Rance with sudden decision. He looked around him for a chair; there was +one near the table, and the Girl handed it to him. With one hand he +swung it into place before the table, while with the other he jerked off +the table-cover, and flung it across the room. Johnson neither moved nor +groaned, as the edge slid from beneath his nerveless arms.</p> + +<p>"You and the cyards have got into my blood. I'll take you up," he said, +seating himself.</p> + +<p>"Your word," demanded the Girl, leaning over the table, but still +standing.</p> + +<p>"I can lose like a gentleman," returned Rance curtly; then, with a swift +seizure of her hand, he continued tensely, in tones that made the Girl +shrink and whiten, "I'm hungry for you, Min, and if I win, I'll take it +out on you as long as I have breath."</p> + +<p>A moment later, the Girl had freed her hand from his clasp, and was +saying evenly, "Fix the lamp." And while the Sheriff was adjusting the +wick that had begun to flare up smokily, she swiftly left the room, +saying casually over her shoulder that she was going to fetch something +from the closet.</p> + +<p>"What you goin' to get?" he called after her suspiciously. The Girl made +no reply. Rance made no movement to follow her, but instead drew a pack +of cards from his pocket and began to shuffle them with practiced +carelessness. But when a minute had passed and the girl had not +returned, he called once more, with growing impatience, to know what was +keeping her.</p> + +<p>"I'm jest gettin' the cards an' kind o' steadyin' my nerves," she +answered somewhat queerly through the doorway. The next moment she had +returned, quickly closing the closet door behind her, blew out her +candle, and laying a pack of cards upon the table, said significantly:</p> + +<p>"We'll use a fresh deck. There's a good deal depends on this, Jack." She +seated herself opposite the Sheriff and so close to the unconscious form +of the man she loved that from time to time her left arm brushed his +shoulder.</p> + +<p>Rance, without protest other than a shrug, took up his own deck of +cards, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and stowed them away in his +pocket. It was the Girl who spoke first:</p> + +<p>"Are you ready?"</p> + +<p>"Ready? Yes. I'm ready. Cut for deal."</p> + +<p>With unfaltering fingers, the Girl cut. Of the man beside her, dead or +dying, she must not, dared not think. For the moment she had become one +incarnate purpose: to win, to win at any cost,—nothing else mattered.</p> + +<p>Rance won the deal; and taking up the pack he asked, as he shuffled:</p> + +<p>"A case of show-down?"</p> + +<p>"Show-down."</p> + +<p>"Cut!" once more peremptorily from Rance; and then, when she had cut, +one question more: "Best two out of three?"</p> + +<p>"Best two out of three." Swift, staccato sentences, like the rapid +crossing of swords, the first preliminary interchange of strokes before +the true duel begins.</p> + +<p>Rance dealt the cards. Before either looked at them, he glanced across +at the Girl and asked scornfully, perhaps enviously:</p> + +<p>"What do you see in him?"</p> + +<p>"What do you see in me?" she flashed back instantly, as she picked up +her cards; and then: "What have you got?"</p> + +<p>"King high," declared the gambler.</p> + +<p>"King high here," echoed the Girl.</p> + +<p>"Jack next," and he showed his hand.</p> + +<p>"Queen next," and the Girl showed hers.</p> + +<p>"You've got it," conceded the gambler, easily. Then, in another tone, +"but you're making a mistake—"</p> + +<p>"If I am, it's my mistake! Cut!"</p> + +<p>Rance cut the cards. The Girl dealt them steadily. Then,</p> + +<p>"What have you got?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"One pair,—aces. What have you?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing," throwing her cards upon the table.</p> + +<p>With just a flicker of a smile, the Sheriff once more gathered up the +pack, saying smoothly:</p> + +<p>"Even now,—we're even."</p> + +<p>"It's the next hand that tells, Jack, ain't it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"It's the next hand that tells me,—I'm awfully sorry,—" the words +seemed to come awkwardly; her glance was troubled, almost contrite, "at +any rate, I want to say jest now that no matter how it comes out—"</p> + +<p>"Cut!" interjected Rance mechanically.</p> + +<p>"—that I'll always think of you the best I can," completed the Girl +with much feeling. "An' I want you to do the same for me."</p> + +<p>Silently, inscrutably, the gambler dealt the ten cards, one by one. But +as the Girl started to draw hers toward her, his long, thin fingers +reached across once more and closed not ungently upon hand and cards.</p> + +<p>"The last hand, Girl!" he reminded her. "And I've a feeling that I +win,—that in one minute I'll hold you in my arms." And still covering +her fingers with his own, he stole a glance at his cards.</p> + +<p>"I win," he announced, briefly, his eyes alone betraying the inward +fever. He dropped the cards before her on the table. "Three kings,—and +the <i>last hand</i>!"</p> + +<p>Suddenly, as though some inward cord had snapped under the strain, the +Girl collapsed. Limply she slid downward in her chair, one groping hand +straying aimlessly to her forehead, then dropping of its own weight. +"Quick, Jack,—I'm ill,—git me somethin'!" The voice trailed off to +nothingness as the drooping eyelids closed.</p> + +<p>In real consternation, the Sheriff sprang to his feet. In one sweeping +glance his alert eye caught the whisky bottle upon the mantel. "All +right, Girl, I'll fix you in no time," he said cheeringly over his +shoulder. But where the deuce did she keep her tumblers? The next minute +he was groping for them in the dark of the adjoining closet and softly +cursing himself for his own slowness.</p> + +<p>Instantaneously, the Girl came to life. The unturned cards upon the +table vanished with one lightning movement; the Girl's hand disappeared +beneath her skirts, raised for the moment knee-high; then the same, +swift reverse motion, and the cards were back in place, while the Girl's +eyes trembled shut again, to hide the light of triumph in them. A smile +flickered on her lips as the Sheriff returned with the glass and bottle.</p> + +<p>"Never mind,—I'm better now," her lips shaped weakly.</p> + +<p>The Sheriff set down the bottle, and put his arm around the Girl with a +rough tenderness.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you only fainted because you lost," he told her.</p> + +<p>Averting her gaze, the Girl quietly disengaged herself, rose to her feet +and turned her five cards face upwards.</p> + +<p>"No, Jack, it's because I've won,—three aces and a pair."</p> + +<p>The Sheriff shot one glance at the girl, keen, searching. Then, without +so much as the twitch of an eyelid, he accepted his defeat, took a cigar +from his pocket and lit it, the flame of the match revealing no +expression other than the nonchalance for which he was noted; then, +picking up his hat and coat he walked slowly to the door. Here he halted +and wished her a polite good-night—so ceremoniously polite that at any +other time it would have compelled her admiration.</p> + +<p>Pale as death and almost on the point of collapse, the Girl staggered +back to the table where the wounded road agent was half-sitting, +half-lying.</p> + +<p>Thrusting her hand now into the stocking from which she had obtained the +winning, if incriminating, cards, she drew forth those that remained and +scattered them in the air, crying out hysterically:</p> + +<p>"Three aces an' a pair an' a stockin' full o' pictures—but his life +belongs to me!"</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="14"></a> </p> +<h3>XIV.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Conscious-stricken at the fraud that she had imposed upon the gambler, +the Girl lived a lifetime in the moments that followed his departure. +With her face buried in her hands she stood lost in contemplation of her +shameful secret.</p> + +<p>A sound—the sound of a man in great pain checked her hysterical sobs. +Dazed, she passed her hand over her face as if to clear away the dark +shades that were obstructing her vision. Another groan—and like a flash +she was down on her knees lavishing endearments upon the road agent.</p> + +<p>Never before, it is true, had the Girl had any experience in gun-shot +wounds. She had played the part of nurse, however, more than once when +the boys met with accidents at the mines. For the women of the +California camps at that time had endless calls upon them. It was a +period for sacrifices innumerable, and help and sympathy were never +asked that they were not freely given. So, if the Girl did not know the +very best thing to do, she knew, at least, what not to do, and it was +only a few minutes before she had cut the coat from his back.</p> + +<p>The next thing to be done—the dragging of the unconscious man to the +bed—was hard work, of course, but being strong of arm, as well as stout +of heart, she at last accomplished it.</p> + +<p>Now she cut away his shirt in order to find the wound, which proved to +be in his breast. Quickly then she felt with her fingers in an endeavour +to find the ball, but in this she was unsuccessful. So after a moment's +deliberation she made up her mind that the wound was a flesh one and +that the ball was anywhere but in the man's body—a diagnosis that was +largely due to the cheerful optimism of her nature and which, +fortunately, proved to be true.</p> + +<p>Presently she went to a corner of the room and soon returned with a +basin of water and some hastily torn bandages. For a good fifteen +minutes after that she washed the gash and, finally, bandaged it as well +as she knew how. And now, having done all that her knowledge or instinct +prompted, she drew up a chair and prepared to pass the rest of the night +in watching by his side.</p> + +<p>For an hour or so he slept the sleep of unconsciousness. In the room not +a sound could be heard, but outside the storm still roared and raged. It +was anything but an easy or cheerful situation: Here she was alone with +a wounded, if not dying, man; and she well knew that, unless there came +an abatement in the fury of the storm, it might be days before anyone +could climb the mountain. True, the Indians were not far off, but like +as not they would remain in their wigwam until the sun came forth again. +In the matter of food there was a scant supply, but probably enough to +tide them over until communication could be had with The Polka.</p> + +<p>For three days she watched over him, and all the time the storm +continued. On the third day he became delirious, and that was the night +of her torture. Despite a feeling that she was taking an unfair +advantage of him, the Girl strained her ears to catch a name which, in +his delirium, was constantly on his lips; but she could not make it out. +All that she knew was that it was not her name that he spoke, and it +pained her. She had given him absolute faith and trust and, already, she +was overwhelmed with the fierce flames of jealousy. It was a new +sensation, this being jealous of anyone, and it called forth a +passionate resentment. In such moments she would rise and flee to the +other end of the room until the whispered endearments had ceased. Then +she would draw near again with flushes of shame on her cheeks for having +heeded the sayings of an irresponsible person, and she would take his +head in her lap and, caressing him the while, would put cold towels on +his heated brow.</p> + +<p>Dawn of the fourth day saw the Girl still pale and anxious, though +despair had entirely left her; for the storm was over and colour and +speech had come back to the man early that morning. Love and good +nursing, not to speak of some excellent whisky that she happened to have +stored away in her cabin, had pulled him through. With a sigh of relief +she threw herself down on the rug for a much-needed rest.</p> + +<p>The man woke just before the sun rose. His first thought, that he was +home in the foothills, was dissipated by the sight of the snow ranges. +Through the window of the cabin, as far as the eye could see, nothing of +green was visible. Snow was everywhere; everything was white, save at +the eastern horizon where silver was fast changing into rose and rose to +a fiery red as the fast-rising sun sent its shafts over the snow-coated +mountains.</p> + +<p>And now there came to him a full realisation of what had happened and +where he was. To his amazement, though, he was almost without pain. That +his wound had been dressed he was, of course, well aware for when he +attempted to draw back still further the curtain at the window the +movement strained the tight bandage, and he was instantly made conscious +of a twinge of pain.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, he persevered, for he wisely decided that it would be well +to reconnoitre, to familiarise himself, as much as possible, with the +lay of the land and find out whether the trail that he had followed to +reach the cabin which, he recalled, was perched high up above a ravine, +was the only means of communication with the valley below. It was a +useless precaution, for the snow would have wholly obliterated any such +trail had there been one and, soon realising the fact, he fell back +exhausted by his effort on the pillows.</p> + +<p>A half hour passed and the man began to grow restless. He had, of +course, no idea whatever of the length of time he had been in the cabin, +and he knew that he must be thinking of an immediate escape. In +desperation, he tried to get out of bed, but the task was beyond his +power. At that a terrible feeling of hopelessness assailed him. His only +chance was to reach the valley where he had little fear of capture; but +wounded, as he was, that seemed out of the question, and he saw himself +caught like a rat in a trap. In an access of rage at the situation in +which he was placed he made another effort to raise himself up on his +elbow and peer through the window at the Sierras. The noise that he +made, slight though it was, awoke the Girl. In an instant she was at his +bedside drawing the curtain over the window.</p> + +<p>"What you thinkin' of?" she asked. "At any moment—jest as soon as the +trail can be cleared—there'll be someone of the boys up here to see how +I've pulled through. They mustn't see you…"</p> + +<p>Forcibly, but with loving tenderness, she put him back among his pillows +and seated herself by the bed. An awkward silence followed. For now that +the man was in his right senses it was borne in upon her that he might +remember that she had fed him, given him drink and fondled him. It was a +situation embarrassing to both. Neither knew just what to say or how to +begin. At length, the voice from the bed spoke:</p> + +<p>"How long have I been here?"</p> + +<p>"Three days."</p> + +<p>"And you have nursed me all that—"</p> + +<p>"You mustn't talk," warned the girl. "It's dangerous in more ways than +one. But if you keep still no one'll suspect that you're here."</p> + +<p>"But I must know what happened," he insisted with increasing excitement. +"I remember nothing after I came down the ladder. The +Sheriff—Rance—what's become…?"</p> + +<p>The Girl chided him with gentle authority.</p> + +<p>"You keep perfectly still—you mustn't say nothin' 'til you've rested. +Everythin's all right an' you needn't worry a bit." But then seeing that +he chafed at this, she added: "Well, then, I'll tell you all there is to +know." And then followed an account of the happenings of that night. It +was not a thoroughly truthful tale, for in her narrative she told him +only what she thought was necessary and good for him to know, keeping +the rest to herself. And when she had related all that there was to tell +she insisted upon his going to sleep again, giving him no opportunity +whatsoever to speak, since she left his bedside after drawing the +curtains.</p> + +<p>Unwillingly the man lay back and tried to force himself to be patient; +but he fretted at the enforced quietude and, as a result, sleep refused +to come to him. From time to time he could hear the Girl moving +noiselessly about the room. The knowledge that she was there gave him a +sense of security, and he began to let his thoughts dwell upon her. No +longer did he doubt but what she was a real influence now; and the +thought had the effect of making him keenly alive to what his life had +been. It was not a pleasant picture that he looked back upon, now that +he had caught a glimpse of what life might mean with the Girl at his +side. From the moment that he had taken her in his arms he realised to +the full that his cherished dream had come true; he realised, also, that +there was now but one answer to the question of keeping to the oath +given to his father, and that was that gratitude—for he had guessed +rightly, though she had not told him, that she had saved him from +capture by the Sheriff and his posse—demanded that he should put an end +to his vocation and devote his life henceforth to making her happy.</p> + +<p>Once or twice while thus communing with himself he fancied that he heard +voices. It seemed to him that he recognised Nick's voice. But whoever it +was, he spoke in whispers, and though the wounded man strove to hear, he +was unsuccessful.</p> + +<p>After a while he heard the door close and then the tension was somewhat +relaxed, for he knew that she was keeping his presence in her cabin a +secret with all the wiles of a clever and loving woman. And more and +more he determined to gain an honoured place for her in some +community—an honoured place for himself and her. Vague, very vague, of +course, were the new purposes and plans that had so suddenly sprang up +because of her influence, but the desire to lead a clean life had +touched his heart, and since his old calling had never been pleasing to +him, he did not for a moment doubt his ability to succeed.</p> + +<p>The morning was half gone when the Girl returned to her patient. Then, +in tones that did her best to make her appear free from anxiety, she +told him that it was the barkeeper, as he had surmised, with whom she +had been talking and that she had been obliged to take him into her +confidence. The man made no comment, for the situation necessarily was +in her hands, and he felt that she could be relied upon not to make any +mistake. Four people, he was told, knew of his presence in the cabin. So +far as Rance was concerned she had absolute faith in his honour, gambler +though he was; there was nothing that Nick would not do for her; and as +for the Indians, the secret was sure to be kept by them, unless +Jackrabbit got hold of some whisky—a contingency not at all likely, for +Nick had promised to see to that. In fact, all could be trusted to be as +silent as the grave.</p> + +<p>The invalid had listened intently; nevertheless, he sighed:</p> + +<p>"It's hard to lie here. I don't want to be caught <i>now</i>."</p> + +<p>The Girl smiled at the emphasis on the last word, for she knew that it +referred to her. Furthermore, she had divined pretty well what had been +his thoughts concerning his old life; but, being essentially a woman of +action and not words, she said nothing.</p> + +<p>A moment or so later he asked her to read to him. The Girl looked as she +might have looked if he had asked her to go to the moon. +Notwithstanding, she got up and, presently, returned with a lot of old +school-books, which she solemnly handed over for his inspection.</p> + +<p>The invalid smiled at the look of earnestness on the Girl's face.</p> + +<p>"Not these?" he gently inquired. "Where is the Dante you were telling me +about?"</p> + +<p>Once more the Girl went over to the book-shelf; when she came back she +handed him a volume, which he glanced over carefully before showing her +the place where he wished her to begin to read to him.</p> + +<p>At first the Girl was embarrassed and stumbled badly. But on seeing that +he seemed not to notice it she gained courage and acquitted herself +creditably, at least, so she flattered herself, for she could detect, as +she looked up from time to time, no expression other than pleasure on +his face. It may be surmised, though, that Johnson had not merely chosen +a page at random; on the contrary, when the book was in his hand he had +quickly found the lines which the Girl had, so to say, paraphrased, and +he was intensely curious to see how they would appeal to her. But now, +apparently, she saw nothing in the least amusing in them, nor in other +passages fully as sentimental. In fact, no comment of any kind was +forthcoming from her—though Johnson was looking for it and, to tell the +truth, was somewhat disappointed—when she read that Dante had probably +never spoken more than twice to Beatrice and his passion had no other +food than the mists of his own dreaming. However, it was different +when,—pausing before each word after the manner of a child,—she came +to a passage of the poet's, and read:</p> + +<p>"'In that moment I say most truly that the spirit of life, which hath +its dwelling in the most secret chambers of the heart, began to tremble +so violently that the least pulse of my body shook herewith, and in the +trembling it said these words: "Here is a deity stronger than I who, +coming shall rule over me."'"</p> + +<p>At that the Girl let the book fall and, going down on her knees and +taking both his hands in hers, she raised to him a look so full of +adoring worship that he felt himself awed before it.</p> + +<p>"That 'ere Dante ain't so far off after all. I know jest how he feels. +Oh, I ain't fit to read to you, to talk to you, to kiss you."</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, he saw to it that she did.</p> + +<p>After this he told her about the Inferno, and she listened eagerly to +his description of the unfortunate characters, though she declared, when +he explained some of the crimes that they had committed, that they "Got +only what was rightly comin' to them."</p> + +<p>The patient could hardly suppress his amusement. Dante was discarded and +instead they told each other how much love there was in that little +cabin on Cloudy Mountain.</p> + +<p>The days that followed were all much like this one. Food was brought up +from The Polka and, by degrees, the patient's strength came back. And it +was but natural that he became so absorbed in his newly-found happiness +that he gradually was losing all sense of danger. Late one night, +however, when he was asleep, an incident happened that warned the Girl +that it was necessary to get her lover away just as soon as he was able +to ride a horse.</p> + +<p>Lying on the rug in front of the fire she had been thinking of him when, +suddenly, her quick ear, more than ever alert in these days, caught the +sound of a stealthy footstep outside the cabin. With no fear whatever +except in relation to the discovery of her lover, the Girl went +noiselessly to the window and peered out into the darkness. A man was +making signs that he wished to speak with her. For a moment she stood +watching in perplexity, but almost instantly her instinct told her that +one of that race, for she believed the man to be a Mexican, would never +dare to come to her cabin at that time of night unless it was on a +friendly errand. So putting her face close to the pane to reassure +herself that she had not been mistaken in regard to his nationality, she +then went to the door and held it wide open for the man to enter, at the +same time putting her finger to her lips as a sign that he should be +very still.</p> + +<p>"What are you doin' here? What do you want?" she asked in a low voice, +at the same time leading him to the side of the room further away from +her lover.</p> + +<p>Jose Castro's first words were in Spanish, but immediately perceiving +that he failed to make her understand, he nodded comprehendingly, and +said:</p> + +<p>"All righta—I espeak Engleesh—I am Jose Castro too well known to the +<i>Maestro</i>. I want to see 'im."</p> + +<p>The Girl's intuition told her that a member of the band stood before +her, and she regarded him suspiciously. Not that she believed that he +was disloyal and had come there with hostile intent, but because she +felt that she must be absolutely sure of her ground before she revealed +the fact that Johnson was in the cabin. She let some moments pass before +she replied:</p> + +<p>"I don't know nothin' about your master. Who is he?"</p> + +<p>An indulgent smile crossed the Mexican's face.</p> + +<p>"That ver' good to tella other peoples; but I know 'im here too much. +You trusta me—me quita safe."</p> + +<p>All this was said with many gestures and an air that convinced the Girl +that he was speaking the truth. But since she deemed it best that the +invalid should be kept from any excitement, she resolved to make the +Mexican divulge to her the nature of his important errand.</p> + +<p>"How do you know he's here?" she began warily. "What do you want 'im +for?"</p> + +<p>The Mexican's shifty eyes wandered all over the room as if to make +certain that no inimical ears were listening; then he whispered:</p> + +<p>"I tella you something—you lika the <i>Maestro</i>?"</p> + +<p>Unconsciously the Girl nodded, which evidently satisfied the Mexican, +for he went on:</p> + +<p>"You thinka well of him—yees. Now I tella you something. The man Pedro +'e no good. 'E wisha the reward—the money for Ramerrez. 'E and the +woman—woman no good—tell Meester Ashby they thinka 'im 'ere."</p> + +<p>The Girl felt the colour leave her cheeks, though she made a gesture for +him to proceed.</p> + +<p>"Pedro not 'ere any longer," smiled the Mexican. "Me senda 'im to the +devil. Serva 'im right."</p> + +<p>"An' the woman?" gasped the Girl.</p> + +<p>"She gone—got away—Monterey by this time," replied Castro with evident +disappointment. "But Meester Ashby 'e know too much—'ees men everywhere +searched the camp—no safa 'ere now. To-norrow—" Castro stopped short; +the next instant with a joyful gleam in his eyes he cried out: +"<i>Maestro</i>!"</p> + +<p>"Castro's right, Girl," said Johnson, who had waked and heard the +Mexican's last words; "it is not safe a moment more here, and I must +go."</p> + +<p>With a little cry of loving protest the Girl abruptly left the men to +talk over the situation and sought the opposite side of the room. There, +her eyes half-closed and her lips pressed tightly together she gave +herself up to her distressing fears. After a while it was made plain to +her that she was being brought into the conversation, for every now and +then Castro would look curiously at her; at length, as if it had been +determined by them that nothing should be undertaken without her advice, +Johnson, followed by his subordinate, came over to her and related in +detail all the startling information that Castro had brought.</p> + +<p>Quietly the Girl listened and, in the end, it was agreed between them +that it would be safer for the men not to leave the cabin together, but +that Castro should go at once with the understanding that he should +procure horses and wait for the master at a given point across the +ravine. It was decided, too, that there was not a moment to be lost in +putting their plan into execution. In consequence, Castro immediately +took his departure.</p> + +<p>The hour that passed before the time set for Johnson to leave the cabin +was a most trying one for both of them. It was not so hard on the man, +of course, for he was excited over the prospect of escaping; but the +Girl, whose mind was filled with the dread of what might happen to him, +had nothing to sustain her. Despite his objection, she had stipulated +that, with Jackrabbit as a companion, she should accompany him to the +outskirts of the camp. And so, at the moment of departure, throwing +about her a cloak of some rough material, she went up to her lover and +said with a quiver in her voice:</p> + +<p>"I'm ready, Dick, but I'm a-figurin' that I can't let you go alone—you +jest got to take me below with you, an' that's all there is to it."</p> + +<p>The man shook his head.</p> + +<p>"There's very little risk, believe me. I'll join Castro and ride all +through the night. I'll be down below in no time at all. But we must be +going, dear."</p> + +<p>The man passed through the door first. But when it came the Girl's turn +she hesitated, for she had seen a dark shadow flit by the window. It was +as if someone had been stealthily watching there. In another moment, +however, it turned out to be Jackrabbit and, greatly relieved, the Girl +whispered to Johnson that he was to descend the trail between the Indian +and herself, and that on no account was he to utter a word until she +gave him permission.</p> + +<p>For another moment or so they stood in silence; Johnson, appreciating +fully what were the Girl's feelings, did not dare to whisper even a word +of encouragement to her. At last, she ordered the Indian to lead the +way, and they started.</p> + +<p>The trail curved and twisted around the mountain, and in places they had +to use the greatest care lest a misstep should carry them over a +precipice with a drop of hundreds of feet. It was a perilous descent, +inasmuch as the path was covered with snow. Moreover, it was necessary +that as little noise as possible should be made while they were making +their way past the buildings of the camp below, for the Mexican had not +been wrong when he stated that Ashby's men were quartered at, or in the +immediate vicinity of, The Palmetto. Fortunately, they passed through +without meeting anyone, and before long they came to the edge of the +plateau beneath which was the ravine which Johnson had to cross to reach +the spot where it had been agreed that Castro should be waiting with +horses for his master. It was also the place where the Girl was to leave +her lover to go on alone, and so they halted. A few moments passed +without either of them speaking; at length, the man said in as cheery a +voice as he could summon:</p> + +<p>"I must leave you here. I remember the way well. All danger is past."</p> + +<p>The Girl's lips were quivering; she asked:</p> + +<p>"An' when will you be back?"</p> + +<p>The man noted her emotion, and though he himself was conscious of a +choking sensation he contrived to say in a most optimistic tone:</p> + +<p>"In two weeks—not more than two weeks. It will take all that time to +arrange things at the rancho. As it is, I hardly see my way clear to +dismissing my men—you see, they belong to me, almost, and—but I'll do +so, never fear. No power on earth could make me take up the old life +again."</p> + +<p>The Girl said nothing in reply; instead she put both her arms around his +neck and remained a long time in his embrace. At last, summoning up all +her fortitude she put him resolutely from her, and whispered:</p> + +<p>"When you are ready, come. You must leave me now." And with a curt +command to the Indian she fled back into the darkness.</p> + +<p>For an instant the road agent's eyes followed the direction that she had +taken; then, his spirits rising at the thought that his escape was now +well-nigh assured, he turned and plunged down the ravine.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="15"></a> </p> +<h3>XV.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>As has been said, it was a custom of the miners, whenever a storm made +it impossible for them to work in the mines, to turn the dance-hall of +the Polka Saloon into an Academy, the post of teacher being filled by +the Girl. It happened, therefore, that early the following morning the +men of Cloudy Mountain Camp assembled in the low, narrow room with its +walls of boards nailed across inside upright beams—a typical miners' +dance-hall of the late Forties—which they had transformed into a +veritable bower, so eager were they to please their lovely teacher. +Everyone was in high spirits, Rance alone refraining from taking any +part whatsoever in the morning's activities; dejectedly, sullenly, he +sat tilted back in an old, weather-beaten, lumber chair before the +heavily-dented, sheet-iron stove in a far corner of the room, gazing +abstractedly up towards the stove's rusty pipe that ran directly through +the ceiling; and what with his pale, waxen countenance, his eyes red and +half-closed for the want of sleep, his hair ruffled, his necktie awry, +his waistcoat unfastened, his boots unpolished, and the burnt-out cigar +which he held between his white, emaciated fingers, he was not the +immaculate-looking Rance of old, but presented a very sad spectacle +indeed.</p> + +<p>Outside, through the windows,—over which had been hung curtains of red +and yellow cotton,—could be seen the green firs on the mountain, their +branches dazzling under their burden of snow crystals; and stretching +out seemingly interminably until the line of earth and sky met were the +great hills white with snow except in the spots where the wind had swept +it away. But within the little, low dance-hall, everywhere were +evidences of festivity and good cheer, the walls being literally covered +with pine boughs and wreaths of berries, while here and there was an +eagle's wing or an owl's head, a hawk or a vulture, a quail or a +snow-bird, not to mention the big, stuffed game cock that was mounted on +a piece of weather-beaten board, until it would seem as if every variety +of bird native to the Sierra Mountains was represented there.</p> + +<p>Grouped together on one side of the wall were twelve buck horns, and +these served as a sort of rack for the miners to hang their hats and +coats during the school session. Several mottoes, likewise upon the +wall, were intended to attract the students' attention, the most +conspicuous being: "Live and Learn" and "God Bless Our School." A great +bear's skin formed a curtain between the dance-hall and the saloon, +while upon the door-frame was a large hand rudely painted, the +index-finger outstretched and pointing to the next room. It said:</p> +<p>"To The Bar."</p> + +<p>It was, however, upon the teacher's desk—a whittled-up, hand-made +affair which stood upon a slightly-raised platform—that the boys had +outdone themselves in the matter of decoration. Garlanded both on top +and around the sides with pine boughs and upon the centre of which stood +a tall glass filled with red and white berries, it looked not unlike a +sacrificial altar which, in a way, it certainly was. A box that was +intended for a seat for the teacher was also decorated with pine +branches; while several cheap, print flags adorned the primitive iron +holder of the large lamp suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the +room. Altogether it was a most festive-looking Academy that was destined +to meet the teacher's eye on this particular morning.</p> + +<p>For some time Nick had been standing near the window gazing in the +direction of the Girl's cabin. Turning, suddenly, to Rance, the only +other occupant of the room, he remarked somewhat sadly:</p> + +<p>"I'd be willin' to lose the profits of the bar if we could git back to a +week ago—before Johnson walked into this room."</p> + +<p>At the mention of the road agent's name Rance's eyes dropped to the +floor. It required no flash of inspiration to tell him that things would +never be what they had been.</p> + +<p>"Johnson," he muttered, his face ashen white and a sound in his throat +that was something like a groan. "A week—a week in her cabin—nursed +and kissed…" he finished shortly.</p> + +<p>Nick had been helping himself to a drink; he wheeled swiftly round, +confronting him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, say, Rance, she—"</p> + +<p>Rance took the words out of his mouth.</p> + +<p>"Never kissed him! You bet she kissed him! It was all I could do to keep +from telling the whole camp he was up there." His eyes blazed and his +hands tightened convulsively.</p> + +<p>"But you didn't…" Nick broke in on him quickly. "If I hadn't been +let into the game by the Girl I'd a thought you were a level Sheriff +lookin' for him. Rance, you're my ideal of a perfect gent."</p> + +<p>Rance braced up in his chair.</p> + +<p>"What did she see in that Sacramento shrimp, will you tell me?" +presently he questioned, contempt showing on every line of his face.</p> + +<p>The little barkeeper did not answer at once, but filled a glass with +whisky which he handed to him.</p> + +<p>"Well, you see, I figger it out this way, boss," at last he answered, +meeting him face to face frankly, earnestly, his foot the while resting +on the other's chair. "Love's like a drink that gits a hold on you an' +you can't quit. It's a turn of the head or a touch of the hands, or it's +a half sort of smile, an' you're doped, doped, doped with a feelin' like +strong liquor runnin' through your veins, an' there ain't nothin' on +earth can break it up once you've got the habit. That's love."</p> + +<p>Touched by the little barkeeper's droll philosophy, the Sheriff dropped +his head on his breast, while the hand which held the glass +unconsciously fell to his side.</p> + +<p>"I've got it," went on Nick with enthusiasm; "you've got it; the boy's +got it; the Girl's got it; the whole damn world's got it. It's all the +heaven there is on earth, an' in nine cases out of ten it's hell."</p> + +<p>Rance opened his lips to speak, but quickly drew them in tightly. The +next instant Nick touched him lightly on the shoulder and pointed to the +empty glass in his hand, the contents having run out upon the floor.</p> + +<p>With a mere glance at the empty glass Rance returned it to Nick. +Presently, then, he took out his watch and fell to studying its face +intently, and only when he had finally returned the watch to his pocket +did he voice what was in his mind.</p> + +<p>"Well, Nick," he said, "her road agent's got off by now."</p> + +<p>Whereupon, the barkeeper, too, took out his watch and consulted it.</p> + +<p>"Left Cloudy at three o'clock this morning—five hours off…" was +his brief comment.</p> + +<p>Once more a silence fell upon the room. Then, all of a sudden, the sound +of horses' hoofs and the murmur of rough voices came to their ears, and +almost instantly a voice was heard to cry out:</p> + +<p>"Hello!"</p> + +<p>"Hello!" came from an answering voice.</p> + +<p>"Why, it's The Pony Express got through at last!" announced Nick, +incredulously; and so saying he took up the whisky bottle and glasses +which lay on the teacher's desk and dashed into the saloon. He had +barely left, however, than The Pony Express, muffled up to his ears and +looking fit to brave the fiercest of storms, entered the room, hailing +the boys with:</p> + +<p>"Hello, boys! Letter for Ashby!"</p> + +<p>The Deputy—who with Trinidad and Sonora had come running in, the latter +carrying a boot-leg and a stove-polishing brush in his hand—took the +letter and started in search of the Wells Fargo Agent who, Rance had +told them, had gone to sleep.</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, how d'you like bein' snowed in for a week?" asked The Pony +Express, warming himself by the stove; and then without waiting for an +answer he rattled on: "There's a rumour at The Ridge that you all let +Ramerrez freeze an' missed a hangin'. Say, they're roarin' at you, +chaps!" And with a "So long, boys!" he strode out of the room.</p> + +<p>Sonora started in hot pursuit after him, hollering out:</p> + +<p>"Wait! Wait!" And when The Pony Express halted, he added: "Says you to +the boys at The Ridge as you ride by, the Academy at Cloudy is open +to-day full blast!"</p> + +<p>"Whoopee! Whoop!" chimed in Trinidad and began to execute a <i>pas seul</i> +in the middle of the room, dropping into a chair just in time to avoid +running into Nick, who hurriedly returned with two glasses and a bottle.</p> + +<p>"Help yourselves, boys," he said; which they did to the accompaniment of +a succession of joyous yells from Trinidad.</p> + +<p>Meantime Rance had relighted the burnt-out cigar which he had been +holding for some time between his fingers, and was sending curls of +smoke upwards towards the ceiling.</p> + +<p>"Academy," he sneered.</p> + +<p>Sonora surveyed him critically for some moments; at length he said:</p> + +<p>"Say, Rance, what's the matter with you? We began this Academy game +together—we boys an' the Girl—an' there's a damn pretty piece of +sentiment back of it. She's taught some of us our letters, and—"</p> + +<p>"He's a wearin' mournin' because Johnson didn't fall alive into his +hands," interposed Trinidad with a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Is that it?" queried Sonora.</p> + +<p>"Ain't it enough, Rance, that he must be lyin' dead down some canyon, +with his mouth full of snow?" A mocking smile was on Trinidad's face as +he asked the question.</p> + +<p>"You done all you could to git 'im," went on Sonora as if there had been +no interruption. "The boys is all satisfied he's dead."</p> + +<p>"Dead?" Rance fairly picked up the word. "Dead? Yes, he's dead," he +declared tensely, and unconsciously arose and went over to the window +where he stood motionless, gazing through the parted curtains at the +snow-covered hills. Presently the boys saw a cynical smile spread over +his face, and a moment later, he added: "The matter with me is that I'm +a Chink."</p> + +<p>This depreciation of himself was so thoroughly un-Rance like, that it +brought forth great bursts of laughter from the men, but notwithstanding +which, Rance went on to admit, in the same sullen tone, that it was all +up with him and the Girl.</p> + +<p>"Throwed 'im!" whispered Trinidad to Sonora with a pleased look on his +face.</p> + +<p>Sonora, likewise, was beaming with joy when almost instantly he turned +to Nick with:</p> + +<p>"As sure's you live she's throwed 'im for me!"</p> + +<p>Nick, among his other accomplishments, had a faculty for dumbness and +said nothing; but a smile which approached a grin formed on his face as +he stood eyeing quizzically first one and then the other. Finally, +picking up the empty glasses, he left the room.</p> + +<p>"Will old dog Tray remember me"—immediately sung out Trinidad, +gleefully. While Sonora, in the seventh heaven of delight, began to +caper about the room. Of a sudden Nick poked his head in through the +door to inquire into the cause of their hilarity, but they ignored him +completely. At the bar-room door, however, Sonora halted and, glancing +over his shoulder in the Sheriff's direction, he added in a most +tantalising manner:</p> + +<p>"… for me!"</p> + +<p>But while Trinidad and Sonora were going out through one door the Deputy +was entering through another. He was greatly agitated and carried in his +hand the letter which The Pony Express had entrusted to his keeping for +Ashby.</p> + +<p>"Why, Ashby's skipped!" he announced uneasily. "Got off just after three +this morning—posse and all."</p> + +<p>A question was in Nick's eyes as he turned upon the speaker with the +interjection:</p> + +<p>"What!" And then as the Deputy made a dash for the bar-room, he added +with a swift change of manner: "Help yourself, Dep."</p> + +<p>But if Nick was slow to realise the situation, not so the Sheriff, who +instantly awoke to the fact that the Wells Fargo Agent was on Johnson's +trail. His lips drew quickly back in a half-grin.</p> + +<p>"Ashby's after Johnson," presently he said with a savage little laugh. +"Nick, he was watchin' that greaser… Took him ten minutes to saddle +up—Johnson has ten minutes' start"—He broke off abruptly and ended +impatiently with: "Oh, Lord, they'll never get him! He's a wonder on the +road—you've got to take your hat off to the damn cuss!" And with a dig +at the other's ribs that was half-playful, half-serious, he was off in +pursuit of Ashby.</p> + +<p>A moment later the miners began to pile in for school, whooping and +yelling, their feet covered with snow. Sonora led with an armful of +wood, which he deposited on the floor beside the stove; then came +Handsome Charlie and Happy Halliday, together with Old Steady and Bill +Crow, who immediately dropped on all fours and began to play leap-frog.</p> + +<p>"Boys gatherin' for school," observed Trinidad, hurriedly opening the +door; and while the men proceeded to flock in, he got into his jacket +which lay on a chair beside the teacher's desk.</p> + +<p>"Here, Trin, here's the book!" cried out Happy Halliday; and the book, +which was securely tied in a red cotton handkerchief, went flying +through the air.</p> + +<p>In those few words the signal was given; the fun was on in earnest. +Instantly the miners—veritable school-boys they were, so genuine was +their merriment—braced themselves for a catch of the book, which had +landed safely in Trinidad's hands. Now it was aimed at Sonora, who +caught it on the fly; from Sonora it travelled to Old Steady, who sent +it whizzing over to Handsome. Now the Deputy made ready to receive it; +but instead it landed once more in Sonora's hands amidst cheers of "Come +on, Sonora! Whoopee! Whoop!"</p> + +<p>"Sh-sh-sh, boys!" warned the Deputy as Sonora was about to send the book +on another expedition through the air; "here comes the noo scholar from +Watson's."</p> + +<p>An ominous hush fell upon the room. One could have heard a pin drop as +the school settled itself down with anticipatory grins that said, "What +won't we do to Bucking Billy!" Therefore, there was not an eye that was +not upon the new pupil when with dinner-pail swinging on one arm and the +other holding tightly onto a small slate, he slowly advanced towards +them.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever play Lame Soldier, m' friend?" was Sonora's greeting, +while the miners crowded around them.</p> + +<p>"No," replied the big, raw-boned, gullible-looking fellow with a grin.</p> + +<p>"We'll play it after school; you'll be the stirrup," promised Sonora; +then turning to his mates with a laugh, which was unobserved by Bucking +Billy, he added: "We'll initiate 'im."</p> + +<p>Presently the miners began to move away and Trinidad, picking up a chip +which he espied under a bench, put it on his shoulder and stood in the +centre of the room, thereby indirectly challenging the new pupil to a +scrimmage.</p> + +<p>"Don't do it!" cried Old Steady as he hung up his hat upon a buck's horn +on the wall.</p> + +<p>"Go on! Go on!" encouraged Bill Crow, hanging up his hat beside Old +Steady's.</p> + +<p>The boys took up his words in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Go on! Go on!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon, Sonora made a dash far the chip and knocked it off of +Trinidad's shoulder, blazing huskily into his face as he did so:</p> + +<p>"You do, do you?"</p> + +<p>In the twinkling of an eye Trinidad's jacket was off and the two men +were engaged in a hand-to-hand scuffle.</p> + +<p>"Soak him!" came from a voice somewhere in the crowd.</p> + +<p>"Hit him!" urged another.</p> + +<p>"Bat him in the eye!" shrieked Handsome Charlie.</p> + +<p>Finally Sonora succeeded in throwing down his opponent and sent him +rolling along the floor, the contents of his pockets marking his trail.</p> + +<p>The rafters of The Polka shook to a storm of cheering, and there is no +telling when the men would have ceased had not Nick interfered at that +moment by yelling out:</p> + +<p>"Boys, boys, here she is!"</p> + +<p>"Here comes the Girl!" came simultaneously from Happy Halliday, who had +got a glimpse of her coming down the trail.</p> + +<p>None the worse for his defeat and fall, Trinidad sprang to his feet; +while Sonora made a dash for a seat. They had not been placed; whereupon +he cried out excitedly:</p> + +<p>"The seats, boys, where's the seats?"</p> + +<p>For the few minutes that preceded the Girl's entrance into the room no +men were ever known to work more rapidly or more harmoniously. They +fairly flew in and out of the room, now bringing in the great +whittled-up, weather-beaten benches and placing them in school-room +fashion, and then rolling in boxes and casks which served as a +ground-hold for the planks which were stretched across them for desks. +It was in the midst of these pilgrimages that Trinidad rushed over to +Nick to ask whether he did not think to-day a good time to put the +question to the Girl.</p> + +<p>Nick's eyes twinkled up with merriment; nevertheless, his face took on a +dubious look when presently he answered:</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't rush her, Trin—you've got plenty of time…" And when he +proceeded to put up the blackboard he almost ran into Sonora, who stood +by the teacher's desk getting into his frock coat.</p> + +<p>"Hurry up, boys, hurry up!" urged Trinidad, though he himself smilingly +looked on.</p> + +<p>A moment later the Girl, carrying a small book of poems, walked quietly +into their midst. She was paler and not as buoyant as usual, but she +managed to appear cheerful when she said:</p> + +<p>"Hello, boys!"</p> + +<p>The men were all smiles and returned her greeting with:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Girl!"</p> + +<p>Then followed the presentation of their offerings—mere trifles, to be +sure, but given out of the fulness of their hearts. Sonora led with a +bunch of berries, which was followed by Trinidad with an orange.</p> + +<p>"From 'Frisco," he said simply, watching the effect of his words with +pride.</p> + +<p>A bunch of berries was also Happy's contribution, which he made with a +stiff little bow and the one word:</p> + +<p>"Regards."</p> + +<p>Meantime Nick, faithful friend that he was, went down on his knees and +began to remove the Girl's moccasins. The knowledge of his proximity +encouraged the Girl to glance about her to see if she could detect any +signs on the men's faces which would prove that they suspected the real +truth concerning her absence. Needless to say adoration and love was all +that she saw; nevertheless, she felt ill-at-ease and, unconsciously, +repeated:</p> + +<p>"Hello, boys!" And then added, a little more bravely: "How's +everythin'?"</p> + +<p>"Bully!" spoke up Handsome Charlie, who was posing for her benefit, as +was his wont, beside one of the desks.</p> + +<p>"Say, we missed you," acknowledged Sonora with a world of tenderness in +his voice. "Never knew you to desert The Polka for a whole week before."</p> + +<p>"No, I—I…" stammered guiltily, and with their little gifts turned +abruptly towards her desk lest she should meet their gaze.</p> + +<p>"Academy's opened," suddenly announced Happy, "and—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I see it is," quickly answered the Girl, brushing away a tear that +persisted in clinging to her eyelids; slowly, now, she drew off her +gloves and laid them on the desk.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'm kind o' nervous to-day, boys," she began.</p> + +<p>"No wonder," observed Sonora. "Road agent's been in camp an' we missed a +hangin'. I can't git over that."</p> + +<p>All a-quiver and not daring to meet the men's gaze, much less to discuss +the road agent with them, the Girl endeavoured to hide her confusion by +asking Nick to help her off with her cape. Turning presently she said in +a strained voice:</p> + +<p>"Well, come on, boys—come, now!"</p> + +<p>Immediately the boys fell in line for the opening exercises, which +consisted of an examination by the Girl of their general appearance.</p> + +<p>"Let me see your hands," she said to the man nearest to her; a glance +was sufficient, and he was expelled from her presence. "Let me see +yours, Sonora," she commanded.</p> + +<p>Holding his hands behind his back the man addressed moved towards her +slowly, for he was conscious of the grime that was on them. Before he +had spoken his apology she ordered him none too gently to go and wash +them, ending with an emphatic:</p> + +<p>"Git!"</p> + +<p>"Yes'm," was his meek answer, though he called back as he disappeared: +"Been blackenin' my boots."</p> + +<p>The Girl took up the word quickly.</p> + +<p>"Boots! Yes, an' look at them boots!" And as each man came up to her, +"An' them boots! an' them boots! Get in there the whole lot o' you an' +be sure that you leave your whisky behind."</p> + +<p>When all had left the room save Nick, who stood with her cape on his arm +near the desk she suddenly became conscious that she still had her hood +on, and at once began to remove it—a proceeding which brought out +clearly the extraordinary pallor of her face which, generally, had a +bright, healthy colouring. Now she beckoned to Nick to draw near. No +need for her to speak, for he had caught the questioning look in her +eyes, and it told him plainer than any words that she was anxious to +hear of her lover. He was about to tell her the little he knew when with +lips that trembled she finally whispered:</p> + +<p>"Have you heard anythin'? Do you think he got through safe?"</p> + +<p>Nick nodded in the affirmative.</p> + +<p>"I saw 'im off, you know," she went on in the same low voice; then, +before Nick could speak, she concluded anxiously: "But s'pose he don't +git through?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'll git through sure! We'll hear he's out of this country pretty +quick," consoled the little barkeeper just as Rance, unperceived by +them, quietly entered the room and went over to a chair by the stove.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="16"></a> </p> +<h3>XVI.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>No man had more of a dread of the obvious than the Sheriff. His +position, he felt, was decidedly an unpleasant one. Nevertheless, in the +silence that followed the Girl's discovery of his presence, he struggled +to appear his old self. He was by no means unconscious of the fact that +he had omitted his usual cordial greeting to her, and he felt that she +must be scrutinising him, feature by feature. When, therefore, he shot a +covert glance at her, it was with surprise that he saw an appealing look +in her eyes.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Jack, I want to thank you—" she began, but stopped quickly, +deterred by the hard expression that instantly spread itself over the +Sheriff's face. Resentment, all the more bitter because he believed it +to be groundless, followed hard on the heels of her words which he +thought to be inspired solely by a delicate tactfulness.</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't thank me that he got away," he said icily. "It was the three +aces and the pair you held—"</p> + +<p>This was the Girl's opportunity; she seized it.</p> + +<p>"About the three aces, I want to say that—"</p> + +<p>It was Rance's turn to interrupt, which he did brutally.</p> + +<p>"He'd better keep out of my country, that's all."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes."</p> + +<p>To the Girl, any reference to her lover was a stab. Her face was pale +with her terrible anxiety; notwithstanding, the contrast of her pallid +cheeks and masses of golden hair gave her a beauty which Rance, as he +met her eyes, found so extraordinarily tempting that he experienced a +renewed fury at his utter helplessness. At the point, however, when it +would seem from his attitude that all his self-control was about to +leave him, the Girl picked up the bell on the desk and rang it +vigorously.</p> + +<p>Began then the long procession of miners walking around the room before +taking their seats on the benches. At their head was Happy Halliday, who +carried in his hands a number of slates, the one on the top having a +large sponge attached. These were all more or less in bad condition, +some having no frames, while others were mere slits of slate, but all +had slate-pencils fastened to them by strings.</p> + +<p>"Come along, boys, get your slates!" sang out Happy as he left the line +and let the others file past him.</p> + +<p>"Whoop!" vociferated Trinidad in a burst of enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"Trin, you're out o' step there!" reprimanded the teacher a little +sharply; and then addressing Happy she ordered him to take his place +once more in the line.</p> + +<p>In a little while they were all seated, and now, at last, it seemed to +the barkeeper as if the air of the room had been freed of its tension. +No longer did he experience a sense of alertness, a feeling that +something out of the ordinary was going to happen, and it was with +immense relief that he heard the Girl take up her duties and ask:</p> + +<p>"What books were left from last year?"</p> + +<p>At first no one was able to give a scrap of information on this +important matter; maybe it was because all lips were too dry to open; in +the end, however, when the silence was becoming embarrassing, Happy +moistened his lips with his tongue, and answered:</p> + +<p>"Why, we scared up jest a whole book left. The name of +it is—is—is—" +The effort was beyond his mental powers and he came to a helpless pause.</p> + +<p>Swelling with importance, and drawing forth the volume in question from +his pocket, Sonora stood up and finished:</p> + +<p>"—is 'Old Joe Miller's Jokes.'"</p> + +<p>"That will do nicely," declared the Girl and seated herself on the +pine-decorated box.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys," continued Sonora, ever the most considerate of pupils, +"before we begin I propose no drawin' of weppings, drinkin' or swearin' +in school hours. The conduct of certain members wore on teacher last +term. I don't want to mention no names, but I want Handsome an' Happy to +hear what I'm sayin'." And after a sweeping glance at his mates, who, +already, had begun to disport themselves and jeer at the unfortunate +pair, he wound up with: "Is that straight?"</p> + +<p>"You bet it is!" yelled the others in chorus; whereupon Sonora dropped +into his seat.</p> + +<p>In time order was restored and now the Girl, looking at Rance out of her +big, frightened, blue eyes, observed:</p> + +<p>"Rance, last year you led off with an openin' address, an'—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, go on Sheriff!" cried the boys, hailing her suggestion with +delight.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, the Sheriff hesitated, seeing which, Trinidad contributed:</p> +<p>"Let 'er go, Jack!"</p> + +<p>At length, fixing a look upon the Girl, Rance rose and said +significantly:</p> + +<p>"I pass."</p> + +<p>"Oh, then, Sonora," suggested the Girl, covering up her embarrassment as +best she could, "won't you make a speech?"</p> + +<p>"Me—speak?" exploded Sonora; and again; "Me—speak? Oh, the devil!"</p> + +<p>"Sh-sh!" came warningly from several of the boys.</p> + +<p>"Why, I didn't mean that, o' course," apologised Sonora, colouring, and +incidentally expectorating on Bucking Billy's boots. But to his infinite +sorrow no protest worthy of the word was forthcoming from the apparently +insensible Bucking Billy.</p> + +<p>"Go on! Go on!" urged the school.</p> + +<p>Sonora coughed behind his hand; then he began his address.</p> + +<p>"Gents, I look on this place as something more 'n a place to sit around +an' spit on—the stove. I claim that there's culture in the air o' +Californay an' we're here to buck up again it an' hook on."</p> + +<p>"Hear! Hear! Hear!" voiced the men together, while their fists came down +heavily upon the improvised desks before them.</p> + +<p>"With these remarks," concluded Sonora, "I set." And suiting the action +to the word he plumped himself down heavily upon the bench, but only to +rise again quickly with a cry of pain and strike Trinidad a fierce blow, +who, he rightly suspected, was responsible for the pin that had found a +lodging-place in the seat of his trousers.</p> + +<p>At that not even the Girl's remonstrances prevented the boys, who had +been silent as mice all the time that the instrument of torture was +being adjusted, from giving vent to roars of laughter; and for a moment +things in the school-room were decidedly boisterous.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, boys, sit down!" ordered the Girl again and again; but it was +some moments before she could get the school under control. When, +finally, the skylarking had ceased, the Girl said in a voice which, +despite its strange weariness, was music to their ears:</p> + +<p>"Once more we meet together. There's ben a lot happened o' late that has +learned me that p'r'aps I don't know as much as I tho't I did, an' I +can't teach you much more. But if you're willin' to take me for what I +am—jest a woman who wants things better, who wants everybody all they +ought to be, why I'm willin' to rise with you an' help reach out—" She +stopped abruptly, for Handsome was waving his hand excitedly at her, and +asked a trifle impatiently: "What is it, Handsome?"</p> + +<p>Handsome rose and hurriedly went over to her.</p> + +<p>"Whisky, teacher, whisky! I want it so bad—"</p> + +<p>The school rose to its feet as one man.</p> + +<p>"Teacher! Teacher!" came tumultuously from all, their hands waving +frantically in the air. And then without waiting for permission to speak +the cry went up: "Whisky! Whisky!"</p> + +<p>"No, no whisky," she denied them flatly.</p> + +<p>Gradually the commotion subsided, for all knew that she meant what she +said, at least for the moment.</p> + +<p>"An' now jest a few words more on the subject o' not settin' judgment on +the errin'—a subject near my heart."</p> + +<p>This remark of the Girl's brought forth murmurs of wonder, and in the +midst of them the door was pushed slowly inward and The Sidney Duck, +wearing the deuce of spades which the Sheriff had pinned to his jacket +when he banished him from their presence for cheating at cards, stood on +the threshold, looking uncertainly about him. At once all eyes were +focused upon him.</p> + +<p>"Git! Git!" shouted the men, angrily. This was followed by a general +movement towards him, which so impressed The Sidney Duck that he turned +on his heel and was fleeing for his life when a cry from the Girl +stopped him.</p> + +<p>"Boys, boys," said the Girl in a reproving voice, which silenced them +almost instantly; then, beckoning to Sid to approach, she went on in her +most gentle tones: "I was jest gittin' to you, Sid, as I promised. You +can stay."</p> + +<p>Looking like a whipped dog The Sidney Duck advanced warily towards her.</p> + +<p>Sonora's brow grew thunderous.</p> + +<p>"What, here among gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>And that his protest met with instantaneous approval was shown by the +way the miners shifted uneasily in their seats and shouted +threateningly:</p> + +<p>"Git! Git!"</p> + +<p>"Why, the fellow's a—" began Trinidad, but got no further, for the Girl +stopped him by exclaiming:</p> + +<p>"I know, I know, Trin—I've tho't it all over!"</p> + +<p>For the next few minutes the Girl stood strangely still and her face +became very grave. Never before had the men seen her in a mood like +this, and they exchanged wondering glances. Presently she said:</p> + +<p>"Boys, of late a man in trouble has been on my mind—" She paused, her +glance having caught the peculiar light which her words had caused to +appear in Rance's eyes, and lest he should misunderstand her meaning, +she hastened to add: "Sid, o' course,—an' I fell to thinkin' o' the +Prodigal Son. He done better, didn't he?"</p> + +<p>"But a card sharp," objected Sonora from the depths of his big voice.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's what!" interjected Trinidad, belligerently.</p> + +<p>The Girl's eyebrows lifted and a shade of resentment was in the +answering voice:</p> + +<p>"But s'pose there was a moment in his life when he was called upon to +find a extra ace—can't we forgive 'im? He says he's sorry—ain't you, +Sid?"</p> + +<p>All the while the Girl had been speaking The Sidney Duck kept his eyes +lowered and was swallowing nervously. Now he raised them and, with a +feeble attempt to simulate penitence, he acknowledged that he had done +wrong. Nevertheless, he declared:</p> + +<p>"But if I 'adn't got caught things would 'a' been different. Oh, yes, +I'm sorry."</p> + +<p>In an instant the Girl was at his side removing the deuce of spades from +his coat.</p> + +<p>"Sid, you git your chance," she said with trembling lips. "Now go an' +sit down."</p> + +<p>A broad smile was creeping over The Sidney Duck's countenance as he +moved towards the others; but Happy took it upon himself to limit its +spread.</p> + +<p>"Take that!" he blazed, striking the man in the face. "And git out of +here!</p> + +<p>"Happy, Happy!" cried the Girl. Her voice was so charged with reproach +that The Sidney Duck was allowed by the men to pass on without any +further molestation. Nevertheless, when he attempted to sit beside them, +they moved as far away as possible from him and compelled him to take a +stool that stood apart from the benches which held them together in +friendly proximity.</p> + +<p>At this point Trinidad inquired of the Girl whether she meant to infer +that honesty was not the best policy, and by way of illustration, he +went on to say:</p> + +<p>"S'posin' my watch had no works an' I was to sell it to the Sheriff for +one hundred dollars. Would you have much respect for me?"</p> + +<p>For the briefest part of a second the Girl seemed to be reflecting.</p> + +<p>"I'd have more respect for you than for the Sheriff," she answered +succinctly.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah! Whoopee! Whoop!" yelled the men, who were delighted both with +what she said as well as her pert way of saying it.</p> + +<p>It was in the midst of these shouts that Billy Jackrabbit and Wowkle, +unobserved by the others, quietly stole into the room and squatted +themselves down under the blackboard. When the merriment had subsided +Rance rose and took the floor. His face was paler than usual, though his +voice was calm when presently he said:</p> + +<p>"Well, bein' Sheriff, I'm careful about my company—I'll sit in the bar. +Cheats and road agents"—and here he paused meaningly and glanced from +The Sidney Duck to the Girl—"ar'n't jest in my line. I walk in the open +road with my head up and my face to the sun, and whatever I've pulled +up, you'll remark I've always played square and stood by the cyards."</p> + +<p>"I know, I know," observed the Girl and fell wearily into her seat; the +next instant she went on more confidently: "An' that's the way to +travel—in the straight road. But if ever I don't travel that road, or +you—"</p> + +<p>"You always will, you bet," observed Nick with feeling.</p> + +<p>"You bet she will!" shouted the others.</p> + +<p>"But if I don't," continued the Girl, insistently, "I hope there'll be +someone to lead me back—back to the right road. 'Cause remember, Rance, +some of us are lucky enough to be born good, while others have to be +'lected."</p> + +<p>"That's eloquence!" cried Sonora, moved almost to tears; while Rance +took a step forward as if about to make some reply; but the next +instant, his head held no longer erect and his face visibly twitching, +he passed into the bar-room.</p> + +<p>A silence reigned for a time, which was broken at last by the Girl +announcing with great solemnity:</p> + +<p>"If anybody can sing 'My Country 'Tis,' Academy's opened."</p> + +<p>At this request, really of a physical nature, and advanced in a spirit +of true modesty, all present, curiously enough, seemed to have lost +their voices and nudged one another in an endeavour to get the hymn +started. Someone insisted that Sonora should go ahead, but that worthy +pupil objected giving as his excuse, obviously a paltry one and trumped +up for the occasion, that he did not know the words. There was nothing +to it, therefore, but that the Indians should render the great American +anthem. And so, standing stolidly facing the others, their high-pitched, +nasal voices presently began:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"My country 'tis of thee,<br /> + Sweet land of liberty,<br /> + Of thee I sing."<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + + +<p>"Well, if that ain't sarkism!" interjected Sonora between the lines of +the hymn.<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Land where our fathers died—"<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + + +<p>"You bet they died hard!" cut in Trinidad, rolling his eyes upward in a +comical imitation of the Indians.<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"Land of the Pilgrim's pride,<br /> + From every mountain side<br /> + Let freedom ring."<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + + +<p>All the while the Indians were singing the last lines of the hymn the +Girl's face was a study in reminiscent dreams, but when they had +finished and were leaving the room, she came back to earth, as it were, +and clapped her hands, an appreciation which brought forth from Wowkle a +grateful "Huh!"</p> + +<p>"I would like to read you a little verse from a book of poems," +presently went on the teacher; and when the men had given her their +attention, she read with much feeling:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote><blockquote> + +<p class="noindent">"'No star is ever lost we once have seen,<br /> + We always may be what we might have been.'"<br /> </p> + +</blockquote></blockquote> + + +<p>"Why, what's the matter?" inquired Sonora, greatly moved at the sight of +the tears which, of a sudden, began to run down the teacher's cheeks.</p> +<p>"Why, what's—?" came simultaneously from the others, words failing +them.</p> + +<p>"Nothin', nothin', only it jest came over me that I'll be leavin' you +soon," stammered the Girl. "How can I do it? How can I do it?" she +wailed.</p> + +<p>Sonora gazed at her unbelievingly.</p> + +<p>"Do what?" he said.</p> + +<p>"What did she say?" questioned Trinidad.</p> + +<p>Now Sonora went over to her, and asked:</p> + +<p>"What d'you say? Why, what's the matter?"</p> + +<p>Slowly the Girl raised her head and looked at him through half-closed +lids, the tears that still clung to them, blinding her almost. Plainly +audible in the silence of the room the seconds ticked away on the clock, +and still she did not speak; at last she murmured:</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's nothin', nothin', only I jest remembered I've promised to +leave Cloudy soon an', p'r'aps, we might never be together again—you +an' me an' The Polka. Oh, it took me jest like that when I seen your +dear, ol' faces, your dear, plucky, ol' faces an' realised that—" She +could not go on, and buried her face in her hands, her glistening blonde +head shaking with her sobs.</p> + +<p>It was thus that the Sheriff, entering a moment later, found her. +Without a word he resumed his seat in front of the fire.</p> + +<p>Sonora continued to stare blankly at her. He was too dazed to speak, +much less to think. He broke silence slowly.</p> + +<p>"What—you leavin' us?"</p> + +<p>"Leavin' us?" inquired Happy, incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Careful, girl, careful," warned Nick, softly.</p> + +<p>The Girl hesitated a moment, and then went recklessly on:</p> + +<p>"It's bound to happen soon."</p> + +<p>Sonora looked more puzzled than ever; he rested his hand upon her desk +as if to support himself, and said:</p> + +<p>"I don't quite understand. Great Gilead! We done anythin' to offend +you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, no, no!" she hastened to assure him, at the same time letting +her hand rest upon his.</p> + +<p>But this explanation did not satisfy Sonora. Anxious to discover what +she had at heart he went on sounding:</p> + +<p>"Tired of us? Ain't we got style enough for you?"</p> + +<p>The Girl did not answer; her breathing, swift and short, painfully +intensified the hush that had fallen on the room; at last, the boys +becoming impatient began to bombard her with questions.</p> + +<p>"Be you goin' to show them Ridge boys we've petered out an' culture's a +dead dog here?" began Happy, rising.</p> + +<p>"Do you want them to think Academy's busted?" asked Handsome.</p> + +<p>"Ain't we your boys no more?" put in Trinidad, wistfully.</p> + +<p>"Ain't I your boy?" asked Sonora, sentimentally. "Why, what is it, Girl? +Has anybody—tell me—perhaps—"</p> + +<p>The Girl raised her head and dried her eyes; when she spoke one could +have heard a pin drop.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, no, no," she said with averted face, and added tremulously: +"There, we won't say no more about it. Let's forgit it. Only when I go +away I want to leave the key o' my cabin with Old Sonora here, an' I +want you all to come up sometimes, an' to think o' me as the girl who +loved you all, an' sometimes is wishin' you well, an' I want to think o' +little Nick here runnin' my bar an' not givin' the boys too much +whisky." Her words died away in a sob and her head fell forward, her +hand, the while, resting upon Nick's shoulder.</p> + +<p>At last, Sonora saw what lay beneath her tears; the situation was all +too clear to him now.</p> + +<p>"Hold on!" he cried hoarsely. "There's jest one reason for the Girl to +leave her home an' friends—only one: There must be some fellow away +from here that she—that she likes better 'n she does any of us." And +turning once more upon the Girl, he demanded excitedly: "Is that it? +Speak!"</p> + +<p>The Girl raised her tear-stained face and looked him in the eye.</p> + +<p>"Likes—" she repeated with a world of meaning in her voice—"in a +different way, yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, so help me!" ejaculated Happy, unhappily, while Sonora, with head +bent low, went over to his seat.</p> + +<p>The next moment the boys of the front rows had joined those of the rear +and were grouping themselves together to discuss the situation.</p> + +<p>"Sure you ain't makin' a mistake?" Trinidad questioned suddenly.</p> + +<p>The Girl came down from her seat on the platform and went over to them.</p> + +<p>"Mistake," she repeated dreamily. "Oh, no, no, no, boys, there's no +mistake about this. Oh, Trin!" she burst out tearfully, and two soft +arms crept gently about his neck. "An' Sonora—Ah, Sonora!" She raised +herself on her tiny toes and kissed him on the left cheek.</p> + +<p>The next instant she was gone.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="17"></a> </p> +<h3>XVII.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Whatever may be said to the contrary, there are few more humiliating +moments in a man's life than when he learns that some other person has +supplanted him in the affections of his adored one. And it was the +Girl's knowledge of this, together with her desire to spare the feelings +of her two old admirers,—for in her nature there was ever that +thoughtfulness of others which never permitted her to do a mean thing to +anyone,—that had caused her to flee so precipitously from the room.</p> + +<p>But painful as was their humiliation as they stood in silence, gazing +with saddened faces at the door through which the Girl had gone out, +their cup of bitterness was not yet full. The next moment the Sheriff, +his lips curled inscrutably, said mockingly:</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, the right man has come at last. Take your medicine, +gentlemen."</p> + +<p>His words cut Sonora to the quick, and it was with difficulty that he +braced himself to hear the worst.</p> + +<p>"Who's the man?" he inquired gruffly.</p> + +<p>The Sheriff's eyes fastened themselves upon him; at length with deadly +coldness he drawled out:</p> + +<p>"Johnson's the man."</p> + +<p>All the colour went out of Sonora's face, while his lips ejaculated:</p> + +<p>"Gol A'mighty!"</p> + +<p>"You lie!" blazed Trinidad in the next breath, and made a quick movement +towards the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>But Rance was not to be denied. Seeing Nick advancing towards them he +called upon him to verify his words; but that individual merely looked +first at one and then the other and did not answer, which silence +infuriated Sonora.</p> + +<p>"Why, you tol' me…?" he said with an angry look in his eye.</p> + +<p>"Tol' you, Sonora? Why he tol' me the same thing," protested Trinidad +with an earnestness that, at any other time, would have sent his +listeners into fits of laughter.</p> + +<p>This was too much for Sonora; he flew into a paroxysm of rage.</p> + +<p>"Well, for a first-class liar…!"</p> + +<p>"You bet!" corroborated Trinidad, relapsing, despite his anger, into his +pet phrase.</p> + +<p>For some minutes the dejected suitors continued in this strain, now +arguing and then condoling with one another, the boys, meanwhile, +proceeding to clear the school-room of the benches, casks and planks, +lifting or rolling them back into place as if they were made of paper.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden Sonora's face cleared perceptibly. Turning swiftly to +the sheriff, who sat tilted back in a chair before the fire, he said +with unexpected cheerfulness of voice:</p> + +<p>"Why, Johnson's dead. He got away, an'—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he got away," remarked Rance, dully, shaking the ashes from his +cigar, which answer, together with the peculiar look which Sonora saw on +the other's face, made him at once suspicious that something was being +held back from them which they had a right to know. It came about, +therefore, that, with a hasty movement towards the Sheriff, his eyes +glaring, his voice husky, Sonora demanded:</p> + +<p>"Jack Rance, I call on you as Sheriff for Johnson! He was in your +county."</p> + +<p>Instantly the cry was taken up by the others, but it was Trinidad who, +shaking his fist in Rance's face, supplemented:</p> + +<p>"You hustle up an' run a bridle through your p'int o' teeth or your boom +for re-election 's over, you lily-fingered gambler!"</p> + +<p>But the Sheriff did not move a muscle, though after a moment he answered +coolly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know as I give a damn…!" Which reply, to say the +least, was somewhat disconcerting to the men who had surrounded him and +were eyeing him threateningly.</p> + +<p>"No talk—we want Johnson," insisted Trinidad, hotly.</p> + +<p>"We want Johnson," echoed the crowd in low, tense voices, their fists +clenched.</p> + +<p>And still Rance did not waver, but calmly puffing sway at his long, +black cigar he looked blankly into space. Presently a voice outside +calling, "Boys!" sounded throughout the room and brought him back to +actuality. He sat straight up in his chair while Nick, shifting uneasily +about on his feet, muttered:</p> + +<p>"Why, that's Ashby!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, if—" began the Sheriff and stopped. The next instant the Wells +Fargo Agent, a cool, triumphant look on his face, stood framed in the +doorway. With a hasty movement towards him Rance asked tensely: "Did you +get him?"</p> + +<p>The answer came back, almost before the question was asked:</p> + +<p>"Yes—we've got him."</p> + +<p>"Not Johnson?" demanded Sonora, truculently.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Johnson," affirmed the Wells Fargo Agent with a hard laugh, his +eyes the while upon Handsome, who, unaided, was lifting a heavy cask to +a bench nearby.</p> + +<p>"Not alive?" questioned Trinidad, unwilling to trust his own ears.</p> + +<p>"You bet!" was Ashby's sententious confirmation, at which pandemonium +broke loose, Nick alone appearing dejected and morose-looking. For his +love and devotion to the Girl were too genuine to permit of his taking +any part whatsoever in what he believed was opposed to her happiness. On +the other hand, Rance, as may be inferred, was inwardly rejoicing, +though when he perceived that Nick was eyeing him steadily he was +careful to lower his eyes lest the little barkeeper should see the +triumph shining beneath them. And, finally, unable to bear Nick's +scrutiny any longer, he explained with a feeble attempt at self-defence:</p> + +<p>"Well, I didn't do it, Nick, I didn't do it." But a moment later, his +face hard and set, he added: "Now he be damned! There's an end of +Johnson!"</p> + +<p>The words were hardly out of his mouth, however, than Johnson, his arms +bound, followed by the Deputy, strode into the room with the courage of +one who has long faced death, and stood before the men who glared at him +with fire in their eyes and murder in their hearts.</p> + +<p>"How do you do, Mr. Johnson. I think, Mr. Johnson, five minutes will do +for you." Rance gave to the words a peculiar accent and inflection, but +this caused the prisoner to look even more composed and calm than +before; he returned crisply:</p> + +<p>"I think so."</p> + +<p>"So this is the gentleman the Girl loves?" Sonora's face wore a cruel +grin as he stood with arms folded leering at the prisoner.</p> + +<p>The biting humour of the thought appealed to Rance, and he smiled grimly +to himself.</p> + +<p>"That's the gentleman"—he was saying when a voice outside broke in upon +his words with:</p> + +<p>"Nick! Boys! Boys!"</p> + +<p>"It's the Girl!" cried Nick in dismay, at the same time rushing over to +the door to intercept her; while Ashby, desirous of preventing any +communication between the Girl and the prisoner took up a position +between them—unnecessary precautions, since the Girl had no intention +of re-entering the room, but wished merely to say that she had forgotten +that it was recess and that the boys might have one drink.</p> + +<p>At the sound of her voice Johnson paled. He listened to her retreating +steps, then turning towards Nick he asked him to lock the door.</p> + +<p>"Why, the devil…!" objected the Sheriff, angrily.</p> + +<p>"Please," urged the prisoner with such a look of entreaty in his eyes +that Nick could not find it in his heart to deny him, and went forthwith +to the door and locked it.</p> + +<p>"Why, you—" began Sonora with a hurried movement towards the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"You keep out of this, Sonora," enjoined the Sheriff, coming forward to +take a hand in the proceedings. "I handle the rope—pick the tree…"</p> + +<p>"Then hurry…" said Sonora, impatiently, while Trinidad interposed +with his usual, "You bet!"</p> + +<p>"One moment," said the prisoner as the miners started to go out; and, +strange to relate, the Sheriff ordered the men to halt. Turning once +more to the prisoner, he said:</p> + +<p>"Be quick—what is it?"</p> + +<p>"It is true," began the unfortunate road agent in an even, unemotional +voice, "that I love the Girl."</p> + +<p>At these words Rance's arms flew up threateningly, while a mocking smile +sprang to his lips.</p> + +<p>"Well, you won't in a minute," he reminded him grimly.</p> + +<p>The taunt brought no change of expression to the prisoner's face or +change of tone in his voice as he went on to say that he did not care +what they did to him; that he was prepared for anything; and that every +man who travelled the path that he did faced death every day for a drink +of water or ten minutes' sleep, concluding calmly:</p> + +<p>"You've got me and I wouldn't care but for the Girl."</p> + +<p>"You've got just three minutes!" A shade almost of contempt was in +Sonora's exclamation.</p> + +<p>"Yes…!" blazed Trinidad.</p> + +<p>There was an impressive silence; then in a voice that trembled strangely +between pride and humility Johnson continued:</p> + +<p>"I don't want her to know my end. Why, that would be an awful thought +for her to go on with all her life—that I died out there—near at hand. +Why, boys, she couldn't stay here after that—she couldn't…"</p> + +<p>"That's understood," replied Rance, succinctly.</p> + +<p>"I'd like her to think," went on the prisoner, with difficulty choking +back the tears, "that I got away clear and went East and changed my way +of living. So you just drag me a good ways from here before you—" He +stopped abruptly and began to swallow nervously. When he spoke again it +was with a perceptible change of manner. "And when I don't write and she +never hears why she will say, 'he's forgotten me,' and that will be +about enough for her to remember, because she loved me before she knew +what I was—and you can't change love in a minute."</p> + +<p>All the while Johnson had been speaking the Sheriff's jealousy had been +growing steadily until, finally, turning upon the other with a +succession of oaths he struck him a fierce blow in the face.</p> + +<p>"I don't blame you," returned the prisoner without a trace of malice in +his voice. "Strike me again—strike me—one death is not enough for me. +Damn me—I wish you could… Oh, why couldn't I have let her pass! +I'm sorry I came her way—but it's too late now, it's too late…"</p> + +<p>Rance, not in the least affected by what the prisoner had been saying, +asked if that was his last word.</p> + +<p>Johnson nodded.</p> + +<p>Trinidad, simultaneously with his nod, snapped his finger, indicating +that the prisoner's time was up.</p> + +<p>"Dep!" called the Sheriff, sharply.</p> + +<p>The Deputy came forward and took his prisoner in charge.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, sir!" said Nick, who was visibly affected.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye!" returned the prisoner, briefly. "You tell the Girl—no, come +to think of it, Nick, don't say anything…"</p> + +<p>"Come on, you!" ordered Happy.</p> + +<p>Whereupon with a shout and an imprecation the men removed en masse to +the door.</p> + +<p>"Boys," intervened Nick at this juncture, rushing into their midst, +"when Alliger was hanged Rance let 'im see his sweetheart. I think, +considerin' as how she ain't goin' to see no more o' Mr. Johnson here, +an' knowin' the Girl's feelin's—well, I think she ought to have a +chance to—"</p> + +<p>Nick was not allowed to finish, for instantly the men were up in arms +raising a most vigorous objection to his proposal; but, notwithstanding, +Nick, evidently bent upon calling the Girl, started for the door.</p> + +<p>"No," objected Rance, obstinately.</p> + +<p>The road agent took a step forward and, turning upon the Sheriff with a +desperately hopeless expression upon his face, he said:</p> + +<p>"Jack Rance, there were two of us—I've had my chance. Inside of ten +minutes I'll be dead and it will be all your way. Couldn't you let me—"</p> + +<p>He paused, and ended almost piteously with:</p> + +<p>"Oh, I thought I'd have the courage not to ask, but, Oh, couldn't you +let me—couldn't you—"</p> + +<p>Once more Nick intervened by shrewdly prevaricating:</p> + +<p>"Here's the Girl, boys!"</p> + +<p>But this ruse of Nick's met with no greater success than his previous +efforts, for Rance, putting his foot down heavily upon the stove, voiced +a vigorous protest.</p> + +<p>"All right," said the prisoner, resignedly. Nevertheless, his face +reflected his disappointment. Turning now to Nick he thanked him for his +efforts in his behalf.</p> + +<p>"You must excuse Rance," remarked the little barkeeper with a +significant look at the Sheriff, "for bein' so small a man as to deny +the usual courtesies, but he ain't quite himself."</p> + +<p>Weary of their cavilling, for he believed that in the end the Sheriff +would carry his point, and determined to go before his courage failed +him, Johnson made a movement towards the door. Speaking bravely, though +his voice trembled, he said:</p> + +<p>"Come, boys—come."</p> + +<p>But, odd as it may seem, Nick's words had taken root.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," Rance temporised.</p> + +<p>The prisoner halted.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that I'm so small a man as to deny the usual courtesies, +since you put it that way," continued Rance. "I always have extended +them. But we'll hear what you have to say—that's our protection. And it +might interest some of us to hear what the Girl will have to say to you, +Mr. Johnson—after a week in her cabin there may be more to know than—"</p> + +<p>Fire leapt to Johnson's eyes; he cried hoarsely—</p> + +<p>"Stop!"</p> + +<p>"Rance, you don't know what you're sayin'," resented Nick, casting hard +looks at him; while Sonora put a heavy hand upon the Sheriff and +threatened him with:</p> + +<p>"Now, Rance, you stop that!"</p> + +<p>"We'll hear every word he has to say," insisted the Sheriff, doggedly.</p> + +<p>"You bet!" affirmed Trinidad.</p> + +<p>"Nick! Nick!" called the Girl once more, and while the little barkeeper +went over to admit her the Wells Fargo Agent took his leave, calling +back after him:</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, you've got him safe—I can't wait—I'm off!"</p> + +<p>"Dep, untie the prisoner! Boys, circle round the bar! Trin, put a man at +that door! And Sonora, put a couple of men at those windows!" And so +swift were the men in carrying out his instructions, that even as he +spoke, everyone was at his post, the Sheriff himself and Sonora +remaining unseen but on guard at the doors, while the prisoner, edging +up close to the door, was not in evidence when the Girl entered.</p> + +<p>"You can think of something to tell her—lie to her," had been the +Sheriff's parting suggestion.</p> + +<p>"I'll let her think I risked coming back to see her again," had replied +the prisoner, his throat trembling.</p> + +<p>"She won't know it's for the last time—we'll be there," had come +warningly from the Sheriff as he pointed to the door that led to the +bar-room.<br /> </p> + + +<div class="center"> +<table><tr><td align="center"> +<span class="small">* + +* + +* + + +* + + +* + + +* + +</span><br /> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + + +<p>"Why, what have you got the door barred for?" asked the Girl as she came +into the room; and then without waiting for an answer: "Why, where are +the boys?"</p> + +<p>"Well, you see, the boys—the boys has—has—" began +Nick confusedly and stopped.</p> + +<p>"The boys—" There was a question in the Girl's voice.</p> + +<p>"Has gone."</p> + +<p>"Gone where?"</p> + +<p>"Why, to the Palmetter," came out feebly from Nick; and then with a +sudden change of manner, he added: "Oh, say, Girl, I likes you!" And +here he laid his hand affectionately upon her shoulder. "You've been my +religion—the bar an' you. Why, you don't never want to leave us—why, +I'd drop dead for you."</p> + +<p>"Nick, you're very nice to—" began the Girl, gratefully, and stopped, +for at that instant a gentle tap came upon the door. Turning swiftly, +she saw Johnson coming towards her.</p> + +<p>"Girl!" he cried in an agony of joy, and held out his arms to receive +her.</p> + +<p>"You? You?" she admonished softly.</p> + +<p>"Don't say a word," he whispered hurriedly.</p> + +<p>"You shouldn't have come back," she said with knitted brow.</p> + +<p>"I had to—to say good-bye once more." And his voice was so filled with +tenderness that she readily forgave him for the indiscretion.</p> + +<p>"It's all right, it's all right," murmured Nick, his hand still on the +door, which he had taken the precaution to bolt after the Girl had +passed through it.</p> + +<p>There was a moment's silence; then, going over to the windows, the Girl +pulled down the curtains.</p> + +<p>"The boys are good for quite a little bit," she said as she came back. +"Don't git nervous—I'll give you warnin'…"</p> + +<p>Nick, unwilling to witness the heartrending scene which he foresaw would +follow, noiselessly withdrew into the bar-room, leaving the prisoner +alone with the Girl.</p> + +<p>"Don't be afraid, my Girl," said Johnson, softly.</p> + +<p>But the Girl's one thought, after her first gladness, was of his safety:</p> + +<p>"But you can't git away now without bein' seen?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, there's another way out of Cloudy,—and I'm going to take it."</p> + +<p>The grimness of his meaning was lost on the Girl, who answered urgently:</p> + +<p>"Then go—go! Don't wait, go now!"</p> + +<p>Johnson smiled a sad little smile:</p> + +<p>"But remember that I'm sorry for the past, and—and don't forget me," he +said, with an odd break in his voice,—so odd that it roused the Girl +into startled wonderment.</p> + +<p>"Forget you? Why, Dick…!"</p> + +<p>"I mean, till we meet again," he reassured her hastily.</p> + +<p>The Girl heaved a troubled sigh. Her fears for him were still on edge. +Then, with a nervous start, she asked:</p> + +<p>"Did he call?"</p> + +<p>"No. He'll—he'll warn me," Johnson told her unsteadily.</p> + +<p>"Oh, every day that dawns I'll wait for a message from you. I'll feel +you wanting me. Every night I'll say to-morrow, and every to-morrow I'll +say to-day… Oh, you've changed the whole world for me! I can't let +you go, but I must, Dick, I must…" And bursting into tears, she +buried her face on his shoulder, repeating piteously, between shaking +sobs, "Oh, I'm so afraid,—I'm so afraid!"</p> + +<p>He held her close, the strength of his arms around her reassuring her +silently. "Why, you mustn't be afraid," he said in tones that were +almost steady. "In a few minutes I'll be quite free, and then—"</p> + +<p>"An' you'll make a little home for me when you're free—soon—will you?" +asked the Girl, with a wan smile dawning on her trembling lips. She was +drying her eyes and did not see how the light died out of the man's +face, as he gazed down at her hungrily, hopelessly. This time he could +not trust himself to speak, but merely nodded "yes."</p> + +<p>"A strange feelin' has come over me," went on the Girl, brokenly, "a +feelin' to hold you—to cling to you—not to let you go. Somethin' in my +heart keeps sayin', 'Don't let him go!'"</p> + +<p>Johnson felt his knees sagging oddly beneath him. The Girl's sure +instinct of danger, the piteousness of their case, were making a coward +of him. He tore himself from her in a panic desire to go while he still +had the manhood to play his part to the end; then suddenly broke down +completely, and with his face buried in his hands, sobbed aloud.</p> + +<p>"Why, Girl," he managed to say, brokenly, "it's been worth—the whole of +life just—to know you. You've brought me nearer Heaven,—you, to love a +man like me!"</p> + +<p>"Don't say that, Oh, don't say that," she hastened to say with a great +tenderness in her voice. "S'pose you was only a road agent an' I was a +saloon keeper. We both came out o' nothin' an' we met, but through +lovin' we're goin' to reach things now—that's us. We had to be lifted +up like this to be saved."</p> + +<p>Johnson tried to speak, but the words would not come. It was, therefore, +with a feeling of relief that, presently, he heard Nick at the door, +saying, "It's all clear now."</p> + +<p>Johnson wheeled round, but Nick had flown. Turning once more to the +Girl, he said with trembling lips:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye!"</p> + +<p>The Girl's face wore a puzzled look, and she told him that he acted as +if they were never going to meet again.</p> + +<p>"An' we are, we are, ain't we?" she questioned eagerly.</p> + +<p>A faint little smile hovered about the corners of the road agent's mouth +when presently he answered:</p> + +<p>"Why, surely we are…"</p> + +<p>His words cleared her face instantly.</p> + +<p>"I want you to think o' me here jest waitin'," she said. "You was the +first—there'll never be anyone but you. Why, you're the man I'd want +sittin' across the table if there was a little kid like I was playin' +under it. I can't say no more 'n that. Only you—you will—you must get +through safe an' come back—an' well, think o' me here jest waitin', +jest waitin', waitin'…"</p> + +<p>At these words a tightness gripped the man's throat, and in the silence +that followed the tears ran steadily down his cheeks.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Girl, Girl," at last he said, "that first night I went to your +cabin I saw you kneeling, praying. Say that in your heart again for me +now. Perhaps I believe it—perhaps I don't… I hope I do—I want +to—but say it, say it, Girl, just for the luck of it—say it…"</p> + +<p>Quickly the Girl crossed herself, and while she sent a silent prayer to +Heaven Johnson knelt at her knees, his head bowed low.</p> + +<p>"God bless you," he murmured when the prayer was finished and arose to +his feet; then bending over her hand he touched it softly with his lips.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye!" he said chokingly and started for the door.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye!" came slowly in return, her face no less moist than his. +Presently she murmured like one in a dream: "Dick, Dick!"</p> + +<p>The man hastened his steps and did not turn. At the door, however, he +burst out in an agony of despair: "Girl! Girl…!"</p> + +<p>But when the Girl looked up he had reached the open. She listened a +moment to the retreating steps, then raising her tear-stained face above +her arms, she sobbed out: "He's gone—he's gone—he's gone…!" She +started in pursuit of him, but half-way across the room she fell into +Nick's arms, crying out:</p> + +<p>"He's gone, he's gone, he's gone! Dick! Dick! Dick…!"</p> + +<p>Terribly affected at the sight of the Girl's sorrow, the little +barkeeper did his best to soothe her, now patting her little blonde head +as it rested upon his arm, now murmuring words of loving tenderness.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she raised her head, and then it was that she saw for the first +time the men standing huddled together near the door. In a flash the +truth of the situation dawned upon her. With a look of indescribable +horror upon her face she turned upon Nick, turned upon them all with:</p> + +<p>"You knew, Nick—you all knew you had 'im! You knew you had 'im an' +you're goin' to kill 'im! But you shan't—no, you shan't kill 'im—you +shan't—you shan't…!"</p> + +<p>Once more she started in pursuit of her lover, but only to fall with her +face against the door, sobbing as if her heart would break.</p> + +<p>Outside there was nothing in the enchanting scene to suggest finality. +Nature never was more prodigal of her magic beauties. The sun still +shone on the winter whiteness of the majestic mountains; the great arch +of sky was still an azure blue; the wild things still roamed the great +forest at will.</p> + +<p>Life indeed was very beautiful.</p> + +<p>Minutes passed and still the Girl wept.</p> + +<p>A wonderful thing happened then—and as suddenly as it was +characteristic of these impulsive and tender-hearted men. In thinking +over their action long afterwards the Girl recalled how for an instant +she could believe neither her ears nor her eyes. With Sonora it was +credible, at least; but with Rance—it seemed wonderful to her even when +observed through the vista of many years. And yet, men like Rance more +often than not exhibit to the world the worst side of their nature. It +is only when some cataclysm of feeling bursts that their inner soul is +disclosed and joyously viewed by eyes which have long been accustomed to +judging them solely from the icy and impenetrable reserve which they +invariably wear.</p> + +<p>And so it came about that Sonora—first of the two—went over to her and +laid an affectionate hand upon her shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Why, Girl," he said, all the kindliness of his gentle nature flooding +his eyes, "the boys an' me ain't perhaps realised jest what Johnson +stood for you, an' hearin' what you said, an' seein' you prayin' over +the cuss—"</p> + +<p>Rance's face lit up scornfully.</p> + +<p>"The cuss?" he cut in, objecting to a term which is not infrequently +used affectionately.</p> + +<p>"Yes, the cuss," repeated Sonora, all the vindictiveness gone from his +heart now. "I got an idee maybe God's back of this 'ere game."</p> + +<p>The Girl's heart was beating fast; she was hoping against hope when, a +moment later, she asked:</p> + +<p>"You're not goin' to pull the rope on 'im?"</p> + +<p>"You mean I set him free," came from Rance, his tone softer, gentler +than anyone had heard it in some time.</p> + +<p>"You set 'im free?" repeated the Girl, timidly, and not daring to meet +his gaze.</p> + +<p>"I let him go," announced the Sheriff in spite of himself.</p> + +<p>"You let 'im go?" questioned the Girl, still in a daze.</p> + +<p>"That's our verdict, an' we're prepared to back it up," declared Sonora +with a smile on his weathered face, though the tears streamed down his +cheeks.</p> + +<p>The Girl's face illumined with a great joy. She did not stop now to +dissipate the tears which she saw rolling down Sonora's face, as was her +wont when any of the boys were grieved or distressed, but fairly flew +out of the cabin, calling half-frantically, half-ecstatically:</p> + +<p>"Dick! Dick! You're free! You're free! You're free…!"</p> + +<p>The minutes passed and still the miners did not move. They stood with an +air of solemnity gazing silently at one another. Only too well did they +realise what was happening to them. They were inconsolable. Presently, +Sonora, all in a heap on a bench, took out some tobacco and began to +chew it as fast as his mouth would let him; Happy, going over to the +teacher's desk, picked up the bunch of berries which he had presented +her at the opening of the school session and began to fondle them; while +Trinidad, too overcome to speak, stood leaning against the door, gazing +sadly in the direction that the Girl had taken. As for Rance, after +calling to Nick to bring him a drink, he quietly brought out a pack of +cards from his pocket and, seemingly, became absorbed in a game of +solitaire.</p> + +<p>A little while later, his eyes still red from weeping, Nick remarked:</p> + +<p>"The Polka won't never be the same, boys—the Girl's gone."</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><a name="18"></a> </p> +<h3>XVIII.<br /> </h3> + + +<p>The soft and velvety blackness of night was giving place to a pearly +grey, and the feathery streaks of a trembling dawn were shooting +heavenward when a man, whose head had been pillowed on a Mexican saddle, +rose from the ground in front of a tepee, made of blankets on crossed +sticks, and seated himself on an old tree-stump where he proceeded to +light a cigarette.</p> + +<p>In the little tepee, sheltered by an overhanging rock, the Girl was +still sleeping; and the man, sitting opposite the mound of earth and +rock on which it was built, was Johnson.</p> + +<p>A week had passed since the lovers had left Cloudy Mountain, and each +day, at the moment when the sun burst above the snow-capped mountains, +found them up and riding slowly eastward. No attempt whatever was made +at haste, but, instead, now climbing easily to the top of the passes, +now descending into the valleys, they rode slowly on, ever loathe to +leave behind them the great forests and high mountains.</p> + +<p>Noon of each day found them always resting in some glen where the sun +made golden lacework of the branches over their heads; while at the +approach of night when the great orb was no longer to be seen through +the tree-tops and twilight was fast settling upon the woods, they would +halt near a pool of a dancing brook where, with the relish of fatigue, +they would partake of their rations; and then, when the silences came +on, Johnson would proceed to put up with loving skill the Girl's rude +quarters and, stretching himself out on a gentle slope, covered with +pine needles matted close together, the man and the Girl would go to +sleep listening to the music of the stream as it gurgled and dashed +along, foaming and leaping, over the rocks and beneath the little +patches of snow forgotten by the sun. And to these two, whether in the +depths of the vast forest or, as now, at the edge of the merciless +desert, stretching away like a world without end, their environment +seemed nothing less than a paradise.</p> + +<p>There were moments, however, in the long days, which could be devoted to +reflection; and often Johnson pondered over the strange fate that had +brought him under the influence—an influence which held him now and +which he earnestly prayed would continue to hold him—and into close +relationship with a character so different from his own. A contemplation +of his past life was wholly unnecessary, for the realisation had come to +him that it was her personality alone that had awakened his dormant +sense of what was right and what was wrong, and changed the course of +his life. That his future was full of possibilities, evil as well as +good, he was only too well aware; nevertheless, his faith in himself was +that of a strong man whose powers of resistance, in this case, would be +immeasurably strengthened by constant association with a stronger +character.</p> + +<p>It was while he was in the midst of these thoughts that the Girl, +without letting him see her, quietly drew the blankets of the tepee a +little to one side and peered out at him. She, too, had not been without +her moments of meditation. Not that she regretted for an instant that +she had committed herself to him irrevocably but, rather, because she +feared lest he should find it difficult to detach himself, soul and +body, from the adventurous life he had been leading. Such painful +communings, however, were rare and quickly dismissed as unworthy of her; +and now as she looked at him with faith and joy in her eyes, it seemed +to her that never before had she seen him appear so resolute and strong, +and she rejoiced that he belonged to her. At the thought a blush spread +over her features, and it was not until she had drawn the blankets back +into their place that she called from behind them:</p> + +<p>"Are you awake, Dick?"</p> + +<p>At the sound of her voice the man quickly arose and, going over to the +tepee, he parted the blankets and held them open. And even as she passed +out the greyness of dawn was replaced by silver, and silver by pink +tints which lighted up the pale green of the sage brush, the dwarf +shrubs and clumps of Buffalo grass around them as well as the darker +green of the pines and hemlocks of the foothills in the near distance.</p> + +<p>"Another day, Girl," he said softly. "See, the dawn is breaking!"</p> + +<p>For some moments they stood side by side in silence, the man thinking of +the future, the woman serenely happy and lost in admiration of the calm +beauty of the scene which, in one direction, at least, differed greatly +from anything that she had ever beheld. Every night previous to the one +just passed they had encamped in the great forests; but now they looked +upon a vast expanse of level plain which to the north and east, +stretched trackless and unbroken by mountain or ravine to an +infinitude—the boundless prairies soon to be mellowed and turned to a +golden brown by the shafts of a burning sun already just below the edge +of an horizon aglow with opaline tints.</p> + +<p>The Girl had ever been a lover of nature. All her life the mystery and +silences of the high mountains had appealed to her soul; but never until +now had she realised the marvellous beauty and glory of the great +plains. And yet, though her eyes shone with the wonder of it all, there +was an unmistakably sad and reminiscent note in the voice that presently +murmured:</p> + +<p>"Another day."</p> + +<p>After a while, and as if under the spell of some unseen power, she +slowly turned and faced the west where she gazed long and earnestly at +the panorama of the snow-capped peaks, rising range after range, all +tipped with dazzling light.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Dick, look back!" she cried in distress. "The foothills are growin' +fainter." She paused, but suddenly with a far-off look in her eyes she +went on: "Every dawn—every dawn they'll be farther away. Some night +when I'm goin' to sleep I'll turn an' they won't be there—red an' +shinin'." Again she paused as if almost overwhelmed with emotion, saying +at length with a deep sigh: "Oh, that was indeed the promised land!"</p> + +<p>Johnson was greatly moved. It was some time before he found his voice. +At length he chided her softly:</p> + +<p>"We must always look ahead, Girl—not backwards. The promised land is +always ahead."</p> + +<p>It was perhaps strange that the Girl failed to see the new light—the +light that reflected his desire for a cleaner life and an honoured place +in another community with her ever at his side—the hope and faith in +his eyes as he spoke; but still in that sad, reminiscent mood, with her +eyes fixed on the dim distances, she failed to see it, though she +replied in a voice of resignation:</p> + +<p>"Always ahead—yes, it must be." And then again with tears in her eyes: +"But, Dick, all the people there in Cloudy, how far off they seem +now—like shadows movin' in a dream—like shadows I've dreamt of. Only a +few days ago I clasped their hands—I seen their faces—their dear +faces—I—" She broke off; then while the tears streamed down her +cheeks: "An' now they're fadin'—in this little while I've lost +'em—lost 'em."</p> + +<p>"But through you all my old life has faded away… I have lost that +…" And so saying he stretched out his arms towards her; but very gently +she waved him back with a murmured:</p> + +<p>"Not yet!"</p> + +<p>For a little while longer her gaze remained on the mountains in the +west. The mist was still over her eyes when she turned again and saw +that the sun was clearing the horizon in opulent splendour.</p> + +<p>"See," she cried with a quick transition of mood, "the sun has risen in +the East—far away—fair an' clear!"</p> + +<p>Again Johnson held out his arms to her.</p> + +<p>"A new day—a new life—trust me, Girl."</p> + +<p>In silence she slipped one hand into his; then she bowed her head and +repeated solemnly:</p> + +<p>"Yes—a new life."</p> + +<p>Suddenly she drew a little away from him and faced the west again. +Clinging tightly now to him with one hand, and the other raised high +above her head, she cried in a voice that was fraught with such +passionate longing that the man felt himself stirred to the very depths +of his emotions:</p> + +<p>"Oh, my mountains, I'm leavin' you! Oh, my California—my lovely +West—my Sierras, I'm leavin' you!" She ended with a sob; but the next +moment throwing herself into Johnson's arms she snuggled there, +murmuring lovingly: "Oh, my home!"</p> + +<p>A little while later, happy in their love and fearlessly eager to meet +the trials of the days to come in a new country, they had mounted their +mustangs and were riding eastward.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 16551-h.txt or 16551-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/5/5/16551">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/5/5/16551</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Girl of the Golden West + + +Author: David Belasco + + + +Release Date: August 19, 2005 [eBook #16551] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST*** + + +E-text prepared by Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D. + + + +THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST + +by + +DAVID BELASCO + +1911 + + + + + + + + "In those strange days, people coming from God knows where, + joined forces in that far Western land, and, according to the + rude custom of the camp, their very names were soon lost and + unrecorded, and here they struggled, laughed, gambled, cursed, + killed, loved and worked out their strange destinies in a + manner incredible to us of to-day. Of one thing only are we + sure--they lived!" + + _Early History of California_ + + + + +I. + + +It was when coming back to the mines, after a trip to Monterey, that the +Girl first met him. It happened, too, just at a time when her mind was +ripe to receive a lasting impression. But of all this the boys of Cloudy +Mountain Camp heard not a word, needless to say, until long afterwards. + +Lolling back on the rear seat of the stage, her eyes half closed,--the +sole passenger now, and with the seat in front piled high with boxes +and baskets containing _rebozos_, silken souvenirs, and other finery +purchased in the shops of the old town,--the Girl was mentally reviewing +and dreaming of the delights of her week's visit there,--a visit that +had been a revelation to one whose sole experience of the world had +until now been derived from life in a rough mining camp. Before her +half-closed eyes still shimmered a vista of strange, exotic scenes and +people, the thronging crowds of carnivals and fetes; the Mexican girls +swaying through the movements of the fandango to the music of guitars +and castanets; the great _rodeo_ with its hundreds of _vaqueros_, which +was held at one of the ranchos just outside the town; and, lastly, and +most vividly of all, the never-to-be-forgotten thrill of her first +bull-fight. + +Still ringing in her ears was the piercing note of the bugle which +instantly silenced the expectant throng; the hoarse roar that greeted +the entrance of the bull, and the thunder of his hoofs when he made his +first mad charge. She saw again, with marvellous fidelity, the whole +colour-scheme just before the death of the big, brave beast: the huge +arena in its unrivalled setting of mountain, sea and sky; the eager +multitude, tense with expectancy; the silver-mounted bridles and +trappings of the horses; the many-hued capes of the _capadors_; the +gaily-dressed _banderilleros_, poising their beribboned barbs; the red +flag and long, slender, flashing sword of the cool and ever watchful +_matador_; and, most prominent of all to her eyes, the brilliant, +gold-laced packets of the gentlemen-_picadors_, who, after the Mexican +fashion,--so she had been told,--deemed it in nowise beneath them to +enter the arena in person. + +And so it happened that now, as the stage swung round a corner, and a +horseman suddenly appeared at a point where two roads converged, and +was evidently spurring his horse with the intent of coming up with the +stage, it was only natural that, even before he was near enough to be +identified, the _caballero_ should already have become a part of the +pageant of her mental picture. + +Up to the moment of the stranger's appearance, nothing had happened to +break the monotony of her long return journey towards Cloudy Mountain +Camp. Far back in the distance now lay the Mission where the passengers +of the stage had been hospitably entertained the night before; still +further back the red-tiled roofs and whitewashed walls of the little +pueblo of San Jose,--a veritable bower of roses; and remotest of all, +the crosses of San Carlos and the great pines, oaks and cypresses, which +bordered her dream-memory of the white-beach crescent formed by the +waves of Monterey Bay. + +The dawn of each day that swept her further from her week in wonderland +had ushered in the matchless spring weather of California,--the +brilliant sunshine, the fleecy clouds, the gentle wind with just a +tang in it from the distant mountains; and as the stage rolled slowly +northward through beautiful valleys, bright with yellow poppies and +silver-white lupines, every turn of the road varied her view of the +hills lying under an enchantment unlike that of any other land. Yet +strange and full of interest as every mile of the river country should +have been to a girl accustomed to the great forest of the Sierras, +she had gazed upon it for the most part with unseeing eyes, while +her thoughts turned, magnet-like, backward to the delights and the +bewilderment of the old Mexican town. So now, as the pursuing horseman +swept rapidly nearer, each swinging stride of the powerful horse, each +rhythmic movement of the graceful rider brought nearer and more vivid +the vision of a handsome _picador_ holding off with his lance a +thoroughly maddened bull until the crowd roared forth its appreciation. + +"See, Senorita," said the horseman, at last galloping close to the coach +and lifting his sombrero, "A beautiful bunch of syringa," and then, with +his face bent towards her and his voice full of appeal, he added in +lower tone: "for you!" + +For a brief second, the Girl was too much taken back to find the +adequate words with which to accept the stranger's offering. +Notwithstanding that in his glance she could read, as plainly as though +he had spoken: "I know I am taking a liberty, but please don't be angry +with me," there was something in his sweeping bow and grace of manner +that, coupled with her vague sense of his social advantage, disconcerted +her. A second more, however, and the embarrassment had passed, for on +lifting her eyes to his again she saw that her memory had not played +her false; beyond all chance of a mistake, he was the man who, ten days +earlier, had peered into the stage, as she was nearing Monterey, and +later, at the bull-fight, had found time to shoot admiring glances +at her between his daring feats of horsemanship. Therefore, genuine +admiration was in her eyes and extreme cordiality in her voice when, +after a word or two of thanks, she added, with great frankness: + +"But it strikes me sort o' forcible that I've seen you before." Then, +with growing enthusiasm: "My, but that bull-fight was jest grand! You +were fine! I'm right glad to know you, sir." + +The _caballero's_ face flushed with pleasure at her free-and-easy +reception of him, while an almost inaudible "_Gracias_" fell from his +lips. At once he knew that his first surmise, that the Girl was an +American, had been correct. Not that his experience in life had +furnished him with any parallel, for the Girl constituted a new and +unique type. But he was well aware that no Spanish lady would have +received the advances of a stranger in like fashion. It was inevitable, +therefore, that for the moment he should contrast, and not wholly to her +advantage, the Girl's unconventionality with the enforced reserve of the +_dulcineas_ who, custom decrees, may not be courted save in the presence +of _duennas_. But the next instant he recalled that there were, in +Sacramento, young women whose directness it would never do to mistake +for boldness; and,--to his credit be it said,--he was quick to perceive +that, however indifferent the Girl seemed to the customary formality of +introduction, there was no suggestion of indelicacy about her. All that +her frank and easy manner suggested was that she was a child of nature, +spontaneous and untrammelled by the dictates of society, and normally +and healthily at home in the company of the opposite sex. + +"And she is even more beautiful than I supposed," was the thought that +went through his mind. + +And yet, the Girl was not beautiful, at least if judged by Spanish or +Californian standards. Unlike most of their women, she was fair, and her +type purely American. Her eyes of blue were lightly but clearly browed +and abundantly fringed; her hair of burnished gold was luxuriant and +wavy, and framed a face of singularly frank and happy expression, even +though the features lacked regularity. But it was a face, so he told +himself, that any man would trust,--a face that would make a man the +better for looking at it,--a face which reflected a soul that no +environment could make other than pure and spotless. And so there was, +perhaps, a shade more of respect and a little less assurance in his +manner when he asked: + +"And you like Monterey?" + +"I love it! Ain't it romantic--an', my, what a fine time the girls there +must have!" + +The man laughed; the Girl's enthusiasm amused him. + +"Have you had a fine trip so far?" he asked, for want of something +better to say. + +"Mercy, yes! This 'ere stage is a pokey ol' thing, but we've made not +bad time, considerin'." + +"I thought you were never going to get here!" + +The Girl shot a coquettish glance at him. + +"How did you know I was comin' on this 'ere stage?" + +"I did not know,"--the stranger broke off and thought a moment. He may +have been asking himself whether it were best for him to be as frank +as she had been and admit his admiration for her; at last, encouraged +perhaps by a look in the Girl's blue eyes, he ventured: "But I've been +riding along this road every day since I saw you. I felt that I must see +you again." + +"You must like me powerful well . . .?" This remark, far from being a +question, was accompanied with all the physiognomical evidences of an +assertion. + +The stranger shot a surprised glance at her, out of the corner of his +eye. Then he admitted, in all truthfulness: + +"Of course I do. Who could help . . .?" + +"Have you tried not to?" questioned the Girl, smiling in his face now, +and enjoying in the full this stolen intimacy. + +"Ah, Senorita, why should I . . .? All I know is that I do." + +The Girl became reflective; presently she observed: + +"How funny it seems, an' yet, p'r'aps not so strange after all. The +boys--all my boys at the camp like me--I'm glad you do, too." + +Meanwhile the good-natured and loquaciously-inclined driver had turned +his head and was subjecting the man cantering alongside of his stage to +a rigid inspection. With his knowledge of the various types of men in +California at that time, he had no difficulty in placing the status +of this straight-limbed, broad-shouldered, young fellow as a native +Californian. Moreover, it made no difference to him whether his +passenger had met an old acquaintance or not; it was sufficient for him +to observe that the lady, as well as himself--for the expression on her +face could by no means be described as bored or scornful--liked the +stranger's appearance; and so the better to take in all the points +of the magnificent horse which the young Californian was riding, not +to mention a commendable desire to give his only passenger a bit of +pleasant diversion on the long journey, he slowed his horse down to a +walk. + +"But where do you live? You have a rancho near here?" the Girl was now +asking. + +"My father has--I live with him." + +"Any sisters?" + +"No,--no sisters or brothers. My mother was an American; she died a few +years ago." And so saying, his glance sought and obtained an answering +one full of sympathy. + +"I'm downright sorry for you," said the Girl with feeling; and then in +the next breath she added: + +"But I'm pleased you're--you're half American." + +"And you, Senorita?" + +"I'm an orphan--my family are all dead," replied the Girl in a low +voice. "But I have my boys," she went on more cheerfully, "an' what more +do I need?" And then before he had time to ask her to explain what she +meant by the boys, she cried out: "Oh, jest look at them wonderful +berries over yonder! La, how I wish I could pick 'em!" + +"Perhaps you may," the stranger hastened to say, and instantly with his +free hand he made a movement to assist her to alight, while with the +other he checked his horse; then, with his eyes resting appealingly upon +the driver, he inquired: "It is possible, is it not, Senor?" + +Curiously enough, this apparently proper request was responsible for +changing the whole aspect of things. For, keenly desirous to oblige +him, though she was, there was something in the stranger's eyes as they +now rested upon her that made her feel suddenly shy; a flood of new +impressions assailed her: she wanted to evade the look and yet foster +it; but the former impulse was the stronger, and for the first time she +was conscious of a growing feeling of restraint. Indeed, some inner +voice told her that it would not be quite right for her to leave the +stage. True, she belonged to Cloudy Mountain Camp where the conventions +were unknown and where a rough, if kind, comradery existed between the +miners and herself; nevertheless, she felt that she had gone far enough +with a new acquaintance, whose accent, as well as the timbre of his +voice, gave ample evidence that he belonged to another order of society +than her own and that of the boys. So, hard though it was not to accede +to his request and, at the same time, break the monotony of her journey +with a few minutes of berry-picking with him in the fields, she made +no move to leave the stage but answered the questioning look of the +obliging driver with a negative one. Whereupon, the latter, after +declaring to the young Californian that the stage was late as it was, +called to his horses to show what they could do in the way of getting +over the ground after their long rest. + +The young man's face clouded with disappointment. For two hundred yards +or more he spoke not a word, though he spurred his horse in order to +keep up with the now fast-moving stage. Then, all of a sudden, as the +silence between them was beginning to grow embarrassing, the Girl made +out the figure of a man on horseback a short distance ahead, and uttered +an exclamation of surprise. The stranger followed the direction of the +Girl's eyes and, almost instantly, it was borne in upon them that the +horseman awaited their coming. The Girl turned to speak, but the tender, +sorrowful expression that she saw on the young man's face kept her +silent. + +"That is one of my father's men," he said, somewhat solemnly. "His +presence here may mean that I must leave you. The road to our ranch +begins there. I fear that something may be wrong." + +The Girl shot him a look of sympathetic inquiry, though she said +nothing. To tell the truth, the first thought that entered her mind +at his words was one of concern that their companionship was likely +to cease abruptly. During the silence that preceded his outspoken +premonition of trouble, she had been studying him closely. She found +herself admiring his aquiline features, his olive-coloured skin with its +healthful pallor, the lazy, black Spanish eyes behind which, however +tranquil they generally were, it was easy for her to discern, when he +smiled, that reckless and indomitable spirit which appeals to women all +the world over. + +As the stage approached the motionless horseman, the young man cried out +to the _vaquero_, for such he was, and asked in Spanish whether he had a +message for him; an answer came back in the same language, the meaning +of which the Girl failed to comprehend. A moment later her companion +turned to her and said: + +"It is as I feared." + +Once more a silence fell upon them. For a half-mile or so, apparently +deep in thought, he continued to canter at her side; at last he spoke +what was in his mind. + +"I hate to leave you, Senorita," he said. + +In an instant the light went out of the Girl's eyes, and her face was as +serious as his own when she replied: + +"Well, I guess I ain't particularly crazy to have you go neither." + +The unmistakable note of regret in the Girl's voice flattered as well as +encouraged him to go further and ask: + +"Will you think of me some time?" + +The Girl laughed. + +"What's the good o' my thinkin' o' you? I seen you talkin' with them +gran' Monterey ladies an' I guess you won't be thinkin' often o' me. +Like 's not by to-morrow you'll 'ave clean forgot me," she said with +forced carelessness. + +"I shall never forget you," declared the young man with the intense +fervour that comes so easily to the men of his race. + +At that a half-mistrustful, half-puzzled look crossed the Girl's face. +Was this handsome stranger finding her amusing? There was almost a +resentful glitter in her eyes when she cried out: + +"I 'mos' think you're makin' fun o' me!" + +"No, I mean every word that I say," he hastened to assure her, looking +straight into her eyes where he could scarcely have failed to read +something which the Girl had not the subtlety to conceal. + +"Oh, I guess I made you say that!" she returned, making a child-like +effort to appear to disbelieve him. + +The stranger could not suppress a smile; but the next moment he was +serious, and asked: + +"And am I never going to see you again? Won't you tell me where I can +find you?" + +Once more the Girl was conscious of a feeling of embarrassment. Not that +she was at all ashamed of being "The Girl of The Polka Saloon," for that +never entered her mind; but she suddenly realised that it was one thing +to converse pleasantly with a young man on the highway and another to +let him come to her home on Cloudy Mountain. Only too well could she +imagine the cool reception, if it stopped at that, that the boys of the +camp there would accord to this stylish stranger. As a consequence, she +was torn by conflicting emotions: an overwhelming desire to see him +again, and a dread of what might happen to him should he descend upon +Cloudy Mountain with all his fine airs and graces. + +"I guess I'm queer--" she began uncertainly and then stopped in sudden +surprise. Too long had she delayed her answer. Already the stage had +left him some distance behind. Unperceived by her a shade of annoyance +had passed over the Californian's face at her seeming reluctance to +tell him where she lived. The quick of his Spanish pride was touched; +and with a wave of his sombrero he had pulled his horse down on his +haunches. Of no avail now was her resolution to let him know the +whereabouts of the camp at any cost, for already his "_Adios, Senorita_" +was sounding faintly in her ears. + +With a little cry of vexation, scarcely audible, the young woman flung +herself back on the seat. She was only a girl with all a girl's ways, +and like most of her sex, however practical her life thus far, she +was not without dreams of a romance. This meeting with the handsome +_caballero_ was the nearest she had come to having one. True, there was +scarcely a man at Cloudy but what had tried at one time or another to go +beyond the stage of good comradeship; but none of them had approached +the idealistic vision of the hero that was all the time lying dormant in +her mind. Of course, being a girl, and almost a queen in her own little +sphere, she accepted their rough homage in a manner that was befitting +to such an exalted personage, and gave nothing in return. But now +something was stirring within her of which she knew nothing; a feeling +was creeping over her that she could not analyse; she was conscious only +of the fact that with the departure of this attractive stranger, who had +taken no pains to conceal his admiration for her, her journey had been +robbed of all its joy. + +A hundred yards further on, therefore, she could not resist the +temptation to put her head out of the stage and look back at the place +where she had last seen him. + +He was still sitting quietly on his horse at the place where they had +parted so unceremoniously, his face turned in her direction--horse and +rider silhouetted against the western sky which showed a crimson hue +below a greenish blue that was sapphire farther from the horizon. + + + + +II. + + +Not until a turn of the road hid the stage from sight did the stranger +fix his gaze elsewhere. Even then it was not easy for him, and there had +been a moment when he was ready to throw everything to the winds and +follow it. But when on the point of doing so there suddenly flashed +through his mind the thought of the summons that he had received. And +so, not unlike one who had come to the conclusion that it was indeed a +farewell, he waved his hand resignedly in the direction that the stage +had taken and, calling to his _vaquero_, he gave his horse a thrust of +the long rowel of his spur and galloped off towards the foothills of the +Sierras. + +For some miles the riders travelled a road which wound through beautiful +green fields; but master and man were wholly indifferent, seeing neither +the wild flowers lining each side of the road nor the sycamores and live +oaks which were shining overhead from the recent rains. In the case of +the young man every foot of the way to his father's rancho was familiar. +All hours of the day and night he had made the trip to the highway, for +with the exception of the few years that had been given to his education +in foreign lands, his whole life had been passed on the rancho. Scarcely +less acquainted with the road than his young master was the _vaquero_, +so neither gave a glance at the country through which they were passing, +but side by side took the miles in silence. + +An hour passed with the young man still wrapt in thought. The truth was, +though he was scarcely ready to admit it, he had been hard hit. In more +ways than one the Girl had made a deep impression on him. Not only had +her appearance awakened his interest to the point of enthusiasm, but +there was something irresistibly attractive to him in her lack of +affectation and audacious frankness. Over and over again he thought +of her happy face, her straightforward way of looking at things and, +last but not least, her evident pleasure in meeting him. And when he +reflected on the hopelessness of their ever meeting again, a feeling of +depression seized him. But his nature--always a buoyant one--did not +permit him to remain downcast very long. + +By this time they were nearing the foothills. A little while longer and +the road that they were travelling became nothing more than a bridle +path. Indeed, so dense did the _chaparral_ presently become that it +would have been utterly impossible for one unacquainted with the way to +keep on it. Animal life was to be seen everywhere. At the approach of +the riders innumerable rabbits scurried away; quail whirred from bush +to bush; and, occasionally, a deer broke from the thickets. + +At the end of another hour of hard riding they were forced to slacken +their pace. In front of them the ground could be seen, in the light of a +fast disappearing moon, to be gradually rising. Another mile or two and +vertical walls of rock rose on each side of them; while great ravines, +holding mountain torrents, necessitated their making a short detour for +the purpose of finding a place where the stream could be safely forded. +Even then it was not an easy task on account of the boulder-enclosing +whirlpools whose waters were whipped into foam by the wind that swept +through the forest. + +At a point of the road where there was a break in the _chaparral_, a +voice suddenly cried out in Spanish: + +"Who comes?" + +"Follow us!" was the quick answer without drawing rein; and, instantly, +on recognition of the young master's voice, a mounted sentinel spurred +his horse out from behind an overhanging rock and closed in behind +them. And as they were challenged thus several times, it happened that +presently there was quite a little band of men pushing ahead in the +darkness that had fallen. + +And so another hour passed. Then, suddenly, there sprung into view +the dark outlines of a low structure which proved to be a corral, and +finally they made their way through a gate and came upon a long adobe +house, situated in a large clearing and having a kind of courtyard in +front of it. + +In the centre of this courtyard was what evidently had once been a +fountain, though it had long since dried up. Around it squatted a group +of _vaqueros_, all smoking cigarettes and some of them lazily twisting +lariats out of horsehair. Close at hand a dozen or more wiry little +mustangs stood saddled and bridled and ready for any emergency. In +colour, one or two were of a peculiar cream and had silver white manes, +but the rest were greys and chestnuts. It was evident that they had +great speed and bottom. All in all, what with the fierce and savage +faces of the men scattered about the courtyard, the remoteness of the +adobe, and the care taken to guard against surprise, old Bartolini's +_hacienda_ was an establishment not unlike that of the feudal barons +or a nest of banditti according to the point of view. + +At the sound of the fast galloping horses, every man on the ground +sprang to his feet and ran to his horse. For a second only they stood +still and listened intently; then, satisfied that all was well and that +the persons approaching belonged to the rancho, they returned to their +former position by the fountain--all save an Indian servant, who caught +the bridle thrown to him by the young man as he swung himself out of +the saddle. And while this one led his horse noiselessly away, another +of the same race preceded him along a corridor until he came to the +_Maestro's_ room. + +Old Ramerrez Bartolini, or Ramerrez, as he was known to his followers, +was dying. His hair, pure white and curly, was still as luxuriant as +when he was a young man. Beneath the curls was a patrician, Spanish +face, straight nose and brilliant, piercing, black eyes. His gigantic +frame lay on a heap of stretched rawhides which raised him a few inches +from the floor. This simple couch was not necessarily an indication of +poverty, though his property had dwindled to almost nothing, for in most +Spanish adobes of that time, even in some dwellings of the very rich, +there were no beds. Over him, as well as under him, were blankets. On +each side of his head, fixed on the wall, two candles were burning, and +almost within reach of his hand there stood a rough altar, with crucifix +and candles, where a padre was making preparations to administer the +Last Sacraments. + +In the low-studded room the only evidence remaining of prosperity +were some fragments of rich and costly goods that once had been piled +up there. In former times the old Spaniard had possessed these in +profusion, but little was left now. Indeed, whatever property he had at +the present time was wholly in cattle and horses, and even these were +comparatively few. + +There had been a period, not so very long ago at that, when old Ramerrez +was a power in the land. In all matters pertaining to the province of +Alta California his advice was eagerly sought, and his opinion carried +great weight in the councils of the Spaniards. Later, under the Mexican +regime, the respect in which his name was held was scarcely less; but +with the advent of the _Americanos_ all this was changed. Little by +little he lost his influence, and nothing could exceed the hatred which +he felt for the race that he deemed to be responsible for his downfall. + +It was odd, in a way, too, for he had married an American girl, the +daughter of a sea captain who had visited the coast, and for many years +he had held her memory sacred. And, curiously enough, it was because of +this enmity, if indirectly, that much of his fortune had been wasted. + +Fully resolved that England--even France or Russia, so long as Spain +was out of the question--should be given an opportunity to extend a +protectorate over his beloved land, he had sent emissaries to Europe +and supplied them with moneys--far more than he could afford--to give +a series of lavish entertainments at which the wonderful richness and +fertility of California could be exploited. At one time it seemed as +if his efforts in that direction would meet with success. His plan had +met with such favour from the authorities in the City of Mexico that +Governor Pico had been instructed by them to issue a grant for several +million of acres. But the United States Government was quick to perceive +the hidden meaning in the extravagances of these envoys in London, and +in the end all that was accomplished was the hastening of the inevitable +American occupation. + +From that time on it is most difficult to imagine the zeal with which he +endorsed the scheme of the native Californians for a republic of their +own. He was a leader when the latter made their attack on the Americans +in Sonoma County and were repulsed with the loss of several killed. +One of these was Ramerrez' only brother, who was the last, with the +exception of himself and son, of a proud, old, Spanish family. It was a +terrible blow, and increased, if possible, his hatred for the Americans. +Later the old man took part in the battle of San Pasquale and the Mesa. +In the last engagement he was badly wounded, but even in that condition +he announced his intention of fighting on and bitterly denounced his +fellow-officers for agreeing to surrender. As a matter of fact, he +escaped that ignominy. For, taking advantage of his great knowledge of +the country, he contrived to make his way through the American lines +with his few followers, and from that time may be said to have taken +matters into his own hand. + +Old Ramerrez was conscious that his end was merely a matter of hours, if +not minutes. Over and over again he had had himself propped up by his +attendants with the expectation that his command to bring his son had +been obeyed. No one knew better than he how impossible it would be to +resist another spasm like that which had seized him a little while after +his son had ridden off the rancho early that morning. Yet he relied once +more on his iron constitution, and absolutely refused to die until he +had laid upon his next of kin what he thoroughly believed to be a stern +duty. Deep down in heart, it is true, he was vaguely conscious of a +feeling of dread lest his cherished revenge should meet with opposition; +but he refused to harbour the thought, believing, not unnaturally, that, +after having imposed his will upon others for nearly seventy years, it +was extremely unlikely that his dying command should be disobeyed by +his son. And it was in the midst of these death-bed reflections that he +heard hurried footsteps and knew that his boy had come at last. + +When the latter entered the room his face wore an agonised expression, +for he feared that he had arrived too late. It was a relief, therefore, +to see his father, who had lain still, husbanding his little remaining +strength, open his eyes and make a sign, which included the padre as +well as the attendants, that he wished to be left alone with his son. + +"Art thou here at last, my son?" said the old man the moment they were +alone. + +"Ay, father, I came as soon as I received your message." + +"Come nearer, then, I have much to say to you, and I have not long to +live. Have I been a good father to you, my lad?" + +The young man knelt beside the couch and kissed his father's hand, while +he murmured an assent. + +At the touch of his son's lips a chill struck the old man's heart. It +tortured him to think how little the boy guessed of the recent history +of the man he was bending over with loving concern; how little he +divined of the revelation that must presently be made to him. For a +moment the dying man felt that, after all, perhaps it were better to +renounce his vengeance, for it had been suddenly borne in upon him that +the boy might suffer acutely in the life that he intended him to live; +but in another moment he had taken himself to task for a weakness that +he considered must have been induced by his dying condition, and he +sternly banished the thought from his mind. + +"My lad," he began, "you promise to carry out my wishes after I am +gone?" + +"Ay, father, you know that I will. What do you wish me to do?" + +The old man pointed to the crucifix. + +"You swear it?" + +"I swear it." + +No sooner had the son uttered the wished-for words than his father fell +back on the couch and closed his eyes. The effort and excitement left +him as white as a sheet. It seemed to the boy as if his father might be +sinking into the last stupor, but after a while he opened his eyes and +called for a glass of _aguardiente_. + +With difficulty he gulped it down; then he said feebly: + +"My boy, the only American that ever was good was your mother. She was +an angel. All the rest of these cursed gringos are pigs;" and his voice +growing stronger, he repeated: "Ay, pigs, hogs, swine!" + +The son made no reply; his father went on: + +"What have not these devils done to our country ever since they came +here? At first we received them most hospitably; everything they wanted +was gladly supplied to them. And what did they do in return for our +kindness? Where now are our extensive ranchos--our large herds of +cattle? They have managed to rob us of our lands through clever laws +that we of California cannot understand; they have stolen from our +people thousands and thousands of cattle! There is no infamy that--" + +The young man hastened to interrupt him. + +"You must not excite yourself, father," he said with solicitude. "They +are unscrupulous--many of them, but all are not so." + +"Bah!" ejaculated the old man; "the gringos are all alike. I hate them +all, I--" The old man was unable to finish. He gasped for breath. But +despite his son's entreaties to be calm, he presently cried out: + +"Do you know who you are?" And not waiting for a reply he went on with: +"Our name is one of the proudest in Spain--none better! The curse of a +long line of ancestors will be upon you if you tamely submit--not make +these Americans suffer for their seizure of this, our rightful land--our +beautiful California!" + +More anxiously than ever now the son regarded his father. His inspection +left no doubt in his mind that the end could not be far off. With great +earnestness he implored him to lie down; but the dying man shook his +head and continued to grow more and more excited. + +"Do you know who I am?" he demanded. "No--you think you do, but you +don't. There was a time when I had plenty of money. It pleased me +greatly to pay all your expenses--to see that you received the best +education possible both at home and abroad. Then the gringos came. +Little by little these cursed _Americanos_ have taken all that I had +from me. But as they have sown so shall they reap. I have taken my +revenge, and you shall take more!" He paused to get his breath; then in +a terrible voice he cried: "Yes, I have robbed--robbed! For the last +three years, almost, your father has been a bandit!" + +The son sprang to his feet. + +"A bandit? You, father, a Ramerrez, a bandit?" + +"Ay, a bandit, an outlaw, as you also will be when I am no more, and +rob, rob, rob, these _Americanos_. It is my command and--you--have-- +sworn . . ." + +The son's eyes were rivetted upon his father's face as the old man fell +back, completely exhausted, upon his couch of rawhides. With a strange +conflict of emotions, the young man remained standing in silence for +a few brief seconds that seemed like hours, while the pallor of death +crept over the face before him, leaving no doubt that, in the solemnity +of the moment his father had spoken nothing but the literal truth. +It was a hideous avowal to hear from the dying lips of one whom from +earliest childhood he had been taught to revere as the pattern of +Spanish honour and nobility. And yet the thought now uppermost in young +Ramerrez's mind was that oddly enough he had not been taken by surprise. +Never by a single word had any one of his father's followers given him +a hint of the truth. So absolute, so feudal was the old man's mastery +over his men that not a whisper of his occupation had ever reached his +son's ears. Nevertheless, he now told himself that in some curious, +instinctive way, he had _known_,--or rather, had refused to know, +putting off the hour of open avowal, shutting his eyes to the +accumulating facts that day by day had silently spoken of lawlessness +and peril. Three years, his father had just said; well, that explained +how it was that no suspicions had ever awakened until after he had +completed his education and returned home from his travels. But since +then a child must have noted that something was wrong: the grim, +sinister faces of the men, constantly on guard, as though the old +_hacienda_ were in a state of siege; the altered disposition of his +father, always given to gloomy moods, but lately doubly silent and +saturnine, full of strange savagery and smouldering fire. Yes, somewhere +in the back of his mind he had known the whole, shameful truth; had +known the purpose of those silent, stealthy excursions, and equally +silent returns,--and more than once the broken heads and bandaged arms +that coincided so oddly with some new tale of a daring hold-up that +he was sure to hear of, the next time that he chanced to ride into +Monterey. For three years, young Ramerrez had known that sooner or later +he would be facing such a moment as this, called upon to make the choice +that should make or mar him for life. And now, for the first time he +realised why he had never voiced his suspicions, never questioned, never +hastened the time of decision,--it was because even now he did not know +which way he wished to decide! He knew only that he was torn and racked +by terrible emotions, that on one side was a mighty impulse to disregard +the oath he had blindly taken and refuse to do his father's bidding; +and on the other, some new and unguessed craving for excitement and +danger, some inherited lawlessness in his blood, something akin to the +intoxication of the arena, when the thunder of the bull's hoofs rang in +his ears. And so, when the old man's lips opened once more, and shaped, +almost inaudibly, the solemn words: + +"You have sworn,--" the scales were turned and the son bowed his head in +silence. + +A moment later and the room was filled with men who fell on their knees. +On every face, save one, there was an expression of overwhelming grief +and despair; but on that one, ashen grey as it was with the agony of +approaching death, there was a look of contentment as he made a sign to +the padre that he was now ready for him to administer the last rites of +his church. + + + + +III. + + +The Polka Saloon! + +How the name stirs the blood and rouses the imagination! + +No need to be a Forty-Niner to picture it all as if there that night: +the great high and square room lighted by candles and the warm, yellow +light of kerosene lamps; the fireplace with its huge logs blazing and +roaring; the faro tables with the little rings of miners around them; +and the long, pine bar behind which a typical barkeeper of the period +was busily engaged in passing the bottle to the men clamorous for whisky +in which to drink the health of the Girl. + +And the spirit of the place! When and where was there ever such a fine +fellowship--transforming as it unquestionably did an ordinary saloon +into a veritable haven of good cheer for miners weary after a long and +often discouraging day in the gulches? + +In a word, the Polka was a marvellous tribute to its girl-proprietor's +sense of domesticity. Nothing that could insure the comfort for her +patrons was omitted. Nothing, it would seem, could occur that would +disturb the harmonious aspect of the scene. + +But alas! the night was yet young. + +Now the moment for which not a few of that good-humoured and +musically-inclined company were waiting arrived. Clear above the babel +of voices sounded a chord, and the poor old concertina player began +singing in a voice that was as wheezy as his instrument: + + + "Camp town ladies sing this song + Dooda! Dooda! + Camp town race track five miles long + Dooda! Dooda! Day!" + + +Throughout the solo nothing more nerve-racking or explosive than an +occasional hilarious whoop punctuated the melody. For once, at any rate, +it seemed likely to go the distance; but no sooner did the chorus, which +had been taken up, to a man, by the motley crowd and was rip-roaring +along at a great rate, reach the second line than there sounded the +reports of a fusillade of gun-shots from the direction of the street. +The effect was magical: every voice trailed off into uncertainty and +then ceased. + +Instantly the atmosphere became charged with tension; a hush fell upon +the room, the joyous light of battle in every eye, if nothing else, +attesting the approach of the foe; while all present, after listening +contemptuously to a series of wild and unearthly yells which announced +an immediate arrival, sprang to their feet and concentrated their +glances on the entrance of the saloon through which there presently +burst a party of lively boys from The Ridge. + +A psychological moment followed, during which the occupants of The +Polka Saloon glared fiercely at the newcomers, who, needless to say, +returned their hostile stares. The chances of war, judging from past +performances, far outnumbered those of peace. But as often happens in +affairs of this kind when neither side is unprepared, the desire for +gun-play gave way to mirthless laughter, and, presently, the hilarious +crowd from the rival camp, turning abruptly on their heels, betook +themselves en masse into the dance-hall. + +For the briefest of periods, there was a look of keen disappointment on +the faces of the Cloudy Mountain boys as they gazed upon the receding +figures of their sworn enemies; but almost in as little time as it takes +to tell it there was a tumultuous lining up at the bar, the flat surface +of which soon resounded with the heavy blows dealt it by the fists of +the men desirous of accentuating the rhythm when roaring out: + + + "Gwine to run all night, + Gwine to run all day, + Bet my money on a bob-tail nag, + Somebody bet on the bay!" + + +Among those standing at the bar, and looking out of bleared eyes at a +flashy lithograph tacked upon the wall which pictured a Spanish woman +in short skirts and advertised "Espaniola Cigaroos," were two miners: +one with curly hair and a pink-and-white complexion; the other, tall, +loose-limbed and good-natured looking. They were known respectively as +Handsome Charlie and Happy Halliday, and had been arguing in a maudlin +fashion over the relative merits of Spanish and American beauties. The +moment the song was concluded they banged their glasses significantly +on the bar; but since it was an unbroken rule of the house that at the +close of the musician's performance he should be rewarded by a drink, +which was always passed up to him, they needs must wait. The little +barkeeper paid no attention to their demands until he had satisfied +the thirst of the old concertina player who, presently, could be seen +drawing aside the bear-pelt curtain and passing through the small, +square opening of the partition which separated the Polka Saloon from +its dance-hall. + +"Not goin', old Dooda Day, are you?" The question, almost a bellow, +which, needless to say, was unanswered, came from Sonora Slim who, with +his great pal Trinidad Joe, was playing faro at a table on one side of +the room. Apparently, both were losing steadily to the dealer whose +chair, placed up against the pine-boarded wall, was slightly raised +above the floor. This last individual was as fat and unctuous looking as +his confederate, the Look-out, was thin and sneaky; moreover, he bore +the sobriquet of The Sidney Duck and, obviously, was from Australia. + +"Say, what did the last eight do?" Sonora now asked, turning to the +case-keeper. + +"Lose." + +"Well, let the tail go with the hide," returned Sonora, resignedly. + +"And the ace--how many times did it win?" inquired Trinidad. + +"Four times," was the case-keeper's answer. + +All this time a full-blooded Indian with long, blue-black hair, very +thick and oily, had been watching the game with excited eyes. His dress +was part Indian and part American, and he wore all kinds of imitation +jewelry including a huge scarf-pin which flashed from his vivid red tie. +Furthermore, he possessed a watch,--a large, brassy-looking article,-- +which he brought out on every possible occasion. When not engaged in +helping himself to the dregs that remained in the glasses carelessly +left about the room, he was generally to be found squatted down on the +floor and playing a solitaire of his own devising. But now he reached +over Sonora's shoulder and put some coins on the table in front of the +dealer. + +"Give Billy Jackrabbit fer two dolla' Mexican chip," he demanded in a +guttural voice. + +The Sidney Duck did as requested. While he was shuffling the cards for +a new deal, the players beat time with their feet to the music that +floated in from the dance-hall. The tune seemed to have an unusually +exhilarating effect on Happy Halliday, for letting out a series of +whoops he staggered off towards the adjoining room with the evident +intention of getting his fill of the music, not forgetting to yell +back just before he disappeared: + +"Root hog or die, boys!" + +Happy's boisterous exit caused a peculiar expression to appear +immediately on Handsome's face, which might be interpreted as one of +envy at his friend's exuberant condition; at all events, he proceeded +forthwith to order several drinks, gulping them down in rapid +succession. + +Meanwhile, at the faro table, the luck was going decidedly against the +boys. In fact, so much so, that there was a dangerous note in Sonora's +voice when, presently, he blurted out: + +"See here, gambolier Sid, you're too lucky!" + +"You bet!" approved Trinidad, and then added: + +"More chips, Australier!" + +But Trinidad's comment, as well as his request, only brought forth the +oily smile that The Sidney Duck always smiled when any reference was +made to his game. It was his policy to fawn upon all and never permit +himself to think that an insult was intended. So he gathered in +Trinidad's money and gave him chips in return. For some seconds the men +played on without anything disturbing the game except the loud voice of +the caller of the wheel-of-fortune in the dance-hall. But the boys were +to hear something more from there besides, "Round goes the wheel!" For, +all at once there came to their ears the sounds of an altercation in +which it was not difficult to recognise the penetrating voice of Happy +Halliday. + +"Now, git, you loafer!" he was saying in tones that left no doubt in the +minds of his friends that Happy was hot under the collar over something. + +A shot followed. + +"Missed, by the Lord Harry!" ejaculated Happy, deeply humiliated at his +failure to increase the mortuary record of the camp. + +The incident, however, passed unnoticed by the faro players; not a man +within sound of the shot, for that matter, inquired what the trouble +was about; and even Nick, picking up his tray filled with glasses and a +bottle, walked straightway into the dance-hall looking as if the matter +were not worth a moment's thought. + +At Nick's going the Indian's face brightened; it gave him the +opportunity for which he had been waiting. Nobly he maintained his +reputation as a thief by quietly going behind the bar and lifting from +a box four cigars which he stowed away in his pockets. But even that, +apparently did not satisfy him, for when he espied the butt of a cigar, +flung into the sawdust on the floor by a man who had just come in, he +picked it up before squatting down again to resume his card playing. + +The newcomer, a man of, say, forty years, came slowly into the +room without a word of salutation to anyone. In common with his +fellow-miners, he wore a flannel shirt and boots. The latter gave every +evidence of age as did his clothes which, nevertheless, were neat. +His face wore a mild, gentle look and would have said that he was +companionable enough; yet it was impossible not to see that he was not +willingly seeking the cheer of the saloon but came there solely because +he had no other place to go. In a word, he had every appearance of a man +down on his luck. + +Men were continually coming in and going out, but no one paid the +slightest attention to him, even though a succession of audible sighs +escaped his lips. At length he went over to the counter and took a sheet +or two of the paper,--which was kept there for the few who desired to +write home,--a quill-pen and ink; and picking up a small wooden box he +seated himself upon it before a desk--which had been built from a rude +packing-case--and began wearily and laboriously to write. + +"The lone star now rises!" + +It was the stentorian voice of the caller of the wheel-of-fortune. +One would have thought that the sound would have had the effect of a +thunder-clap upon the figure at the desk; but he gave no sign whatever +of having heard it; nor did he see the suspicious glance which Nick, +entering at that moment, shot at Billy Jackrabbit who was stealing +noiselessly towards the dance-hall where the whoops were becoming so +frequent and evincing such exuberance of spirits that the ubiquitous, if +generally unconcerned, Nick felt it incumbent to give an explanation of +them. + +"Boys from The Ridge cuttin' up a bit," he tendered apologetically, and +took up a position at the end of the bar where he could command a view +of both rooms. + +As a partial acknowledgment that he had heard Nick's communication, +Sonora turned round slightly in his seat at the faro table and shot a +glance towards the dance-hall. Contempt showed on his rugged features +when he turned round again and addressed the stocky, little man sitting +at his elbow. + +"Well, I don't dance with men for partners! When I shassay, Trin, I want +a feminine piece of flesh an' blood"--he sneered, and then went on to +amplify--"with garters on." + +"You bet!" agreed his faithful, if laconic pal, on feeling the other's +playful dig in his ribs. + +The subject of men dancing together was a never-ceasing topic of +conversation between these two cronies. But whatever the attitude of +others Sonora knew that Trinidad would never fail him when it came +to nice discriminations of this sort. His reference to an article of +feminine apparel, however, was responsible for his recalling the fact +that he had not as yet received his daily assurance from the presiding +genius of the bar that he stood well in the estimation of the only lady +in the camp. Therefore, leaving the table, he went over to Nick and +whispered: + +"Has the Girl said anythin' about me to-day, Nick?" + +Now the role of confidential adviser to the boys was not a new one to +the barkeeper, nor was anyone in the camp more familiar than he with +their good qualities as well as their failings. Every morning before +going to work in the placers it was their custom to stop in at The Polka +for their first drink--which was, generally, "on the house." Invariably, +Nick received them in his shirt-sleeves,--for that matter he was the +proud possessor of the sole "biled shirt" in the camp,--and what with +his red flannel undershirt that extended far below the line of his +cuffs, his brilliantly-coloured waistcoat and tie, and his hair combed +down very low in a cow-lick over his forehead, he was indeed an odd +little figure of a man as he listened patiently to the boys' grievances +and doled out sympathy to them. On the other hand, absolutely devoted to +the fair proprietress of the saloon,--though solely in the character of +a good comrade,--he never ceased trying to advance her interests; and +since one and all of her customers believed themselves to be in love +with her, one of his most successful methods was to flatter each one in +turn into thinking that he had made a tremendous impression upon her. It +was not a difficult thing to do inasmuch as long custom and repetition +had made him an adept at highly-coloured lying. + +"Well, you got the first chance," asseverated Nick, dropping his voice +to a whisper. + +Sonora grinned from ear to ear; he expanded his broad chest and held his +head proudly; and waving his hand in lordly fashion he sung out: + +"Cigars for all hands and drinks, too, Nick!" + +The genial prevaricator could scarcely restrain himself from laughing +outright as he watched the other return to his place at the faro table; +and when, in due course, he served the concoctions and passed around the +high-priced cigars, there was a smile on his face which said as plainly +as if spoken that Sonora was not the only person present that had reason +to be pleased with himself. + +Then occurred one of those terpsichorean performances which never failed +to shock old Sonora's sense of the fitness of things. For the next +moment two Ridge boys, dancing together, waltzed through the opening +between the two rooms and, letting out ear-piercing whoops with every +rotation, whirled round and round the room until they brought up against +the bar where they, breathlessly, called for drinks. + +An angry lull fell upon the room; the card game stopped. However, before +anyone seated there could give vent to his resentment at this boisterous +intrusion of the men from the rival camp, the smooth, oily and inviting +voice of the unprincipled Sidney Duck, scenting easy prey because of +their inebriated condition, called out in its cockney accent: + +"'Ello, boys--'ow's things at The Ridge?" + +"Wipes this camp off the earth!" returned a voice that was provocative +in the extreme--a reply that instantly brought every man at the faro +table to his feet. For a time, at least, it seemed as if the boys from +The Ridge would get the trouble they were looking for. + +A murmur of angry amazement arose, while Sonora, his watery blue eyes +glinting, followed up his explosive, "What!" with a suggestive movement +towards his hip. But quick as he was Nick was still quicker and had The +Ridge boy, as well as Sonora, covered before their hands had even +reached their guns. + +"You . . .!" the little barkeeper's sentence was bristled out and +contained along with the expletives some comparatively mild words which +gave the would-be combatants to understand that any such foolishness +would not be tolerated in The Polka unless he himself "'lowed it to be +ne'ssary." + +Not unnaturally The Ridge boys failed to see anything offensive in +language that had a gun behind it; and realising the futility of any +further attempt to get away with a successful disturbance they wisely +yielded to superior quickness at the draw. With a whoop of resignation +they rushed back to the dance-hall where the voice of the caller was +exhorting the gents--whose partners were mostly big, husky, hairy-faced +men clumsily enacting parts generally assigned to members of the gentler +sex--to swing: + +"With the right-hand gent, first partner swing with the left-hand gent, +first partner swing with the right-hand gent; first partner swing with +the left-hand gent, and the partner in the centre, and gents all +around!" + +Back at the faro table now,--the incident having passed quickly into +oblivion,--Sonora called to the dealer for "a slug's worth of chips"--a +request that was promptly acceded to. But they had played only a few +minutes when a thin but somewhat sweet tenor voice was heard singing: + + + "Wait for the waggon, + Wait for the waggon, + Wait for the waggon, + And we'll all take a ride. + Wait for the waggon--" + + +"Here he is, gentlemen, just back from his triumphs of The Ridge!" broke +in Nick, whose province it was to act as master of ceremonies; and +coming forward as the singer emerged from the dance-hall he introduced +him to the assembled company in the most approved music-hall manner: +"Allow me to present to you, Jake Wallace the Camp favour-ite!" he said +with an exaggeratedly low bow. + +"How-dy, Jake! Hello, Jake, old man! How be you, Jake!" were some of the +greetings that were hurled at the Minstrel who, robed in a long linen +duster, his face half-blacked, and banjo in hand, acknowledged the words +of welcome with a broad grin as he stood bowing in the centre of the +room. + +That Jake Wallace was a typical camp minstrel from the top of his dusty +stove-pipe hat to the sole of his flapping negro shoes, one could see +with half an eye as he made his way to a small platform--a musician's +stand--at one end of the bar; nor could there be any question about his +being a prudent one, for the musician did not seat himself until he had +carefully examined the sheet-iron shield inside the railing, which was +attached in such a way that it could be sprung up by working a spring in +the floor and render him fairly safe from a chance shot during a fracas. + +"My first selection, friends, will be 'The Little--'," announced the +Minstrel with a smile as he begun to tune his instrument. + +"Aw, give us 'Old Dog Tray,'" cut in Sonora, impatiently from his seat +at the card table. + +Jake bowed his ready acquiescence to the request and kept right on +tuning up. + +"I say, Nick, have you saw the Girl?" asked Trinidad in a low voice, +taking advantage of the interval to stroll over to the bar. + +Mysteriously, Nick's eyes wandered about the room to see if anyone was +listening; at length, with marvellous insincerity, he said: + +"You've got the first chance, Trin; I gave 'er your message." + +Trinidad Joe fairly beamed upon him. + +"Whisky for everybody, Nick!" he ordered bumptuously; and as before the +little barkeeper's face wore an expression of pleasure not a whit less +than that of the man whom, presently, he followed to the faro table with +a bottle and four glasses. + +As soon as Trinidad had seated himself the Minstrel struck a chord and +announced impressively: + +"'Old Dog Tray,' gents, 'or Echoes from Home'!" He cleared his throat, +and the next instant in quavering tones he warbled: + + + "How of-ten do I pic-ture + The old folks down at home, + And of-ten wonder if they think of me, + Would an-gel mother know me, + If back there I did roam, + Would old dog Tray re-member me." + + +At the first few words of his song the man at the desk who, up to this +time, had been wholly oblivious to what was taking place, arose from his +seat, put the ink-bottle back on the bar, opened a cigar-box there and +took from it a stamp, which he put on his letter. This he carried to +a mail-box attached to the door; then, returning, he threw himself +dejectedly down in a chair and put his head in his hands, where it +remained throughout the song. + +At the conclusion of his solo, the Minstrel's emotions were seemingly +deeply stirred by his own melodious voice and he gasped audibly; +whereupon, Nick came to his relief with a stiff drink which, apparently, +went to the right spot, for presently the singer's voice rang out +vigorously: "Now, boys!" + +No second invitation was needed, and the chorus was taken up by all, the +singers beating time with their feet and chips. + + + ALL. + "Oh, mother, an-gel mother, are you waitin' there + beside the lit-tle cottage on the lea--" + + JAKE. + "On the lea--" + + ALL. + "How of-ten would she bless me + in all them days so fair-- + Would old dog Tray re-member me--" + + SONORA. + "Re-member me." + + +All the while the miners had been singing, the sad and morose-looking +individual had been steadily growing more and more disconsolate; and +when Sonora rumbled out the last deep note in his big, bass voice, he +heaved a great sob and broke down completely. + +In surprised consternation everyone turned in the direction from whence +had come the sound. But it was Sonora who, affected both by the pathos +of the song and the sight of the pathetic figure before them, quietly +went over and laid a hand upon the other's arm. + +"Why, Larkins--Jim--what's the trouble--what's the matter?" he asked, +a thousand thoughts fluttering within his breast. "I wouldn't feel so +bad." + +With a desperate effort Larkins, his face twitching perceptibly, the +lines about his eyes deepening, struggled to control himself. At last, +after taking in the astonished faces about him, he plunged into his tale +of woe. + +"Say, boys, I'm homesick--I'm broke--and what's more, I don't care who +knows it." He paused, his fingers opening and closing spasmodically, and +for a moment it seemed as if he could not continue--a moment of silence +in which the Minstrel began to pick gently on his banjo the air of Old +Dog Tray. + +"I want to go home!" suddenly burst from the unfortunate man's lips. +"I'm tired o' drillin' rocks; I want to be in the fields again; I want +to see the grain growin'; I want the dirt in the furrows at home; I +want old Pensylvanny; I want my folks; I'm done, boys, I'm done, I'm +done . . .!" And with these words he buried his face in his hands. + + + "Oh, mother, an-gel mother, are you waitin'--" + + +sang the Minstrel, dolefully. + +Men looked at one another and were distressingly affected; The Polka had +never witnessed a more painful episode. Throwing a coin at the Minstrel, +Sonora stopped him with an impatient gesture; the latter nodded +understandingly at the same time that Nick, apparently indifferent +to Larkin's collapse, began to dance a jig behind the bar. A look +of scowling reproach instantly appeared on Sonora's face. It was +uncalled-for since, far from being heartless and indifferent to the +man's misfortunes, the little barkeeper had taken this means to distract +the miners' attention from the pitiful sight. + +"Boys, Jim Larkins 'lows he's goin' back East," announced Sonora. "Chip +in every mother's son o' you." + +Immediately every man at the faro table demanded cash from The Sidney +Duck; a moment later they, as well as the men who were not playing +cards, threw their money into the hat which Sonora passed around. It was +indeed a well-filled hat that Sonora held out to the weeping man. + +"Here you are, Jim," he said simply. + +The sudden transition from poverty to comparative affluence was too much +for Larkins! Looking through tear-dimmed eyes at Sonora he struggled for +words with which to express his gratitude, but they refused to come; and +at last with a sob he turned away. At the door, however, he stopped and +choked out: "Thank you, boys, thank you." + +The next moment he was gone. + +At once a wave of relief swept over the room. Indeed, the incident was +forgotten before the unfortunate man had gone ten paces from The Polka, +for then it was that Trinidad suddenly rose in his seat, lunged across +the table for The Sidney Duck's card-box, and cried out angrily: + +"You're cheatin'! That ain't a square deal! You're a cheat!" + +In a moment the place was in an uproar. Every man at the table sprung to +his feet; chairs were kicked over; chips flew in every direction; guns +came from every belt; and so occupied were the men in watching The +Sidney Duck that no one perceived the Lookout sneak out through the +door save Nick, who was returning from the dance-hall with a tray of +empty glasses. But whether or not he was aware that the Australian's +confederate was bent upon running away he made no attempt to stop him, +for in common with every man present, including Sonora and Trinidad, who +had seized the gambler and brought him out in front of his card-table, +Nick's eyes were fastened upon another man whom none had seen enter, but +whose remarkable personality, now as often, made itself felt even though +he spoke not a word. + +"Lift his hand!" cried Sonora, looking as if for sanction at the +newcomer, who stood in the centre of the room, calmly smoking a huge +cigar. + +Forcing up The Sidney Duck's arms, Trinidad threw upon the table a deck +of cards which he had found concealed about the other's person, bursting +out with: + +"There! Look at that, the infernal, good-for-nothin' cheat!" + +"String 'im up!" suggested Sonora, and as before he shot a questioning +look at the man, who was regarding the scene with bored interest. + +"You bet!" shouted Trinidad, pulling at the Australian's arm. + +"For 'eaven's sake, don't, don't, don't!" wailed The Sidney Duck, +terror-stricken. + +The Sheriff of Manzaneta County, for such was the newcomer's office, +raised his steely grey eyes inquisitorially to Nick's who, with a +hostile stare at the Australian, emitted: + +"Chicken lifter!" + +"String 'im! String 'im!" insisted Trinidad, at the same time dragging +the culprit towards the door. + +"No, boys, no!" cried the unfortunate wretch, struggling uselessly to +break away from his captors. + +At this stage the Sheriff of Manzaneta County took a hand in the +proceedings, and drawled out: + +"Well, gentlemen--" He stopped short and seemingly became reflective. +Instantly, as was their wont whenever the Sheriff spoke, all eyes fixed +themselves upon him. Indeed, it needed but a second glance at this cool, +deliberate individual to see how great was his influence upon them. +He was tall,--fully six feet one,--thin, and angular; his hair and +moustache were black enough to bring out strongly the unhealthy pallor +of his face; his eyes were steel grey and were heavily fringed and +arched; his nose straight and his mouth hard, determined, but just, the +lips of which were thin and drawn tightly over brilliantly-white teeth; +and his soft, pale hands were almost feminine looking except for the +unusual length of his fingers. On his head was a black beaver hat with a +straight brim; a black broadcloth suit--cut after the "'Frisco" fashion +of the day--gave every evidence that its owner paid not a little +attention to it. From the bosom of his white, puffed shirt an enormous +diamond, held in place by side gold chains, flashed forth; while +glittering on his fingers was another stone almost as large. Below his +trousers could plainly be seen the highly-polished boots; the heels +and instep being higher than those generally in use. In a word, it was +impossible not to get the impression that he was scrupulously immaculate +and careful about his attire. And his voice--the voice that tells +character as nothing else does--was smooth and drawling, though +fearlessness and sincerity could easily be detected in it. Such was Mr. +Jack Rance, Gambler and Sheriff of Manzaneta County. + +"This is a case for you, Jack Rance," suddenly spoke up Sonora. + +"Yes," chimed in Trinidad; and then as he gave the Australian a rough +shake, he added: "Here's the Sheriff to take charge of you." + +But Mr. Jack Rance, the Sheriff of Manzaneta County, was never known +to move otherwise than slowly, deliberately. Taking from his pocket a +smoothly-creased handkerchief he proceeded to dust languidly first one +and then the other of his boots; and not until he had succeeded in +flicking the last grain of dust from them did he take up the business +in hand. + +"Gentlemen, what's wrong with the cyards?" he now began in his peculiar +drawling voice. + +Sonora pointed to the faro table. + +"The Sidney Duck's cheated!" he said--an accusation which was +responsible for a renewal of outcries and caused a number of men to +pounce upon the faro dealer. + +Trinidad ran a significant hand around his collar. + +"String 'im! Come on, you--!" once more he cried. But on seeing the +Sheriff raise a restraining hand he desisted from pulling the Australian +along. + +"Wait a minute!" commanded the Sheriff. + +The miners with the prisoner in their midst stood stock-still. Now +the Sheriff's features lost some of their usual inscrutability and +for a moment became hard and stern. Slowly he let his eyes wander +comprehensively about the saloon: first, they travelled to a small +balcony--reached by a ladder drawn down or up at will--decorated with +red calico curtains, garlands of cedar and bittersweet, while the +railing was ornamented with a wildcat's skin and a stuffed fawn's head; +from the ceiling with its strings of red peppers, onions and apples +they fell on a stuffed grizzly bear, which stood at the entrance to +the dance-hall, with a little green parasol in its paw and an old silk +hat upon its head; from it they shifted to the gaudy bar with its +paraphernalia of fancy glasses, show-cases of coloured liquors and its +pair of scales for weighing the gold dust; and from that to a keg, +the top of which could be withdrawn without engendering the slightest +suspicion that it represented other than an ordinary receptacle for +liquor. Two notices tacked upon the wall also caught and held his +glance, his eyes dwelling most affectionately on the one reading: +"A Real Home For The Boys." + +That there was such a thing as sentiment in the make-up of the +Sheriff of Manzaneta County few people, perhaps, would have believed. +Nevertheless, at the thought that this placard inspired, he dismissed +whatever inclination he might have had to deal leniently with the +culprit, and calmly observed: + +"There is no reason, gentlemen, of being in a hurry. I've got something +to say about this. I don't forget, although I am the Sheriff of +Manzaneta County, that I'm running four games. But it's men like The +Sidney Duck here that casts reflections on square-minded, sporting men +like myself. And worse--far worse, gentlemen, he casts reflections on +The Polka, the establishment of the one decent woman in Cloudy." + +"You bet!" affirmed Nick, indignantly. + +"Yes, a lady, d'you hear me?" stormed Sonora, addressing the prisoner; +then: "You lily-livered skunk!" + +"Oh, let's string 'im up!" urged Trinidad. + +"Yes, come on, you . . .!" was Handsome's ejaculation, contriving, at +last, to get his hands on the faro dealer. + +But again the Sheriff would have none of it. + +"Hold on, hold on--" he began and paused to philosophise: "After all, +gents, what's death? A kick and you're off;" and then went on: "I've +thought of a worse punishment. Give him his coat." + +Surprised and perplexed at this order, Handsome, reluctantly, assisted +the culprit into his coat. + +"Put him over there," the Sheriff now ordered. + +Whereupon, obedient to the instructions of that personage, The Sidney +Duck was roughly put down into a chair; and while he was firmly held +into it, Rance strolled nonchalantly over to the faro table and picked +out a card from the deck there. Returning, he quickly plucked a +stick-pin from the prisoner's scarf, saying, while he suited his action +to his words: + +"See, now I place the deuce of spades over his heart as a warning. He +can't leave the camp, and he never plays cyards again--see?" And while +the men, awed to silence, stood looking at one another, he instructed +Handsome to pass the word through the camp. + +"Ow, now, don't si that! Don't si that!" bawled out the card sharp. + +The sentence met with universal approval. Rance waved an authoritative +hand towards the door; and the incident, a few seconds later, passed +into its place in the camp records. Albeit, in those seconds, and while +the men were engrossed in the agreeable task of ejecting The Sidney +Duck, The Polka harboured another guest, no less unwelcome, who made his +way unobserved through the saloon to become an unobtrusive spectator of +the doings in the dance-hall. + + + + +IV. + + +In the space of six months one can do little or much harm. The young +bandit,--for he had kept his oath to his father,--flattered himself +that he had done much. In all the mining camps of the Sierras the mere +mention of the name of Ramerrez brought forth execrations. Not a stage +started out with its precious golden freight without its passengers +having misgivings that they would be held up before reaching Sacramento. +Messengers armed with shotguns were always to be found at their post +beside the drivers; yet, despite all precautions, not a week passed +without a report that the stage out of this or that camp, had been +attacked and the passengers forced to surrender their money and +valuables. Under no circumstances, however, were any of Ramerrez's own +countrymen molested. If, by any chance, the road agent made a mistake +and stopped a party of native Californians or Mexicans, they were at +once permitted to proceed on their way with the bandit-leader's profuse +apologies. + +But it was altogether different with Americans. The men of that race +were compelled to surrender their gold; although so far as he was +concerned, their women were exempt from robbery. As a matter of fact, he +had few chances to show his chivalry, since few women were living, at +that time, in the Sierras. Nevertheless, it happened in rare instances +that a stage was held up which contained one or two of them, and they +were never known to complain of his treatment. And so far, at least, he +had contrived to avoid any serious bloodshed. Two or three messengers, +it is true, had been slightly wounded; but that was the most that his +worst enemies could charge against him. + +As for Ramerrez's own attitude towards the life he was leading, it must +be confessed that, the plunge once taken, his days and nights were too +full of excitement and adventure to leave him time to brood. Somewhat +to his own surprise, he had inherited his father's power of iron +domination. Young as he was, not one of his father's seasoned band of +cut-throats ever questioned his right or his ability to command. At +first, no doubt, they followed him through a rude spirit of loyalty; +but after a short time it was because they had found in him all the +qualities of a leader of men, one whose plans never miscarried. Fully +two-thirds of the present band were vassals, as it were, in his family, +while all were of Spanish or Mexican descent. In truth, Ramerrez himself +was the only one among them who had any gringo blood in his veins. +And hence not a tale of the outlaw's doings was complete without the +narrator insisting upon it that the leader of the band--the road agent +himself--closely resembled an American. One and all of his victims +agreed that he spoke with an American accent, while the few who had been +able to see his features on a certain occasion when the red bandanna, +which he wore about his face, had fallen, never failed to maintain that +he looked like an American. + +As a matter of fact, Ramerrez not only bore the imprint of his mother's +race in features and in speech, but the more he made war upon them, the +more he realised that it was without any real feeling of hostility. In +spite of his early training and in spite of his oath, he could not share +his father's bitterness. True, the gringos had wrecked the fortunes of +his house; it was due to them that his sole inheritance was an outlaw's +name and an outlaw's leadership. And yet, despite it all, there was +another fact that he could not forget,--the fact that he himself was one +half gringo, one half the same race as that of the unforgotten Girl whom +he had met on the road to Sacramento. Indeed, it had been impossible +to forget her, for she had stirred some depth in him, the existence of +which he had never before suspected. He was haunted by the thought of +her attractive face, her blue eyes and merry, contagious laugh. For the +hundredth time he recalled his feelings on that glorious day when he had +intercepted her on the great highway. And with this memory would come a +sudden shame of himself and occupation,--a realisation of the barrier +which he had deliberately put between the present and the past. Up to +the hour when he had parted from her, and had remained spellbound, +seated on his horse at the fork of the roads, watching the vanishing +coach up to the last minute, he was still a Spanish gentleman, still +worthy in himself,--whatever his father had done,--to offer his love and +his devotion to a pure and honest girl. But now he was an outlaw, a road +agent going from one robbery to another, likely at any time to stain his +hand with the life-blood of a fellow man. And this pretence that he was +stealing in a righteous cause, that he was avenging the wrongs that had +been done to his countrymen,--why, it was the rankest hypocrisy! He knew +in his heart that vengeance and race hatred had nothing whatever to do +with it. It was because he loved it like a game, a game of unforeseen, +unguessed danger. The fever of it was in his blood, like strong drink,-- +and with every day's adventure, the thirst for it grew stronger. + +Yet, however personally daring, Ramerrez was the last person in the +world to trust to chance for his operations, more than was absolutely +necessary. He handled his men with shrewd judgment and strict +discipline. Furthermore, never was an attack made that was not the +outcome of a carefully matured plan. A prime factor in Ramerrez' success +had from the first been the information which he was able to obtain from +the Mexicans, not connected with his band, concerning the places that +the miners used as temporary depositories for their gold; and it was +information of this sort that led Ramerrez and his men to choose a +certain Mexican settlement in the mountains as a base of operations: +namely, the tempting fact that a large amount of gold was stored nightly +in the Polka Saloon, at the neighbouring camp on Cloudy Mountain. + +And there was still another reason. + +Despite the fact that his heart had been genuinely touched by the many +and unusual attractions of the Girl, it is not intended to convey the +idea that he was austere or incapable of passion for anyone else. For +that was not so. Although, to give the bandit his due, he had remained +quite exemplary, when one considers his natural charm as well as the +fascination which his adventurous life had for his country-women. +Unfortunately, however, in one of his weak moments, he had foolishly +permitted himself to become entangled with a Mexican woman--Nina +Micheltorena, by name--whose jealous nature now threatened to prove a +serious handicap to him. It was a particularly awkward situation in +which he found himself placed, inasmuch as this woman had furnished him +with much valuable information. In fact, it was she who had called his +attention to the probable spoils to be had in the American camp near +by. It can readily be imagined, therefore, that it was not without a +premonition of trouble to come that he sought the Mexican settlement +with the intention of paying her a hundred-fold for her valuable +assistance in the past and then be through with her for good and all. + + +The Mexican or greaser settlements had little in them that resembled +their American neighbours. In the latter there were few women, for the +long distance that the American pioneers had to travel before reaching +the gold-fields of California, the hardships that they knew had to be +encountered, deterred them from bringing their wives and daughters. But +with the Mexicans it was wholly different. The number of women in their +camps almost equalled that of the men, and the former could always +be seen, whenever the weather permitted, strolling about or sitting +in the doorways chatting with their neighbours, while children were +everywhere. In fact, everything about the Mexican settlements conveyed +the impression that they had come to stay--a decided contrast to the +transient appearance of the camps of the Americans. + +It was one evening late in the fall that Ramerrez and his band +halted just outside of this particular Mexican settlement. And after +instructing his men where they should meet him the following day, he +sent them off to enjoy themselves for the night with their friends. For, +Ramerrez, although exercising restraint over his band, never failed to +see to it that they had their pleasures as well as their duties--a trait +in his character that had not a little to do with his great influence +over his men. And so it happened that he made his way alone up the main +street to the hall where a dance was going on. + +The scene that met his eyes on entering the long, low room was a gay +one. It was a motley crowd gathered there in which the Mexicans, +not unnaturally, predominated. Here and there, however, were native +Californians, Frenchmen, Germans and a few Americans, the latter +conspicuous by the absence of colour in their dress; for with the +exception of an occasional coatless man in a red or blue shirt, they +wore faded, old, black coats,--frequently frock-coats, at that,--which +certainly contrasted unfavourably, at least so far as heightening the +gaiety of the scene was concerned, with the green velvet jackets, +brilliant waistcoats with gold filigree and silver buttons and red +sashes of the Mexicans. That there was not a man present but what was +togged out in his best and was armed, it goes without saying, even +if the weapons of the Mexicans were in the form of murderous knives +concealed somewhere about their persons instead of belts with guns and +knives openly displayed, as was the case with the Americans. + +At the time of the outlaw's entrance into the dance-hall the fandango +was over. But presently the fiddles, accompanied by guitars, struck up a +waltz, and almost instantly some twenty or more men and women took the +floor; those not engaged in dancing surrounding the dancers, clapping +their hands and shouting their applause. In order to see if the woman he +sought was present, it was necessary for Ramerrez to push to the very +front of the crowd of lookers-on, where he was not long in observing +that nearly all the women present were of striking appearance and danced +well; likewise, he noted, that none compared either in looks or grace +with Nina Micheltorena who, he had to acknowledge, even if his feelings +for her were dead, was a superb specimen of a woman. + +Good blood ran in the veins of Nina Micheltorena. It is not in the +province of this story to tell how it was that a favourite in the best +circles of Monterey came to be living in a Mexican camp in the Sierras. +Suffice it to say that her fall from grace had been rapid, though her +dissolute career had in no way diminished her beauty. Indeed, her +features were well-nigh perfect, her skin transparently clear, if dark, +and her form was suppleness itself as she danced. And that she was the +undisputed belle of the evening was made apparent by the number of men +who watched her with eyes that marvelled at her grace when dancing, and +surrounded her whenever she stopped, each pleading with her to accept +him as a partner. + +Almost every colour of the rainbow had a place in her costume for +the occasion: The bodice was of light blue silk; the skirt orange; +encircling her small waist was a green sash; while her jet-black hair +was fastened with a crimson ribbon. Diamonds flashed from the earrings +in her ears as well as from the rings on her fingers. All in all, it was +scarcely to be wondered at that her charms stirred to the very depths +the fierce passion of the desperate characters about her. + +That Ramerrez dreaded the interview which he had determined to have with +his confederate can easily be understood by anyone who has ever tried to +sever his relations with an enamoured woman. In fact the outlaw dreaded +it so much that he decided to postpone it as long as he could. And so, +after sauntering aimlessly about the room, and coming, unexpectedly, +across a woman of his acquaintance, he began to converse with her, +supposing, all the time, that Nina Micheltorena was too occupied with +the worshippers at her shrine to perceive that he was in the dance-hall. +But it was decidedly a case of the wish being father to the thought: Not +a movement had he made since he entered that she was not cognisant of it +and, although she hated to acknowledge it to herself, deep down in her +heart she was conscious that he was not as thoroughly under the sway of +her dark eyes as she would have wished. Something had happened in the +last few weeks that had brought about a change in him, but just what it +was she was unable to determine. There were moments when she saw plainly +that he was much more occupied with his daring plans than he was with +thoughts of her. So far, it was true, there had been no evidences on his +part of any hesitation in confiding his schemes to her. Of that she was +positive. But, on the other hand, she had undoubtedly lost some of her +influence over him. It did not lessen her nervousness to realise that he +had been in the hall for some time without making any effort to see her. +Besides, the appointment had been of his own making, inasmuch as he had +sent word by one of his band that she should meet him to-night in this +place. Furthermore, she knew that he had in mind one of the boldest +projects he had yet attempted and needed, to insure success, every scrap +of knowledge that she possessed. In the meantime, while she waited for +him to seek her out, she resolved to show him the extent of her power +to fascinate others; and from that moment never had she seemed more +attractive and alluring to her admirers, in all of whom she appeared to +excite the fiercest of passions. In fact, one word whispered in an ear +by those voluptuous lips and marvellously sweet, musical voice, and the +recipient would have done her bidding, even had she demanded a man's +life as the price of her favour. + +It is necessary, however, to single out one man as proving an exception +to this sweeping assertion, although this particular person seemed no +less devoted than the other men present. He was plainly an American and +apparently a stranger to his countrymen as well as to the Mexicans. His +hair was white and closely cropped, the eyebrows heavy and very black, +the lips nervous and thin but denoting great determination, and the +face was tanned to the colour of old leather, sufficiently so as to be +noticeable even in a country where all faces were tanned, swarthy, and +dark. One would have thought that this big, heavy, but extremely-active +man whose clothes, notwithstanding the wear and tear of the road, were +plainly cut on "'Frisco patterns," was precisely the person calculated +to make an impression upon a woman like Nina Micheltorena; and, yet, +oddly enough, he was the only man in the room whose attentions seemed +distasteful to her. It could not be accounted for on the ground of +his nationality, for she danced gladly with others of his race. Nor +did it look like caprice on her part. On the contrary, there was an +expression on her face that resembled something like fear when she +refused to be cajoled into dancing with him. At length, finding her +adamant, the man left the room. + +But as time went by and still Ramerrez kept aloof, Nina Micheltorena's +excitement began to increase immeasureably. To such a woman the outlaw's +neglect could mean but one thing--another woman. And, finally, unable +to control herself any longer, she made her way to where the woman with +whom Ramerrez had been conversing was standing alone. + +"What has the Senor been saying to you?" she demanded, jealousy and +ungovernable passion blazing forth from her eyes. + +"Nothing of interest to you," replied the other with a shrug of her +shoulders. + +"It's a lie!" burst from Nina's lips. "I heard him making love to you! I +was standing near and heard every tone, every inflection of his voice! I +saw how he looked at you!" And so crazed was she by jealousy that her +face became distorted and almost ugly, if such a thing were possible, +and her great eyes filled with hatred. + +The other woman laughed scornfully. + +"Make your man stay away from me then--if you can," she retorted. + +At that the infuriated Nina drew a knife and cried: + +"Swear to me that you'll not see him to-night, or--" + +The sentence was never finished. Quick as lightning Ramerrez stepped in +and caught Nina's up-raised arm. For one instant her eyes flashed fire +at him; another, and submissive to his will, she slipped the knife +somewhere in the folds of her dress and the attention that she had +succeeded in attracting was diverted elsewhere. Those who had rushed up +expecting a tragedy returned, once more, to their dancing. + +"I have been looking for you, Nina," he said, taking her to one side. "I +want to speak with you." + +Nina laughed airily, but only another woman would have been able to +detect the danger lurking in that laugh. + +"Have you just come in?" she inquired casually. "It is generally not +difficult to find me when there is dancing." And then with a significant +smile: "But perhaps there were so many men about me that I was +completely hidden from the view of the Senor." + +Ramerrez bowed politely his belief in the truth of her words; then he +said somewhat seriously: + +"I see a vacant table over in the corner where we can talk without +danger of being overheard. Come!" He led the way, the woman following +him, to a rough table of pine at the farther end of the room where, +immediately, a bottle and two glasses were placed before them. When they +had pledged each other, Ramerrez went on to say, in a low voice, that he +had made the appointment in order to deliver to her her share for the +information that led to his successful holdup of the stage at a place +known as "The Forks," a few miles back; and taking from his pocket a +sack of gold he placed it on the table before her. + +There was a silence in which Nina made no movement to pick up the gold; +whereupon, Ramerrez repeated a little harshly: + +"Your share." + +Slowly the woman rose, picking up the sack as she did so, and with a +request that he await her, she made her way over to the bar where she +handed it to the Mexican in charge with a few words of instruction. In +another moment she was again seated at the table with him. + +"Why did you send for me to meet you here?" she now asked. "Why did you +not come to my room--surely you knew that there was danger here?" + +Carelessly, Ramerrez let his eyes wander about the room; no one was +paying the slightest attention to them and, apparently, there being +nothing to fear, he answered: + +"From whom?" + +For a brief space of time the woman looked at him as if she would ferret +out his innermost thoughts; at length, she said with a shrug of the +shoulders: + +"Few here are to be thoroughly trusted. The woman you were with--she +knows you?" + +"I never met her but once before," was his laconic rejoinder. + +Nina eyed him suspiciously; at last she was satisfied that he spoke the +truth, but there was still that cold, abstracted manner of his to be +explained. However, cleverly taking her cue from him she inquired in +business-like tones: + +"And how about The Polka Saloon--the raid on Cloudy Mountain Camp?" + +A shade of annoyance crossed Ramerrez' face. + +"I have decided to give that up--at least for a time." + +Again Nina regarded him curiously; when she spoke there was a suspicious +gleam in her eyes, though she said lightly: + +"Perhaps you're right--it will not be an easy job." + +"Far from it," quickly agreed the man. "But the real reason is, that I +have planned to go below for a while." + +The woman's eyes narrowed. + +"You are going away then?" + +"Yes." + +"And what about me? Do I go with you?" + +Ramerrez laughed uneasily. + +"It is impossible. The fact is, it is best that this should be our last +meeting." And seeing the change that came over her face he went on in +more conciliatory tones: "Now, Nina, be reasonable. It is time that we +understood each other. This interview must be final." + +"And you came here to tell me this?" blazed the woman, scowling darkly +upon him. And for the moment she looked all that she was reputed to +be--a dangerous woman! + +Receiving no answer, she spoke again. + +"But you said that you would love me always?" + +The man flushed. + +"Did I say that once? What a memory you have!" + +"And you never meant it?" + +"I suppose so--at the time." + +"Then you don't love me any more?" + +Ramerrez made no answer. + +For some moments Nina sat perfectly still. Her mind was busy trying +to determine upon the best course to pursue. At length she decided to +make one more attempt to see whether he was really in earnest. And if +not . . . + +"But to-night," she hazarded, leaning far over the table and putting her +face close to his, her eyes the while flooded with voluptuousness, "you +will come with me to my room?" + +Ramerrez shook his head. + +"No, Nina, all that is over." + +The woman bit her lips with vexation. + +"Are you made of stone? What is the matter with you to-night? Is there +anything wrong with my beauty? Have you seen anyone handsomer than I +am?" + +"No . . ." + +"Then why not come? You don't hate?" + +"I don't hate you in the least, but I won't go to your room." + +"So!" + +There was a world of meaning in that one word. For a while she seemed +to be reflecting; suddenly with great earnestness she said: + +"Once for all, Ramerrez, listen to me. Rather than give you up to any +other woman I will give you up to death. Now do you still refuse me?" + +"Yes . . ." answered Ramerrez not unkindly and wholly unmoved by her +threat. "We've been good pals, Nina, but it's best for both that we +should part." + +In the silence that ensued the woman did some hard thinking. That a man +could ever tire of her without some other woman coming into his life +never once entered into her mind. Something told her, nevertheless, that +the woman with whom he had been conversing was not the woman that she +sought; and at a loss to discover the person to whom he had transferred +his affections, her mind reverted to his avowed purpose of withdrawing +from the proposed Cloudy Mountain expedition. The more Nina reflected +on that subject the more convinced she became that, for some reason or +other, Ramerrez had been deceiving her. It was made all the more clear +to her when she recalled that when Ramerrez' messenger had brought his +master's message that she was to meet him, she had asked where the +band's next rendezvous was to be, and that he, knowing full well that +his countrywoman had ever been cognizant of his master's plans, had +freely given the desired information. Like a flash it came to her now +that no such meeting-place would have been selected for any undertaking +other than a descent upon Cloudy Mountain Camp. Nor was her intuition or +reasoning at fault: Ramerrez had not given up his intention of getting +the miners' gold that he knew from her to be packed away somewhere in +The Polka Saloon; but what she did not suspect, despite his peculiar +behaviour, was that he had taken advantage of the proximity of the two +camps to sever his relation, business and otherwise, with her. And yet, +did he but know it, she was destined to play no small part in his life +for the next few weeks! + +Nina Micheltorena had now decided upon her future course of action: She +would let him think that his desire to break off all relations with her +would not be opposed. Ever a keen judge of men and their ways, she was +well aware that any effort to reclaim him to-night would meet with +disaster. And so when Ramerrez, surprised at her long silence, looked +up, he was met with a smiling face and the words: + +"So be it, Ramerrez. But if anything happens, remember you have only +yourself to blame." + +Ramerrez was astounded at her cool dismissal of the subject. To judge by +the expression on his face he had indeed obtained his release far easier +than he had deemed it possible. As a matter of fact, her indifference +so piqued him that before he was conscious of his words he had asked +somewhat lamely: + +"You wish me well? We part as friends?" + +Nina regarded him with well-simulated surprise, and replied: + +"Why, of course--the best of friends. Good luck, _amigo_!" And with that +she rose and left him. + +And so it was that later that evening after assuring herself that +neither Ramerrez nor any of his band remained in the dance-hall, Nina, +her face set and pale, exchanged a few whispered words with that same +big man towards whom, earlier in the evening, she had shown such +animosity. + +The effect of these words was magical; the man could not suppress a +grunt of intense satisfaction. + +"She says I'm to meet her to-morrow night at the Palmetto Restaurant," +said Ashby to himself after the woman had lost herself in a crowd of +her own countrymen. "She will tell where I can put my hands on this +Ramerrez. Bah! It's too good to be true. Nevertheless, I'll be on hand, +my lady, for if anyone knows of this fellow's movements I'll wager you +do." + +At that moment Ashby, the Wells Fargo Agent, was nearer than ever before +to the most brilliant capture of all his career. + + +Late the following afternoon, some five miles from the Mexican +settlement, on a small tableland high above a black ravine which was +thickly timbered with the giant trees of the Sierras, Ramerrez' band was +awaiting the coming of the _Maestro_. It was not to be a long wait and +they stood around smoking and talking in low tones. Suddenly, the sound +of horses climbing was heard, and soon a horseman came in sight whose +appearance had the effect of throwing them instantly into a state of +excitement, one and all drawing their guns and making a dash for their +horses, which were tied to trees. A moment later, however, another +horseman appeared, and laughing boisterously at themselves they slid +their guns back into their belts and retied their horses, for the man +whom they recognised so quickly, the individual who saved the situation, +as it were, was none other than Jose Castro, an ex-_padrona_ of the +bull-fights and the second in command to Ramerrez. He was a wiry, +hard-faced and shifty-eyed Mexican, but was as thoroughly devoted to +Ramerrez as he had been to the young leader's father. On the other hand, +the man who had caused them to fear that a stranger had surprised them, +and that they had been trapped, was Ramerrez or Johnson--the name that +he had assumed for the dangerous work he was about to engage in--and +they had failed to know him, dressed as he was in the very latest +fashion prevailing among the Americans in Sacramento in '49. Nor was it +to be wondered at, for on his head was a soft, brown hat--large, but not +nearly the proportions of a sombrero; a plain, rough tweed coat and a +waistcoat of a darker tan, which showed a blue flannel shirt beneath it; +and his legs were encased in boots topped by dark brown leggings. In a +word, his get-up resembled closely the type of American referred to +disdainfully by the miners of that time as a Sacramento guy; whereas, +the night before he had taken great pains to attire himself as gaudily +as any of the Mexicans at the dance, and he had worn a short black +jacket of a velvety material that was not unlike corduroy and covered +with braid; his breeches were of the same stuff; above his boots were +leather gaiters; and around his waist was a red sash. + +It was now close to four o'clock in the afternoon and the band began +their preparations for the raid. To the rear of the small, open space +where they had been waiting was a fairly good-sized cave, in the opening +of which they deposited various articles unnecessary for the expedition. +It took only a short time to do this, and within half an hour from the +time that their leader had so startled them by his strange appearance, +the outlaws were ready to take the trail for Cloudy Mountain. One +comprehensive glance the pseudo-American--and he certainly looked the +part--shot at his picturesque, if rough-looking followers, not a few of +whom showed red bandannas under their sombreros or around their necks-- +and then with a satisfied expression on his face--for he had a leader's +pride in his men--he gave the signal and led the way along and down the +steep trail from the tableland. And as from time to time he glanced back +over his shoulders to where the men were coming along in single file, he +could see that in every eye was a glint of exultation at the prospect of +booty. + +After they had gone about three miles they crossed the black ravine, and +from there they began to ascend. Up and up they went, the path very hard +on the horses, until finally they came to the top of a pass where it +had been arranged that the band should await further instructions, none +going on further save the two leaders. Here, saddle-girths and guns +were inspected, the last orders given, and with a wave of the hand in +response to the muttered wishes of good luck, Johnson,--for as such +he will be known from this time on,--followed by Castro, made his way +through the forest towards Cloudy Mountain. + +For an hour or so Johnson rode along in that direction, checking the +speed of his horse every time the sun came into view and showed that +there was yet some time before sunset. Presently, he made a sign to +Castro to take the lead, for he had never been in this locality before, +and was relying on his subordinate to find a spot from which he could +reconnoitre the scene of the proposed raid without the slightest danger +of meeting any of the miners. + +At a very sharp turn of the road to the left Castro struck off through +the forest to the right and, within a few minutes, reached a place where +the trees had thinned out and were replaced by the few scrubs that grew +in a spot almost barren. A minute or so more and the two men, their +horses tied, were able to get an uninterrupted view of Cloudy Mountain. + +The scene before them was one of grandeur. Day was giving place to +night, fall to winter, and yet at this hour all the winds were stilled. +In the distance gleamed the snow-capped Sierras, range after range as +far as the eye could see to the northwest; in the opposite direction +there stood out against the steel-blue of the sky a succession of wooded +peaks ever rising higher and higher until culminating in the faraway +white mountains of the south; and below, they looked upon a ravine that +was brownish-green until the rays of the departing orb touched the +leaves with opal tints. + +Now the fast-falling sun flung its banner of gorgeous colours across the +western sky. Immediately a wonderful light played upon the fleecy cumuli +gathered in the upper heavens of the east and changed them from pearl to +brilliant scarlet. For a moment, also, the purple hills became wonderful +piles of dull gold and copper; a moment more and the magic hand of the +King of Day was withdrawn. + +In front of them now, dark, gloomy and threatening rose Cloudy Mountain, +from which the Mining Camp took its name; and on a plateau near its +base the camp itself could plainly be seen. It consisted of a group +of miners' cabins set among pines, firs and manzaneta bushes with two +larger pine-slab buildings, and scattered around in various places were +shafts, whose crude timber-hoists appeared merely as vague outlines in +the fast-fading light. The distance to the camp from where they stood +was not over three miles as the crow flies, but it appeared much less in +the rarefied atmosphere. + +As the two bandits stood on the edge of the precipice looking across and +beyond the intervening gulch or ravine, here and there a light twinkled +out from the cabins and, presently, a much stronger illumination shot +forth from one of the larger and more pretentious buildings. Castro was +quick to call his master's attention to it. + +"There--that place with the light is The Palmetto Hotel!" he exclaimed. +"And over there--the one with the larger light is The Polka Saloon!" For +even as he spoke the powerful kerosene lamp of The Polka Saloon, flanked +by a composition metal reflector, flashed out its light into the gloom +enveloping the desolate, ominous-looking mountains. + +Johnson regarded this building long and thoughtfully. Then his eyes made +out a steep trail which zigzagged from The Polka Saloon up the barren +slopes of the mountain until it reached a cabin perched on the very top, +the steps and porch of which were held up by poles made of trees. There, +also, a light could be seen, but dimly. It was a strange place for +anyone to erect a dwelling-place, and he found himself wondering what +manner of person dwelt there. Of one thing he was certain: whoever it +was the mountains were loved for themselves, for no mere digger of gold +would think of erecting a habitation in view of those strange, vast, and +silent heights! + +And as he meditated thus, he perceived that the far off Sierras were +forming a background for a sinuous coil of smoke from the cabin. For +some time he watched it curling up into the great arch of sky. It was as +if he were hypnotised by it and, in a vague, shadowy way, he had a sense +of being connected, somehow, with the little cabin and its recluse. Was +this feeling that he had a premonition of danger? Was this a moment of +foreboding and distrust of the situation yet to be revealed? For like +most venturesome men he always had a moment before every one of his +undertakings in which his instinct either urged him forward or held him +back. + +Suddenly he became conscious that his eyes no longer saw the smoke. He +stared hard to glimpse it, but it was gone. And with a supreme effort he +wrenched himself free from a sort of paralysis which was stealing away +his senses. + +Now the light in the cabin disappeared, and since the shades of night, +for which he had been waiting, had fallen, he called to the impatient +and wondering Castro, and together they went back to the trail. + +But even as they crossed the gulch and reached the outskirts of the camp +a great white moon rose from behind the Sierras. To Castro, hidden now +in the pines, it meant nothing so long as it did not interfere with his +purpose. As a matter of fact he was already listening intently to the +bursts of song and shouts of revelry that came every now and then from +the nearby saloon. But his master, unaccountably under the spell of the +moon's mystery and romance, watched it until it shed its silvery and +magic light upon the lone cabin on the top of Cloudy Mountain, which +Fate had chosen for the decisive scene of his dramatic life. + + + + +V. + + +Inside The Polka, not a bit more, and not a bit less sardonic--it was +this imperturbability which made him so resistless to most people--than +he was prior to the banishment of The Sidney Duck, the Sheriff of +Manzaneta County waited patiently until the returning puppets of his +will had had time to compose themselves. It took them merely the +briefest of periods, but it served to increase visibly the long ash at +the end of Rance's cigar. At length he shot a hawk-like glance at Sonora +and proposed a little game of poker. + +"This time, gentlemen--" he said, with a significant pause and accent-- +"just for social recreation. What do you say?" + +"I'm your Injun!" acquiesced Sonora, rubbing his hands together +gleefully at the prospect of winning from the Sheriff, whom he liked +none too well. + +"That's me, too!" concurred Trinidad. + +"Chips, then, Nick!" called out the Sheriff, quietly taking a seat at +the table; while Sonora, bubbling over with spirits, hitched up his +trousers in sailor fashion and executed an impromptu hornpipe, bellowing +in his deep, base voice: + + + "I shipped aboard of a liner, boys--" + + +"Renzo, boys, renzo," finished Trinidad, falling in place at the table. + +At this point the outside door was unexpectedly pushed open, inward, and +the Deputy-Sheriff came into their midst. + +"Ashby just rode in with his posse," he announced huskily to his +superior. + +The Sheriff flashed a look of annoyance and inquired of the gaunt, +hollow-cheeked, muscular Deputy whose beaver overcoat was thrown open +so that his gun and powder-flask showed plainly in his belt: + +"Why, what's he doing here?" + +"He's after Ramerrez," answered the Deputy, eyeing him intently. + +Rance received this information in silence and went on with his +shuffling of the cards; presently, unconcernedly, he remarked: + +"Ramerrez--Oh, that's the polite road agent who has been visiting the +other camps?" + +"Yes; he's just turned into your county," declared the Deputy, +meaningly. + +"What?" Sonora looked dumbfounded. + +The Deputy nodded and proceeded to the bar. And while he drained the +contents of his glass, the Minstrel played on his banjo, much to the +amusement of the men, who showed their appreciation by laughing +heartily, the last bars of, "Pop Goes the Weasel." + +"Hello, Sheriff!" greeted Ashby, coming in just as the merriment over +the Minstrel's little joke had died away. Ashby's voice--quick, sharp +and decisive was that of a man accustomed to ordering men, but his +manner was suave, if a trifle gruff. Moreover, he was a man of whom it +could be said, paradoxical as it may seem, that he was never known to be +drunk nor ever known to be sober. It was plain from his appearance that +he had been some time on the road. + +Rance rose and politely extended his hand. And, although the greeting +between the two men was none too cordial, yet in their look, as they +eyed each other, was the respect which men have for others engaged +more or less in the same business and in whom they recognise certain +qualities which they have in common. In point of age Ashby was, perhaps, +the senior. As far as reputation was concerned, both men were accounted +nervy and square. Rance introduced him to Sonora and the others, saying: + +"Boys, Mr. Ashby of Wells Fargo." + +The latter had a pleasant word or two for the men; then, turning to the +Deputy, he said: + +"And how are you these days?" + +"Fit. And yourself?" + +"Same here." Turning now to the barkeeper, Ashby, with easy familiarity, +added: "Say, Nick, give us a drink." + +"Sure!" came promptly from the little barkeeper. + +"Everybody'll have the same?" inquired Ashby, turning once more to the +men. + +"The same!" returned the men in chorus. + +Thereupon, Nick briskly slapped down a bottle and four glasses before +the Sheriff, and leaving him to do the honours, disappeared into the +dance-hall. + +"'Well, I trust the Girl who runs The Polka is well?" inquired Ashby, +pushing his glass near the bottle. + +"Fine as silk," vouched Sonora, adding in the next breath: "But, say, +Mr. Ashby, how long you been chasm' up this road agent?" + +"Oh, he only took to the road a few months ago," was Ashby's answer. +"Wells Fargo have had me and a posse busy ever since. He's a wonder!" + +"Must be to evade you," complimented Sonora, much to the discomfort of +the Sheriff. + +"Yes, I can smell a road agent in the wind," declared Ashby somewhat +boastfully. "But, Rance, I expect to get that fellow right here in your +county." + +The Sheriff looked as if he scouted the idea, and was about to speak, +but checked the word on his tongue. Then followed a short silence in +which the Deputy, smiling a trifle derisively, went out of the saloon. + +"Is this fellow a Spaniard?" questioned the Sheriff, drawling as usual, +but at the same time jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards a +placard on the wall, which read: + + + "FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD + FOR THE ROAD AGENT RAMERREZ, + OR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS + CAPTURE. + (SIGNED) WELLS FARGO." + + +"No--can't prove it. The fact of his leading a crew of greasers and +Spaniards signifies nothing. His name is assumed, I suppose." + +"They say he robs you like a gentleman," remarked Rance with some show +of interest. + +"Well, look out for the greasers up the road!" was Ashby's warning as he +emptied his glass and put it down before him. + +"We don't let them pass through here," shrugged Rance, likewise putting +down his glass on the table. + +Ashby now picked up the whisky bottle and carried it over to the +deserted faro table before which he settled himself comfortably in a +chair. + +"Well, boys, I've had a long ride--wake me up when The Pony Express goes +through!" he called over his shoulder as he put his coat over him. + +But no sooner was he comfortably ensconced for a snooze than Nick +came bustling in with a kettle of boiling water and several glasses +half-filled with whisky and lemon. Stopping before Ashby he said in his +best professional manner: + +"Re-gards of the Girl--hot whisky straight with lemming extract." + +Ashby took up his glass, as did, in turn, the men at the other table. +But it was Rance who, with arm uplifted, toasted: + +"The Girl, gentlemen, the only Girl in Camp, the Girl I mean to make +Mrs. Jack Rance!" + +Confident that neither would catch him in the act, Nick winked first at +Sonora and then at Trinidad. That the little barkeeper was successful +in making the former, at least, believe that he possessed the Girl's +affections was manifested by the big miner's next remark. + +"That's a joke, Rance. She makes you look like a Chinaman." + +Rance sprang to his feet, white with rage. + +"You prove that!" he shouted. + +"In what particular spot will you have it?" taunted Sonora, as his hand +crept for his gun. + +Simultaneously, every man in the room made a dash for cover. Nick ducked +behind the bar, for, as he told himself when safely settled there, he +was too old a bird to get anywhere near the line of fire when two old +stagers got to making lead fly about. Nor was Trinidad slow in arriving +at the other end of the bar where he caromed against Jake, who had +dropped his banjo and was frantically trying to kick the spring of the +iron shield in an endeavour to protect himself--a feat which, at last, +he succeeded in performing. But, fortunately, for all concerned, as +the two men stood eyeing each other, their hands on their hips ready +to draw, Nick, from his position behind the bar, glimpsed through the +window the Girl on the point of entering the saloon. + +"Here comes the Girl!" he cried excitedly. "Aw, leave your guns alone-- +take your drinks, quick!" + +For a fraction of a second the men looked sheepishly at one another, +even Nick appearing a trifle uncomfortable, as he picked up the kettle +and went off with it. + +"Once more we're friends, eh, boys?" said Rance, with a forced laugh; +and then as he lifted his glass high in the air, he gave the toast: + +"The Girl!" + +"The Girl!" repeated all--all save Ashby, whose snores by this time +could be heard throughout the big room--and drained their glasses. + + + + +VI. + + +There was a general movement towards the bar when the fair proprietress +of The Polka, who had lingered longer than usual in her little cabin on +top of the mountain, breezily entered the place by the main door. In a +coarse, blue skirt, and rough, white flannel blouse, cut away and held +in place at the throat by a crimson ribbon, the Girl made a pretty +picture; it was not difficult to see why the boys of Cloudy Mountain +Camp had a feeling which fell little short of adoration for this +sun-browned maid, with the spirit of the mountain in her eyes. That +each in his own way had given her to understand that he was desperately +smitten with her, goes without saying. But, although she accepted their +rough homage as a matter of course, such a thought as falling in love +with anyone of them had never entered her mind. + +As far back, almost, as she could remember, the Girl had lived among +them and had ever been a true comrade, sharing their disappointments and +thrilling with their successes. Of a nature pure and simple, she was, +nevertheless, frank and outspoken. Moreover, she knew to a dot what was +meant when someone--bolder than his mates--stretched out his arms to +her. One such exhibition on a man's part she was likely to forgive and +forget, but the wrath and scorn that had blazed forth from her blue +eyes on such an occasion had been sufficient to prevent a repetition of +the offence. In short, unspoiled by their coarse flattery, and, to all +appearances, happy and care-free, she attended to the running of The +Polka wholly unsmirched by her environment. + +But a keen observer would not have failed to detect that the Girl took +a little less pleasure in her surroundings than she had taken in them +before she had made the trip to Monterey. Downright glad, to use her own +expression, as she had been on her return to see the boys of the camp +and hear their boisterous shouts of welcome when the stage drew up in +front of The Polka, she had to acknowledge that her home-coming was not +quite what she expected. It was as if she had suddenly been startled out +of a beautiful dream wherein she had been listening to the soft music of +her lover's voice and brought face to face with the actualities of life, +which, in her case, to say the least, were very real. + +For hours after leaving her admirer sitting motionless on his horse on +the great highway between Monterey and Sacramento, the Girl had indulged +in some pertinent thoughts which, if the truth were known, were anything +but complimentary to her behaviour. And, however successful she was +later on in persuading herself that he would eventually seek her out, +there was no question that at first she felt that the chances of her +ever setting eyes on him again were almost negligible. All the more +bitterly, therefore, did she regret her folly in not having told him +where she lived; particularly so since she assured herself that not only +was he the handsomest man that she had ever seen, but that he was the +only one who had ever succeeded in chaining her attention. That he had +been making love to her with his eyes, if not with words, she knew +only too well--a fact that had been anything but displeasing to her. +Indeed, far from having felt sorry that she had encouraged him, she, +unblushingly, acknowledged to herself that, if she had the thing to do +over again, she would encourage him still more. + +Was she then a flirt? Not at all, in the common acceptation of the word. +All her knowledge of the ways of the world had been derived from Mother +Nature, who had supplied her with a quick and ready wit to turn aside, +with a smile, the protestations of the boys; had taught her how to live +on intimate terms with them and yet not be intimate; but when it came +to playing at love, which every city maid of the same age is an adept +at, she was strangely ignorant. Of a truth, then, it was something +far broader and deeper that had entered into her heart--love. Not +infrequently love comes as suddenly as this to young women who live +in small mining camps or out-of-the-way places where the men are +practically of a type; it is their unfamiliarity with the class which +a stranger represents when he makes his appearance in their midst that +is responsible, fully as much as his own personality, for their being +attracted to him. It is not impossible, of course, that if the Girl had +met him in Cloudy,--say as a miner there,--the result would have been +precisely the same. But it is much more likely that the attendant +conditions of their meeting aided him in appealing to her imagination, +and in touching a chord in her nature which, under other circumstances, +would not have responded in as many months as there were minutes on that +eventful day. + +Little wonder then, that as each succeeding mile travelled by the stage +took her further and further away from him, something which, as yet, she +did not dare to name, kept tugging at her heartstrings and which she +endeavoured to overcome by listening to the stage driver's long-winded +reminiscences and anecdotes concerning the country through which +they were passing. But, although she made a brave effort to appear +interested, it did not take him long to realise that something was on +his passenger's mind and, being a wise man, he gradually relapsed into +silence, with the result that, before the long journey ended at Cloudy +Mountain, she had deceived herself into believing that she was certain +to see her admirer again. + +But as the days grew into weeks, the weeks into months, and the Girl +neither saw nor heard anything of him, it was inevitable that the +picture that he had left on her mind should begin to grow dim. +Nevertheless, it was surprising what a knack his figure had of appearing +before her at various times of the day and night, when she never failed +to compare him with the miners in the camp, and, needless to say, +unflatteringly to them. There came a time, it is true, when she was +sorely tempted to tell one of them something of this new-found friend of +hers; but rightly surmising the effect that her praising of her paragon +would have upon the recipient of her confidences, she wisely resolved to +lock up his image in her heart. + +Of course, there were moments, too, when the Girl regretted that there +was no other woman--some friend of her own sex in the camp--to whom she +could confide her little romance. But since that boon was denied her, +she took to seeking out the most solitary places to dream of him. In +such moods she would climb to a high crag, a few feet from her cabin, +and with a reminiscent and far-away look in her eyes she would sit for +hours gazing at the great canyons and gorges, the broad forests and +wooded hillsides, the waterfalls flashing silver in the distance, and, +above all, at the wonderously-grand and snow-capped peaks of the main +range. + +At other times she would take the trail leading from the camp to the +country below, and after wandering about aimlessly in the beautiful and +mysterious forests, she would select some little glen through which +a brook trickled and murmured underneath the ferns into a pool, and +seating herself on a clump of velvet moss, the great sugar pines and +firs forming a canopy over her head, she would whisper her secret +thoughts and wild hopes to the gorgeously-plumed birds and saucy +squirrels scampering all about her. The hours spent thus were as oases +in her otherwise practical existence, and after a while she would +return laden down with great bunches of ferns and wild flowers which, +eventually, found a place on the walls of The Polka. + + + * * * * * * + + +Glancing at the bar to see that everything was to her satisfaction, the +Girl greeted the boys warmly, almost rapturously with: + +"Hello, boys! How's everythin'? Gettin' taken care of?" + +"Hello, Girl!" sang out Sonora in what he considered was his most +fetching manner. He had been the first to reach the coveted position +opposite the Girl, although Handsome, who had followed her in, was +leaning at the end of the bar nearest to the dance-hall. + +"Hello, Sonora!" returned the Girl with an amused smile, for it was +impossible with her keen sense of humour not to see Sonora's attempts +to make himself irresistible to her. Nor did she fail to observe that +Trinidad, likewise, had spruced himself up a little more than usual, +with the same purpose in mind. + +"Hello, Girl!" he said, strolling up to her with a ludicrous swagger. + +"Hello, Trin!" came from the Girl, smilingly. + +There was an awkward pause in which both Sonora and Trinidad floundered +about in their minds for something to say; at length, a brilliant +inspiration came to the former, and he asked: + +"Say, Girl, make me a prairie oyster, will you?" + +"All, right, Sonora, I'll fix you right up," returned the Girl, smiling +to herself at his effort. But at the moment that she was reaching for a +bottle back of the bar, a terrific whoop came from the dance-hall, and +ever-watchful lest the boys' fun should get beyond her control, she +called to her factotum to quiet things down in the next room, concluding +warningly: + +"They've had about enough." + +When the barkeeper had gone to do her bidding, the Girl picked up an +egg, and, poising it over a glass, she went on: + +"Say, look 'ere, Sonora, before I crack this 'ere egg, I'd like to state +that eggs is four bits apiece. Only two hens left--" She broke off +short, and turning upon Handsome, who had been gradually sidling +up until his elbows almost touched hers, she repulsed him a trifle +impatiently: + +"Oh, run away, Handsome!" + +A flush of pleasure at Handsome's evident discomfiture spread over +Sonora's countenance, and comical, indeed, to the Girl, was the majestic +air he took on when he ordered recklessly: + +"Oh, crack the egg--I'll stand for it." + +But Sonora's fancied advantage over the others was of short duration, +for the next instant Nick, stepping quickly forward with a drink, handed +it to the Girl with the words: + +"Regards of Blonde Harry." + +Again Sonora experienced a feeling akin to jealousy at what he termed +Blonde Harry's impudence. It almost immediately gave way to a paroxysm +of chuckling; for, the Girl, quickly taking the glass from Nick's hand, +flung its contents into a nearby receptacle. + +"There--tell 'im that it hit the spot!" She laughed. + +Nick roared with the others, but on the threshold of the dance-hall he +paused, hesitated, and finally came back, and advised in a low tone: + +"Throw around a few kind words, Girl--good for the bar." + +The Girl surveyed the barkeeper with playful disapproval in her eye. +However advantageous might be his method of working up trade, she +disdained to follow his advice, and her laughing answer was: + +"Oh, you Nick!" + +The peal of laughter that rung in Nick's ears as he disappeared through +the door, awakened Ashby and brought him instantly to his feet. Despite +his size, he was remarkably quick in his movements, and in no time at +all he was standing before the bar with a glass, which he had filled +from the bottle that had stood in front of him on the table, and was +saying: + +"Compliments of Wells Fargo." + +"Thank you," returned the Girl; and then while she shook the prairie +oyster: "You see we live high-shouldered here." + +"That's what!" put in Sonora with a broad grin. + +"What cigars have you?" asked Ashby, at the conclusion of his round of +drinks. + +"Regalias, Auroras and Eurekas," reeled off the Girl with her eye upon +Billy Jackrabbit, who had quietly come in and was sneaking about in an +endeavour to find something worth pilfering. + +"Oh, any will do," Ashby told her, with a smile; and while he was +helping himself from a box of Regalias, Nick suddenly appeared, calling +out excitedly: + +"Man jest come in threatenin' to shoot up the furniture!" + +"Who is it?" calmly inquired the Girl, returning the cigar-box to its +place on the shelf. + +"Old man Watson!" + +"Leave 'im shoot,--he's good for it!" + +"Nick! Nick!" yelled several voices in the dance-hall where old man +Watson was surely having the time of his life. + +And still the Girl paid not the slightest attention to the shooting or +the cries of the men; what did concern her, however, was the fact that +the Indian was drinking up the dregs in the whisky glasses on the faro +table. + +"Here, you, Billy Jackrabbit! What are you doin' here?" she exclaimed +sharply, causing that generally imperturbable redskin to start +perceptibly. "Did you marry my squaw yet?" + +Billy Jackrabbit's face wore as stolid an expression as ever, when he +answered: + +"Not so much married squaw--yet." + +"Not so much married . . ." repeated the Girl when the merriment, which +his words provoked, had subsided. "Come 'ere, you thievin' redskin!" And +when he had slid up to the bar, and she had extracted from his pockets a +number of cigars which she knew had been pilfered, she added: "You git +up to my cabin an' marry my squaw before I git there." And at another +emphatic "Git!" the Indian, much to the amusement of all, started for +the Girl's cabin. + +"Here--here's your prairie oyster, Sonora," at last said the Girl; and +then turning to the Sheriff and speaking to him for the first time, she +called out gaily: "Hello, Rance!" + +"Hello, Girl!" replied the Gambler without even a glance at her or +ceasing to shuffle the cards. + +Presently, Sonora pulled out a bag of gold-dust and told the Girl to +clear the slate out of it. She was in the act of taking the sack when +Nick, rushing into the room and jerking his thumb over his shoulder, +said: + +"Say, Girl, there's a fellow in there wants to know if we can help out +on provisions." + +"Sure; what does he want?" returned the Girl with a show of willingness +to accommodate him. + +"Bread." + +"Bread? Does he think we're runnin' a bakery?" + +"Then he asked for sardines." + +"Sardines? Great Gilead! You tell 'im we have nothin' but straight +provisions here. We got pickled oysters, smokin' tobacco an' the best +whisky he ever saw," rapped out the Girl, proudly, and turned her +attention to the slate. + +"You bet!" vouched Trinidad with a nod, as Nick departed on his errand. + +Finally, the Girl, having made her calculations, opened the counter +drawer and brought forth some silver Mexican dollars, saying: + +"Sonora, an' Mr. Ashby, your change!" + +Ashby picked up his money, only to throw it instantly back on the bar, +and say gallantly: + +"Keep the change--buy a ribbon at The Ridge--compliments of Wells +Fargo." + +"Thank you," smiled the Girl, sweeping the money into the drawer, but +her manner showed plainly that it was not an unusual thing for the +patrons of The Polka to refuse to accept the change. + +Not to be outdone, Sonora quickly arose and went over to the counter +where, pointing to his stack of silver dollars, he said: + +"Girl, buy two ribbons at The Ridge;" and then with a significant glance +towards Ashby, he added: "Fawn's my colour." + +And again, as before, the voice that said, "Thank you," was colourless, +while her eyes rested upon the ubiquitous Nick, who had entered with an +armful of wood and was intent upon making the room warmer. + +Rance snorted disapprovingly at Sonora's prodigality. That he considered +that both his and Ashby's attentions to the Girl had gone far enough +was made apparent by the severe manner in which he envisaged them and +drawled out: + +"Play cyards?" + +But to that gentleman's surprise the men did not move. Instead, Ashby +raising a warning finger to the Girl, went on to advise that she should +bank with them oftener, concluding with: + +"And then if this road agent Ramerrez should drop in, you won't lose so +much--" + +"The devil you say!" cut in Sonora; while Trinidad broke out into a +scornful laugh. + +"Oh, go on, Mr. Ashby!" smilingly scoffed the Girl. "I keep the +specie in an empty keg now. But I've took to bankin' personally in my +stockin'," she confided without the slightest trace of embarrassment. + +"But say, we've got an awful pile this month," observed Nick, anxiously, +leaving the fireplace and joining the little ring of men about her. "It +makes me sort o' nervous--why, Sonora's got ten thousand alone fer safe +keepin' in that keg an'--" + +"--Ramerrez' band's everywhere," completed Ashby with a start, his quick +and trained ear having caught the sound of horses' hoofs. + +"But if a road agent did come here, I could offer 'im a drink an' he'd +treat me like a perfect lady," contended the Girl, confidently. + +"You bet he would, the durned old halibut!" was Sonora's comment, while +Nick took occasion to ask the Girl for some tobacco. + +"Solace or Honeydew?" she inquired, her hands already on the assortment +of tobacco underneath the bar. + +"Dew," was Nick's laconic answer. + +And then it was that the Girl heard for the first time the sound of +the galloping hoofs; startled for the moment, she inquired somewhat +uneasily: + +"Who's this, I wonder?" + +But no sooner were the words spoken than a voice outside in the darkness +sung out sharply: + +"Hello!" + +"Hello!" instantly returned another voice, which the Girl recognised at +once as being that of the Deputy. + +"Big holdup last night at The Forks!" the first voice was now saying. + +"Holdup!" repeated several voices outside in tones of excitement. + +"Ramerrez--" went on the first voice, at which ominous word all, +including Ashby, began to exchange significant glances as they echoed: + +"Ramerrez!" + +The name had barely died on their lips, however, than Nick precipitated +himself into their midst and announced that The Pony Express had +arrived, handing up to the Girl, at the same time, a bundle of letters +and one paper. + +"You see!" maintained Ashby, stoutly, as he watched her sort the +letters; "I was right when I told you . . ." + +"Look sharp! There's a greaser on the trail!" rang out warningly the +voice of The Pony Express. + +"A greaser!" exclaimed Rance, for the first time showing any interest in +the proceedings; and then without looking up and after the manner of a +man speaking to a good dog, he told the Deputy, who had followed Nick +into the room: + +"Find him, Dep." + +For some time the Girl occupied herself with cashing in the chips which +Nick brought to her--a task which she performed with amazing correctness +and speed considering that her knowledge of the science of mathematics +had been derived solely from the handling of money at The Polka. Now she +went over to Sonora, who sat at a table reading. + +"You got the newspaper, I see," she observed. "But you, Trin, I'm sorry +you ain't got nothin'," she added, with a sad, little smile. + +"So long!" hollered The Pony Express at that moment; whereupon, Ashby +rushed over to the door and called after him: + +"Pony Express, I want you!" Satisfied that his command had been heard he +retraced his footsteps and found Handsome peering eagerly over Sonora's +shoulder. + +"So, Sonora, you've got a newspaper," Handsome was saying. + +"Yes, but the infernal thing's two months old," returned the other +disgustedly. + +Handsome laughed, and wheeling round was just in time to see the door +flung open and a young fellow advance towards Ashby. + +The Pony Express was a young man of not more than twenty years of +age. He was smooth-faced and unshaven and, needless to say, was light +of build, for these riders were selected for their weight as well +as for their nerve. He wore a sombrero, a buckskin hunting-shirt, +tight trousers tucked into high boots with spurs, all of which were +weather-beaten and faded by wind, rain, dust and alkali. A pair of Colt +revolvers could be seen in his holsters, and he carried in his hands, +which were covered with heavy gloves, a mail pouch--it being the +company's orders not to let his _muchilo_ of heavy leather out of his +hands for a second. + +"You drop mail at the greaser settlement?" inquired Ashby in his +peremptory and incisive manner. + +"Yes, sir," quickly responded the young man; and then volunteered: +"It's a tough place." + +Ashby scrutinised the newcomer closely before going on with: + +"Know a girl there named Nina Micheltorena?" + +But before The Pony Express had time to reply the Girl interposed +scornfully: + +"Nina Micheltorena? Why, they all know 'er! She's one o' them Cachuca +girls with droopy, Spanish eyes! Oh, ask the boys about 'er!" And with +that she started to leave the room, stopping on her way to clap both +Trinidad and Sonora playfully on the back. "Yes, ask the boys about 'er, +they'll tell you!" And so saying she fled from the room, followed by the +men she was poking fun at. + +"Hold her letters, you understand?" instructed Ashby who, with the +Sheriff, was alone now with The Pony Express. + +"Yes, sir," he replied earnestly. A moment later there being no further +orders forthcoming he hastily took his leave. + +Ashby now turned his attention to Rance. + +"Sheriff," said he, "to-night I expect to see this Nina Micheltorena +either here or at The Palmetto." + +Rance never raised an eyebrow. + +"You do?" he remarked a moment later with studied carelessness. "Well, +the boys had better look to their watches. I met that lady once." + +Ashby shot him a look of inquiry. + +"She's looking to that five thousand reward for Ramerrez," he told him. + +Rance's interest was growing by leaps and bounds though he continued to +riffle the cards. + +"What? She's after that?" + +"Sure thing. She knows something . . ." And having delivered himself +of this Ashby strode over to the opposite side of the room where his +coat and hat were hanging upon an elk horn. While putting them on he +came face to face with the Girl who, having merely glanced in at the +dance-hall, was returning to take up her duties behind the bar. "Well, +I'll have a look at that greaser up the road," he said, addressing her, +and then went on half-jocularly, half-seriously: "He may have his eye on +the find in that stocking." + +"You be darned!" was the Girl's parting shot at him as he went out into +the night. + +There was a long and impressive pause in which, apparently, the Sheriff +was making up his mind to speak of matters scarcely incident to the +situation that had gone before; while fully conscious that she was to +be asked to give him an answer--she whose answer had been given many +times--the Girl stood at the bar in an attitude of amused expectancy, +and fussing with things there. At length, Rance, glancing shyly over his +shoulder to make sure that they were alone, became all at once grave and +his voice fell soft and almost caressingly. + +"Say, Girl!" + +The young woman addressed stole a look at him from under her lashes, all +the while smiling a wise, little smile to herself, but not a word did +she vouchsafe in reply. + +Again Rance called to her over his shoulder: + +"I say, Girl!" + +The Girl took up a glass and began to polish it. At last she deigned to +favour him with "Hm?" which, apparently, he did not hear, for again a +silence fell upon them. Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, +the Sheriff threw down his cards on the table, and facing her he said: + +"Say, Girl, will you marry me?" + +"Nope," returned the Girl with a saucy toss of the head. + +Rance rose and strode over to the bar. Looking fixedly at her with his +steely grey eyes he demanded the reason. + +"'Cause you got a wife in Noo Orleans--or so the mountain breezes say," +was her ready answer. + +Rance gave no sign of having heard her. Throwing away the cigar he was +smoking he asked in the most nonchalant manner: + +"Give me some of them cigars--my kind." + +Reaching for a box behind her the Girl placed it before him. + +"Them's your kind, Jack." + +From an inside pocket of his broadcloth coat Rance took out an elaborate +cigar-case, filled it slowly, leaving out one cigar which he placed +between his lips. When he had this one going satisfactorily he rested +both elbows on the edge of the bar, and said bluntly: + +"I'm stuck on you." + +The Girl's lips parted a little mockingly. + +"Thank you." + +Rance puffed away for a moment or two in silence, and then with sudden +determination he went on: + +"I'm going to marry you." + +"Think so?" questioned the Girl, drawing herself up proudly. And while +Rance proceeded to relight his cigar, it having gone out, she plumped +both elbows on the bar and looked him straight in the eye, and +announced: "They ain't a man here goin' to marry me." + +The scene had precisely the appearance of a struggle between two +powerful wills. How long they would have remained with elbows almost +touching and looking into each other's eyes it is difficult to +determine; but an interruption came in the person of the barkeeper, +who darted in, calling: "One good cigar!" + +Instantly the Girl reached behind her for the box containing the +choicest cigars, and handing one to Nick, she said: + +"Here's your poison--three bits. Why look at 'em," she went on in +the next breath to Rance; "there's Handsome with two wives I know of +somewhere East. And--" She broke off short and ended with: "Nick, who's +that cigar for?" + +"Tommy," he told her. + +"Here, give that back!" she cried quickly putting out her hand for it. +"Tommy don't know a good cigar when he's smokin' it." And so saying she +put the choice cigar back in its place among its fellows and handed him +one from another box with the remark: "Same price, Nick." + +Nick chuckled and went out. + +"An' look at Trin with a widow in Sacramento. An' you--" The Girl broke +off short and laughed in his face. "Oh, not one o' you travellin' under +your own name!" + +"One whisky!" ordered Nick, coming into the room with a rush. Without +a word the Girl took down a bottle and poured it out for him while he +stood quietly looking on, grinning from ear to ear. For Rance's weakness +was known to him as it was to every other man in Manzaneta County, and +he believed that the Sheriff had taken advantage of his absence to press +his hopeless suit. + +"Here you be!" sang out the Girl, and passed the glass over to him. + +"He wants it with water," returned Nick, with a snicker. + +With a contemptuous gesture the Girl put the bottle back on the shelf. + +"No--no you don't; no fancy drinks here!" she objected. + +"But he says he won't take it without water," protested Nick, though +there was a twinkle in his eye. "He's a fellow that's jest rode in from +The Crossin', so he says." + +The Girl folded her arms and declared in a tone of finality: + +"He'll take it straight or git." + +"But he won't git," contended Nick chuckling. There was an ominous +silence. Such behaviour was without a parallel in the annals of Cloudy. +For much less than this, as the little barkeeper very well knew, many a +man had been disciplined by the Girl. So, with his eyes fixed upon her +face, he was already revelling in the situation by way of anticipation, +and rejoicing in the coming requital for his own rebuff when the +stranger had declined to leave as ordered. It was merely a question of +his waiting for the words which would, as he put it, "take the fellow +down a peg." They were soon forthcoming. + +"You jest send 'im to me," commanded the Girl. "I'll curl his hair for +him!" + +Nick's face showed that the message was to his liking. It was evident, +also, that he meant to lose no time in delivering it. A moment after he +disappeared, Rance, who had been toying with a twenty dollar gold piece +which he took from his pocket, turned to the Girl and said with great +earnestness: + +"Girl, I'll give you a thousand dollars on the spot for a kiss," which +offer met with no response other than a nervous little laugh and the +words: + +"Some men invite bein' played." + +The gambler shrugged his shoulders. + +"Well, what are men made for?" said he, flinging the gold piece down on +the bar in payment for the cigar. + +"That's true," placidly commented the Girl, making the change. + +Rance tried another tack. + +"You can't keep on running this place alone; it's getting too big for +you; too much money circulating through The Polka. You need a man behind +you." All this was said in short, jerky sentences; moreover, when she +placed his change in front of him he pushed it back almost angrily. + +"Come now, marry me," again he pleaded. + +"Nope." + +"My wife won't know it." + +"Nope." + +"Now, see here, there's just one--" + +"Nope--take it straight, Jack, nope . . ." interrupted the Girl. She had +made up her mind that he had gone far enough; and firmly grabbing his +hand she slipped his change into it. + +Without a word the Sheriff dropped the coins into the cuspidor. The +Girl saw the action and her eyes flashed with anger. The next moment, +however, she looked up at him and said more gently than any time yet: + +"No, Jack, I can't marry you. Ah, come along--start your game again--go +on, Jack." And so saying she came out from behind the bar and went over +to the faro table with: "Whoop la! Mula! Go! Good Lord, look at that +faro table!" + +But Rance was on the verge of losing control of himself. There was +passion in his steely grey eyes when he advanced towards her, but +although the Girl saw the look she did not flinch, and met it in a +clear, straight glance. + +"Look here, Jack Rance," she said, "let's have it out right now. I run +The Polka 'cause I like it. My father taught me the business an', well, +don't you worry 'bout me--I can look after m'self. I carry my little +wepping"--and with that she touched significantly the little pocket of +her dress. "I'm independent, I'm happy, The Polka's payin', an' it's +bully!" she wound up, laughing. Then, with one of her quick changes of +mood, she turned upon him angrily and demanded: "Say, what the devil do +you mean by proposin' to me with a wife in Noo Orleans? Now, this is a +respectable saloon, an' I don't want no more of it." + +A look of gloom came into Rance's eyes. + +"I didn't say anything--" he began. + +"Push me that Queen," interrupted the Girl, sharply, gathering up the +cards at the faro table, and pointing to one that was just beyond her +reach. But when Rance handed it to her and was moving silently away, she +added: "Ah, no offence, Jack, but I got other idees o' married life from +what you have." + +"Aw, nonsense!" came from the Sheriff in a voice that was not free from +irritation. + +The Girl glanced up at him quickly. Her mind was not the abode of +hardened convictions, but was tender to sentiment, and something in his +manner at once softening her, she said: + +"Nonsense? I dunno 'bout that. You see--" and her eyes took on a far +away look--"I had a home once an' I ain't forgot it--a home up over our +little saloon down in Soledad. I ain't forgot my father an' my mother +an' what a happy kepple they were. Lord, how they loved each other--it +was beautiful!" + +Despite his seemingly callous exterior, there was a soft spot in the +gambler's heart. Every word that the Girl uttered had its effect on him. +Now his hands, which had been clenched, opened out and a new light came +into his eyes. Suddenly, however, it was replaced by one of anger, for +the door, at that moment, was hesitatingly pushed open, and The Sidney +Duck stood with his hand on the knob, snivelling: + +"Oh, Miss, I--" + +The Girl fairly flew over to him. + +"Say, I've heard about you! You git!" she cried; and when she was +certain that he was gone she came back and took a seat at the table +where she continued, in the same reminiscent vein as before: "I can +see mother now fussin' over father an' pettin' 'im, an' father dealin' +faro--Ah, he was square! An' me a kid, as little as a kitten, under the +table sneakin' chips for candy. Talk 'bout married life--that was a +little heaven! Why, mother tho't so much o' that man, she was so much +heart an' soul with 'im that she learned to be the best case-keeper you +ever saw. Many a sleeper she caught! You see, when she played, she was +playin' for the ol' man." She stopped as if overcome with emotion, and +then added with great feeling: "I guess everybody's got some remembrance +o' their mother tucked away. I always see mine at the faro table with +her foot snuggled up to Dad's, an' the light o' lovin' in her eyes. Ah, +she was a lady . . .!" Impulsively she rose and walked over to the bar. +"No," she went on, when behind it once more, "I couldn't share that +table an' The Polka with any man--unless there was a heap o' carin' back +of it. No, I couldn't, Jack, I couldn't . . ." + +By this time the Sheriff's anger had completely vanished; dejection was +plainly written on every line of his face. + +"Well, I guess the boys were right; I am a Chinaman," he drawled out. + +At once the Girl was all sympathy. + +"Oh, no you're not, Jack!" she protested, speaking as tenderly as she +dared without encouraging him. + +Rance was quick to detect the change in her voice. Now he leaned over +the end of the bar and said in tones that still held hope: + +"Once when I rode in here it was nothing but Jack, Jack, Jack Rance. By +the Eternal, I nearly got you then!" + +"Did you?" The Girl was her saucy self again. + +Rance ignored her manner, and went on: + +"Then you went on that trip to Sacramento and Monterey and you were +different." + +In spite of herself the Girl started, which Rance's quick eye did not +fail to note. + +"Who's the man?" he blazed. + +For answer the Girl burst out into a peal of laughter. It was forced, +and the man knew it. + +"I suppose he's one o' them high-toned, Sacramento shrimps!" he burst +out gruffly; then he added meaningly: "Do you think he'd have you?" + +At those words a wondering look shone in the Girl's eyes, and she asked +in all seriousness: + +"What's the matter with me? Is there anythin' 'bout me a high-toned gent +would object to?" And then as the full force of the insult was borne in +upon her she stepped out from behind the bar, and demanded: "Look here, +Jack Rance, ain't I always been a perfect lady?" + +Rance laughed discordantly. + +"Oh, heaven knows your character's all right!" And so saying he seated +himself again at the table. + +The girl flared up still more at this; she retorted: + +"Well, that ain't your fault, Jack Rance!" But the words were hardly out +of her mouth than she regretted having spoken them. She waited a moment, +and then as he did not speak she murmured an "Adios, Jack," and took up +her position behind the bar where, if Rance had been looking, he would +have seen her start on hearing a voice in the next room and fix her eyes +in a sort of fascinated wonder, on a man who, after parting the pelt +curtain, came into the saloon with just a suggestion of swagger in his +bearing. + + + + +VII. + + +"Where's the man who wanted to curl my hair?" + +Incisive and harsh, with scarcely a trace of the musical tones she +recollected so well, as was Johnson's voice, it deceived the Girl not an +instant. Even before she was able to get a glimpse of his face it did +not fail to tell her that the handsome _caballero_, with whom she had +ridden on that never-to-be-forgotten day on the Monterey road, was +standing before her. That his attire now, as might be expected, was +wholly different from what it had been then, it never occurred to her to +note; for, to tell the truth, she was vainly struggling to suppress the +joy that she felt at seeing him again, and before she was aware of it +there slipped through her lips: + +"Why, howdy do, stranger!" + +At the sound of her voice Johnson wheeled round in glad surprise and +amazement; but the quick look of recognition that he flashed upon her +wholly escaped the Sheriff whose attitude was indicative of keen +resentment at this intrusion, and whose eyes were taking in the newcomer +from head to foot. + +"We're not much on strangers here," he blurted out at last. + +Johnson turned on his heel and faced the speaker. An angry retort rose +to his lips, but he checked it. Although, perhaps, not fully +appreciating his action, he was, nevertheless, not unaware that, from +the point of view of the Polka, his refusal to take his whisky straight +might be regarded as nothing less than an insult. And now that it was +too late he was inclined, however much he resented an attempt to +interfere in a matter which he believed concerned himself solely, to +regret the provocation and challenging words of his entrance if only +because of a realisation that a quarrel would be likely to upset his +plans. On the other hand, with every fraction of a second that passed he +was conscious of becoming more and more desirous of humbling the man +standing before him and scrutinising him so insolently; moreover, he +felt intuitively that the eyes of the Girl were on him as well as on the +other principal to this silent but no less ominous conflict going on, +and such being the case it was obviously impossible for him to withdraw +from the position he had taken. As a sort of compromise, therefore, he +said, tentatively: + +"I'm the man who wanted water in his whisky." + +"You!" exclaimed the Girl; and then added reprovingly: "Oh, Nick, this +gentleman takes his whisky as he likes it!" + +And this from the Girl! The little barkeeper had all the appearance of a +man who thought the world was coming to an end. He did not accept the +Girl's ultimatum until he had drawn down his face into an expression of +mock solemnity and ejaculated half-aloud: + +"Moses, what's come over 'er!" + +Johnson took a few steps nearer the Girl and bowed low. + +"In the presence of a lady I will take nothing," he said impressively. +"But pardon me, you seem to be almost at home here." + +The girl leaned her elbows on the bar and her chin in her hands, and +answered with a tantalising little laugh: + +"Who--me?" + +After a loud guffaw Nick took it upon himself to explain matters; +turning to Johnson he said: + +"Why, she's the Girl who runs The Polka!" + +Johnson's face wore a look of puzzled consternation; he saw no reason +for levity. + +"You . . .?" + +"Yep," nodded the Girl with a merry twinkle in her eyes. + +Johnson's face fell. + +"She runs The Polka," he murmured to himself. Of all places to have +chosen--this! So the thing he had dreaded had happened! + +For odd as it unquestionably seemed to him that she should turn up as +the proprietress of a saloon after months of searching high and low for +her, it was not this reflection that was uppermost in his mind; on the +contrary, it was the deeply humiliating thought that he had come upon +her when about to ply his vocation. Regret came swiftly that he had not +thought to inquire who was the owner of The Polka Saloon. Bitterly he +cursed himself for his dense stupidity. And yet, it was doubtful whether +any of his band could have informed him. All that they knew of the place +was that the miners of Cloudy Mountain Camp were said to keep a large +amount of placer gold there; all that he had done was to acquaint +himself with the best means of getting it. But his ruminations were soon +dissipated by Rance, who had come so close that their feet almost +touched, and was speaking in a voice that showed the quarrelsome frame +of mind that he was in. + +"You're from The Crossing, the barkeeper said--" he began, and then +added pointedly: "I don't remember you." + +Johnson slowly turned from the Girl to the speaker and calmly corrected: + +"You're mistaken; I said I rode over from The Crossing." And turning his +back on the man he faced the Girl with: "So, you run The Polka?" + +"I'm the Girl--the girl that runs The Polka," she said, and to his +astonishment seemed to glory in her occupation. + +Presently, much to their delight, an opportunity came to them to +exchange a word or two with each other without interruption. For, Rance, +as if revolving some plan of action in his mind, had turned on his heel +and walked off a little way. A moment more, however, and he was back +again and more malevolently aggressive than ever. + +"No strangers are allowed in this camp," he said, glowering at Johnson; +and then, his remark having passed unheeded by the other, he sneered: +"Perhaps you're off the road; men often get mixed up when they're +visiting Nina Micheltorena on the back trail." + +"Oh, Rance!" protested the Girl. + +But Johnson, though angered, let the insinuation pass unnoticed, and +went on to say that he had stopped in to rest his horse and, perhaps, if +invited, try his luck at a game of cards. And with this intimation he +crossed over to the poker table where he picked up the deck that Rance +had been using. + +Rance hesitated, and finally followed up the stranger until he brought +up face to face with him. + +"You want a game, eh?" he drawled, coolly impudent. "I haven't heard +your name, young man." + +"Name," echoed the Girl with a cynical laugh. "Oh, names out here--" + +"My name's Johnson--" spoke up the man, throwing down the cards on the +table. + +"Is what?" laughed the Girl, saucily, and, apparently, trying to relieve +the strained situation by her bantering tone. + +"--Of Sacramento," he finished easily. + +"Of Sacramento," repeated the Girl in the same jesting manner as before; +then, quickly coming out from behind the bar, she went over to him and +put out her hand, saying: + +"I admire to know you, Mr. Johnson o' Sacramento." + +Johnson bowed low over her hand. + +"Thank you," he said simply. + +"Say, Girl, I--" began Rance, fuming at her behaviour. + +"Oh, sit down, Rance!" The interruption came from the Girl as she pushed +him lightly out of her way; then, perching herself up on one end of the +faro table, at which Johnson had taken a seat, she ventured: + +"Say, Mr. Johnson, do you know what I think o' you?" + +Johnson eyed her uncertainly, while Rance's eyes blazed as she blurted +out: + +"Well, I think you staked out a claim in a etiquette book." And then +before Johnson could answer her, she went on to say: "So you think you +can play poker?" + +"That's my conviction," Johnson told her, smilingly. + +"Out o' every fifty men who think they can play poker one ain't +mistaken," was the Girl's caustic observation. The next instant, +however, she jumped down from the table and was back at her post, where, +fearful lest he should think her wanting in hospitality, she proposed: +"Try a cigar, Mr. Johnson?" + +"Thank you," he said, rising, and following her to the bar. + +"Best in the house--my compliments." + +"You're very kind," said Johnson, taking the candle that she had lighted +for him; then, when his cigar was going, and in a voice that was +intended for her alone, he went on: "So you remember me?" + +"If you remember me," returned the Girl, likewise in a low tone. + +"What the devil are they talking about anyway?" muttered Rance to +himself as he stole a glance at them over his shoulder, though he kept +on shuffling the cards. + +"I met you on the road to Monterey," said Johnson with a smile. + +"Yes, comin' an' goin'," smiled back the Girl. "You passed me a bunch o' +wild syringa over the wheel; you also asked me to go a-berryin'--" and +here she paused long enough to glance up at him coquettishly before +adding: "But I didn't see it, Mr. Johnson." + +"I noticed that," observed Johnson, laughing. + +"An' when you went away you said--" The Girl broke off abruptly and +replaced the candle on the bar; then with a shy, embarrassed look on her +face she ended with: "Oh, I dunno." + +"Yes, you do, yes, you do," maintained Johnson. "I said I'll think of +you all the time--well, I've thought of you ever since." + +There was a moment of embarrassment. Then: + +"Somehow I kind o' tho't you might drop in," she said with averted eyes. +"But as you didn't--" She paused and summoned to her face a look which +she believed would adequately reflect a knowledge of the proprieties. +"O' course," she tittered out, "it wa'n't my place to remember +you--first." + +"But I didn't know where you lived--you never told me, you know," +contended the road agent, which contention so satisfied the Girl--for +she remembered only too well that she had not told him--that she +determined to show him further evidences of her regard. + +Say, I got a special bottle here--best in the house. Will you . . .?" + +"Why--" + +The girl did not wait for him to finish his sentence, but quickly placed +a bottle and glass before him. + +"My compliments," she whispered, smiling. + +"You're very kind--thanks," returned the road agent, and proceeded to +pour out a drink. + +Meanwhile, little of what was taking place had been lost on Jack Rance. +As the whispered conversation continued, he grew more and more jealous, +and at the moment that Johnson was on the point of putting the glass to +his lips, Rance, rising quickly, went over to him and deliberately +knocked the glass out of his hand. + +With a crash it fell to the floor. + +"Look here, Mr. Johnson, your ways are offensive to me!" he cried; +"damned offensive! My name is Rance--Jack Rance. Your business +here--your business?" And without waiting for the other's reply he +called out huskily: "Boys! Boys! Come in here!" + +At this sudden and unexpected summons in the Sheriff's well-known voice +there was a rush from the dance-hall; in an instant the good-natured, +roistering crowd, nosing a fight, crowded to the bar, where the two men +stood glaring at each other in suppressed excitement. + +"Boys," declared the Sheriff, his eye never leaving Johnson's face, +"there's a man here who won't explain his business. He won't tell--" + +"Won't he?" cut in Sonora, blusteringly. "Well, we'll see--we'll make +'im!" + +There was a howl of execration from the bar. It moved the Girl to +instant action. Quick as thought she turned and strode to where the +cries were the most menacing--towards the boys who knew her best and +ever obeyed her unquestioningly. + +"Wait a minute!" she cried, holding up her hand authoritatively. "I know +the gent!" + +The men exchanged incredulous glances; from all sides came the explosive +cries: + +"What's that? You know him?" + +"Yes," she affirmed dramatically; and turning now to Rance with a swift +change of manner, she confessed: "I didn't tell you--but I know 'im." + +The Sheriff started as if struck. + +"The Sacramento shrimp by all that is holy!" he muttered between his +teeth as the truth slowly dawned upon him. + +"Yes, boys, this is Mr. Johnson o' Sacramento," announced the Girl with +a simple and unconscious dignity that did not fail to impress all +present. "I vouch to Cloudy for Mr. Johnson!" + +Consternation! + +And then the situation vaguely dawning upon them there ensued an +outburst of cheering compared to which the previous howl of execration +was silence. + +Johnson smiled pleasantly at the Girl in acknowledgment of her +confirmation of him, then shot a half-curious, half-amused look at the +crowd surrounding him and regarding him with a new interest. Apparently +what he saw was to his liking, for his manner was most friendly when +bowing politely, he said: + +"How are you, boys?" + +At once the miners returned his salutation in true western fashion: +every man in the place, save Rance, taking off his hat and sweeping it +before him in an arc as they cried out in chorus: + +"Hello, Johnson!" + +"Boys, Rance ain't a-runnin' The Polka yet!" observed Sonora with a +mocking smile on his lips, and gloating over the opportunity to give the +Sheriff a dig. + +The men shouted their approval of this jibe. Indeed, they might have +gone just a little too far with their badgering of the Sheriff, +considering the mood that he was in; so, perhaps, it was fortunate that +Nick should break in upon them at this time with: + +"Gents, the boys from The Ridge invites you to dance with them." + +No great amount of enthusiasm was evinced at this. Nevertheless, it was +a distinct declaration of peace; and, taking advantage of it, Johnson +advanced toward the Girl, bowed low, and asked with elaborate formality: + +"May I have the honour of a waltz?" + +Flabbergasted and awed to silence by what they termed Johnson's "style," +Happy and Handsome stood staring helplessly at one another; at length +Happy broke out with: + +"Say, Handsome, ain't he got a purty action? An' ornamental sort o' +cuss, ain't he? But say, kind o' presumin' like, ain't it, for a fellow +breathin' the obscurity o' The Crossin' to learn gents like us how to +ketch the ladies pronto?" + +"Which same," allowed Handsome, "shorely's a most painful, not to say +humiliatin' state o' things." And then to the Girl he whispered: "It's +up to you--make a holy show of 'im." + +The Girl laughed. + +"Me waltz? Me?" she cried, answering Johnson at last. "Oh, I can't waltz +but I can polky." + +Once more Johnson bent his tall figure to the ground, and said: + +"Then may I have the pleasure of the next polka?" + +By this time Sonora had recovered from his astonishment. After giving +vent to a grunt expressive of his contempt, he blurted out: + +"That fellow's too flip!" + +But the idea had taken hold of the Girl, though she temporised shyly: + +"Oh, I dunno! Makes me feel kind o' foolish, you know, kind o' retirin' +like a elk in summer." + +Johnson smiled in spite of himself. + +"Elks are retiring," was his comment as he again advanced and offered +his arm in an impressive and ceremonious manner. + +"Well, I don't like everybody's hand on the back o' my waist," said the +Girl, running her hands up and down her dress skirt. "But, somehow--" +She stopped, and fixing her eyes recklessly on Rance, made a movement as +if about to accept; but another look at Johnson's proffered arm so +embarrassed her that she sent a look of appeal to the rough fellows, who +stood watching her with grinning faces. + +"Oh, Lord, must I?" she asked; then, hanging back no longer, she +suddenly flung herself into his arms with the cry: "Oh, come along!" + +Promptly Johnson put his arm around the Girl's waist, and breaking into +a polka he swung her off to the dance-hall where their appearance was +greeted with a succession of wild whoops from the men there, as well as +from the hilarious boys, who had rushed pell-mell after them. + +Left to himself and in a rage Rance began to pace the floor. + +"Cleaned out--cleaned out for fair by a high-toned, fine-haired dog +named Johnson! Well, I'll be--" The sentence was never finished, his +attention being caught and held by something which Nick was carrying in +from the dance-hall. + +"What's that?" he demanded brusquely. + +Nick's eyes were twinkling when he answered: + +"Johnson's saddle." + +Rance could control himself no longer; with a sweep of his long arm he +knocked the saddle out of the other's hand, saying: + +"Nick, I've a great notion to walk out of this door and never step my +foot in here again." + +Nick did not answer at once. While he did not especially care for Rance +he did not propose to let his patronage, which was not inconsiderable, +go elsewhere without making an effort to hold it. Therefore, he thought +a moment before picking up the saddle and placing it in the corner of +the room. + +"Aw, what you givin' us, Rance! She's only a-kiddin' 'im," at last he +said consolingly. + +The Sheriff was about to question this when a loud cry from outside +arrested him. + +"What's that?" he asked with his eyes upon the door. + +"Why that's--that's Ashby's voice," the barkeeper informed him; and +going to the door, followed by Rance, as well as the men who, on hearing +the cry, had rushed in from the dance-hall, he opened it, and they heard +again the voice that they all recognised now as that of the Wells Fargo +Agent. + +"Come on!" he was saying gruffly. + +"What the deuce is up?" inquired Trinidad simultaneously with the +Deputy's cry of "Bring him in!" And almost instantly the Deputy, +followed by Ashby and others, entered, dragging along with him the +unfortunate Jose Castro. The rough handling that he had received had not +improved his appearance. His clothing, half Mexican, the rest of odds +and ends, had been torn in several places. He looked oily, greasy and +unwashed, while the eyes that looked around in affright had lost none of +their habitual trickiness and sullenness. + +And precisely as Castro appeared wholly different than when last seen in +the company of his master, so, too, was Ashby metamorphosed. His hat was +on the back of his head; his coat looked as if he had been engaged in +some kind of a struggle; his hair was ruffled and long locks straggled +down over his forehead; while his face wore a brutal, savage, pitiless, +nasty look. + +By this time all the regular habitues of the saloon had come in and were +crowding around the greaser with scowling, angry faces. + +"The greaser on the trail!" gurgled Ashby in his glass, having left his +prisoner for a moment to fortify himself with a drink of whisky. + +Whereupon, the Sheriff advanced and, with rough hands, jerked the +prisoner's head brutally. + +"Here you," he said, "give us a look at your face." + +But the Sheriff had never seen him before. And in obedience to his +commands to "Tie him up!" the Deputy and Billy Jackrabbit took a lariat +from the wall and proceeded to bind their prisoner fast. When this was +done Ashby called to Nick to serve him another drink, adding: + +"Come on, boys!" + +Instantly there was an exclamatory lining up at the bar, only Sonora, +apparently, seeming disinclined to accept, which Ashby was quick to +note. Turning to him quickly, he inquired: + +"Say, my friend, don't you drink?" + +But no insult had been intended by Sonora's omission; it was merely most +inconsiderate on his part of the feelings of others; and, therefore, +there was a note of apology in the voice that presently said: + +"Oh, yes, Mr. Ashby, I'm with you all right." + +During this conversation the eyes of the greaser had been wandering all +over the room. But as the men moved away from him to take their drinks +he started violently and an expression of dismay crossed his features. +"Ramerrez' saddle!" he muttered to himself. "_The Maestro_--he is +taken!" + +Just then there came a particularly loud burst of approval from the +spectators of the dancing going on in the adjoining room, and +instinctively the men at the bar half-turned towards the noise. The +prisoner's eyes followed their gaze and a fiendish grin replaced the +look of dismay on his face. "No, he is there dancing with a girl," he +said under his breath. A moment later Nick let down the bearskin +curtain, shutting off completely the Mexican's view of the dance-hall. + +"Come, now, tell us what your name is?" The voice was Ashby's who, +together with the others, now surrounded the prisoner. "Speak up--who +are you?" + +"My name ees Jose Castro;" and then he added with a show of pride: +"_Ex-padrona_ of the bull-fights." + +"But the bull-fights are at Monterey! Why do you come to this place?" + +All eyes instantly turned from the prisoner to Rance, who had asked the +question while seated at the table, and from him they returned to the +prisoner, most of the men giving vent to exclamations of anger in tones +that made the greaser squirm, while Trinidad expressed the prevailing +admiration of the Sheriff's poser by crying out: + +"That's the talk--you bet! Why do you come here?" + +Castro's face wore an air of candour as he replied: + +"To tell the Senor Sheriff I know where ees Ramerrez." + +Rance turned on the prisoner a grim look. + +"You lie!" he vociferated, at the same time raising his hand to check +the angry mutterings of the men that boded ill for the greaser. + +"Nay," denied Castro, strenuously, "pleanty Mexican _vaquero_--my friend +Peralta, Weelejos all weeth Ramerrez--so I know where ees." + +Rance advanced and shot a finger in his face. + +"You're one of his men yourself!" he cried hotly. But if he had hoped by +his accusation to take the man off his guard, it was eminently +unsuccessful, for the look on the greaser's face was innocence itself +when he declared: + +"No, no, Senor Sheriff." + +Rance reflected a moment; suddenly, then, he took another tack. + +"You see that man there?" he queried, pointing to the Wells Fargo Agent. +"That is Ashby. He is the man that pays out that reward you've heard +of." Then after a pause to let his words sink in, he demanded gruffly: +"Where is Ramerrez' camp?" + +At once the prisoner became voluble. + +"Come with me one mile, Senor," he said, "and by the soul of my mother, +the blessed Maria Saltaja, we weel put a knife into hees back." + +"One mile, eh?" repeated Rance, coolly. + +The miners looked incredulous. + +"If I tho't--" began Sonora, but Rance rudely cut in with: + +"Where is this trail?" + +"Up the Madrona Canyada," was the greaser's instant reply. + +At this juncture a Ridge boy, who had pushed aside the bear-skin curtain +and was gazing with mouth wide open at the proceedings, suddenly cried +out: + +"Why, hello, boys! What's the--" He got no further. In a twinkling and +with cries of "Shut up! Git!" the men made for the intruder and bodily +threw him out of the room. When quiet was restored Rance motioned to the +prisoner to proceed. + +"Ramerrez can be taken--too well taken," declared the Mexican, gaining +confidence as he went on, "if many men come with me--in forty minutes +there--back." + +Rance turned to Ashby and asked him what he thought about it. + +"I don't know what to think," was the Wells Fargo Agent's reply. "But it +certainly is curious. This is the second warning--intimation that we +have had that he is somewhere in this vicinity." + +"And this Nina Micheltorena--you say she is coming here to-night?" + +Ashby nodded assent. + +"All the same, Rance," he maintained, "I wouldn't go. Better drop in to +The Palmetto later." + +"What? Risk losin' 'im?" exclaimed Sonora, who had been listening +intently to their conversation. + +"We'll take the chance, boys, in spite of Ashby's advice," Rance said +decisively. It was with not a little surprise that he heard the shouts +with which his words were approved by all save the Wells Fargo Agent. + +Now the miners made a rush for their coats, hats and saddles, while from +all sides came the cries of, "Come on, boys! Careful--there! +Ready--Sheriff!" + +Gladly, cheerfully, Nick, too, did what he could to get the men started +by setting up the drinks for all hands, though he remarked as he did so: + +"It's goin' to snow, boys; I don't like the sniff in the air." + +But even the probability of encountering a storm--which in that altitude +was something decidedly to be reckoned with--did not deter the men from +proceeding to make ready for the road agent's capture. In an incredibly +short space of time they had loaded up and got their horses together, +and from the harmony in their ranks while carrying out orders, it was +evident that not a man there doubted the success of their undertaking. + +"We'll git this road agent!" sung out Trinidad, going out through the +door. + +"Right you are, pard!" agreed Sonora; but at the door he called back to +the greaser: "Come on, you oily, garlic-eatin', red-peppery, +dog-trottin', sunbaked son of a skunk!" + +"Come on, you . . .!" came simultaneously from the Deputy, now untying +the rope which bound the prisoner. + +The greaser's teeth were chattering; he begged: + +"One dreenk--I freeze . . ." + +Turning to Nick the Deputy told him to give the man a drink, adding as +he left the room: + +"Watch him--keep your eye on him a moment for me, will you?" + +Nick nodded; and then regarding the Mexican with a contemptuous look, he +asked: + +"What'll you have?" + +The Mexican rose to his feet and began hesitatingly: + +"Geeve me--" He paused; and then, starting with the thought that had +come to him, he shot a glance at the dance-hall and called out loudly, +rolling his r's even more pronouncedly than is the custom with his race: +"Aguardiente! Aguardiente!" + +"Sit down!" ordered Nick, vaguely conscious that there was something in +the greaser's voice that was not there before. + +The greaser obeyed, but not until he knew for a certainty that his voice +had been heard by his master. + +"So you did bring in my saddle, eh, Nick?" asked the road agent, coming +quickly, but unconcernedly into the room and standing behind his man. + +Up to this time, Nick's eyes had not left the prisoner, but with the +appearance on the scene of Johnson, he felt that his responsibility +ceased in a measure. He turned and gave his attention to matters +pertaining to the bar. As a consequence, he did not see the look of +recognition that passed between the two men, nor did he hear the +whispered dialogue in Spanish that followed. + +"_Maestro! Ramerrez!_" came in whispered tones from Castro. + +"Speak quickly--go on," came likewise in whispered tones from the road +agent. + +"I let them take me according to your bidding," went on Castro. + +"Careful, Jose, careful," warned his master while stooping to pick up +his saddle, which he afterwards laid on the faro table. It was while he +was thus engaged that Nick came over to the prisoner with a glass of +liquor, which he handed to him gruffly with: + +"Here!" + +At that moment several voices from the dance-hail called somewhat +impatiently: "Nick, Nick!" + +"Oh, The Ridge boys are goin'!" he said, and seeming intuitively to know +what was wanted he made for the bar. But before acceding to their +wishes, he turned to Johnson, took out his gun and offered it to him +with the words: "Say, watch this greaser for a moment, will you?" + +"Certainly," responded Johnson, quickly, declining the other's pistol by +touching his own holster significantly. "Tell the Girl you pressed me +into service," he concluded with a smile. + +"Sure." But on the point of going, the little barkeeper turned to him +and confided: "Say, the Girl's taken an awful fancy to you." + +"No?" deprecated the road agent. + +"Yes," affirmed Nick. "Drop in often--great bar!" + +Johnson smiled an assent as the other went out of the room leaving +master and man together. + +"Now, then, Jose, go on," he said, when they were alone. +"_Bueno!_ Our men await the signal in the bushes close by. I will lead +the Sheriff far off--then I will slip away. You quietly rob the place +and fly--it is death for you to linger--Ashby is here." + +"Ashby!" The road agent started in alarm. + +"Ashby--" reiterated Castro and stopped on seeing that Nick had returned +to see that all was well. + +"All right, Nick, everything's all right," Johnson reassured him. + +The outlaw's position remained unchanged until Nick had withdrawn. From +where he stood he now saw for the first time the preparations that were +being made for his capture: the red torchlights and white candle-lighted +lanterns which were reflected through the windows; and a moment more he +heard the shouts of the miners calling to one another. Of a sudden he +was aroused to a consciousness, at least, of their danger by Castro's +warning: + +"By to-morrow's twilight you must be safe in your rancho." + +The road agent shook his head determinedly. + +"No, we raid on." + +Castro was visibly excited. + +"There are a hundred men on your track." + +Johnson smiled. + +"Oh, one minute's start of the devil does me, Jose." + +"Ah, but I fear the woman--Nina Micheltorena--I fear her terribly. She +is close at hand--knowing all, angry with you, and jealous--and still +loving you." + +"Loving me? Oh, no, Jose! Nina, like you, loves the spoils, not me. No, +I raid on . . ." + +A silence fell upon the two men, which was broken by Sonora calling out: + +"Bring along the greaser, Dep!" + +"All right!" answered the loud voice of the Deputy. + +"You hear--we start," whispered Castro to his master. "Give the signal." +And notwithstanding, the miners were coming through the door for him and +stood waiting, torches in hand, he contrived to finish: "Antonio awaits +for it. Only the woman and her servant will stay behind here." + +"Adios!" whispered the master. + +"Adios!" returned his man simultaneously with the approach of the Deputy +towards them. + +It was then that the Girl's gay, happy voice floated in on them from the +dance-hall; she cried out: + +"Good-night, boys, good-night! Remember me to The Ridge!" + +"You bet we will! So long! Whoop! Whooppee!" chorussed the men, while +the Deputy, grabbing the Mexican by the collar, ordered him to, "Come +on!" + +The situation was not without its humorous side to the road agent; he +could not resist following the crowd to the door where he stood and +watched his would-be captors silently mount; listened to the Sheriff +give the word, which was immediately followed by the sound of horses +grunting as they sprang forward into the darkness in a desperate effort +to escape the maddening pain of the descending quirts and cruel spurs. +It was a scene to set the blood racing through the veins, viewed in any +light; and not until the yells of the men had grown indistinct, and all +that could be heard was the ever-decreasing sound of rushing hoofs, did +the outlaw turn back into the saloon over which there hung a silence +which, by contrast, he found strangely depressing. + + + + +VIII. + + +There was a subtle change, an obvious lack of warmth in Johnson's +manner, which the Girl was quick to feel upon returning to the now +practically deserted saloon. + +"Don't it feel funny here--kind o' creepy?" She gave the words a +peculiar emphasis, which made Johnson flash a quick, inquisitorial look +at her; and then, no comment being forthcoming, she went on to explain: +"I s'pose though that's 'cause I don't remember seein' the bar so empty +before." + +A somewhat awkward silence followed, which at length was broken by the +Girl, who ordered: + +"Lights out now! Put out the candle here, too, Nick!" But while the +little barkeeper proceeded to carry out her instructions she turned to +Johnson with an eager, frank expression on her face, and said: "Oh, you +ain't goin', are you?" + +"No--not yet--no--" stammered Johnson, half-surprisedly, +half-wonderingly. + +The Girl's face wore a pleased look as she answered: + +"Oh, I'm so glad o' that!" + +Another embarrassing silence followed. At last Nick made a movement +towards the window, saying: + +"I'm goin' to put the shutters up." + +"So early? What?" The Girl looked her surprise. + +"Well, you see, the boys are out huntin' Ramerrez, and there's too much +money here . . ." said Nick in a low tone. + +The Girl laughed lightly. + +"Oh, all right--cash in--but don't put the head on the keg--I ain't +cashed in m'self yet." + +Rolling the keg to one side of the room, Nick beckoned to the Girl to +come close to him, which she did; and pointing to Johnson, who was +strolling about the room, humming softly to himself, he whispered: + +"Say, Girl, know anythin' about--about him?" + +But very significant as was Nick's pantomime, which included the keg and +Johnson, it succeeded only in bringing forth a laugh from the Girl, and +the words: + +"Oh, sure!" + +Nevertheless, the faithful guardian of the Girl's interests sent a +startled glance of inquiry about the room, and again asked: + +"All right, eh?" + +The Girl ignored the implication contained in the other's glance, and +answered "Yep," in such a tone of finality that Nick, reassured at last, +began to put things ship-shape for the night. This took but a moment or +two, however, and then he quietly disappeared. + +"Well, Mr. Johnson, it seems to be us a-keepin' house here to-night, +don't it?" said the Girl, alone now with the road agent. + +Her observation might easily have been interpreted as purposely +introductory to an intimate scene, notwithstanding that it was made in a +thoroughly matter-of-fact tone and without the slightest trace of +coquetry. But Johnson did not make the mistake of misconstruing her +words, puzzled though he was to find a clue to them. His curiosity about +her was intense, and it showed plainly in the voice that said presently: + +"Isn't it strange how things come about? Strange that I should have +looked everywhere for you and in the end find you here--at The Polka." + +Johnson's emphasis on his last words sent a bright red rushing over her, +colouring her neck, her ears and her broad, white forehead. + +"Anythin' wrong with The Polka?" + +Johnson was conscious of an indiscreet remark; nevertheless he ventured: + +"Well, it's hardly the place for a young woman like you." + +The Girl made no reply to this but busied herself with the closing-up of +the saloon. Johnson interpreted her silence as a difference of opinion. +Nevertheless, he repeated with emphasis: + +"It is decidedly no place for you." + +"How so?" + +"Well, it's rather unprotected, and--" + +"Oh, pshaw!" interrupted the Girl somewhat irritably. "I tol' Ashby only +to-night that I bet if a rud agent come in here I could offer 'im a +drink an' he'd treat me like a perfect lady." She stopped and turned +upon him impulsively with: "Say, that reminds me, won't you take +somethin'?" + +Before answering, Johnson shot her a quick look of inquiry to see +whether there was not a hidden meaning in her words. Of course there was +not, the remark being impelled by a sudden consciousness that he might +consider her inhospitable. Nevertheless, her going behind the bar and +picking up a bottle came somewhat as a relief to him. + +"No, thank you," at last he said; and then as he leaned heavily on the +bar: "But I would very much like to ask you a question." + +Instantly, to his great surprise, the Girl was eyeing him with mingled +reproach and coquetry. So he was going to do it! Was it possible that he +thought so lightly of her, she wondered. With all her heart she wished +that he would not make the same mistake that others had. + +"I know what it is--every stranger asks it--but I didn't think you +would. You want to know if I am decent? Well, I am, you bet!" she +returned, a defiant note creeping into her voice as she uttered the +concluding words. + +"Oh, Girl, I'm not blind!" His eyes quailed before the look that flamed +in hers. "And that was not the question." + +Instinctively something told the Girl that the man spoke the truth, but +notwithstanding which, she permitted her eyes to express disbelief and +"Dear me suz!" fell from her lips with an odd little laugh. On the other +hand, Johnson declined to treat the subject other than seriously. He had +no desire, of course, to enlarge upon the unconventionality of her +attitude, but he felt that his feelings towards her, even if they were +only friendly, justified him in giving her a warning. Moreover, he +refused to admit to himself that this was a mere chance meeting. He had +a consciousness, vague, but nevertheless real that, at last, after all +his searching, Fate had brought him face to face with the one woman in +all the world for him. Unknown to himself, therefore, there was a sort +of jealous proprietorship in his manner towards her as he now said: + +"What I meant was this: I am sorry to find you here almost at the mercy +of the passer-by, where a man may come, may drink, may rob you if he +will--" and here a flush of shame spread over his features in spite of +himself--"and where, I daresay, more than one has laid claim to a kiss." + +The Girl turned upon him in good-natured contempt. + +"There's a good many people claimin' things they never git. I've got my +first kiss to give." + +Once more a brief silence fell upon them in which the Girl busied +herself with her cash box. She was not unaware that his eyes were upon +her, but she was by no means sure that he believed her words. Nor could +she tell herself, unfortunately for her peace of mind, that it made no +difference to her. + +"Have you been here long?" suddenly he asked. + +"Yep." + +"Lived in The Polka?" + +"Nope." + +"Where do you live?" + +"Cabin up the mountain a little ways." + +"Cabin up the mountain a little ways," echoed Johnson, reflectively. The +next instant the little figure before him had faded from his sight and +instead there appeared a vision of the little hut on the top of Cloudy +Mountain. Only a few hours back he had stood on the precipice which +looked towards it, and had felt a vague, indefinable something, had +heard a voice speak to him out of the vastness which he now believed to +have been her spirit calling to him. + +"You're worth something better than this," after a while he murmured +with the tenderness of real love in his voice. + +"What's better'n this?" questioned the Girl with a toss of her pretty +blonde head. "I ain't a-boastin' but if keepin' this saloon don't give +me sort of a position 'round here I dunno what does." + +But the next moment there had flashed through her mind a new thought +concerning him. She came out from behind the bar and confronted him with +the question: + +"Look 'ere, you ain't one o' them exhorters from the Missionaries' Camp, +are you?" + +The road agent smiled. + +"My profession has its faults," he acknowledged, "but I am not an +exhorter." + +But still the Girl was nonplussed, and eyed him steadily for a moment or +two. + +"You know I can't figger out jest exactly what you are?" she admitted +smilingly. + +"Well, try . . ." he suggested, slightly colouring under her persistent +gaze. + +"Well, you ain't one o' us." + +"No?" + +"Oh, I can tell--I can spot my man every time. I tell you, keepin' +saloon's a great educator." And so saying she plumped herself down in a +chair and went on very seriously now: "I dunno but what it's a good way +to bring up girls--they git to know things. Now," and here she looked at +him long and earnestly, "I'd trust you." + +Johnson was conscious of a guilty feeling, though he said as he took a +seat beside her: + +"You would trust me?" + +The Girl nodded an assent and observed in a tone that was intended to be +thoroughly conclusive: + +"Notice I danced with you to-night?" + +"Yes," was his brief reply, though the next moment he wondered that he +had not found something more to say. + +"I seen from the first that you were the real article." + +"I beg your pardon," he said absently, still lost in thought. + +"Why, that was a compliment I handed out to you," returned the Girl with +a pained look on her face. + +"Oh!" he ejaculated with a faint little smile. + +Now the Girl, who had drawn up her chair close to his, leaned over and +said in a low, confidential voice: + +"Your kind don't prevail much here. I can tell--I got what you call a +quick eye." + +As might be expected Johnson flushed guiltily at this remark. No +different, for that matter, would have acted many a man whose conscience +was far clearer. + +"Oh, I'm afraid that men like me prevail--prevail, as you say,--almost +everywhere," he said, laying such stress on the words that it would seem +almost impossible for anyone not to see that they were shot through with +self-depreciation. + +The Girl gave him a playful dig with her elbow. + +"Go on! What are you givin' me! O' course they don't . . .!" She laughed +outright; but the next instant checking herself, went on with absolute +ingenuousness: "Before I went on that trip to Monterey I tho't Rance +here was the genuine thing in a gent, but the minute I kind o' glanced +over you on the road I--I seen he wasn't." She stopped, a realisation +having suddenly been borne in upon her that perhaps she was laying her +heart too bare to him. To cover up her embarrassment, therefore, she +took refuge, as before, in hospitality, and rushing over to the bar she +called to Nick to come and serve Mr. Johnson with a drink, only to +dismiss him the moment he put his head through the door with: "Never +mind, I'll help Mr. Johnson m'self." Turning to her visitor again, she +said: "Have your whisky with water, won't you?" + +"But I don't--" began Johnson in protest. + +"Say," interrupted the Girl, falling back into her favourite position of +resting both elbows on the bar, her face in her hands, "I've got you +figgered out. You're awful good or awful bad." A remark which seemed to +amuse the man, for he laughed heartily. + +"Now, what do you mean by that?" presently he asked. + +"Well, I mean so good that you're a teetotaller, or so bad that you're +tired o' life an' whisky." + +Johnson shook his head. + +"On the contrary, although I'm not good, I've lived and I've liked life +pretty well. It's been bully!" + +Surprised and delighted with his enthusiasm, the Girl raised her eyes to +his, which look he mistook--not unnaturally after all that had been +said--for one of encouragement. A moment more and the restraint that he +had exercised over himself had vanished completely. + +"So have you liked it, Girl," he went on, trying vainly to get +possession of her hand, "only you haven't lived, you haven't lived--not +with your nature. You see I've got a quick eye, too." + +To Johnson's amazement she flushed and averted her face. Following the +direction of her eyes he saw Nick standing in the door with a broad grin +on his face. + +"You git, Nick! What do you mean by . . .?" cried out the Girl in a tone +that left no doubt in the minds of her hearers that she was annoyed, if +not angry, at the intrusion. + +Nick disappeared into the dance-hall as though shot out of a gun; +whereupon, the Girl turned to Johnson with: + +"I haven't lived? That's good!" + +Johnson's next words were insinuating, but his voice was cold in +comparison with the fervent tones of a moment previous. + +"Oh, you know!" was what he said, seating himself at the poker table. + +"No, I don't," contradicted the Girl, taking a seat opposite him. + +"Yes, you do," he insisted. + +"Well, say it's an even chance I do an' an even chance I don't," she +parried. + +Once more the passion in the man was stirring. + +"I mean," he explained in a voice that barely reached her, "life for all +it's worth, to the uttermost, to the last drop in the cup, so that it +atones for what's gone before, or may come after." + +The Girl's face wore a puzzled look as she answered: + +"No, I don't believe I know what you mean by them words. Is it a--" She +cut her sentence short, and springing up, cried out: "Oh, Lord--Oh, +excuse me, I sat on my gun!" + +Johnson looked at her, genuine amusement depicted on his face. + +"Look here," said the Girl, suddenly perching herself upon the table, +"I'm goin' to make you an offer." + +"An offer?" Johnson fairly snatched the words out of her mouth. "You're +going to make me an offer?" + +"It's this," declared the Girl with a pleased look on her face. "If ever +you need to be staked--" + +Johnson eyed her uncomprehendingly. + +"Which o' course you don't," she hastened to add. "Name your price. It's +yours jest for the style I git from you an' the deportment." + +"Deportment? Me?" A half-grin formed over Johnson's face as he asked the +question; then he said: "Well, I never heard before that my society was +so desirable. Apart from the financial aspect of this matter, I--" + +"Say," broke in the Girl, gazing at him in helpless admiration, "ain't +that great? Ain't that great? Oh, you got to let me stand treat!" + +"No, really I would prefer not to take anything," responded Johnson, +putting a restraining hand on her as she was about to leap from the +table. + +At that moment Nick's hurried footsteps reached their ears. Turning, the +Girl, with a swift gesture, waved him back. There was a brief silence, +then Johnson spoke: + +"Say, Girl, you're like finding some new kind of flower." + +A slight laugh of confusion was his answer. The next moment, however, +she went on, speaking very slowly and seriously: "Well, we're kind o' +rough up here, but we're reachin' out." + +Johnson noted immediately the change in her voice. There was no +mistaking the genuineness of her emotion, nor the wistful look in her +eyes. It was plain that she yearned for someone who would teach her the +ways of the outside world; and when the man looked at the Girl with the +lamp-light softening her features, he felt her sincerity and was pleased +by her confidence. + +"Now, I take it," continued the Girl with a vague, dreamy look on her +face, "that's what we're all put on this earth for--everyone of us--is +to rise ourselves up in the world--to reach out." + +"That's true, that's true," returned Johnson with gentle and perfect +sympathy. "I venture to say that there isn't a man who hasn't thought +seriously about that. I have. If only one knew how to reach out for +something one hardly dares even hope for. Why, it's like trying to catch +the star shining just ahead." + +The Girl could not restrain her enthusiasm. + +"That's the cheese! You've struck it!" + +At this juncture Nick appeared and refused to be ordered away. At +length, the Girl inquired somewhat impatiently: + +"Well, what is it, Nick?" + +"I've been tryin' to say," announced the barkeeper, whose face wore an +expression of uneasiness as he pointed to the window, "that I have seen +an ugly-lookin' greaser hanging around outside." + +"A greaser!" exclaimed the Girl, uneasily. "Let me look." And with that +she made a movement towards the window, but was held back by Johnson's +detaining hand. All too well did he know that the Mexican was one of his +men waiting impatiently for the signal. So, with an air of concern, for +he did not intend that the Girl should run any risk, however remote, he +said authoritatively: + +"Don't go!" + +"Why not?" demanded the Girl. + +Johnson sat strangely silent. + +"I'll bolt the windows!" cried Nick. Hardly had he disappeared into the +dance-hall when a low whistle came to their ears. + +"The signal--they're waiting," said Johnson under his breath, and shot a +quick look of inquiry at the Girl to see whether she had heard the +sound. A look told him that she had, and was uneasy over it. + +"Don't that sound horrid?" said the Girl, reaching the bar in a state of +perturbation. "Say, I'm awful glad you're here. Nick's so nervous. He +knows what a lot o' money I got. Why, there's a little fortune in that +keg." + +Johnson started; then rising slowly he went over to the keg and examined +it with interest. + +"In there?" he asked, with difficulty concealing his excitement. + +"Yes; the boys sleep around it nights," she went on to confide. + +Johnson looked at her curiously. + +"But when they're gone--isn't that rather a careless place to leave it?" + +Quietly the Girl came from behind the bar and went over and stood beside +the keg; when she spoke her eyes flashed dangerously. + +"They'd have to kill me before they got it," she said, with cool +deliberation. + +"Oh, I see--it's your money." + +"No, it's the boys'." + +A look of relief crossed Johnson's features. + +"Oh, that's different," he contended; and then brightening up somewhat, +he went on: "Now, I wouldn't risk my life for that." + +"Oh, yes, you would, yes, you would," declared the Girl with feeling. A +moment later she was down on her knees putting bag after bag of the +precious gold-dust and coins into the keg. When they were all in she +closed the lid, and putting her foot down hard to make it secure, she +repeated: "Oh, yes, you would, if you seen how hard they got it. When I +think of it, I nearly cry." + +Johnson had listened absorbedly, and was strangely affected by her +words. In her rapidly-filling eyes, in the wave of colour that surged in +her cheeks, in the voice that shook despite her efforts to control it, +he read how intense was her interest in the welfare of the miners. How +the men must adore her! + +Unconsciously the Girl arose, and said: + +"There's somethin' awful pretty in the way the boys hold out before they +strike it, somethin' awful pretty in the face o' rocks, an' clay an' +alkali. Oh, Lord, what a life it is anyway! They eat dirt, they sleep in +dirt, they breathe dirt 'til their backs are bent, their hands twisted +an' warped. They're all wind-swept an' blear-eyed I tell you, an' some +o' them jest lie down in their sweat beside the sluices, an' they don't +never rise up again. I've seen 'em there!" She paused reminiscently; +then, pointing to the keg, she went on haltingly: "I got some money +there of Ol' Brownie's. He was lyin' out in the sun on a pile o' clay +two weeks ago, an' I guess the only clean thing about him was his soul, +an' he was quittin', quittin', quittin', right there on the clay, an' +quittin' hard. Oh, so hard!" Once more she stopped and covered her face +with her hands as if to shut out the horror of it all. Presently she had +herself under control and resumed: "Yes, he died--died jest like a dog. +You wanted to shoot 'im to help 'im along quicker. Before he went he sez +to me: 'Girl, give it to my ol' woman.' That was all he said, an' he +went. She'll git it, all right." + +With every word that the Girl uttered, the iron had entered deeper into +Johnson's soul. Up to the present time he had tried to regard his +profession, if he looked at it at all, from the point of view which he +inherited from his father. It was not, in all truthfulness, what he +would have chosen; it was something that, at times, he lamented; but, +nevertheless, he had practised it and had despoiled the miners with but +few moments of remorse. But now, he was beginning to look upon things +differently. In a brief space of time a woman had impelled him to see +his actions in their true light; new ambitions and desires awakened, and +he looked downward as if it were impossible to meet her honest eye. + +"An' that's what aches you," the Girl was now saying. "There ain't one +o' them men workin' for themselves alone--the Lord never put it into no +man's heart to make a beast or a pack-horse o' himself, except for some +woman or some child." She halted a moment, and throwing up her hands +impulsively, she cried: "Ain't it wonderful--ain't it wonderful that +instinct? Ain't it wonderful what a man'll do when it comes to a +woman--ain't it wonderful?" Once more she waited as if expecting him to +corroborate her words; but he remained strangely silent. A moment later +when he raised his troubled eyes, he saw that hers were dry and +twinkling. + +"Well, the boys use me as a--a sort of lady bank," presently she said; +and then added with another quick change of expression, and in a voice +that showed great determination: "You bet I'll drop down dead before +anyone'll get a dollar o' theirs outer The Polka!" + +Impulsively the road agent's hand went out to her, and with it went a +mental resolution that so far as he was concerned no hard-working miner +of Cloudy Mountain need fear for his gold! + +"That's right," was what he said. "I'm with you--I'd like to see anyone +get that." He dropped her hand and laid his on the keg; then with a +voice charged with much feeling, he added: "Girl, I wish to Heaven I +could talk more with you, but I can't. By daybreak I must be a long ways +off. I'm sorry--I should have liked to have called at your cabin." + +The Girl shot him a furtive glance. + +"Must you be a-movin' so soon?" she asked. + +"Yes; I'm only waiting till the posse gets back and you're safe." And +even as he spoke his trained ear caught the sound of horses hoofs. "Why, +they're coming now!" he exclaimed with suppressed excitement, and his +eyes immediately fastened themselves on his saddle. + +The Girl looked her disappointment when she said: + +"I'm awfully sorry you've got to go. I was goin' to say--" She stopped, +and began to roll the keg back to its place. Now she took the lantern +from the bar and placed it on the keg; then turning to him once more she +went on in a voice that was distinctly persuasive: "If you didn't have +to go so soon, I would like to have you come up to the cabin to-night +an' we would talk o' reachin' out up there. You see, the boys will be +back here--we close The Polka at one--any time after . . ." + +Hesitatingly, helplessly, Johnson stared at the Girl before him. His +acceptance, he realised only too well, meant a pleasant hour or two for +him, of which there were only too few in the mad career that he was +following, and he wanted to take advantage of it; on the other hand, his +better judgment told him that already he should be on his way. + +"Why, I--I should ride on now." He began and then stopped, the next +moment, however, he threw down his hat on the table in resignation and +announced: "I'll come." + +"Oh, good!" cried the Girl, making no attempt to conceal her delight. +"You can use this," she went on, handing him the lantern. "It's the +straight trail up; you can't miss it. But I say, don't expect too much +o' me--I've only had thirty-two dollars' worth o' education." Despite +her struggle to control herself, her voice broke and her eyes filled +with tears. "P'r'aps if I'd had more," she kept on, regretfully, "why, +you can't tell what I might have been. Say, that's a terrible tho't, +ain't it? What we might a been--an' I know it when I look at you." + +Johnson was deeply touched at the Girl's distress, and his voice broke, +too, as he said: + +"Yes, what we might have been is a terrible thought, and I know it, +Girl, when I look at you--when I look at you." + +"You bet!" ejaculated the Girl. And then to Johnson's consternation she +broke down completely, burying her face in her hands and sobbing out: +"Oh, 'tain't no use, I'm rotten, I'm ignorant, I don't know nothin' an' +I never knowed it 'till to-night! The boys always tol' me I knowed so +much, but they're such damn liars!" + +In an instant Johnson was beside her, patting her hand caressingly; she +felt the sympathy in his touch and was quick to respond to it. + +"Don't you care, Girl, you're all right," he told her, choking back with +difficulty the tears in his own voice. "Your heart's all right, that's +the main thing. And as for your looks? Well, to me you've got the face +of an angel--the face--" He broke off abruptly and ended with: "Oh, but +I must be going now!" + +A moment more and he stood framed in the doorway, his saddle in one hand +and the Girl's lantern in the other, torn by two emotions which grappled +with each other in his bosom. "Johnson, what the devil's the matter with +you?" he muttered half-aloud; then suddenly pulling himself together he +stumbled rather than walked out of The Polka into the night. + +Motionless and trying to check her sobs, the Girl remained where he had +left her; but a few minutes later, when Nick entered, all trace of her +tears had disappeared. + +"Nick," said she, all smiles now, "run over to The Palmetto restaurant +an' tell 'em to send me up two charlotte rusks an' a lemming turnover--a +good, big, fat one--jest as quick as they can--right up to the cabin for +supper." + +"He says I have the face of an angel," is what the Girl repeated over +and over again to herself when perched up again on the poker table after +the wondering barkeeper had departed on her errand, and for a brief +space of time her countenance reflected the joy that Johnson's parting +words had imprinted on her heart. But in the Girl's character there was +an element too prosaic, and too practical, to permit her thoughts to +dwell long in a region lifted far above the earth. It was inevitable, +therefore, that the notion should presently strike her as supremely +comic and, quickly leaping to the floor, she let out the one word which, +however adequately it may have expressed her conflicting emotions, is +never by any chance to be found in the vocabulary of angels in good +standing. + + + + +IX. + + +Notwithstanding that The Palmetto was the most pretentious building in +Cloudy, and was the only rooming and eating house that outwardly +asserted its right to be called an hotel, its saloon contrasted +unfavourably with its rival, The Polka. There was not the individuality +of the Girl there to charm away the impress of coarseness settled upon +it by the loafers, the habitual drunkards and the riffraff of the camp, +who were not tolerated elsewhere. In short, it did not have that certain +indefinable something which gave to The Polka Saloon an almost homelike +appearance, but was a drab, squalid, soulless place with nothing to +recommend it but its size. + +In a small parlour pungent at all times with the odour of liquor,--but +used only on rare occasions, most of The Palmetto's patrons preferring +the even more stifling atmosphere of the bar-room,--the Wells Fargo +Agent had been watching and waiting ever since he had left The Polka +Saloon. On a table in front of him was a bottle, for it was a part of +Ashby's scheme of things to solace thus all such weary hours. + +Although a shrewd judge of women of the Nina Micheltorena type and by no +means unmindful of their mercurial temperament, Ashby, nevertheless, had +felt that she would keep her appointment with him. In the Mexican Camp +he had read the wild jealousy in her eyes, and had assumed, not +unnaturally, that there had been scarcely time for anything to occur +which would cause a revulsion of feeling on her part. But as the moments +went by, and still she did not put in an appearance, an expression of +keen disappointment showed itself on his face and, with mechanical +regularity, he carried out the liquid programme, shutting his eyes after +each drink for moments at a time yet, apparently, in perfect control of +his mind when he opened them again; and it was in one of these moments +that he heard a step outside which he correctly surmised to be that of +the Sheriff. + +Without a word Rance walked into the room and over to the table and +helped himself to a drink from the bottle there, which action the Wells +Fargo Agent rightly interpreted as meaning that the posse had failed to +catch their quarry. At first a glint of satisfaction shone in Ashby's +eyes: not that he disliked Rance, but rather that he resented his +egotistical manner and evident desire to overawe all who came in contact +with him; and it required, therefore, no little effort on his part to +banish this look from his face and make up his mind not to mention the +subject in any manner. + +For some time, therefore, the two officers sat opposite to each other +inhaling the stale odour of tobacco and spirits peculiar to this room, +with little or no ventilation. It was enough to sicken anyone, but both +men, accustomed to such places in the pursuit of their calling, +apparently thought nothing of it, the Sheriff seemingly absorbed in +contemplating the long ash at the end of his cigar, but, in reality, +turning over in his mind whether he should leave the room or not. At +length, he inaugurated a little contest of opinion. + +"This woman isn't coming, that's certain," he declared, impatiently. + +"I rather think she will; she promised not to fail me," was the other's +quiet answer; and he added: "In ten minutes you'll see her." + +It was a rash remark and expressive of a confidence that he by no means +felt. As a matter of fact, it was induced solely by the cynical smile +which he perceived on the Sheriff's face. + +"You, evidently, take no account of the fact that the lady may have +changed her mind," observed Rance, lighting a fresh cigar. "The Nina +Micheltorenas are fully as privileged as others of their sex." + +As he drained his glass Ashby gave the speaker a sharp glance; another +side of Rance's character had cropped out. Moreover, Ashby's quick +intuition told him that the other's failure to catch the outlaw was not +troubling him nearly as much as was the blow which his conceit had +probably received at the hands of the Girl. It was, therefore, in an +indulgent tone that he said: + +"No, Rance, not this one nor this time. You mark my words, the woman is +through with Ramerrez. At least, she is so jealous that she thinks she +is. She'll turn up here, never fear; she means business." + +The shoulders of Mr. Jack Rance strongly suggested a shrug, but the man +himself said nothing. They were anything but sympathetic companions, +these two officers, and in the silence that ensued Rance formulated +mentally more than one disparaging remark about the big man sitting +opposite to him. It is possible, of course, that the Sheriff's rebuff by +the Girl, together with the wild goose chase which he had recently taken +against his better judgment, had something to do with this bitterness; +but it was none the less true that he found himself wondering how Ashby +had succeeded in acquiring his great reputation. Among the things that +he held against him was his everlasting propensity to boast of his +achievements, to say nothing of the pedestal upon which the boys +insisted upon placing him. Was this Wells Fargo's most famous agent? Was +this the man whose warnings were given such credence that they stirred +even the largest of the gold camps into a sense of insecurity? And at +this Rance indulged again in a fit of mental merriment at the other's +expense. + +But, although he would have denied it in toto, the truth of the matter +was that the Sheriff was jealous of Ashby. Witty, generous, and a high +liver, the latter was generally regarded as a man who fascinated women; +moreover, he was known to be a favourite--and here the shoe +pinched--with the Girl. True, the demands of his profession were such as +to prevent his staying long in any camp. Nevertheless, it seemed to +Rance that he contrived frequently to turn up at The Polka when the boys +were at the diggings. + +After Ashby's observation the conversation by mutual, if unspoken, +consent, was switched into other channels. But it may be truthfully said +that Rance did not wholly recover his mental equilibrium until a door +was heard to open noiselessly and some whispered words in Spanish fell +upon their ears. + +Now the Sheriff, as well as Ashby, had the detective instinct fully +developed; moreover, both men knew a few words of that language and had +an extreme curiosity to hear the conversation going on between a man and +a woman, who were standing just outside in a sort of hallway. As a +result, therefore, both officers sprang to the door with the hope--if +indeed it was Nina Micheltorena as they surmised--that they might catch +a word or two which would give them a clue to what was likely to take +place at the coming interview. It came sooner than they expected. + +". . . Ramerrez--Five thousand dollars!" reached their ears in a soft, +Spanish voice. + +Ashby needed nothing more than this. In an instant, much to the +Sheriff's astonishment, and moving marvellously quick for a man of his +heavy build, he was out of the room, leaving Rance to face a woman with +a black mantilla thrown over her head who, presently, entered by another +door. + +Nina Micheltorena, for it was she, did not favour him with as much as an +icy look. Nor did the Sheriff give any sign of knowing her; a wise +proceeding as it turned out, for a quick turn of the head and a subtle +movement of the woman's shoulders told him that she was in anything but +a quiet state of mind. One glance towards the door behind him, however, +and the reason of her anger was all too plain: A Mexican was vainly +struggling in the clutches of Ashby. + +"Why are you dragging him in?" Far from quailing before him as did her +confederate, she confronted Ashby with eyes that flashed fire. "He came +with me--" + +Ashby cut her short. + +"We don't allow greasers in this camp and--" he began in a throaty +voice. + +"But he is waiting to take me back!" she objected, and then added: "I +wish him to wait for me outside, and unless you allow him to I'll go at +once." And with these words she made a movement towards the door. + +Ashby laid one restraining hand upon her, while with the other he held +on to the Mexican. Of a sudden there had dawned upon him the conviction +that for once in his life he had made a grievous mistake. He had +thought, by the detention of her confederate, to have two strings to his +bow, but one glance at the sneeringly censorious expression on the +Sheriff's face convinced him that no information would be forthcoming +from the woman while in her present rebellious mood. + +"All right, my lady," he said, for the time being yielding to her will, +"have your way." And turning now to the Mexican, he added none too +gently: + +"Here you, get out!" + +Whereupon the Mexican slunk out of the room. + +"There's no use of your getting into a rage," went on Ashby, turning to +the woman in a slightly conciliatory manner. "I calculated that the +greaser would be in on the job, too." + +All through this scene Rance had been sitting back in his chair chewing +his cigar in contemptuous silence, while his face wore a look of languid +insolence, a fact which, apparently, did not disturb the woman in the +least, for she ignored him completely. + +"It was well for you, Senor Ashby, that you let him go. I tell you +frankly that in another moment I should have gone." And now throwing +back her mantilla she took out a cigarette from a dainty, little case +and lit it and coolly blew a cloud of smoke in Rance's face, saying: "It +depends on how you treat me--you, Mr. Jack Rance, as well as Senor +Ashby--whether we come to terms or not. Perhaps I had better go away +anyway," she concluded with a shrug of admirably simulated indifference. + +This time Ashby sat perfectly still. It was not difficult to perceive +that her anger was decreasing with every word that she uttered; nor did +he fail to note how fluently she spoke English, a slight Spanish accent +giving added charm to her wonderfully soft and musical voice. How +gloriously beautiful, he told himself, she looked as she stood there, +voluptuous, compelling, alluring, the expression that had been almost +diabolical, gradually fading from her face. Was it possible, he asked +himself, that all this loveliness was soiled forever? He felt that there +was something pitiful in the fact that the woman standing before him +represented negotiable property which could be purchased by any +passer-by who had a few more nuggets in his possession than his +neighbour; and, perhaps, because of his knowledge of the piteous history +of this former belle of Monterey he put a little more consideration into +the voice that said: + +"All right, Nina, we'll get down to business. What have you to say to +us?" + +By this time Nina's passionate anger had burned itself out. In +anticipation, perhaps, of what she was about to do, she looked straight +ahead of her into space. It was not because she was assailed by some +transient emotion to forswear her treacherous desire for vengeance; she +had no illusion of that kind. Too vividly she recalled the road agent's +indifferent manner at their last interview for any feeling to dwell in +her heart other than hatred. It was that she was summoning to appear a +vision scarcely less attractive, however pregnant with tragedy, than +that of seeing herself avenged: a gay, extravagant career in Mexico or +Spain which the reward would procure for her. That was what she was +seeing, and with a pious wish for its confirmation she began to make +herself a fresh cigarette, rolling it dexterously with her white, +delicate fingers, and not until her task was accomplished and her full, +red lips were sending forth tiny clouds of smoke did she announce: + +"Ramerrez was in Cloudy Mountain to-night." + +But however much of a surprise this assertion was to both men, neither +gave vent to an exclamation. Instead Rance regarded his elegantly booted +feet; Ashby looked hard at the woman as if he would read the truth in +her eyes; while as for Nina, she continued to puff away at her little +cigarette after the manner of one that has appealed not in vain to the +magic power which can paint out the past and fill the blank with the +most beautiful of dreams. + +The Wells Fargo man was the first to make any comment; he asked: + +"You know this?" And then as she surveyed them through a scented cloud +and bowed her head, he added: "How do you know it?" + +"That I shall not tell you," replied the woman, firmly. + +Ashby made an impatient movement towards her with the question: + +"Where was he?" + +"Oh, come, Ashby!" put in Rance, speaking for the first time. "She's +putting up a game on us." + +In a flash Nina wheeled around and with eyes that blazed advanced to the +table where the Sheriff was sitting. Indeed, there was something so +tigerish about the woman that the Sheriff, in alarm, quickly pushed back +his chair. + +"I am not lying, Jack Rance." There was an evil glitter in her eye as +she watched a sarcastic smile playing around his lips. "Oh, yes, I know +you--you are the Sheriff," and so saying a peal of contemptuous +merriment burst from her, "and Ramerrez was in the camp not less than +two hours ago." + +Ashby could hardly restrain his excitement. + +"And you saw him?" came from him. + +"Yes," was her answer. + +Both men sprang to their feet; it was impossible to doubt any longer +that she spoke the truth. + +"What's his game?" demanded Rance. + +The woman answered his question with a question. + +"How about the reward, Senor Ashby?" + +"You needn't worry about that--I'll see that you get what's coming to +you," replied the Wells Fargo Agent already getting into his coat. + +"But how are we to know?" inquired Rance, likewise getting ready to +leave. "Is he an American or a Mexican?" + +"To-night he's an American, that is, he's dressed and looks like one. +But the reward--you swear you're playing fair?" + +"On my honour," Ashby assured her. + +The woman's face stood clear--cruelly clear in the light of the kerosene +lamp above her head. About her mouth and eyes there was a repellent +expression. Her mind, still working vividly, was reviewing the past; and +a bitter memory prompted the words which were said however with a smile +that was still seductive: + +"Try to recall, Senor Ashby, what strangers were in The Polka to-night?" + +At these ominous words the men started and regarded each other +questioningly. Their keen and trained intelligences were greatly +distressed at being so utterly in the dark. For an instant, it is true, +the thought of the greaser that Ashby had brought in rose uppermost in +their minds, but only to be dismissed quickly when they recalled the +woman's words concerning the way that the road agent was dressed. A +moment more, however, and a strange thought had fastened itself on one +of their active minds--a thought which, although persisting in forcing +itself upon the Sheriff's consideration, was in the end rejected as +wholly improbable. But who was it then? In his intensity Rance let his +cigar go out. + +"Ah!" at last he cried. "Johnson, by the eternal!" + +"Johnson?" echoed Ashby, wholly at sea and surprised at the look of +corroboration in Nina's eyes. + +"Yes, Johnson," went on Rance, insistently. Why had he not seen at once +that it was Johnson who was the road agent! There could be no mistake! +"You weren't there," he explained hurriedly, "when he came in and began +flirting with the Girl and--" + +"Ramerrez making love to the Girl?" broke in Ashby. "Ye Gods!" + +"The Girl? So that's the woman he's after now!" Nina laughed bitterly. +"Well, she's not destined to have him for long, I can tell you!" And +with that she reached out for the bottle on the table and poured herself +a small glass of whisky and swallowed it. When she turned her lips were +tightly shut over her brilliant teeth, a thousand thoughts came rushing +into her brain. There was no longer any compunction--she would strike +now and deep. Through her efforts alone the man would be captured, and +she gloried in the thought. + +"Here--here is something that will interest you!" she said; and putting +her hand in her bosom drew out a soiled, faded photograph. "There--that +will settle him for good and all! Never again will he boast of trifling +with Nina Micheltorena--with me, a Micheltorena in whose veins runs the +best and proudest blood of California!" + +Ashby fairly snatched the photograph out of her hand and, after one look +at it, passed it over to the Sheriff. + +"Good of him, isn't it?" sneered Nina; and then seemingly trying by her +very vehemence to impress upon herself the impossibility of his ever +being anything but an episode in her life, she added: "I hate him!" + +The picture was indeed an excellent one. It represented Ramerrez in the +gorgeous dress of a _caballero_--and the outlaw was a fine specimen of +that spectacular class of men. But Rance studied the photograph only +long enough to be sure that no mistake was possible. With a quick +movement he put it away in his pocket and looked long and hard at the +figure of the degraded woman standing before him and revelling in her +treachery. In that time he forgot that anyone had ever entertained a +kind thought about her; he forgot that she once was respected as well as +admired; he was conscious only of regarding her with a far deeper +disgust and repugnance than he held towards others much her inferior in +birth and education. But, presently, his face grew a shade whiter, if +that were possible, and he cursed himself for not having thought of the +danger to which the Girl might even now be exposed. In less than a +minute, therefore, both men stood ready for the work before them. But on +the threshold just before going out into the fierce storm that had burst +during the last few minutes, he paused and called back: + +"You Mexican devil! If any harm comes to the Girl, I'll strangle you +with my own hands!" And not waiting to hear the woman's mocking laughter +he passed out, followed by Ashby, into the storm. + + + + +X. + + +In the still black night and with no guide other than the dimly-lighted +lantern which she carried, the Girl had started for home--a bit of +shelter in the middle of a great silence, a little fortress in the +wilderness, as it were, with its barred doors and windows--on the top of +Cloudy Mountain. To be sure, it was not the first time that she had +followed the trail alone: Day and night, night and day, for as long, +almost, as she could remember, she had been doing it; indeed, she had +watched the alders, oaks and dwarf pines, that bordered the trail, grow +year by year as she herself had grown, until now the whispering of the +mountain's night winds spoke a language as familiar as her own; but +never before had she climbed up into the clean, wide, free sweep of this +unbounded horizon, the very air untainted and limitless as the sky +itself, with so keen and uncloying a pleasure. But there was a new +significance attached to her home-coming to-night: was she not to +entertain there her first real visitor? + +At the threshold of her cabin the Girl, her cheeks aglow and eyes as +bright, almost, as the red cape that enveloped her lithe, girlish +figure, paused, and swinging her lantern high above her head so that its +light was reflected in the room, she endeavoured to imagine what would +be the impression that a stranger would receive coming suddenly upon +these surroundings. + +And well might she have paused, for no eye ever rested upon a more +conglomerate ensemble! Yet, withal, there was a certain attractiveness +about this log-built, low, square room, half-papered with gaudy +paper--the supply, evidently, having fallen short,--that was as +unexpected as it was unusual. + +Upon the floor, which had a covering of corn sacks, were many beautiful +bear and wolf skins, Indian rugs and Navajo blankets; while +overhead--screening some old trunks and boxes neatly piled up high in +the loft, which was reached by a ladder, generally swung out of the +way--hung a faded, woollen blanket; from the opposite corner there fell +an old, patchwork, silk quilt. Dainty white curtains in all their +crispness were at the windows, and upon the walls were many rare and +weird trophies of the chase, not to mention the innumerable pictures +that had been taken from "Godey's Lady Book" and other periodicals of +that time. A little book-shelf, that had been fashioned out of a box, +was filled with old and well-read books; while the mantel that guarded +the fireplace was ornamented with various small articles, conspicuous +among which were a clock that beat loud, automatic time with a brassy +resonance, a china dog and cat of most gaudy colours, a whisky bottle +and two tumblers, and some winter berries in a jar. + +There were two pieces of furniture in the room, however, which were +placed with an eye to attract attention, and these the Girl prized most +highly: one was a homemade rocking-chair that had been made out of a +barrel and had been dyed, unsuccessfully, with indigo blue, and had +across its back a knitted tidy with a large, upstanding, satin bow; the +other was a homemade, pine wardrobe that had been rudely decorated by +one of the boys of the camp and in which the Girl kept her dresses, and +was piled up high towards the ceiling with souvenirs of her trip to +Monterey, including the hat-boxes and wicker basket that had come well +nigh to loading down the stage on that memorable journey. + +But it was upon her bed and bedroom fixings that the greatest attempt at +decoration had been made; partitioning off the room, as it were, and at +the same time forming a canopy about the bed, were curtains of cheap, +gaudy material, through the partings of which there was to be had a +glimpse of a daintily-made-up bed, whose pillows were made conspicuous +by the hand-made lace that trimmed their slips, as was the bureau-cover, +and upon which, in charming disarray, were various articles generally +included in a woman's toilet, not to mention the numberless strings of +coloured beads and other bits of feminine adornment. A table standing in +the centre of the room was covered with a small, white cloth, while +falling in folds from beneath this was a faded, red cotton cover. The +table was laid for one, the charlotte "rusks" and "lemming" +turn-over--each on a separate plate--which Nick had been commissioned to +procure, earlier in the evening, from the Palmetto restaurant, looming +up prominently in the centre; and on another plate were some chipped +beef and biscuits. A large lamp was suspended from the ceiling in the +centre of the room and was quaintly, if not grotesquely, shaded; while +other lamps flanked by composition metal reflectors concentrated light +upon the Girl's bureau, the book-shelf and mantel, leaving the remainder +of the room in variant shadow. + +All in all, what with the fire that was burning cheerily in the grate +and the strong odour of steaming coffee, the room had a soft glow and +home-like air that was most inviting. + +In that brief moment that the Girl stood in the doorway reviewing her +possessions, a multitude of expressions drifted across her countenance, +a multitude of possibilities thrilled within her bosom. But however much +she would have liked to analyse these strange feelings, she resisted the +inclination and gave all her attention to the amusing scene that was +being enacted before her eyes. + +For some time Billy Jackrabbit had been standing by the table looking +greedily down upon the charlotte russes there. He was on the point of +putting his finger through the centre of one of them when Wowkle--the +Indian woman-of-all-work of the cabin, who sat upon the floor before the +fire singing a lullaby to the papoose strapped to its cradle on her +back--turning suddenly her gaze in his direction, was just in time to +prevent him. + +"Charlotte rusk--Palmetto rest'rant--not take," were her warning words. + +Jackrabbit drew himself up quickly, but he was furious at interference +from a source where it was wholly unexpected. + +"Hm--me honest," he growled fiercely, flashing her a malignant look. + +"Huh?" was Wowkle's monosyllabic observation delivered in a guttural +tone. + +All of a sudden, Jackrabbit's gaze was arrested by a piece of paper +which lay upon the floor and in which had been wrapped the charlotte +russes; he went over to it quickly, picked it up, opened it and +proceeded to collect on his finger the cream that had adhered to it. + +"Huh!" he growled delightedly, holding up his finger for Wowkle's +inspection. The next instant, however, he slumped down beside her upon +the floor, where both the man and the woman sat in silence gazing into +the fire. The man was the first to speak. + +"Send me up--Polka. Say, p'haps me marry you--huh?" he said, coming to +the point bluntly. + +Wowkle's eyes were glued to the fire; she answered dully: + +"Me don't know." + +There was a silence, and then: + +"Me don't know," observed Jackrabbit thoughtfully. A moment later, +however, he added: "Me marry you--how much me get give fatha--huh?" + +Wowkle raised her narrowing eyes to his and told him with absolute +indifference: + +"Huh--me don't know." + +Jackrabbit's face darkened. He pondered for a long time. + +"Me don't know--" suddenly he began and then stopped. They had been +silent for some moments, when at last he ventured: "Me give fatha four +dolla"--and here he indicated the number with his two hands, the finger +with the cream locking those of the other hand--"and one blanket." + +Wowkle's eyes dilated. + +"Better keep blanket--baby cold," was her ambiguous answer. + +Whereupon Jackrabbit emitted a low growl. Presently he handed her his +pipe, and while she puffed steadily away he fondled caressingly the +string of beads which she wore around her neck. + +"You sing for get those?" he asked. + +"Me sing," she replied dully, beginning almost instantly in soft, nasal +tones: + + + "My days are as um grass"-- + + +Jackrabbit's face cleared. + +"Huh!" he growled in rejoicement. + +Immediately Wowkle edged up close to him and together they continued in +chorus: + + + "Or as um faded flo'r, + Um wintry winds sweep o'er um plain, + We pe'ish in um ho'r." + + +"But Gar," said the man when the song was ended, at the same time taking +his pipe away from her, "to-morrow we go missionary--sing like hell--get +whisky." + +But as Wowkle made no answer, once more a silence fell upon them. + +"We pe'ish in um ho'r," suddenly repeated Jackrabbit, half-singing, +half-speaking the words, and rising quickly started for the door. At the +table, however, he halted and inquired: "All right--go missionary +to-morrow--get marry--huh?" + +Wowkle hesitated, then rose, and finally started slowly towards him. +Half-way over she stopped and reminded him in a most apathetic manner: + +"P'haps me not stay marry to you for long." + +"Huh--seven monse?" queried Jackrabbit in the same tone. + +"Six monse," came laconically from the woman. + +In nowise disconcerted by her answer, the Indian now asked: + +"You come soon?" + +Wowkle thought a moment; then suddenly edging up close to him she +promised to come to him after the Girl had had her supper. + +"Huh!" fairly roared the Indian, his coal-black eyes glowing as he +looked at her. + +It was at this juncture that the Girl, after hanging up her lantern on a +peg on the outer door, broke in unexpectedly upon the strange pair of +lovers. + +Dumbfounded, the woman and the man stood gaping at her. Wowkle was the +first to regain her composure, and bending over the table she turned up +the light. + +"Hello, Billy Jackrabbit!" greeted the Girl, breezily. "Fixed it?" + +"Me fix," he grunted. + +"That's good! Now git!" ordered the Girl in the same happy tone that had +characterised her greeting. + +Slowly, stealthily, Jackrabbit left the cabin, the two women, though for +different reasons, watching him go until the door had closed behind him. + +"Now, Wowkle," said the Girl, turning to her with a smile, "it's for two +to-night." + +Wowkle's eyelashes twinkled up inquisitorially. + +"Huh?" + +"Yep." + +Wowkle's eyes narrowed to pin-points. + +"Come anotha? Never before come anotha," was her significant comment. + +"Never you mind." The Girl voiced the reprimand without the twitching of +an eyelid; and then as she hung up her cape upon the wardrobe, she +added: "Pick up the room, Wowkle!" + +The big-hipped, full-bosomed woman did not move but stood in all her +stolidness gazing at her mistress like one in a dream; whereupon the +Girl, exasperated beyond measure at the other's placidity, rushed over +to her and shook her so violently that she finally awakened to the +importance of her mistress' request. + +"He's comin' now, now; he's comin'!" the Girl was saying, when suddenly +her eyes were attracted to a pair of stockings hanging upon the wall; +quickly she released her hold on the woman and with a hop, skip and a +jump they were down and hid away in her bureau drawer. + +"My roses--what did you do with them, Wowkle?" she asked a trifle +impatiently as she fumbled in the drawer. + +"Ugh!" grunted Wowkle, and pointed to a corner of the bureau top. + +"Good!" cried the Girl, delightedly, as she spied them. The next instant +she was busily engaged in arranging them in her hair, pausing only to +take a pistol out of her pocket, which she laid on the edge of the +bureau. "No offence, Wowkle," she went on thoughtfully, a moment later, +"but I want you to put your best foot forward when you're waitin' on +table to-night. This here company o' mine's a man o' idees. Oh, he knows +everythin'! Sort of a damme style." + +Wowkle gave no sign of having heard her mistress' words, but kept right +on tidying the room. Now she went over to the cupboard and took down two +cups, which she placed on the fireplace base. It was while she was in +the act of laying down the last one that the Girl broke in suddenly upon +her thoughts with: + +"Say, Wowkle, did Billy Jackrabbit really propose to you?" + +"Yep--get marry," spoke up Jackrabbit's promised wife without looking +up. + +For some moments the Girl continued to fumble among her possessions in +the bureau drawer; at last she brought forth an orange-coloured satin +ribbon, which she placed in the Indian woman's hands with her prettiest +smile, saying: + +"Here, Wowkle, you can have that to fix up for the weddin'." + +Wowkle's eyes glowed with appreciation. + +"Huh!" she ejaculated, and proceeded to wind the ribbon about the beads +around her neck. + +Turning once more to the bureau, the Girl took out a small parcel done +up in tissue paper and began to unwrap it. + +"I'm goin' to put on them, if I can git 'em on," she said, displaying a +pair of white satin slippers. The next instant she had plumped herself +down upon the floor and was trying to encase her feet in a pair of +slippers which were much too small for them. "Remember what fun I made +o' you when you took up with Billy Jackrabbit?" suddenly she asked with +a happy little smile. "What for? sez I. Well, p'r'aps you was right. +P'r'aps it's nice to have someone you really care for--who belongs to +you. P'r'aps they ain't so much in the saloon business for a woman after +all, and you don't know what livin' really is until--" She stopped +abruptly and threw upon the floor the slipper that refused to give to +her foot. "Oh, Wowkle," she went on, taking up the other slipper, "it's +nice to have someone you can talk to, someone you can turn your heart +inside out to." + +At last she had succeeded in getting into one slipper and, rising, tried +to stand in it; but it hurt her so frightfully that she immediately sank +down upon the floor and proceeded to pat and rub and coddle her foot to +ease the pain. It was while she was thus engaged that a knock came upon +her cabin door. + +"Oh, Lord, here he is!" she cried, panic-stricken, and began to drag +herself hurriedly across the room with the intention of concealing +herself behind the curtain at the foot of the bed; while Wowkle, with +unusual celerity, made for the fire-place, where she stood with her back +to the door, gazing into the fire. + +The Girl had only gotten half-way across the room, however, when a voice +assailed her ears. + +"Miss, Miss, kin I--" came in low, subdued tones. + +"What? The Sidney Duck?" she cried, turning and seeing his head poked +through the window. + +"Beg pardon, Miss; I know men ain't lowed up here nohow," humbly +apologised that individual; "but, but--" + +Vexed and flustered, the Girl turned upon him a trifle irritably with: + +"Git! Git, I tell you!" + +"But I'm in grite trouble, Miss," began The Sidney Duck, tearfully. "The +boys are back--they missed that road agent Ramerrez and now they're +taking it out of me. If--if you'd only speak a word for me, Miss." + +"No--" began the Girl, and stopped. The next instant she ordered Wowkle +to shut the window. + +"Oh, don't be 'ard on me, Miss," whimpered the man. + +The Girl flashed him a scornful look. + +"Now, look here, Sidney Duck, there's one kind o' man I can't stand, an' +that's a cheat an' a thief, an' you're it," said the Girl, laying great +stress upon her words. "You're no better'n that road agent Ramerrez, +an'--" + +"But, Miss--" interrupted the man. + +"Miss nothin'!" snapped back the Girl, tugging away at the slippers; in +desperation once more she ordered: + +"Wowkle, close the winder! Close the winder!" + +The Sidney Duck glowered at her. He had expected her intercession on his +behalf and could not understand this new attitude of hers toward him. + +"Public 'ouse jide!" he retorted furiously, and slammed the window. + +"Ugh!" snarled Wowkle, resentfully, her eyes full of fire. + +Now at any other time, The Sidney Duck would have been made to pay +dearly for his words, but either the Girl did not hear him, or if she +did she was too engrossed to heed them; at any rate, the remark passed +unnoticed. + +"I got it on!" presently exclaimed the Girl in great joy. Nevertheless, +it was not without several ouches and moans that, finally, she stood +upon her feet. "Say, Wowkle, how do you think he'll like 'em? How do +they look? They feel awful!" she rattled on with a pained look on her +face. + +But whatever would have been the Indian woman's observation on the +subject of tight shoes in general and those of her mistress in +particular, she was not permitted to make it, for the Girl, now hobbling +over towards the bureau, went on to announce with sudden determination: + +"Say, Wowkle, I'm a-goin' the whole hog! Yes, I'm a-goin' the whole +hog," she repeated a moment later, as she drew forth various bits of +finery from a chest of drawers, with which she proceeded to adorn +herself before the mirror. Taking out first a lace shawl of bold design, +she drew it over her shoulders with the grace and ease of one who makes +it an everyday affair rather than an occasional undertaking; then she +took from a sweet-grass basket a vividly-embroidered handkerchief and +saturated it with cologne, impregnating the whole room with its strong +odour; finally she brought forth a pair of long, white gloves and began +to stretch them on. "Does it look like an effort, Wowkle?" she asked, +trying to get her hands into them. + +"Ugh!" was the Indian woman's comment at the very moment that a knock +came upon the door. "Two plates," she added with a groan, and started +for the cupboard. + +Meanwhile the Girl continued with her primping and preening, her hands +flying back and forth like an automaton from her waist-line to her +stockings. Suddenly another knock, this time more vigorous, more +insistent, came upon the rough boards of the cabin door, which, finally, +was answered by the Girl herself. + + + + +XI. + + +"Hello!" sang out Johnson, genially, as he entered the Girl's cabin. + +At once the Girl's audacity and spirit deserted her, and hanging her +head she answered meekly, bashfully: + +"Hello!" + +The man's eyes swept the Girl's figure; he looked puzzled, and asked: + +"Are you--you going out?" + +The Girl was plainly embarrassed; she stammered in reply: + +"Yes--no--I don't know--Oh, come on in!" + +"Thank you," said Johnson in his best manner, and put down his lantern +on the table. Turning now with a look of admiration in his eyes, at the +same time trying to embrace her, he went on: "Oh, Girl, I'm so glad you +let me come . . ." + +His glance, his tone, his familiarity sent the colour flying to the +Girl's cheeks; she flared up instantly, her blue eyes snapping with +resentment: + +"You stop where you are, Mr. Johnson." + +"Ugh!" came from Wowkle, at that moment closing the door which Johnson +had left ajar. + +At the sound of the woman's voice Johnson wheeled round quickly. And +then, to his great surprise, he saw that the Girl was not alone as he +had expected to find her. + +"I beg your pardon; I did not see anyone when I came in," he said in +humble apology, his eyes the while upon Wowkle who, having blown out the +candle and removed the lantern from the table to the floor, was +directing her footsteps towards the cupboard, into which she presently +disappeared, closing the door behind her. "But seeing you standing +there," went on Johnson in explanation, "and looking into your lovely +eyes, well, the temptation to take you in my arms was so great that I, +well, I took--" + +"You must be in the habit o' takin' things, Mr. Johnson," broke in the +Girl. "I seen you on the road to Monterey, goin' an' comin', an' passed +a few words with you; I seen you once since, but that don't give you no +excuse to begin this sort o' game." The Girl's tone was one of reproach +rather than of annoyance, and for the moment the young man was left with +a sense of having committed an indiscretion. Silently, sheepishly, he +moved away, while she quietly went over to the fire. + +"Besides, you might have prospected a bit first anyway," presently she +went on, watching the tips of her slender white fingers held out +transparent towards the fire. + +Just at that moment a log dropped, turning up its glowing underside. +Wheeling round with a smile, Johnson said: + +"I see how wrong I was." + +And then, seeing that the Girl made no move in his direction, he asked, +still smiling: + +"May I take off my coat?" + +The Girl remained silent, which silence he interpreted as an assent, and +went on to make himself at home. + +"Thank you," he said simply. "What a bully little place you have here! +It's awfully snug!" he continued delightedly, as his eyes wandered about +the room. "And to think that I've found you again when I--Oh, the luck +of it!" + +He went over to her and held out his hands, a broad, yet kindly smile +lighting up his strong features, making him appear handsomer, even, than +he really was, to the Girl taking in the olive-coloured skin glowing +with healthful pallor. + +"Friends?" he asked. + +Nevertheless the girl did not give him her hand, but quickly drew it +away; she answered his question with a question: + +"Are you sorry?" + +"No, I'm not sorry." + +To this she made no reply but quietly, disappointedly returned to the +fireplace, where she stood in contemplative silence, waiting for his +next words. + +But he did not speak; he contented himself with gazing at the tender +girlishness of her, the blue-black eyes, and flesh that was so bright +and pure that he knew it to be soft and firm, making him yearn for her. + +Involuntarily she turned towards him, and she saw that in his face which +caused her eyes to drop and her breath to come more quickly. + +"That damme style just catches a woman!" she ejaculated with a little +tremour in her voice. + +Then her mood underwent a sudden change in marked contrast to that of +the moment before. "Look here, Mr. Johnson," she said, "down at the +saloon to-night you said you always got what you wanted. O' course I've +got to admire you for that. I reckon women always do admire men for +gettin' what they want. But if huggin' me's included, jest count it +out." + +For a breathing space there was a dead silence. + +"That was a lovely day, Girl, on the road to Monterey, wasn't it?" of a +sudden Johnson observed dreamily. + +The Girl's eyes opened upon him wonderingly. + +"Was it?" + +"Well, wasn't it?" + +The Girl thought it was and she laughed. + +"Say, take a chair and set down for a while, won't you?" was her next +remark, she herself taking a chair at the table. + +"Thanks," he said, coming slowly towards her while his eyes wandered +about the room for a chair. + +"Say, look 'ere!" she shot out, scrutinising him closely; "I ben +thinkin' you didn't come to the saloon to see me to-night. What brought +you?" + +"It was Fate," he told her, leaning over the table and looking down upon +her admiringly. + +She pondered his answer for a moment, then blurted out: + +"You're a bluff! It may have been Fate, but I tho't you looked kind o' +funny when Rance asked you if you hadn't missed the trail an' wa'n't on +the road to see Nina Micheltorena--she that lives in the greaser +settlement an' has the name o' shelterin' thieves." + +At the mention of thieves, Johnson paled frightfully and the knife which +he had been toying with dropped to the floor. + +"Was it Fate or the back trail?" again queried the Girl. + +"It was Fate," calmly reiterated the man, and looked her fairly in the +eye. + +The cloud disappeared from the Girl's face. + +"Serve the coffee, Wowkle!" she called almost instantly. And then it was +that she saw that no chair had been placed at the table for him. She +sprang to her feet, exclaiming: "Oh, Lordy, you ain't got no chair yet +to--" + +"Careful, please, careful," quickly warned Johnson, as she rounded the +corner of the table upon which his guns lay. + +But fear was not one of the Girl's emotions. At the display of guns that +met her gaze she merely shrugged and inquired placidly: + +"Oh, how many guns do you carry?" + +Not unnaturally she waited for his answer before starting in quest of a +chair for him; but instead Johnson quietly went over to the chair near +the door where his coat lay, hung it up on the peg with his hat, and +returning now with a chair, he answered: + +"Oh, several when travelling through the country." + +"Well, set down," said the Girl bluntly, and hurried to his side to +adjust his chair. But she did not return to her place at the table; +instead, she took the barrel rocker near the fireplace and began to rock +nervously to and fro. In silence Johnson sat studying her, looking her +through and through, as it were. + +"It must be strange living all alone way up here in the mountains," he +remarked, breaking the spell of silence. "Isn't it lonely?" + +"Lonely? Mountains lonely?" The Girl's laugh rang out clearly. "Besides," +she went on, her eyes fairly dancing with excitement, "I got a little +pinto an' I'm all over the country on 'im. Finest little horse you ever +saw! If I want to I can ride right down into the summer at the foothills +with miles o' Injun pinks jest a-laffin' an' tiger lilies as mad as +blazes. There's a river there, too--the Injuns call it a water-road--an' +I can git on that an' drift an' drift an' smell the wild syringa on the +banks. An if I git tired o' that I can turn my horse up-grade an' gallop +right into the winter an' the lonely pines an' firs a-whisperin' an' +a-sighin'. Lonely? Mountains lonely, did you say? Oh, my mountains, my +beautiful peaks, my Sierras! God's in the air here, sure! You can see +Him layin' peaceful hands on the mountain tops. He seems so near you +want to let your soul go right on up." + +Johnson was touched at the depth of meaning in her words; he nodded his +head in appreciation. + +"I see, when you die you won't have far to go," he quietly observed. + +Minutes passed before either spoke. Then all at once the Girl rose and +took the chair facing his, the table between them as at first. + +"Wowkle, serve the coffee!" again she called. + +Immediately, Wowkle emerged from the cupboard, took the coffee-pot from +the fire and filled the cups that had been kept warm on the fireplace +base, and after placing a cup beside each plate she squatted down before +the fire in watchful silence. + +"But when it's very cold up here, cold, and it snows?" queried Johnson, +his admiration for the plucky, quaint little figure before him growing +by leaps and bounds. + +"Oh, the boys come up an' digs me out o' my front door like--like--" She +paused, her sunny laugh rippling out at the recollection of it all, and +Johnson noted the two delightful dimples in her rounded cheeks. Indeed, +she had never appeared prettier to him than when displaying her two rows +of perfect, dazzling teeth, which was the case every time that she +laughed. + +"--like a little rabbit, eh?" he supplemented, joining in the laugh. + +She nodded eagerly. + +"I get digged out near every day when the mine's shet down an' Academy +opens," went on the Girl in the same happy strain, her big blue eyes +dancing with merriment. + +Johnson looked at her wonderingly; he questioned: + +"Academy? Here? Why, who teaches in your Academy?" + +"Me--I'm her--I'm teacher," she told him with not a little show of +pride. + +With difficulty Johnson suppressed a smile; nevertheless he observed +soberly: + +"Oh, so you're the teacher?" + +"Yep--I learn m'self an' the boys at the same time," she hastened to +explain, and dropped a heaping teaspoon of coarse brown sugar into his +cup. "But o' course Academy's suspended when ther's a blizzard on 'cause +no girl could git down the mountain then." + +"Is it so very severe here when there's a blizzard on?" Johnson was +saying, when there came to his ears a strange sound--the sound of the +wind rising in the canyon below. + +The Girl looked at him in blank astonishment--a look that might easily +have been interpreted as saying, "Where do you hail from?" She answered: + +"Is it . . .? Oh, Lordy, they come in a minute! All of a sudden you +don't know where you are--it's awful!" + +"Not many women--" digressed the man, glancing apprehensively towards +the door, but she cut him short swiftly with the ejaculation: + +"Bosh!" And picking up a plate she raised it high in the air the better +to show off its contents. "Charlotte rusks an' lemming turnover!" she +announced, searching his face for some sign of joy, her own face +lighting up perceptibly. + +"Well, this is a treat!" cried out Johnson between sips of coffee. + +"Have one?" + +"You bet!" he returned with unmistakable pleasure in his voice. + +The Girl served him with one of each, and when he thanked her she beamed +with happiness. + +"Let me send you some little souvenir of to-night"--he said, a little +while later, his admiring eyes settled on her hair of burnished gold +which glistened when the light fell upon it--"something that you'd just +love to read in your course of teaching at the Academy." He paused to +search his mind for something suitable to suggest to her; at length he +questioned: "Now, what have you been reading lately?" + +The Girl's face broke into smiles as she answered: + +"Oh, it's an awful funny book about a kepple. He was a classic an' his +name was Dent." + +Johnson knitted his brows and thought a moment. "He was a classic, you +say, and his name was--Oh, yes, I know--Dante," he declared, with +difficulty controlling the laughter that well-nigh convulsed him. "And +you found Dante funny, did you?" + +"Funny? I roared!" acknowledged the Girl with a frankness that was so +genuine that Johnson could not help but admire her all the more. "You +see, he loved a lady--" resumed the Girl, toying idly with her spoon. + +"--Beatrice," supplemented Johnson, pronouncing the name with the +Italian accent which, by the way, was not lost on the Girl. + +"How?" she asked quickly, with eyes wide open. + +Johnson ignored the question. Anxious to hear her interpretation of the +story, he requested her to continue. + +"He loved a lady--" began the Girl, and broke off short. And going over +to the book-shelf she took down a volume and began to finger the leaves +absently. Presently she came back, and fixing her eyes upon him, she +went on: "It made me think of it, what you said down to the saloon +to-night about livin' so you didn't care what come after. Well, he made +up his min', this Dent--Dantes--that one hour o' happiness with her was +worth the whole da--" She checked the word on her tongue, and concluded: +"outfit that come after. He was willin' to sell out his chances for +sixty minutes with 'er. Well, I jest put the book down an' hollered." +And once more she broke into a hearty laugh. + +"Of course you did," agreed Johnson, joining in the laugh. "All the +same," he presently added, "you knew he was right." + +"I didn't!" she contradicted with spirit, and slowly went back to the +book-shelf with the book. + +"You did." + +"Didn't!" + +"You did." + +"Didn't! Didn't!" + +"I don't--" + +"You do, you do," insisted the Girl, plumping down into the chair which +she had vacated at the table. + +"Do you mean to say--" Johnson got no further, for the Girl, with a +naivete that made her positively bewitching to the man before her, went +on as if there had been no interruption: + +"That a feller could so wind h'ms'lf up as to say, 'Jest give me one +hour o' your sassiety; time ain't nothin', nothin' ain't nothin' only to +be a da--darn fool over you!' Ain't it funny to feel like that?" And +then, before Johnson could frame an answer: + +"Yet, I s'pose there are people that love into the grave an' into death +an' after." The Girl's voice lowered, stopped. Then, looking straight +ahead of her, her eyes glistening, she broke out with: + +"Golly, it jest lifts you right up by your bootstraps to think of it, +don't it?" + +Johnson was not smiling now, but sat gazing intently at her through +half-veiled lids. + +"It does have that effect," he answered, the wonder of it all creeping +into his voice. + +"Yet, p'r'aps he was ahead o' the game. P'r'aps--" She did not finish +the sentence, but broke out with fresh enthusiasm: "Oh, say, I jest love +this conversation with you! I love to hear you talk! You give me idees!" + +Johnson's heart was too full for utterance; he could only think of his +own happiness. The next instant the Girl called to Wowkle to bring the +candle, while she, still eager and animated, her eyes bright, her lips +curving in a smile, took up a cigar and handed it to him, saying: + +"One o' your real Havanas!" + +"But I"--began Johnson, protestingly. + +Nevertheless the Girl lit a match for him from the candle which Wowkle +held up to her, and, while the latter returned the candle to the mantel, +Johnson lighted his cigar from the burning match between her fingers. + +"Oh, Girl, how I'd love to know you!" he suddenly cried with the fire of +love in his eyes. + +"But you do know me," was her answer, as she watched the smoke from his +cigar curl upwards toward the ceiling. + +"Not well enough," he sighed. + +For a brief second only she was silent. Whether she read his thoughts it +would be difficult to say; but there came a moment soon when she could +not mistake them. + +"What's your drift, anyway?" she asked, looking him full in the face. + +"To know you as Dante knew the lady--'One hour for me, one hour worth +the world,'" he told her, all the while watching and loving her beauty. + +At the thought she trembled a little, though she answered with +characteristic bluntness: + +"He didn't git it, Mr. Johnson." + +"All the same there are women we could die for," insisted Johnson, +dreamily. + +The Girl was in the act of carrying her cup to her mouth but put it down +on the table. Leaning forward, she inquired somewhat sneeringly: + +"Mr. Johnson, how many times have you died?" Johnson did not have to +think twice before answering. With wide, truthful eyes he said: + +"That day on the road to Monterey I said just that one woman for me. I +wanted to kiss you then," he added, taking her hand in his. And, strange +to say, she was not angry, not unwilling, but sweetly tender and modest +as she let it lay there. + +"But, Mr. Johnson, some men think so much o' kisses that they don't want +a second kiss from the same girl," spoke up the Girl after a moment's +reflection. + +"Doesn't that depend on whether they love her or not? Now all loves are +not alike," reasoned the man in all truthfulness. + +"No, but they all have the same aim--to git 'er if they can," contended +the Girl, gently withdrawing her hand. + +Silence filled the room. + +"Ah, I see you don't know what love is," at length sighed Johnson, +watching the colour come and go from her face. + +The Girl hesitated, then answered in a confused, uneven voice: + +"Nope. Mother used to say, 'It's a tickling sensation at the heart that +you can't scratch,' an' we'll let it go at that." + +"Oh, Girl, you're bully!" laughed the man, rising, and making an attempt +to embrace her. But all of a sudden he stopped and stood with a +bewildered look upon his face: a fierce gale was sweeping the mountain. +It filtered in through the crevices of the walls and doors; the lights +flickered; the curtains swayed; and the cabin itself rocked uncertainly +until it seemed as if it would be uprooted. It was all over in a minute. +In fact, the wind had died away almost simultaneously with the Girl's +loud cry of "Wowkle, hist the winder!" + +It is not to be wondered at, however, that Johnson looked apprehensively +about him with every fresh impulse of the gale. The Girl's description +of the storms on the mountain was fresh in his mind, and there was also +good and sufficient reason why he should not be caught in a blizzard on +the top of Cloudy Mountain! Nevertheless, as before, the calm look which +he saw on the Girl's face reassured him. Advancing once more towards +her, he stretched out his arms as if to gather her in them. + +"Look out, you'll muss my roses!" she cried, waving him back and dodging +Wowkle who, having cleared the table, was now making her last trip to +the cupboard. + +"Well, hadn't you better take them off then?" suggested Johnson, still +following her up. + +"Give a man an inch an' he'll be at Sank Hosey before you know it!" she +flung at him over her shoulder, and made straightway for the bureau. + +But although Johnson desisted, he kept his eyes upon her as she took the +roses from her hair, losing none of the picture that she made with the +light beating and playing upon her glimmering eyes, her rosy cheeks and +her parted lips. + +"Is there--is there anyone else?" he inquired falteringly, half-fearful +lest there was. + +"A man always says, 'who was the first one?' but the girl says, 'who'll +be the next one?'" she returned, as she carefully laid the roses in her +bureau drawer. + +"But the time comes when there never will be a next one." + +"No?" + +"No." + +"I'd hate to stake my pile on that," observed the Girl, drily. She blew +up each glove as it came off and likewise carefully laid them away in +the bureau drawer. + +By this time Wowkle's soft tread had ceased, her duties for the night +were over, and she stood at the table waiting to be dismissed. + +"Wowkle, git to your wigwam!" suddenly ordered her mistress, watching +her until she disappeared into the cupboard; but she did not see the +Indian woman's lips draw back in a half-grin as she closed the door +behind her. + +"Oh, you're sending her away! Must I go, too?" asked Johnson, dismally. + +"No--not jest yet; you can stay a--a hour or two longer," the Girl +informed him with a smile; and turning once more to the bureau she +busied herself there for a few minutes longer. + +Johnson's joy knew no bounds; he burst out delightedly: + +"Why, I'm like Dante! I want the world in that hour, because, you see, +I'm afraid the door of this little paradise might be shut to me after-- +Let's say this is my one hour--the hour that gave me--that kiss I want." + +"Go long! You go to grass!" returned the Girl with a nervous little +laugh. + +Johnson made one more effort and won out; that is, he succeeded, at +last, in getting her in his grasp. + +"Listen," said the determined lover, pleading for a kiss as he would +have pleaded for his very life. + +It was at this juncture that Wowkle, silently, stealthily, emerged from +the cupboard and made her way over to the door. Her feet were heavily +moccasined and she was blanketed in a stout blanket of gay colouring. + +"Ugh--some snow!" she muttered, as a gust of wind beat against her face +and drove great snow-flakes into the room, fairly taking her breath +away. But her words fell on deaf ears. For, oblivious to the storm that +was now raging outside, the youthful pair of lovers continued to +concentrate their thoughts upon the storm that was raging within their +own breasts, the Girl keeping up the struggle with herself, while the +man urged her on as only he knew how. + +"Why, if I let you take one you'd take two," denied the Girl, +half-yielding by her very words, if she but knew it. + +"No, I wouldn't--I swear I wouldn't," promised the man with great +earnestness. + +"Ugh--very bad!" was the Indian woman's muffled ejaculation as she +peered out into the night. But she had promised her lover to come to him +when supper was over, and she would not break faith with him even if it +were at the peril of her life. The next moment she went out, as did the +red light in the Girl's lantern hanging on a peg of the outer door. + +"Oh, please, please," said the Girl, half-protestingly, half-willingly. + +But the man was no longer to be denied; he kept on urging: + +"One kiss, only one." + +Here was an appeal which could no longer be resisted, and though +half-frightened by the tone of his voice and the look in his eye, the +Girl let herself be taken into his arms as she murmured: + +"'Tain't no use, I lay down my hands to you." + +And so it was that, unconscious of the great havoc that was being +wrought by the storm, unconscious of the danger that momentarily +threatened their lives, they remained locked in each other's arms. The +Girl made no attempt to silence him now or withdraw her hands from his. +Why should she? Had he not come to Cloudy Mountain to woo her? Was she +not awaiting his coming? To her it seemed but natural that the +conventions should be as nothing in the face of love. His voice, low and +musical, charged with passion, thrilled through her. + +"I love you," said the man, with a note of possession that frightened +her while it filled her with strange, sweet joy. For months she had +dreamed of him and loved him; no wonder that she looked upon him as her +hero and yielded herself entirely to her fate. + +She lifted her eyes and he saw the love in them. She freed her hands +from his grasp, and then gave them back to him in a little gesture of +surrender. + +"Yes, you're mine, an' I'm yours," she said with trembling lips. + +"I have lived but for this from the moment that I first saw you," he +told her, softly. + +"Me, too--seein' that I've prayed for it day an' night," she +acknowledged, her eyes seeking his. + +"Our destinies have brought us together; whatever happens now I am +content," he said, pressing his lips once more to hers. A little while +later he added: "My darkest hour will be lightened by the memory of you, +to-night." + + + + +XII. + + +The clock, striking the hour of two, filled in a lull that might +otherwise have seemed to require conversation. For some minutes, +Johnson, raised to a higher level of exaltation, even, than was the +Girl, had been secretly rejoicing in the Fate that had brought them +together. + +"It's wonderful that I should have found her at last and won her love," +he soliloquised. "We must be Fortune's children--she and I." + +The minutes ticked away and still they were silent. Then, of a sudden, +with infinite tenderness in his voice, Johnson asked: + +"What is your name, Girl--your real name?" + +"Min--Minnie; my father's name was Smith," she told him, her eyes cast +down under delicately tremulous lids. + +"Oh, Minnie Sm--" + +"But 'twa'n't his right name," quickly corrected the Girl, and +unconsciously both rose to their feet. "His right name was Falconer." + +"Minnie Falconer--well, that is a pretty name," commented Johnson; and +raising her hand to his lips he pressed them against it. + +"I ain't sure that's what he said it was--I ain't sure o' anythin' only +jest you," she said coyly, burying her face in his neck. + +"You may well be sure of me since I've loved--" Johnson's sentence was +cut short, a wave of remorse sweeping over him. "Turn your head away, +Girl, and don't listen to me," he went on, gently putting her away from +him. "I'm not worthy of you. Don't listen but just say no, no, no, no." + +The Girl, puzzled, was even more so when Johnson began to pace the +floor. + +"Oh, I know--I ain't good enough for you !" she cried with a little +tremour in her voice. "But I'll try hard, hard . . . If you see +anythin' better in me, why don't you bring it out, 'cause I've loved you +ever since I saw you first, 'cause I knowed that you--that you were the +right man." + +"The right man," repeated Johnson, dismally, for his conscience was +beginning to smite him hard. + +"Don't laugh!" + +"I'm not laughing," as indeed he was not. + +"O' course every girl kind o' looks ahead," went on the Girl in +explanation. + +"Yes, I suppose," he observed seriously. + +"An' figgers about bein'--well, Oh, you know--about bein' settled. An' +when the right man comes, why, she knows 'im, you bet! Jest as we both +knowed each other standin' on the road to Monterey. I said that day, +he's good, he's gran' an' he can have me." + +"I could have you," murmured Johnson, meditatively. + +The Girl nodded eagerly. + +There was a long silence in which Johnson was trying to make up his mind +to tear himself away from her,--the one woman whom he loved in the +world,--for it had been slowly borne in upon him that he was not a fit +mate for this pure young girl. Nor was his unhappiness lessened when he +recalled how she had struggled against yielding to him. At last, +difficult though it was, he took his courage in both hands, and said: + +"Girl, I have looked into your heart and my own and now I realise what +this means for us both--for you, Girl--and knowing that, it seems hard +to say good-bye as I should, must and will . . ." + +At those clear words spoken by lips which failed so utterly to hide his +misery, the Girl's face turned pale. + +"What do you mean?" she asked. + +Johnson coloured, hesitated, and finally with a swift glance at the +clock, he briefly explained: + +"I mean it's hard to go and leave you here. The clock reminded me that +long before this I should have been on my way. I shouldn't have come up +here at all. God bless you, dear," and here their eyes came together and +seemed unable to part,--"I love you as I never thought I could . . ." + +But at Johnson's queer look she hastened to inquire: + +"But it ain't for long you're goin'?" + +For long! Then she had not understood that he meant to go for all time. +How tell her the truth? While he pondered over the situation there came +to him with great suddenness the thought that, perhaps, after all, Life +never intended that she should be given to him only to be taken away +almost as suddenly; and seized with a desire to hold on to her at any +cost, he sprang forward as if to take her in his arms, but before he +reached her, he stopped short. + +"Such happiness is not for me," he muttered under his breath; and then +aloud he added: "No, no, I've got to go now while I have the courage, I +mean." He broke off as suddenly as he had begun, and taking her face in +his hands he kissed her good-bye. + +Now, accustomed as was the Girl to the strange comings and goings of the +men at the camp, it did not occur to her to question him further when he +told her that he should have been away before now. Moreover, she trusted +and loved him. And so it was without the slightest feeling of misgiving +that she watched her lover quickly take down his coat and hat from the +peg on the wall and start for the door. On the other hand, it must have +required not a little courage on the man's part to have torn himself +away from this lovely, if unconventional, creature, just as he was +beginning to love truly and appreciate her. But, then, Johnson was a man +of no mean determination! + +Not daring to trust himself to words, Johnson paused to look back over +his shoulder at the Girl before plunging forth into the night. But on +opening the door all the multitudinous wild noises of the forests +reached his ears: Sounds of whispering and rocking storm-tossed pines, +sounds of the wind making the rounds of the deep canyon below them, +sounds that would have made the blood run cold of a man more daring, +even, than himself. Like one petrified he stood blinded, almost, by the +great drifts of snow that were being driven into the room, while the +cabin rocked and shook and the roof cracked and snapped, the lights +flickered, smoked, or sent their tongues of fire upward towards the +ceiling, the curtains swayed like pendants in the air, and while +baskets, boxes, and other small furnishings of the cabin were blown in +every direction. + +But it was the Girl's quick presence of mind that saved them from being +buried, literally, under the snow. In an instant she had rushed past him +and closed both the outer and inner doors of the cabin; then, going over +to the window, she tried to look through the heavily frosted panes; but +the falling of the sleet and snow, striking the window like fine shot, +made it impossible for her to see more than a few inches away. + +"Why, it's the first time I knew that it--" She cut her sentence short +and ended with: "That's the way we git it up here! Look! Look!" + +Whereupon, Johnson went over to the window and put his face close to +hers on the frosted panes; a great sea of white snow met his gaze! + +"This means--" he said, turning away from the window and meeting her +glance--"surely it doesn't mean that I can't leave Cloudy to-night?" + +"It means you can't get off the mountain to-night," calmly answered the +Girl. + +"Good Lord!" fell from the man's lips. + +"You can't leave this room to-night," went on the Girl, decidedly. "Why, +you couldn't find your way three feet from this door--you a stranger! +You don't know the trail anyway unless you can see it." + +"But I can't stay here?" incredulously. + +"Why not? Why, that's all right! The boys'll come up an' dig us out +to-morrow or day after. There's plenty o' wood an' you can have my bed." +And with no more ado than that, the Girl went over to the bed to remove +the covers and make it ready for his occupancy. + +"I wouldn't think of taking that," protested the man, stoutly, while his +face clouded over. + +The Girl felt a thrill at the note of regard in his voice and hastened +to explain: + +"I never use it cold nights; I always roll up in my rug in front of the +fire." All of a sudden she broke out into a merry little laugh. "Jest +think of it stormin' all this time an' we didn't know it!" + +But Johnson was not in a laughing mood. Indeed, he looked very grave and +serious when presently he said: + +"But people coming up here and finding me might--" + +The Girl looked up at him in blank amazement. + +"Might what?" And then, while she waited for his answer, two shots in +close succession rang out in the night with great distinctness. + +There was no mistaking the nearness of the sound. Instantly scenting +trouble and alert at the possibility of danger, Johnson inquired: + +"What's that? What's that?" + +"Wait! Wait!" came back from the Girl, unconsciously in the same tone, +while she strained her ears for other sounds. She did not have long to +wait, however, before other shots followed, the last ones coming from +further away, so it seemed, and at greater intervals. + +"They've got a road agent--it's the posse--p'r'aps they've got Ramerrez +or one o' his band!" suddenly declared the Girl, at the same time +rushing over to the window for some verification of her words. But, as +before, the wind was beating with great force against the frosted panes, +and only a vast stretch of snow met her gaze. Turning away from the +window she now came towards him with: "You see, whoever it is, they're +snowed in--they can't get away." + +Johnson knitted his brows and muttered something under his breath which +the Girl did not catch. + +Again a shot was fired. + +"Another thief crep' into camp," coldly observed the Girl almost +simultaneously with the report. + +Johnson winced. + +"Poor devil!" he muttered. "But of course, as you say, he's only a +thief." + +In reply to which the Girl uttered words to the effect that she was glad +he had been caught. + +"Well, you're right," said Johnson, thoughtfully, after a short silence; +then determinedly and in short jerky sentences, he went on: "I've been +thinking that I must go--tear myself away. I have very important +business at dawn--imperative business . . ." + +The Girl, who now stood by the table folding up the white cloth cover, +watched him out of the corner of her eye, take down his coat from the +peg on the wall. + +"Ever sample one o' our mountain blizzards?" she asked as he slipped on +his coat. "In five minutes you wouldn't know where you was. Your +important business would land you at the bottom of a canyon 'bout twenty +feet from here." + +Johnson cleared his throat as if to speak but said nothing; whereupon +the Girl continued: + +"You say you believe in Fate. Well, Fate has caught up with you--you got +to stay here." + +Johnson was strangely silent. He was wondering how his coming there +to-night had really come about. But he could find no solution to the +problem unless it was in response to that perverse instinct which +prompts us all at times to do the very thing which in our hearts we know +to be wrong. The Girl, meanwhile, after a final creasing of the +neatly-folded cover, started for the cupboard, stopping on the way to +pick up various articles which the wind had strewn about the room. +Flinging them quickly into the cupboard she now went over to the window +and once more attempted to peer out into the night. But as before, it +was of no avail. With a shrug she straightened the curtains at the +windows and started for the door. Her action seemed to quicken his +decision, for, presently, with a gesture of resignation, he threw down +his hat and coat on the table and said as if speaking to himself: + +"Well, it is Fate--my Fate that has always made the thing I shouldn't do +so easy." And then, turning to the Girl, he added: "Come, Girl, as you +say, if I can't go, I can't. But I know as I stand here that I'll never +give you up." + +The Girl looked puzzled. + +"Why, what do you mean?" + +"I mean," began Johnson, pacing the floor slowly. Now he stopped by a +chair and pointed as though to the falling snow. "Suppose we say that's +an omen--that the old trail is blotted out and there is a fresh road. +Would you take it with me a stranger, who says: From this day I mean to +be all you'd have me. Would you take it with me far away from here and +forever?" + +It did not take the Girl long to frame an answer. Taking Johnson's hand +she said with great feeling: + +"Well, show me the girl that would want to go to Heaven alone! I'll sell +out the saloon--I'll go anywhere with you, you bet!" + +Johnson bent low over her hand and kissed it. The Girl's straightforward +answer had filled his heart to overflowing with joy. + +"You know what that means, don't you?" a moment later he asked. + +Sudden joy leapt to her blue eyes. + +"Oh, yes," she told him with a world of understanding in her voice. +There was a silence; then she went on reminiscently: "There's a little +Spanish Mission church--I pass it 'most every day. I can look in an' see +the light burnin' before the Virgin an' see the saints standin' round +with glassy eyes an' faded satin slippers. An' I often tho't what they'd +think if I was to walk right in to be made--well, some man's wife. It +makes your blood like pin-points thinkin' about it. There's somethin' +kind o' holy about love, ain't they?" + +Johnson nodded. He had never regarded love in that light before, much +less known it. For many moments he stood motionless, a new problem of +right and wrong throbbing in his bosom. + +At last, it being settled that Johnson was to pass the night in the +Girl's cabin, she went over to the bed and, once more, began to make it +ready for his occupancy. Meanwhile, Johnson, seated in the barrel rocker +before the fire, watched her with a new interest. The Girl had not gone +very far with her duties, however, when she suddenly came over to him, +plumping herself down on the floor at his feet. + +"Say, did you ever ask any other woman to marry you?" she asked as she +leaned far back in his arms. + +"No," was the man's truthful answer. + +"Oh, how glad I am! Take me--ah, take me I don't care where as long as +it is with you!" cried the Girl in an ecstasy of delight. + +"So help me, God, I'm going to . . .!" promised Johnson, his voice +strained, tense. "You're worth something better than me, Girl," he +added, a moment later, "but they say love works miracles every hour, +that it weakens the strong and strengthens the weak. With all my soul I +love you, with all my soul I--" The man let his voice die out, leaving +his sentence unfinished. Suddenly he called: "Why, Min-Minnie!" + +"I wasn't really asleep," spoke up the Girl, blinking sleepily. "I'm +jest so happy an' let down, that's all." The next moment, however, she +was forced to acknowledge that she was awfully sleepy and would have to +say good-night. + +"All right," said Johnson, rising, and kissed her good-night. + +"That's your bed over there," she told him, pointing in the direction of +the curtains. + +"But hadn't you better take the bed and let me sleep over here?" + +"Not much!" + +"You're sure you would be more comfortable by the fire--sure, now?" + +"Yes, you bet!" + +And so it was that Johnson decided to pass the night in the Girl's +canopied bed while she herself, rolled up in a blanket rug before the +fire, slept on the floor. + +"This beats a bed any time," remarked the Girl, spreading out the rug +smoothly; and then, reaching up for the old patchwork, silk quilt that +hung from the loft, she added: "There's one thing--you don't have to +make it up in the mornin'." + +"You're splendid, Girl!" laughed Johnson. Presently, he saw her quietly +closet herself in the cupboard, only to emerge a few minutes later +dressed for the night. Over her white cambric gown with its coarse lace +trimming showing at the throat, she wore a red woollen blanket robe held +in at the waist by a heavy, twisted, red cord which, to the man who got +a glimpse of her as she crossed the room, made her prettier, even, than +she had seemed at any time yet. + +Quietly, now, the Girl began to put her house in order. All the lights, +save the quaintly-shaded lamp that was suspended over the table, were +extinguished; that one, after many unsuccessful attempts, was turned +down so as to give the right minimum of light which would not interfere +with her lover's sleep. Then she went over to the door to make sure that +it was bolted. Outside the wind howled and shrieked and moaned; but +inside the cabin it had never seemed more cosey and secure and peaceful +to her. + +"Now you can talk to me from your bunk an' I'll talk to you from mine," +she said in a sleepy, lazy voice. + +Except for a prodigious yawn which came from the Girl there was an +ominous quiet hanging over the place that chilled the man. Sudden sounds +startled him, and he found it impossible to make any progress with his +preparations for the night. He was about to make some remark, however, +when to his well-attuned ears there came the sound of approaching +footsteps. In an instant he was standing in the parting made by the +curtains, his face eager, animated, tense. + +"What's that?" he whispered. + +"That's snow slidin'," the Girl informed him without the slightest trace +of anxiety in her voice. + +"God bless you, Girl," he murmured, and retreated back of the curtains. +It was only an instant before he was back again with: "Why, there is +something out there--sounded like people calling," he again whispered. + +"That's only the wind," she said, adding as she drew her robe tightly +about her: "Gettin' cold, ain't it?" + +But, notwithstanding her assurances, Johnson did not feel secure, and it +was with many misgivings that he now directed his footsteps towards the +bed behind the curtains. + +"Good-night!" he said uneasily. + +"Good-night!" unconsciously returned the Girl in the same tone. + +Taking off her slippers the Girl now put on a pair of moccasins and +quietly went over to her bed, where she knelt down and made a silent +prayer. + +"Good-night!" presently came from a little voice in the rug. + +"Good-night!" answered the man now settled in the centre of the +much-befrilled bed. + +There was a silence; then the little voice in the rug called out: + +"Say, what's your name?" + +"Dick," whispered the man behind the curtains. + +"So long, Dick!" drowsily. + +"So long, Girl!" dreamily. + +There was a brief silence; then, of a sudden, the Girl bolted upright in +bed, and asked: + +"Say, Dick, are you sure you don't know that Nina Micheltorena?" + +"Sure," prevaricated the man, not without some compunction. + +Whereupon the Girl fell back on her pillows and called out contentedly a +final "Good-night!" + + + + +XIII. + + +There was no mistaking then--no need to contrast her feeling of anxiety +of a few moments ago lest some other woman had preceded her in his +affections, with her indifference on former occasions when her admirers +had proved faithless, to make the Girl realise that she was experiencing +love and was dominated by a passion for this man. + +So that, with no reason whatever in her mind to question the sincerity +of Johnson's love for her, it would seem as if nothing were wanting to +make the Girl perfectly happy; that there could be no room in her heart +for any feeling other than elation. And yet, curiously enough, the Girl +could not doze off to sleep. Some mysterious force--a vague foreboding +of something about to happen--impelled her to open her eyes again and +again. + +It was an odd and wholly new sensation, this conjuring up of distressing +spectres, for no girl was given less to that sort of thing; all the +same, it was with difficulty that she checked an impulse to cry out to +her lover--whom she believed to be asleep--and make him dissipate, by +renewed assurances, the mysterious barrier which she felt was hemming +her in. + +As for Johnson, the moment that his head had touched the pillows, he +fell to thinking of the awkward situation in which he was placed, the +many complications in which his heart had involved him and, finally, he +found himself wondering whether the woman whom he loved so dearly was +also lying sleepless in her rug on the floor. + +And so it was not surprising that he should spring up the moment that he +heard cries from outside. + +"Who's that knockin', I wonder?" + +Although her voice showed no signs of distress or annoyance, the +question coming from her in a calm tone, the Girl was upon her feet +almost before she knew it. In a trice she removed all evidences that she +had been lying upon the floor, flinging the pillows and silk coverlet to +the wardrobe top. + +In that same moment Johnson was standing in the parting of the curtains, +his hand raised warningly. In another moment he was over to the door +where, after taking his pistols from his overcoat pockets, he stood in a +cool, determined attitude, fingering his weapons. + +"But some one's ben callin'," the Girl was saying, at the very moment +when above the loud roaring of the wind another knock was heard on the +cabin door. "Who can it be?" she asked as if to herself, and calmly went +over to the table, where she took up the candle and lit it. + +Springing to her side, Johnson whispered tensely: + +"Don't answer--you can't let anyone in--they wouldn't understand." + +The Girl eyed him quizzically. + +"Understand what?" And before he had time to explain, much less to check +her, she was standing at the window, candle in hand, peering out into +the night. + +"Why, it's the posse!" she cried, wheeling round suddenly. "How did they +ever risk it in this storm?" + +At these words a crushed expression appeared on Johnson's countenance; +an uncanny sense of insecurity seized him. Once more the loud, insistent +pounding was repeated, and as before, the outlaw, his hands on his guns, +commanded her not to answer. + +"But what on earth do the boys want?" inquired the Girl, seemingly +oblivious to what he was saying. Indeed, so much so that as the voice of +Nick rose high above the other sounds of the night, calling, +"Min-Minnie-Girl, let us in!" she hurriedly brushed past him and yelled +through the door: + +"What do you want?" + +Again Johnson's hand went up imperatively. + +"Don't let him come in!" he whispered. + +But even then she heard not his warning, but silently, tremulously +listened to Sonora, who shouted through the door: "Say, Girl, you all +right?" And not until her answering voice had called back her assurance +that she was safe did she turn to the man at her side and whisper in a +voice that showed plainly her agitation and fear: + +"Jack Rance is there! If he was to see you here--he's that jealous I'd +be afraid--" She checked her words and quickly put her ear close to the +door, the voices outside having become louder and more distinct. +Presently she spun round on her heel and announced excitedly: "Ashby's +there, too!" And again she put her ear to the door. + +"Ashby!" The exclamation fell from Johnson's lips before he was aware of +it. It was impossible to deceive himself any longer--the posse had +tracked him! + +"We want to come in, Girl!" suddenly rang out from the well-known voice +of Nick. + +"But you can't come in!" shouted back the Girl above the noise of the +storm; then, taking advantage of a particularly loud howl of the blast, +she turned to Johnson and inquired: "What will I say? What reason will I +give?" + +Serious as was Johnson's predicament, he could not suppress a smile. In +a surprisedly calm voice he told her to say that she had gone to bed. + +The Girl's eyes flooded with admiration. + +"Why, o' course--that's it," she said, and turned back to the door and +called through it: "I've gone to bed, Nick! I'm in bed now!" + +The barkeeper's answer was lost in another loud howl of the blast. Soon +afterwards, however, the Girl made out that Nick was endeavouring to +convey to her a warning of some kind. + +"You say you've come to warn me?" she cried. + +"Yes, Ramerrez . . .!" + +"What? Say that again?" + +"Ramerrez is on the trail--" + +"Ramerrez's on the trail!" repeated the Girl in tones of alarm; and not +waiting to hear further she motioned to Johnson to conceal himself +behind the curtains of the bed, muttering the while: + +"I got to let 'em in--I can't keep 'em out there on such a night . . ." +He had barely reached his place of concealment when the Girl slid back +the bolts and bade the boys to come in. + +Headed by Rance, the men quickly filed in and deposited their lanterns +on the floor. It was evident that they had found the storm most severe, +for their boots were soaked through and their heavy buffalo overcoats, +caps and ear-muffs were covered with snow, which all, save Rance, +proceeded to remove by shaking their shoulders and stamping their feet. +The latter, however, calmly took off his gloves, pulled out a +beautifully-creased handkerchief from his pocket, and began slowly to +flick off the snow from his elegant mink overcoat before hanging it +carefully upon a peg on the wall. After that he went over to the table +and warmed his hands over the lighted candle there. Meanwhile, Sonora, +his nose, as well as his hands which with difficulty he removed from his +heavy fur mittens, showing red and swollen from the effects of the +biting cold, had gone over to the fire, where he ejaculated: + +"Ouf, I'm cold! Glad you're safe, Girl!" + +"Yes, Girl, The Polka's had a narrow squeak," observed Nick, stamping +his feet which, as well as his legs, were wrapped with pieces of +blankets for added warmth. + +Unconsciously, at his words, the Girl's eyes travelled to the bed; then, +drawing her robe snugly about her, and seating herself, she asked with +suppressed excitement: + +"Why, Nick, what's the matter? What's--" + +Rance took it upon himself to do the answering. Sauntering over to the +Girl, he drawled out: + +"It takes you a long time to get up, seems to me. You haven't so much +on, either," he went on, piercing her with his eyes. + +Smilingly and not in the least disconcerted by the Sheriff's remark, the +Girl picked up a rug from the floor and wound it about her knees. + +"Well?" she interrogated. + +"Well, we was sure that you was in trouble," put in Sonora. "My breath +jest stopped." + +"Me? Me in trouble, Sonora?" A little laugh that was half-gay, +half-derisive, accompanied her words. + +"See here, that man Ramerrez--" followed up Rance with a grim look. + +"--feller you was dancin' with," interposed Sonora, but checked himself +instantly lest he wound the Girl's feelings. + +Whereupon, Rance, with no such compunctions, became the spokesman, a +grimace of pleasure spreading over his countenance as he thought of the +unpleasant surprise he was about to impart. Stretching out his stiffened +fingers over the blaze, he said in his most brutal tones: + +"Your polkying friend is none other than Ramerrez." + +The Girl's eyes opened wide, but they did not look at the Sheriff. They +looked straight before her. + +"I warned you, girl," spoke up Ashby, "that you should bank with us +oftener." + +The Girl gave no sign of having heard him. Her slender figure seemed to +have shrunken perceptibly as she stared stupidly, uncomprehendingly, +into space. + +"We say that Johnson was--" repeated Rance, impatiently. + +"--what?" fell from the Girl's lips, her face pale and set. + +"Are you deaf?" demanded Rance; and then, emphasising every word, he +rasped out: "The fellow you've been polkying with is the man that has +been asking people to hold up their hands." + +"Oh, go on--you can't hand me out that!" Nevertheless the Girl looked +wildly about the room. + +Angrily Rance strode over to her and sneered bitingly: + +"You don't believe it yet, eh?" + +"No, I don't believe it yet!" rapped out the Girl, laying great stress +upon the last word. "I know he isn't." + +"Well, he _is_ Ramerrez, and he _did_ come to The Polka to rob it," +retorted the Sheriff. + +All at once the note of resentment in the Girl's voice became positive; +she flared back at him, though she flushed in spite of herself. + +"But he didn't rob it!" + +"That's what gits me," fretted Sonora. "He didn't." + +"I should think it would git you," snapped back the Girl, both in her +look and voice rebuking him for his words. + +It was left to Ashby to spring another surprise. + +"We've got his horse," he said pointedly. + +"An' I never knowed one o' these men to separate from his horse," +commented Sonora, still smarting under the Girl's reprimand. + +"Right you are! And now that we've got his horse and this storm is on, +we've got him," said Rance, triumphantly. "But the last seen of +Johnson," he went on with a hasty movement towards the Girl and eyeing +her critically, "he was heading this way. You seen anything of him?" + +The Girl struggled hard to appear composed. + +"Heading this way?" she inquired, reddening. + +"So Nick said," declared Sonora, looking towards that individual for +proof of his words. + +But Nick had caught the Girl's lightning glance imposing silence upon +him; in some embarrassment he stammered out: + +"That is, he was--Sid said he saw 'im take the trail, too." + +"But the trail ends here," pointed out Rance, at the same time looking +hard at the Girl. "And if she hasn't seen him, where was he going?" + +At this juncture Nick espied a cigar butt on the floor; unseen by the +others, he hurriedly picked it up and threw it in the fire. + +"One o' our dollar Havanas! Good Lord, he's here!" he muttered to +himself. + +"Rance is right. Where was he goin'?" was the question with which he was +confronted by Sonora when about to return to the others. + +"Well, I tho't I seen him," evaded Nick with considerable uneasiness. "I +couldn't swear to it. You see it was dark, an'--Moses but the Sidney +Duck's a liar!" + +At length, Ashby decided that the man had in all probability been snowed +under, ending confidently with: + +"Something scared him off and he lit out without his horse." Which +remark brought temporary relief to the Girl, for Nick, watching her, saw +the colour return to her face. + +Unconsciously, during this discussion, the Girl had risen to her feet, +but only to fall back in her chair again almost as suddenly, a sign of +nervousness which did not escape the sharp eye of the Sheriff. + +"How do you know the man's a road agent?" A shade almost of contempt was +in the Girl's question. + +Sonora breathed on his badly nipped fingers before answering: + +"Well, two greasers jest now were pretty positive before they quit." + +Instantly the Girl's head went up in the air. + +"Greasers!" she ejaculated scornfully, while her eyes unfalteringly met +Rance's steady gaze. + +"But the woman knew him," was the Sheriff's vindictive thrust. + +The Girl started; her face went white. + +"The woman--the woman d'you say?" + +"Why, yes, it was a woman that first tol' them that Ramerrez was in the +camp to rob The Polka," Sonora informed her, though his tone showed +plainly his surprise at being compelled to repeat a thing which, he +wrongly believed, she already knew. + +"We saw her at The Palmetto," leered Rance. + +"And we missed the reward," frowned Ashby; at which Rance quickly turned +upon the speaker with: + +"But Ramerrez is trapped." + +There was a moment's startled pause in which the Girl struggled with her +passions; at last, she ventured: + +"Who's this woman?" + +The Sheriff laughed discordantly. + +"Why, the woman of the back trail," he sneered. + +"Nina Micheltorena! Then she does know 'im--it's true--it goes through +me!" unwittingly burst from the Girl's lips. + +The Sheriff, evidently, found the Situation amusing, for he laughed +outright. + +"He's the sort of a man who polkas with you first and then cuts your +throat," was his next stab. + +The Girl turned upon him with eyes flashing and retorted: + +"Well, it's my throat, ain't it?" + +"Well I'll be!--" The Sheriff's sentence was left unfinished, for Nick, +quickly pulling him to one side, whispered: + +"Say, Rance, the Girl's cut up because she vouched for 'im. Don't rub it +in." + +Notwithstanding, Rance, to the Girl's query of "How did this Nina +Micheltorena know it?" took a keen delight in telling her: + +"She's his girl." + +"His girl?" repeated the Girl, mechanically. + +"Yes. She gave us his picture," went on Rance; and taking the photograph +out of his pocket, he added maliciously, "with love written on the back +of it." + +A glance at the photograph, which she fairly snatched out of his hands, +convinced the Girl of the truthfulness of his assertion. With a movement +of pain she threw it upon the floor, crying out bitterly: + +"Nina Micheltorena! Nina Micheltorena!" Turning to Ashby with an abrupt +change of manner she said contritely: "I'm sorry, Mr. Ashby, I vouched +for 'im." + +The Wells Fargo Agent softened at the note in the Girl's voice; he was +about to utter some comforting words to her when suddenly she spoke +again. + +"I s'pose they had one o' them little lovers' quarrels an' that made 'er +tell you, eh?" She laughed a forced little laugh, though her heart was +beating strangely as she kept on: "He's the kind o' man who sort o' +polkas with every girl he meets." And at this she began to laugh almost +hysterically. + +Rance, who resented her apologising to anyone but himself, stood +scowling at her. + +"What are you laughing at?" he questioned. + +"Oh, nothin', Jack, nothin'," half-cried, half-laughed the Girl. "Only +it's kind o' funny how things come out, ain't it? Took in! Nina +Micheltorena! Nice company he keeps--one o' them Cachuca girls with +eyelashes at half-mast!" + +Once more, she broke out into a fit of laughter. + +"Well, well," she resumed, "an' she sold 'im out for money! Ah, Jack +Rance, you're a better guesser'n I am!" And with these words she sank +down at the table in an apathy of misery. Horror and hatred and +hopelessness had possession of her. A fierce look was in her eyes when a +moment later she raised her head and abruptly dismissed the boys, +saying: + +"Well, boys, it's gittin' late--good-night!" + +Sonora was the first to make a movement towards the door. + +"Come on, boys," he growled in his deep bass voice; "don't you intend to +let a lady go to bed?" + +One by one the men filed through the door which Nick held open for them; +but when all but himself had left, the devoted little barkeeper turned +to the Girl with a look full of meaning, and whispered: + +"Do you want me to stay?" + +"Me? Oh, no, Nick!" And with a "Good-night, all! Good-night, Sonora, an' +thank you! Good-night, Nick!" the Girl closed the door upon them. The +last that she heard from them was the muffled ejaculation: + +"Oh, Lordy, we'll never git down to Cloudy to-night!" + +Now the Girl slid the bolts and stood with her back against the door as +if to take extra precautions to bar out any intrusion, and with eyes +that blazed she yelled out: + +"Come out o' that, now! Step out there, Mr. Johnson!" + +Slowly the road agent parted the curtains and came forward in an +attitude of dejection. + +"You came here to rob me," at once began the Girl, but her anger made it +impossible for her to continue. + +"I didn't," denied the road agent, quietly, his countenance reflecting +how deeply hurt he was by her words. + +"You lie!" insisted the Girl, beside herself with rage. + +"I don't--" + +"You do!" + +"I admit that every circumstance points to--" + +"Stop! Don't you give me any more o' that Webster Unabridged. You git to +cases. If you didn't come here to steal you came to The Polka to rob it, +didn't you?" + +Johnson, his eyes lowered, was forced to admit that such were his +intentions, adding swiftly: + +"But when I knew about you--" He broke off and took a step towards her. + +"Wait! Wait! Wait where you are! Don't you take a step further or +I'll--" She made a significant gesture towards her bosom, and then, +laughing harshly, went on denouncingly: "A road agent! A road agent! +Well, ain't it my luck! Wouldn't anybody know to look at me that a +gentleman wouldn't fall my way! A road agent! A road agent!" And again +she laughed bitterly before going on: "But now you can git--git, you +thief, you imposer on a decent woman! I ought to have tol' 'em all, but +I wa'n't goin' to be the joke o' the world with you behind the curtains +an' me eatin' charlotte rusks an' lemming turnovers an' a-polkyin' with +a road agent! But now you can git--git, do you hear me?" + +Johnson heard her to the end with bowed head; and so scathing had been +her denunciations of his actions that the fact that pride alone kept her +from breaking down completely escaped his notice. With his eyes still +downcast be said in painful fragments: + +"One word only--only a word and I'm not going to say anything in defence +of myself. For it's all true--everything is true except that I would +have stolen from you. I _am_ called Ramerrez; I _have_ robbed; I _am_ a +road agent--an outlaw by profession. Yes, I'm all that--and my father +was that before me. I was brought up, educated, thrived on thieves' +money, I suppose, but until six months ago when my father died, I did +not know it. I lived much in Monterey--I lived there as a gentleman. +When we met that day I wasn't the thing I am to-day. I only learned the +truth when my father died and left me with a rancho and a band of +thieves--nothing else--nothing for us all, and I--but what's the good of +going into it--the circumstances. You wouldn't understand if I did. I +was my father's son; I have no excuse; I guess, perhaps, it was in +me--in the blood. Anyhow, I took to the road, and I didn't mind it much +after the first time. But I drew the line at killing--I wouldn't have +that. That's the man that I am, the blackguard that I am. But--" here he +raised his eyes and said with a voice that was charged with feeling--"I +swear to you that from the moment I kissed you to-night I meant to +change, I meant to--" + +"The devil you did!" broke from the Girl's lips, but with a sound that +was not unlike a sob. + +"I did, believe me, I did," insisted the man. "I meant to go straight +and take you with me--but only honestly--when I could honestly. I meant +to work for you. Why, every word you said to me to-night about being a +thief cut into me like a knife. Over and over again I have said to +myself, she must never know. And now--well, it's all over--I have +finished." + +"An' that's all?" questioned the Girl with averted face. + +"No--yes--what's the use . . .?" + +The Girl's anger blazed forth again. + +"But there's jest one thing you've overlooked explainin', Mr. Johnson. +It shows exactly what you are. It wasn't so much your bein' a road agent +I got against you. It's this:" And here she stamped her foot excitedly. +"You kissed me--you got my first kiss." + +Johnson hung his head. + +"You said," kept on the Girl, hotly, "you'd ben thinkin' o' me ever +since you saw me at Monterey, an' all the time you walked straight off +an' ben kissin' that other woman." She shrugged her shoulder and laughed +grimly. "You've got a girl," she continued, growing more and more +indignant. "It's that I've got against you. It's my first kiss I've got +against you. It's that Nina Micheltorena that I can't forgive. So now +you can git--git!" And with these words she unbolted the door and +concluded tensely: + +"If they kill you I don't care. Do you hear, I don't care . . ." + +At those bitter words spoken by lips which failed so utterly to hide +their misery, the Girl's face became colourless. + +With the instinct of a brave man to sell his life as dearly as possible, +Johnson took a couple of guns from his pocket; but the next moment, as +if coming to the conclusion that death without the Girl would be +preferable, he put them back, saying: + +"You're right, Girl." + +The next instant he had passed out of the door which she held wide open +for him. + +"That's the end o' that--that's the end o' that," she wound up, slamming +the door after him. But all the way from the threshold to the bureau she +kept murmuring to herself: "I don't care, I don't care . . . I'll be +like the rest o' the women I've seen. I'll give that Nina Micheltorena +cards an' spades. There'll be another hussy around here. There'll be--" +The threat was never finished. Instead, with eyes that fairly started +out of their sockets, she listened to the sound of a couple of shots, +the last one exploding so loud and distinct that there was no mistaking +its nearness to the cabin. + +"They've got 'im!" she cried. "Well, I don't care--I don't--" But again +she did not finish what she intended to say. For at the sound of a heavy +body falling against the cabin door she flew to it, opened it and, +throwing her arms about the sorely-wounded man, dragged him into the +cabin and placed him in a chair. Quick as lightning she was back at the +door bolting it. + +With his eyes Johnson followed her action. + +"Don't lock that door--I'm going out again--out there. Don't bar that +door," he commanded feebly, struggling to his feet and attempting to +walk towards it; but he lurched forward and would have fallen to the +floor had she not caught him. Vainly he strove to break away from her, +all the time crying out: "Don't you see, don't you see, Girl--open the +door." And then again with almost a sob: "Do you think me a man to hide +behind a woman?" He would have collapsed except for the strong arms that +held him. + +"I love you an' I'm goin' to save you," the Girl murmured while +struggling with him. "You asked me to go away with you; I will when you +git out o' this. If you can't save your own soul--" She stopped and +quickly went over to the mantel where she took down a bottle of whisky +and a glass; but in the act of pouring out a drink for him there came a +loud rap on the window, and quickly looking round she saw Rance's +piercing eyes peering into the room. For an instant she paled, but then +there flashed through her mind the comforting thought that the Sheriff +could not possibly see Johnson from his position. So, after giving the +latter his drink, she waited quietly until a rap at the door told her +that Rance had left the window when, her eye having lit on the ladder +that was held in place on the ceiling, she quickly ran over to it and +let it down, saying: + +"Go up the ladder! Climb up there to the loft You're the man that's got +my first kiss an' I'm goin' to save you . . ." + +"Oh, no, not here," protested Johnson, stubbornly. + +"Do you want them to see you in my cabin?" she cried reproachfully, +trying to lift him to his feet. + +"Oh, hurry, hurry . . .!" + +With the utmost difficulty Johnson rose to his feet and catching the +rounds of the ladder he began to ascend. But after going up a few rounds +he reeled and almost fell off, gasping: + +"I can't make it--no, I can't . . ." + +"Yes, you can," encouraged the Girl; and then, simultaneously with +another loud knock on the door: "You're the man I love an' you +must--you've got to show me the man that's in you. Oh, go on, go on, +jest a step an' you'll git there." + +"But I can't," came feebly from the voice above. Nevertheless, the next +instant he fell full length on the boarded floor of the loft with the +hand outstretched in which was the handkerchief he had been staunching +the blood from the wound in his side. + +With a whispered injunction that he was all right and was not to move on +any account, the Girl put the ladder back in its place. But no sooner +was this done than on looking up she caught sight of the stained +handkerchief. She called softly up to him to take it away, explaining +that the cracks between the boards were wide and it could plainly be +seen from below. + +"That's it!" she exclaimed on observing that he had changed the position +of his hand. "Now, don't move!" + +Finally, with the lighted candle in her hand, the Girl made a quick +survey of the room to see that nothing was in sight that would betray +her lover's presence there, and then throwing open the door she took up +such a position by it that it made it impossible for anyone to get past +her without using force. + +"You can't come in here, Jack Rance," she said in a resolute voice. "You +can tell me what you want from where you are." + +Roughly, almost brutally, Rance shoved her to one side and entered. + +"No more Jack Rance. It's the Sheriff coming after Mr. Johnson," he +said, emphasizing each word. + +The Girl eyed him defiantly. + +"Yes, I said Mr. Johnson," reiterated the Sheriff, cocking the gun that +he held in his hand. "I saw him coming in here." + +"It's more 'n I did," returned the Girl, evenly, and bolted the door. +"Do you think I'd want to shield a man who tried to rob me?" she asked, +facing him. + +Ignoring the question, Rance removed the glove of his weaponless hand +and strode to the curtains that enclosed the Girl's bed and parted them. +When he turned back he was met by a scornful look and the words: + +"So, you doubt me, do you? Well, go on--search the place. But this ends +your acquaintance with The Polka. Don't you ever speak to me again. +We're through." + +Suddenly there came a smothered groan from the man in the loft; Rance +wheeled round quickly and brought up his gun, demanding: + +"What's that? What's that?" + +Leaning against the bureau the Girl laughed outright and declared that +the Sheriff was becoming as nervous as an old woman. Her ridicule was +not without its effect, and, presently, Rance uncocked his gun and +replaced it in its holster. Advancing now to the table where the Girl +was standing, he took off his cap and shook it before laying it down; +then, pointing to the door, his eyes never leaving the Girl's face, he +went on accusingly: + +"I saw someone standing out there against the snow. I fired. I could +have sworn it was a man." + +The Girl winced. But as she stood watching him calmly remove his coat +and shake it with the air of one determined to make himself at home, she +cried out tauntingly: + +"Why do you stop? Why don't you go on--finish your search--only don't +ever speak to me again." + +At that, Rance became conciliatory. + +"Say, Min, I don't want to quarrel with you." + +Turning her back on him the Girl moved over to the bureau where she +snapped out over her shoulder: + +"Go on with your search, then p'r'aps you'll leave a lady to herself to +go to bed." + +The Sheriff followed her up with the declaration: + +"I'm plumb crazy about you, Min." + +The Girl shrugged her shoulder. + +"I could have sworn I saw--I--Oh, you know it's just you for me--just +you, and curse the man you like better. I--I--even yet I can't get over +the queer look in your face when I told you who that man really was." He +stopped and flung his overcoat down on the floor, and fixing her with a +look he demanded: "You don't love him, do you?" + +Again the Girl sent over her shoulder a forced little laugh. + +"Who--me?" + +The Sheriff's face brightened. Taking a few steps nearer to her, he +hazarded: + +"Say, Girl, was your answer final to-night about marrying me?" + +Without turning round the Girl answered coyly: + +"I might think it over, Jack." + +Instantly the man's passion was aroused. He strode over to her, put his +arms around her and kissed her forcibly. + +"I love you, I love you, Minnie!" he cried passionately. + +In the struggle that followed, the Girl's eyes fell on the bottle on the +mantel. With a cry she seized it and raised it threateningly over her +head. Another second, however, she sank down upon a chair and began to +sob, her face buried in her hands. + +Rance regarded her coldly; at last he gave vent to a mirthless laugh, +the nasty laugh of a man whose vanity is hurt. + +"So, it's as bad as that," he sneered. "I didn't quite realise it. I'm +much obliged to you. Good-night." He snatched up his coat, hesitated, +then repeated a little less angrily than before: "Good-night!" + +But the Girl, with her face still hidden, made no answer. For a moment +he watched the crouching form, the quivering shoulders, then asked, with +sudden and unwonted gentleness: + +"Can't you say good-night to me, Girl!" + +Slowly the Girl rose to her feet and faced him, aversion and pity +struggling for mastery. Then, as she noted the spot where he was now +standing, his great height bringing him so near to the low boards of the +loft where her lover was lying that it seemed as though he must hear the +wounded man's breathing, all other feelings were swept away by +overwhelming fear. With the one thought that she must get rid of +him,--do anything, say anything, but get rid of him quickly, she forced +herself forward, with extended hand, and said in a voice that held out +new promise: + +"Good-night. Jack Rance,--good-night!" + +Rance seized the hand with an almost fierce gladness in both his own, +his keen glance hungrily striving to read her face. Then, suddenly, he +released her, drawing back his hand with a quick sharpness. + +"Why, look at my hand! There's blood on it!" he said. + +And even as he spoke, under the yellow flare of the lamp, the Girl saw a +second drop of blood fall at her feet. Like a flash, the terrible +significance of it came upon her. Only by self-violence could she keep +her glance from rising, tell-tale, to the boards above. + +"Oh, I'm so sorry," she heard herself saying contritely, all the time +desperately groping to invent a reason; at length, she added futilely: +"I must have scratched you." + +Rance looked puzzled, staring at the spatter of red as though +hypnotised. + +"No, there's no scratch there," he contended, wiping off the blood with +his handkerchief. + +"Oh, yes, there is," insisted the Girl tremulously; "that is, there will +be in the mornin'. You'll see in the mornin' that there'll be--" She +stopped and stared in frozen terror at the sinister face of the Sheriff, +who was coolly watching his handkerchief turn from white to red under +the slow rain of blood from the loft above. + +"Oho!" he emitted sardonically, stepping back and pointing his gun +towards the loft. "So, he's up there!" + +The Girl's fingers clutched his arm, dragging desperately. + +"No, he isn't, Jack--no, he isn't!" she iterated in blind, mechanical +denial. + +With an abrupt movement, Rance flung her violently from him, made a grab +at the suspended ladder and lowered it into position; then, deaf to the +Girl's pleadings, harshly ordered Johnson to come down, meanwhile +covering the source of the blood-drops with his gun. + +"Oh, wait,--wait a minute!" begged the Girl helplessly. What would +happen if he couldn't obey the summons? He had spent himself in his +climb to safety. Perhaps he was unconscious, slowly bleeding to death! +But even as she tortured herself with fears, the boards above creaked as +though a heavy body was dragging itself slowly across them. Johnson was +evidently doing his best to reach the top of the ladder; but he did not +move quickly enough to suit the Sheriff. + +"Come down, or I'll--" + +"Oh, just a minute, Jack, just a minute!" broke in the Girl frantically. +"Don't shoot!--Don't you see he's tryin' to--?" + +"Come down here, Mr. Johnson!" reiterated the Sheriff, with a face +inhuman as a fiend. + +The Girl clenched her hands, heedless of the nails cutting into her +palms: "Won't you wait a moment,--please, wait, Jack!" + +"Wait? What for?" the Sheriff flung at her brutally, his finger +twitching on the trigger. + +The Girl's lips parted to answer, then closed again dumbly,--for it was +then that she saw the boots, then the legs of the road agent slide +uncertainly through the open trap, fumble clumsily for the rungs of the +ladder, then slip and stumble as the weight of the following body came +upon them while the weak fingers strained desperately for a hold. The +whole heart and soul and mind of the Girl seemed to be reaching out +impotently to give her lover strength, to hurry him down fast enough to +forestall a shot from the Sheriff. It seemed hours until the road agent +reached the bottom of the ladder, then lurched with unseeing eyes to a +chair and, finally, fell forward limply, with his arms and head resting +on the table. Still dumb with dread, the Girl watched Rance slowly +circle round the wounded man; it was not until the Sheriff returned his +pistol to its holster that she breathed freely again. + +"So, you dropped into The Polka to-night to play a little game of poker? +Funny how things change about in an hour or two!" Rance chuckled +mirthlessly; it seemed to suit his sardonic humour to taunt his helpless +rival. "You think you can play poker,--that's your conviction, is it? +Well, you can play freeze-out as to your chances, Mr. Johnson of +Sacramento. Come, speak up,--it's shooting or the tree,--which shall it +be?" + +Goaded beyond endurance by Rance's taunting of the unconscious man, the +Girl, fumbling in her bosom for her pistol, turned upon him in a sudden, +cold fury: + +"You better stop that laughin', Jack Rance, or I'll send you to finish +it in some place where things ain't so funny." + +Something in the Girl's altered tone so struck the Sheriff that he +obeyed her. He said nothing, but on his lips were the words, "By Heaven, +the Girl means it!" and his eyes showed a smouldering admiration. + +"He doesn't hear you,--he's out of it. But me--me--I hear you--I ain't +out of it," the Girl went on in compelling tones. "You're a gambler; he +was, too; well, so am I." She crossed deliberately to the bureau, and +laid her pistol away in the drawer, Rance meanwhile eyeing her with +puzzled interest. Returning, she went on, incisively as a whip lash: +"I live on chance money, drink money, card money, saloon money. We're +gamblers,--we're all gamblers!" She paused, an odd expression coming +over her face,--an expression that baffled Rance's power to read. +Presently she resumed: "Now, you asked me to-night if my answer was +final,--well, here's your chance. I'll play you the game,--straight +poker. It's two out o' three for me. Hatin' the sight o' you, it's the +nearest chance you'll ever get for me." + +"Do you mean--" began Rance, his hands resting on the table, his +hawk-like glance burning into her very thoughts. + +"Yes, with a wife in Noo Orleans all right," she interrupted him +feverishly. "If you're lucky,--you'll git 'im an' me. But if you +lose,--this man settin' between us is mine--mine to do with as I please, +an' you shut up an' lose like a gentleman." + +"You must be crazy about him!" The words seemed wrung from the Sheriff +against his will. + +"That's my business!" came like a knife-cut from the Girl. + +"Do you know you're talkin' to the Sheriff?" + +"I'm talkin' to Jack Rance, the gambler," she amended evenly. + +"You're right,--and he's just fool enough to take you up," returned +Rance with sudden decision. He looked around him for a chair; there was +one near the table, and the Girl handed it to him. With one hand he +swung it into place before the table, while with the other he jerked off +the table-cover, and flung it across the room. Johnson neither moved nor +groaned, as the edge slid from beneath his nerveless arms. + +"You and the cyards have got into my blood. I'll take you up," he said, +seating himself. + +"Your word," demanded the Girl, leaning over the table, but still +standing. + +"I can lose like a gentleman," returned Rance curtly; then, with a swift +seizure of her hand, he continued tensely, in tones that made the Girl +shrink and whiten, "I'm hungry for you, Min, and if I win, I'll take it +out on you as long as I have breath." + +A moment later, the Girl had freed her hand from his clasp, and was +saying evenly, "Fix the lamp." And while the Sheriff was adjusting the +wick that had begun to flare up smokily, she swiftly left the room, +saying casually over her shoulder that she was going to fetch something +from the closet. + +"What you goin' to get?" he called after her suspiciously. The Girl made +no reply. Rance made no movement to follow her, but instead drew a pack +of cards from his pocket and began to shuffle them with practiced +carelessness. But when a minute had passed and the girl had not +returned, he called once more, with growing impatience, to know what was +keeping her. + +"I'm jest gettin' the cards an' kind o' steadyin' my nerves," she +answered somewhat queerly through the doorway. The next moment she had +returned, quickly closing the closet door behind her, blew out her +candle, and laying a pack of cards upon the table, said significantly: + +"We'll use a fresh deck. There's a good deal depends on this, Jack." She +seated herself opposite the Sheriff and so close to the unconscious form +of the man she loved that from time to time her left arm brushed his +shoulder. + +Rance, without protest other than a shrug, took up his own deck of +cards, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and stowed them away in his +pocket. It was the Girl who spoke first: + +"Are you ready?" + +"Ready? Yes. I'm ready. Cut for deal." + +With unfaltering fingers, the Girl cut. Of the man beside her, dead or +dying, she must not, dared not think. For the moment she had become one +incarnate purpose: to win, to win at any cost,--nothing else mattered. + +Rance won the deal; and taking up the pack he asked, as he shuffled: + +"A case of show-down?" + +"Show-down." + +"Cut!" once more peremptorily from Rance; and then, when she had cut, +one question more: "Best two out of three?" + +"Best two out of three." Swift, staccato sentences, like the rapid +crossing of swords, the first preliminary interchange of strokes before +the true duel begins. + +Rance dealt the cards. Before either looked at them, he glanced across +at the Girl and asked scornfully, perhaps enviously: + +"What do you see in him?" + +"What do you see in me?" she flashed back instantly, as she picked up +her cards; and then: "What have you got?" + +"King high," declared the gambler. + +"King high here," echoed the Girl. + +"Jack next," and he showed his hand. + +"Queen next," and the Girl showed hers. + +"You've got it," conceded the gambler, easily. Then, in another tone, +"but you're making a mistake--" + +"If I am, it's my mistake! Cut!" + +Rance cut the cards. The Girl dealt them steadily. Then, + +"What have you got?" she asked. + +"One pair,--aces. What have you?" + +"Nothing," throwing her cards upon the table. + +With just a flicker of a smile, the Sheriff once more gathered up the +pack, saying smoothly: + +"Even now,--we're even." + +"It's the next hand that tells, Jack, ain't it?" + +"Yes." + +"It's the next hand that tells me,--I'm awfully sorry,--" the words +seemed to come awkwardly; her glance was troubled, almost contrite, "at +any rate, I want to say jest now that no matter how it comes out--" + +"Cut!" interjected Rance mechanically. + +"--that I'll always think of you the best I can," completed the Girl +with much feeling. "An' I want you to do the same for me." + +Silently, inscrutably, the gambler dealt the ten cards, one by one. But +as the Girl started to draw hers toward her, his long, thin fingers +reached across once more and closed not ungently upon hand and cards. + +"The last hand, Girl!" he reminded her. "And I've a feeling that I +win,--that in one minute I'll hold you in my arms." And still covering +her fingers with his own, he stole a glance at his cards. + +"I win," he announced, briefly, his eyes alone betraying the inward +fever. He dropped the cards before her on the table. "Three kings,--and +the _last hand_!" + +Suddenly, as though some inward cord had snapped under the strain, the +Girl collapsed. Limply she slid downward in her chair, one groping hand +straying aimlessly to her forehead, then dropping of its own weight. +"Quick, Jack,--I'm ill,--git me somethin'!" The voice trailed off to +nothingness as the drooping eyelids closed. + +In real consternation, the Sheriff sprang to his feet. In one sweeping +glance his alert eye caught the whisky bottle upon the mantel. "All +right, Girl, I'll fix you in no time," he said cheeringly over his +shoulder. But where the deuce did she keep her tumblers? The next minute +he was groping for them in the dark of the adjoining closet and softly +cursing himself for his own slowness. + +Instantaneously, the Girl came to life. The unturned cards upon the +table vanished with one lightning movement; the Girl's hand disappeared +beneath her skirts, raised for the moment knee-high; then the same, +swift reverse motion, and the cards were back in place, while the Girl's +eyes trembled shut again, to hide the light of triumph in them. A smile +flickered on her lips as the Sheriff returned with the glass and bottle. + +"Never mind,--I'm better now," her lips shaped weakly. + +The Sheriff set down the bottle, and put his arm around the Girl with a +rough tenderness. + +"Oh, you only fainted because you lost," he told her. + +Averting her gaze, the Girl quietly disengaged herself, rose to her feet +and turned her five cards face upwards. + +"No, Jack, it's because I've won,--three aces and a pair." + +The Sheriff shot one glance at the girl, keen, searching. Then, without +so much as the twitch of an eyelid, he accepted his defeat, took a cigar +from his pocket and lit it, the flame of the match revealing no +expression other than the nonchalance for which he was noted; then, +picking up his hat and coat he walked slowly to the door. Here he halted +and wished her a polite good-night--so ceremoniously polite that at any +other time it would have compelled her admiration. + +Pale as death and almost on the point of collapse, the Girl staggered +back to the table where the wounded road agent was half-sitting, +half-lying. + +Thrusting her hand now into the stocking from which she had obtained the +winning, if incriminating, cards, she drew forth those that remained and +scattered them in the air, crying out hysterically: + +"Three aces an' a pair an' a stockin' full o' pictures--but his life +belongs to me!" + + + + +XIV. + + +Conscious-stricken at the fraud that she had imposed upon the gambler, +the Girl lived a lifetime in the moments that followed his departure. +With her face buried in her hands she stood lost in contemplation of her +shameful secret. + +A sound--the sound of a man in great pain checked her hysterical sobs. +Dazed, she passed her hand over her face as if to clear away the dark +shades that were obstructing her vision. Another groan--and like a flash +she was down on her knees lavishing endearments upon the road agent. + +Never before, it is true, had the Girl had any experience in gun-shot +wounds. She had played the part of nurse, however, more than once when +the boys met with accidents at the mines. For the women of the +California camps at that time had endless calls upon them. It was a +period for sacrifices innumerable, and help and sympathy were never +asked that they were not freely given. So, if the Girl did not know the +very best thing to do, she knew, at least, what not to do, and it was +only a few minutes before she had cut the coat from his back. + +The next thing to be done--the dragging of the unconscious man to the +bed--was hard work, of course, but being strong of arm, as well as stout +of heart, she at last accomplished it. + +Now she cut away his shirt in order to find the wound, which proved to +be in his breast. Quickly then she felt with her fingers in an endeavour +to find the ball, but in this she was unsuccessful. So after a moment's +deliberation she made up her mind that the wound was a flesh one and +that the ball was anywhere but in the man's body--a diagnosis that was +largely due to the cheerful optimism of her nature and which, +fortunately, proved to be true. + +Presently she went to a corner of the room and soon returned with a +basin of water and some hastily torn bandages. For a good fifteen +minutes after that she washed the gash and, finally, bandaged it as well +as she knew how. And now, having done all that her knowledge or instinct +prompted, she drew up a chair and prepared to pass the rest of the night +in watching by his side. + +For an hour or so he slept the sleep of unconsciousness. In the room not +a sound could be heard, but outside the storm still roared and raged. It +was anything but an easy or cheerful situation: Here she was alone with +a wounded, if not dying, man; and she well knew that, unless there came +an abatement in the fury of the storm, it might be days before anyone +could climb the mountain. True, the Indians were not far off, but like +as not they would remain in their wigwam until the sun came forth again. +In the matter of food there was a scant supply, but probably enough to +tide them over until communication could be had with The Polka. + +For three days she watched over him, and all the time the storm +continued. On the third day he became delirious, and that was the night +of her torture. Despite a feeling that she was taking an unfair +advantage of him, the Girl strained her ears to catch a name which, in +his delirium, was constantly on his lips; but she could not make it out. +All that she knew was that it was not her name that he spoke, and it +pained her. She had given him absolute faith and trust and, already, she +was overwhelmed with the fierce flames of jealousy. It was a new +sensation, this being jealous of anyone, and it called forth a +passionate resentment. In such moments she would rise and flee to the +other end of the room until the whispered endearments had ceased. Then +she would draw near again with flushes of shame on her cheeks for having +heeded the sayings of an irresponsible person, and she would take his +head in her lap and, caressing him the while, would put cold towels on +his heated brow. + +Dawn of the fourth day saw the Girl still pale and anxious, though +despair had entirely left her; for the storm was over and colour and +speech had come back to the man early that morning. Love and good +nursing, not to speak of some excellent whisky that she happened to have +stored away in her cabin, had pulled him through. With a sigh of relief +she threw herself down on the rug for a much-needed rest. + +The man woke just before the sun rose. His first thought, that he was +home in the foothills, was dissipated by the sight of the snow ranges. +Through the window of the cabin, as far as the eye could see, nothing of +green was visible. Snow was everywhere; everything was white, save at +the eastern horizon where silver was fast changing into rose and rose to +a fiery red as the fast-rising sun sent its shafts over the snow-coated +mountains. + +And now there came to him a full realisation of what had happened and +where he was. To his amazement, though, he was almost without pain. That +his wound had been dressed he was, of course, well aware for when he +attempted to draw back still further the curtain at the window the +movement strained the tight bandage, and he was instantly made conscious +of a twinge of pain. + +Nevertheless, he persevered, for he wisely decided that it would be well +to reconnoitre, to familiarise himself, as much as possible, with the +lay of the land and find out whether the trail that he had followed to +reach the cabin which, he recalled, was perched high up above a ravine, +was the only means of communication with the valley below. It was a +useless precaution, for the snow would have wholly obliterated any such +trail had there been one and, soon realising the fact, he fell back +exhausted by his effort on the pillows. + +A half hour passed and the man began to grow restless. He had, of +course, no idea whatever of the length of time he had been in the cabin, +and he knew that he must be thinking of an immediate escape. In +desperation, he tried to get out of bed, but the task was beyond his +power. At that a terrible feeling of hopelessness assailed him. His only +chance was to reach the valley where he had little fear of capture; but +wounded, as he was, that seemed out of the question, and he saw himself +caught like a rat in a trap. In an access of rage at the situation in +which he was placed he made another effort to raise himself up on his +elbow and peer through the window at the Sierras. The noise that he +made, slight though it was, awoke the Girl. In an instant she was at his +bedside drawing the curtain over the window. + +"What you thinkin' of?" she asked. "At any moment--jest as soon as the +trail can be cleared--there'll be someone of the boys up here to see how +I've pulled through. They mustn't see you . . ." + +Forcibly, but with loving tenderness, she put him back among his pillows +and seated herself by the bed. An awkward silence followed. For now that +the man was in his right senses it was borne in upon her that he might +remember that she had fed him, given him drink and fondled him. It was a +situation embarrassing to both. Neither knew just what to say or how to +begin. At length, the voice from the bed spoke: + +"How long have I been here?" + +"Three days." + +"And you have nursed me all that--" + +"You mustn't talk," warned the girl. "It's dangerous in more ways than +one. But if you keep still no one'll suspect that you're here." + +"But I must know what happened," he insisted with increasing excitement. +"I remember nothing after I came down the ladder. The Sheriff--Rance-- +what's become . . .?" + +The Girl chided him with gentle authority. + +"You keep perfectly still--you mustn't say nothin' 'til you've rested. +Everythin's all right an' you needn't worry a bit." But then seeing that +he chafed at this, she added: "Well, then, I'll tell you all there is to +know." And then followed an account of the happenings of that night. It +was not a thoroughly truthful tale, for in her narrative she told him +only what she thought was necessary and good for him to know, keeping +the rest to herself. And when she had related all that there was to tell +she insisted upon his going to sleep again, giving him no opportunity +whatsoever to speak, since she left his bedside after drawing the +curtains. + +Unwillingly the man lay back and tried to force himself to be patient; +but he fretted at the enforced quietude and, as a result, sleep refused +to come to him. From time to time he could hear the Girl moving +noiselessly about the room. The knowledge that she was there gave him a +sense of security, and he began to let his thoughts dwell upon her. No +longer did he doubt but what she was a real influence now; and the +thought had the effect of making him keenly alive to what his life had +been. It was not a pleasant picture that he looked back upon, now that +he had caught a glimpse of what life might mean with the Girl at his +side. From the moment that he had taken her in his arms he realised to +the full that his cherished dream had come true; he realised, also, that +there was now but one answer to the question of keeping to the oath +given to his father, and that was that gratitude--for he had guessed +rightly, though she had not told him, that she had saved him from +capture by the Sheriff and his posse--demanded that he should put an end +to his vocation and devote his life henceforth to making her happy. + +Once or twice while thus communing with himself he fancied that he heard +voices. It seemed to him that he recognised Nick's voice. But whoever it +was, he spoke in whispers, and though the wounded man strove to hear, he +was unsuccessful. + +After a while he heard the door close and then the tension was somewhat +relaxed, for he knew that she was keeping his presence in her cabin a +secret with all the wiles of a clever and loving woman. And more and +more he determined to gain an honoured place for her in some +community--an honoured place for himself and her. Vague, very vague, of +course, were the new purposes and plans that had so suddenly sprang up +because of her influence, but the desire to lead a clean life had +touched his heart, and since his old calling had never been pleasing to +him, he did not for a moment doubt his ability to succeed. + +The morning was half gone when the Girl returned to her patient. Then, +in tones that did her best to make her appear free from anxiety, she +told him that it was the barkeeper, as he had surmised, with whom she +had been talking and that she had been obliged to take him into her +confidence. The man made no comment, for the situation necessarily was +in her hands, and he felt that she could be relied upon not to make any +mistake. Four people, he was told, knew of his presence in the cabin. So +far as Rance was concerned she had absolute faith in his honour, gambler +though he was; there was nothing that Nick would not do for her; and as +for the Indians, the secret was sure to be kept by them, unless +Jackrabbit got hold of some whisky--a contingency not at all likely, for +Nick had promised to see to that. In fact, all could be trusted to be as +silent as the grave. + +The invalid had listened intently; nevertheless, he sighed: + +"It's hard to lie here. I don't want to be caught _now_." + +The Girl smiled at the emphasis on the last word, for she knew that it +referred to her. Furthermore, she had divined pretty well what had been +his thoughts concerning his old life; but, being essentially a woman of +action and not words, she said nothing. + +A moment or so later he asked her to read to him. The Girl looked as she +might have looked if he had asked her to go to the moon. +Notwithstanding, she got up and, presently, returned with a lot of old +school-books, which she solemnly handed over for his inspection. + +The invalid smiled at the look of earnestness on the Girl's face. + +"Not these?" he gently inquired. "Where is the Dante you were telling me +about?" + +Once more the Girl went over to the book-shelf; when she came back she +handed him a volume, which he glanced over carefully before showing her +the place where he wished her to begin to read to him. + +At first the Girl was embarrassed and stumbled badly. But on seeing that +he seemed not to notice it she gained courage and acquitted herself +creditably, at least, so she flattered herself, for she could detect, as +she looked up from time to time, no expression other than pleasure on +his face. It may be surmised, though, that Johnson had not merely chosen +a page at random; on the contrary, when the book was in his hand he had +quickly found the lines which the Girl had, so to say, paraphrased, and +he was intensely curious to see how they would appeal to her. But now, +apparently, she saw nothing in the least amusing in them, nor in other +passages fully as sentimental. In fact, no comment of any kind was +forthcoming from her--though Johnson was looking for it and, to tell the +truth, was somewhat disappointed--when she read that Dante had probably +never spoken more than twice to Beatrice and his passion had no other +food than the mists of his own dreaming. However, it was different +when,--pausing before each word after the manner of a child,--she came +to a passage of the poet's, and read: + +"'In that moment I say most truly that the spirit of life, which hath +its dwelling in the most secret chambers of the heart, began to tremble +so violently that the least pulse of my body shook herewith, and in the +trembling it said these words: "Here is a deity stronger than I who, +coming shall rule over me."'" + +At that the Girl let the book fall and, going down on her knees and +taking both his hands in hers, she raised to him a look so full of +adoring worship that he felt himself awed before it. + +"That 'ere Dante ain't so far off after all. I know jest how he feels. +Oh, I ain't fit to read to you, to talk to you, to kiss you." + +Nevertheless, he saw to it that she did. + +After this he told her about the Inferno, and she listened eagerly to +his description of the unfortunate characters, though she declared, when +he explained some of the crimes that they had committed, that they "Got +only what was rightly comin' to them." + +The patient could hardly suppress his amusement. Dante was discarded and +instead they told each other how much love there was in that little +cabin on Cloudy Mountain. + +The days that followed were all much like this one. Food was brought up +from The Polka and, by degrees, the patient's strength came back. And it +was but natural that he became so absorbed in his newly-found happiness +that he gradually was losing all sense of danger. Late one night, +however, when he was asleep, an incident happened that warned the Girl +that it was necessary to get her lover away just as soon as he was able +to ride a horse. + +Lying on the rug in front of the fire she had been thinking of him when, +suddenly, her quick ear, more than ever alert in these days, caught the +sound of a stealthy footstep outside the cabin. With no fear whatever +except in relation to the discovery of her lover, the Girl went +noiselessly to the window and peered out into the darkness. A man was +making signs that he wished to speak with her. For a moment she stood +watching in perplexity, but almost instantly her instinct told her that +one of that race, for she believed the man to be a Mexican, would never +dare to come to her cabin at that time of night unless it was on a +friendly errand. So putting her face close to the pane to reassure +herself that she had not been mistaken in regard to his nationality, she +then went to the door and held it wide open for the man to enter, at the +same time putting her finger to her lips as a sign that he should be +very still. + +"What are you doin' here? What do you want?" she asked in a low voice, +at the same time leading him to the side of the room further away from +her lover. + +Jose Castro's first words were in Spanish, but immediately perceiving +that he failed to make her understand, he nodded comprehendingly, and +said: + +"All righta--I espeak Engleesh--I am Jose Castro too well known to the +_Maestro_. I want to see 'im." + +The Girl's intuition told her that a member of the band stood before +her, and she regarded him suspiciously. Not that she believed that he +was disloyal and had come there with hostile intent, but because she +felt that she must be absolutely sure of her ground before she revealed +the fact that Johnson was in the cabin. She let some moments pass before +she replied: + +"I don't know nothin' about your master. Who is he?" + +An indulgent smile crossed the Mexican's face. + +"That ver' good to tella other peoples; but I know 'im here too much. +You trusta me--me quita safe." + +All this was said with many gestures and an air that convinced the Girl +that he was speaking the truth. But since she deemed it best that the +invalid should be kept from any excitement, she resolved to make the +Mexican divulge to her the nature of his important errand. + +"How do you know he's here?" she began warily. "What do you want 'im +for?" + +The Mexican's shifty eyes wandered all over the room as if to make +certain that no inimical ears were listening; then he whispered: + +"I tella you something--you lika the _Maestro_?" + +Unconsciously the Girl nodded, which evidently satisfied the Mexican, +for he went on: + +"You thinka well of him--yees. Now I tella you something. The man Pedro +'e no good. 'E wisha the reward--the money for Ramerrez. 'E and the +woman--woman no good--tell Meester Ashby they thinka 'im 'ere." + +The Girl felt the colour leave her cheeks, though she made a gesture for +him to proceed. + +"Pedro not 'ere any longer," smiled the Mexican. "Me senda 'im to the +devil. Serva 'im right." + +"An' the woman?" gasped the Girl. + +"She gone--got away--Monterey by this time," replied Castro with evident +disappointment. "But Meester Ashby 'e know too much--'ees men everywhere +searched the camp--no safa 'ere now. To-norrow--" Castro stopped short; +the next instant with a joyful gleam in his eyes he cried out: +"_Maestro_!" + +"Castro's right, Girl," said Johnson, who had waked and heard the +Mexican's last words; "it is not safe a moment more here, and I must +go." + +With a little cry of loving protest the Girl abruptly left the men to +talk over the situation and sought the opposite side of the room. There, +her eyes half-closed and her lips pressed tightly together she gave +herself up to her distressing fears. After a while it was made plain to +her that she was being brought into the conversation, for every now and +then Castro would look curiously at her; at length, as if it had been +determined by them that nothing should be undertaken without her advice, +Johnson, followed by his subordinate, came over to her and related in +detail all the startling information that Castro had brought. + +Quietly the Girl listened and, in the end, it was agreed between them +that it would be safer for the men not to leave the cabin together, but +that Castro should go at once with the understanding that he should +procure horses and wait for the master at a given point across the +ravine. It was decided, too, that there was not a moment to be lost in +putting their plan into execution. In consequence, Castro immediately +took his departure. + +The hour that passed before the time set for Johnson to leave the cabin +was a most trying one for both of them. It was not so hard on the man, +of course, for he was excited over the prospect of escaping; but the +Girl, whose mind was filled with the dread of what might happen to him, +had nothing to sustain her. Despite his objection, she had stipulated +that, with Jackrabbit as a companion, she should accompany him to the +outskirts of the camp. And so, at the moment of departure, throwing +about her a cloak of some rough material, she went up to her lover and +said with a quiver in her voice: + +"I'm ready, Dick, but I'm a-figurin' that I can't let you go alone--you +jest got to take me below with you, an' that's all there is to it." + +The man shook his head. + +"There's very little risk, believe me. I'll join Castro and ride all +through the night. I'll be down below in no time at all. But we must be +going, dear." + +The man passed through the door first. But when it came the Girl's turn +she hesitated, for she had seen a dark shadow flit by the window. It was +as if someone had been stealthily watching there. In another moment, +however, it turned out to be Jackrabbit and, greatly relieved, the Girl +whispered to Johnson that he was to descend the trail between the Indian +and herself, and that on no account was he to utter a word until she +gave him permission. + +For another moment or so they stood in silence; Johnson, appreciating +fully what were the Girl's feelings, did not dare to whisper even a word +of encouragement to her. At last, she ordered the Indian to lead the +way, and they started. + +The trail curved and twisted around the mountain, and in places they had +to use the greatest care lest a misstep should carry them over a +precipice with a drop of hundreds of feet. It was a perilous descent, +inasmuch as the path was covered with snow. Moreover, it was necessary +that as little noise as possible should be made while they were making +their way past the buildings of the camp below, for the Mexican had not +been wrong when he stated that Ashby's men were quartered at, or in the +immediate vicinity of, The Palmetto. Fortunately, they passed through +without meeting anyone, and before long they came to the edge of the +plateau beneath which was the ravine which Johnson had to cross to reach +the spot where it had been agreed that Castro should be waiting with +horses for his master. It was also the place where the Girl was to leave +her lover to go on alone, and so they halted. A few moments passed +without either of them speaking; at length, the man said in as cheery a +voice as he could summon: + +"I must leave you here. I remember the way well. All danger is past." + +The Girl's lips were quivering; she asked: + +"An' when will you be back?" + +The man noted her emotion, and though he himself was conscious of a +choking sensation he contrived to say in a most optimistic tone: + +"In two weeks--not more than two weeks. It will take all that time to +arrange things at the rancho. As it is, I hardly see my way clear to +dismissing my men--you see, they belong to me, almost, and--but I'll do +so, never fear. No power on earth could make me take up the old life +again." + +The Girl said nothing in reply; instead she put both her arms around his +neck and remained a long time in his embrace. At last, summoning up all +her fortitude she put him resolutely from her, and whispered: + +"When you are ready, come. You must leave me now." And with a curt +command to the Indian she fled back into the darkness. + +For an instant the road agent's eyes followed the direction that she had +taken; then, his spirits rising at the thought that his escape was now +well-nigh assured, he turned and plunged down the ravine. + + + + +XV. + + +As has been said, it was a custom of the miners, whenever a storm made +it impossible for them to work in the mines, to turn the dance-hall of +the Polka Saloon into an Academy, the post of teacher being filled by +the Girl. It happened, therefore, that early the following morning the +men of Cloudy Mountain Camp assembled in the low, narrow room with its +walls of boards nailed across inside upright beams--a typical miners' +dance-hall of the late Forties--which they had transformed into a +veritable bower, so eager were they to please their lovely teacher. +Everyone was in high spirits, Rance alone refraining from taking any +part whatsoever in the morning's activities; dejectedly, sullenly, he +sat tilted back in an old, weather-beaten, lumber chair before the +heavily-dented, sheet-iron stove in a far corner of the room, gazing +abstractedly up towards the stove's rusty pipe that ran directly through +the ceiling; and what with his pale, waxen countenance, his eyes red and +half-closed for the want of sleep, his hair ruffled, his necktie awry, +his waistcoat unfastened, his boots unpolished, and the burnt-out cigar +which he held between his white, emaciated fingers, he was not the +immaculate-looking Rance of old, but presented a very sad spectacle +indeed. + +Outside, through the windows,--over which had been hung curtains of red +and yellow cotton,--could be seen the green firs on the mountain, their +branches dazzling under their burden of snow crystals; and stretching +out seemingly interminably until the line of earth and sky met were the +great hills white with snow except in the spots where the wind had swept +it away. But within the little, low dance-hall, everywhere were +evidences of festivity and good cheer, the walls being literally covered +with pine boughs and wreaths of berries, while here and there was an +eagle's wing or an owl's head, a hawk or a vulture, a quail or a +snow-bird, not to mention the big, stuffed game cock that was mounted on +a piece of weather-beaten board, until it would seem as if every variety +of bird native to the Sierra Mountains was represented there. + +Grouped together on one side of the wall were twelve buck horns, and +these served as a sort of rack for the miners to hang their hats and +coats during the school session. Several mottoes, likewise upon the +wall, were intended to attract the students' attention, the most +conspicuous being: "Live and Learn" and "God Bless Our School." A great +bear's skin formed a curtain between the dance-hall and the saloon, +while upon the door-frame was a large hand rudely painted, the +index-finger outstretched and pointing to the next room. It said: +"To The Bar." + +It was, however, upon the teacher's desk--a whittled-up, hand-made +affair which stood upon a slightly-raised platform--that the boys had +outdone themselves in the matter of decoration. Garlanded both on top +and around the sides with pine boughs and upon the centre of which stood +a tall glass filled with red and white berries, it looked not unlike a +sacrificial altar which, in a way, it certainly was. A box that was +intended for a seat for the teacher was also decorated with pine +branches; while several cheap, print flags adorned the primitive iron +holder of the large lamp suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the +room. Altogether it was a most festive-looking Academy that was destined +to meet the teacher's eye on this particular morning. + +For some time Nick had been standing near the window gazing in the +direction of the Girl's cabin. Turning, suddenly, to Rance, the only +other occupant of the room, he remarked somewhat sadly: + +"I'd be willin' to lose the profits of the bar if we could git back to a +week ago--before Johnson walked into this room." + +At the mention of the road agent's name Rance's eyes dropped to the +floor. It required no flash of inspiration to tell him that things would +never be what they had been. + +"Johnson," he muttered, his face ashen white and a sound in his throat +that was something like a groan. "A week--a week in her cabin--nursed +and kissed . . ." he finished shortly. + +Nick had been helping himself to a drink; he wheeled swiftly round, +confronting him. + +"Oh, say, Rance, she--" + +Rance took the words out of his mouth. + +"Never kissed him! You bet she kissed him! It was all I could do to keep +from telling the whole camp he was up there." His eyes blazed and his +hands tightened convulsively. + +"But you didn't . . ." Nick broke in on him quickly. "If I hadn't been +let into the game by the Girl I'd a thought you were a level Sheriff +lookin' for him. Rance, you're my ideal of a perfect gent." + +Rance braced up in his chair. + +"What did she see in that Sacramento shrimp, will you tell me?" +presently he questioned, contempt showing on every line of his face. + +The little barkeeper did not answer at once, but filled a glass with +whisky which he handed to him. + +"Well, you see, I figger it out this way, boss," at last he answered, +meeting him face to face frankly, earnestly, his foot the while resting +on the other's chair. "Love's like a drink that gits a hold on you an' +you can't quit. It's a turn of the head or a touch of the hands, or it's +a half sort of smile, an' you're doped, doped, doped with a feelin' like +strong liquor runnin' through your veins, an' there ain't nothin' on +earth can break it up once you've got the habit. That's love." + +Touched by the little barkeeper's droll philosophy, the Sheriff dropped +his head on his breast, while the hand which held the glass +unconsciously fell to his side. + +"I've got it," went on Nick with enthusiasm; "you've got it; the boy's +got it; the Girl's got it; the whole damn world's got it. It's all the +heaven there is on earth, an' in nine cases out of ten it's hell." + +Rance opened his lips to speak, but quickly drew them in tightly. The +next instant Nick touched him lightly on the shoulder and pointed to the +empty glass in his hand, the contents having run out upon the floor. + +With a mere glance at the empty glass Rance returned it to Nick. +Presently, then, he took out his watch and fell to studying its face +intently, and only when he had finally returned the watch to his pocket +did he voice what was in his mind. + +"Well, Nick," he said, "her road agent's got off by now." + +Whereupon, the barkeeper, too, took out his watch and consulted it. + +"Left Cloudy at three o'clock this morning--five hours off . . ." was +his brief comment. + +Once more a silence fell upon the room. Then, all of a sudden, the sound +of horses' hoofs and the murmur of rough voices came to their ears, and +almost instantly a voice was heard to cry out: + +"Hello!" + +"Hello!" came from an answering voice. + +"Why, it's The Pony Express got through at last!" announced Nick, +incredulously; and so saying he took up the whisky bottle and glasses +which lay on the teacher's desk and dashed into the saloon. He had +barely left, however, than The Pony Express, muffled up to his ears and +looking fit to brave the fiercest of storms, entered the room, hailing +the boys with: + +"Hello, boys! Letter for Ashby!" + +The Deputy--who with Trinidad and Sonora had come running in, the latter +carrying a boot-leg and a stove-polishing brush in his hand--took the +letter and started in search of the Wells Fargo Agent who, Rance had +told them, had gone to sleep. + +"Well, boys, how d'you like bein' snowed in for a week?" asked The Pony +Express, warming himself by the stove; and then without waiting for an +answer he rattled on: "There's a rumour at The Ridge that you all let +Ramerrez freeze an' missed a hangin'. Say, they're roarin' at you, +chaps!" And with a "So long, boys!" he strode out of the room. + +Sonora started in hot pursuit after him, hollering out: + +"Wait! Wait!" And when The Pony Express halted, he added: "Says you to +the boys at The Ridge as you ride by, the Academy at Cloudy is open +to-day full blast!" + +"Whoopee! Whoop!" chimed in Trinidad and began to execute a _pas seul_ +in the middle of the room, dropping into a chair just in time to avoid +running into Nick, who hurriedly returned with two glasses and a bottle. + +"Help yourselves, boys," he said; which they did to the accompaniment of +a succession of joyous yells from Trinidad. + +Meantime Rance had relighted the burnt-out cigar which he had been +holding for some time between his fingers, and was sending curls of +smoke upwards towards the ceiling. + +"Academy," he sneered. + +Sonora surveyed him critically for some moments; at length he said: + +"Say, Rance, what's the matter with you? We began this Academy game +together--we boys an' the Girl--an' there's a damn pretty piece of +sentiment back of it. She's taught some of us our letters, and--" + +"He's a wearin' mournin' because Johnson didn't fall alive into his +hands," interposed Trinidad with a laugh. + +"Is that it?" queried Sonora. + +"Ain't it enough, Rance, that he must be lyin' dead down some canyon, +with his mouth full of snow?" A mocking smile was on Trinidad's face as +he asked the question. + +"You done all you could to git 'im," went on Sonora as if there had been +no interruption. "The boys is all satisfied he's dead." + +"Dead?" Rance fairly picked up the word. "Dead? Yes, he's dead," he +declared tensely, and unconsciously arose and went over to the window +where he stood motionless, gazing through the parted curtains at the +snow-covered hills. Presently the boys saw a cynical smile spread over +his face, and a moment later, he added: "The matter with me is that I'm +a Chink." + +This depreciation of himself was so thoroughly un-Rance like, that it +brought forth great bursts of laughter from the men, but notwithstanding +which, Rance went on to admit, in the same sullen tone, that it was all +up with him and the Girl. + +"Throwed 'im!" whispered Trinidad to Sonora with a pleased look on his +face. + +Sonora, likewise, was beaming with joy when almost instantly he turned +to Nick with: + +"As sure's you live she's throwed 'im for me!" + +Nick, among his other accomplishments, had a faculty for dumbness and +said nothing; but a smile which approached a grin formed on his face as +he stood eyeing quizzically first one and then the other. Finally, +picking up the empty glasses, he left the room. + +"Will old dog Tray remember me"--immediately sung out Trinidad, +gleefully. While Sonora, in the seventh heaven of delight, began to +caper about the room. Of a sudden Nick poked his head in through the +door to inquire into the cause of their hilarity, but they ignored him +completely. At the bar-room door, however, Sonora halted and, glancing +over his shoulder in the Sheriff's direction, he added in a most +tantalising manner: + +". . . for me!" + +But while Trinidad and Sonora were going out through one door the Deputy +was entering through another. He was greatly agitated and carried in his +hand the letter which The Pony Express had entrusted to his keeping for +Ashby. + +"Why, Ashby's skipped!" he announced uneasily. "Got off just after three +this morning--posse and all." + +A question was in Nick's eyes as he turned upon the speaker with the +interjection: + +"What!" And then as the Deputy made a dash for the bar-room, he added +with a swift change of manner: "Help yourself, Dep." + +But if Nick was slow to realise the situation, not so the Sheriff, who +instantly awoke to the fact that the Wells Fargo Agent was on Johnson's +trail. His lips drew quickly back in a half-grin. + +"Ashby's after Johnson," presently he said with a savage little laugh. +"Nick, he was watchin' that greaser . . . Took him ten minutes to saddle +up--Johnson has ten minutes' start"--He broke off abruptly and ended +impatiently with: "Oh, Lord, they'll never get him! He's a wonder on the +road--you've got to take your hat off to the damn cuss!" And with a dig +at the other's ribs that was half-playful, half-serious, he was off in +pursuit of Ashby. + +A moment later the miners began to pile in for school, whooping and +yelling, their feet covered with snow. Sonora led with an armful of +wood, which he deposited on the floor beside the stove; then came +Handsome Charlie and Happy Halliday, together with Old Steady and Bill +Crow, who immediately dropped on all fours and began to play leap-frog. + +"Boys gatherin' for school," observed Trinidad, hurriedly opening the +door; and while the men proceeded to flock in, he got into his jacket +which lay on a chair beside the teacher's desk. + +"Here, Trin, here's the book!" cried out Happy Halliday; and the book, +which was securely tied in a red cotton handkerchief, went flying +through the air. + +In those few words the signal was given; the fun was on in earnest. +Instantly the miners--veritable school-boys they were, so genuine was +their merriment--braced themselves for a catch of the book, which had +landed safely in Trinidad's hands. Now it was aimed at Sonora, who +caught it on the fly; from Sonora it travelled to Old Steady, who sent +it whizzing over to Handsome. Now the Deputy made ready to receive it; +but instead it landed once more in Sonora's hands amidst cheers of "Come +on, Sonora! Whoopee! Whoop!" + +"Sh-sh-sh, boys!" warned the Deputy as Sonora was about to send the book +on another expedition through the air; "here comes the noo scholar from +Watson's." + +An ominous hush fell upon the room. One could have heard a pin drop as +the school settled itself down with anticipatory grins that said, "What +won't we do to Bucking Billy!" Therefore, there was not an eye that was +not upon the new pupil when with dinner-pail swinging on one arm and the +other holding tightly onto a small slate, he slowly advanced towards +them. + +"Did you ever play Lame Soldier, m' friend?" was Sonora's greeting, +while the miners crowded around them. + +"No," replied the big, raw-boned, gullible-looking fellow with a grin. + +"We'll play it after school; you'll be the stirrup," promised Sonora; +then turning to his mates with a laugh, which was unobserved by Bucking +Billy, he added: "We'll initiate 'im." + +Presently the miners began to move away and Trinidad, picking up a chip +which he espied under a bench, put it on his shoulder and stood in the +centre of the room, thereby indirectly challenging the new pupil to a +scrimmage. + +"Don't do it!" cried Old Steady as he hung up his hat upon a buck's horn +on the wall. + +"Go on! Go on!" encouraged Bill Crow, hanging up his hat beside Old +Steady's. + +The boys took up his words in chorus. + +"Go on! Go on!" + +Whereupon, Sonora made a dash far the chip and knocked it off of +Trinidad's shoulder, blazing huskily into his face as he did so: + +"You do, do you?" + +In the twinkling of an eye Trinidad's jacket was off and the two men +were engaged in a hand-to-hand scuffle. + +"Soak him!" came from a voice somewhere in the crowd. + +"Hit him!" urged another. + +"Bat him in the eye!" shrieked Handsome Charlie. + +Finally Sonora succeeded in throwing down his opponent and sent him +rolling along the floor, the contents of his pockets marking his trail. + +The rafters of The Polka shook to a storm of cheering, and there is no +telling when the men would have ceased had not Nick interfered at that +moment by yelling out: + +"Boys, boys, here she is!" + +"Here comes the Girl!" came simultaneously from Happy Halliday, who had +got a glimpse of her coming down the trail. + +None the worse for his defeat and fall, Trinidad sprang to his feet; +while Sonora made a dash for a seat. They had not been placed; whereupon +he cried out excitedly: + +"The seats, boys, where's the seats?" + +For the few minutes that preceded the Girl's entrance into the room no +men were ever known to work more rapidly or more harmoniously. They +fairly flew in and out of the room, now bringing in the great +whittled-up, weather-beaten benches and placing them in school-room +fashion, and then rolling in boxes and casks which served as a +ground-hold for the planks which were stretched across them for desks. +It was in the midst of these pilgrimages that Trinidad rushed over to +Nick to ask whether he did not think to-day a good time to put the +question to the Girl. + +Nick's eyes twinkled up with merriment; nevertheless, his face took on a +dubious look when presently he answered: + +"I wouldn't rush her, Trin--you've got plenty of time . . ." And when he +proceeded to put up the blackboard he almost ran into Sonora, who stood +by the teacher's desk getting into his frock coat. + +"Hurry up, boys, hurry up!" urged Trinidad, though he himself smilingly +looked on. + +A moment later the Girl, carrying a small book of poems, walked quietly +into their midst. She was paler and not as buoyant as usual, but she +managed to appear cheerful when she said: + +"Hello, boys!" + +The men were all smiles and returned her greeting with: + +"Hello, Girl!" + +Then followed the presentation of their offerings--mere trifles, to be +sure, but given out of the fulness of their hearts. Sonora led with a +bunch of berries, which was followed by Trinidad with an orange. + +"From 'Frisco," he said simply, watching the effect of his words with +pride. + +A bunch of berries was also Happy's contribution, which he made with a +stiff little bow and the one word: + +"Regards." + +Meantime Nick, faithful friend that he was, went down on his knees and +began to remove the Girl's moccasins. The knowledge of his proximity +encouraged the Girl to glance about her to see if she could detect any +signs on the men's faces which would prove that they suspected the real +truth concerning her absence. Needless to say adoration and love was all +that she saw; nevertheless, she felt ill-at-ease and, unconsciously, +repeated: + +"Hello, boys!" And then added, a little more bravely: "How's +everythin'?" + +"Bully!" spoke up Handsome Charlie, who was posing for her benefit, as +was his wont, beside one of the desks. + +"Say, we missed you," acknowledged Sonora with a world of tenderness in +his voice. "Never knew you to desert The Polka for a whole week before." + +"No, I--I . . ." stammered guiltily, and with their little gifts turned +abruptly towards her desk lest she should meet their gaze. + +"Academy's opened," suddenly announced Happy, "and--" + +"Yes, I see it is," quickly answered the Girl, brushing away a tear that +persisted in clinging to her eyelids; slowly, now, she drew off her +gloves and laid them on the desk. + +"I guess I'm kind o' nervous to-day, boys," she began. + +"No wonder," observed Sonora. "Road agent's been in camp an' we missed a +hangin'. I can't git over that." + +All a-quiver and not daring to meet the men's gaze, much less to discuss +the road agent with them, the Girl endeavoured to hide her confusion by +asking Nick to help her off with her cape. Turning presently she said in +a strained voice: + +"Well, come on, boys--come, now!" + +Immediately the boys fell in line for the opening exercises, which +consisted of an examination by the Girl of their general appearance. + +"Let me see your hands," she said to the man nearest to her; a glance +was sufficient, and he was expelled from her presence. "Let me see +yours, Sonora," she commanded. + +Holding his hands behind his back the man addressed moved towards her +slowly, for he was conscious of the grime that was on them. Before he +had spoken his apology she ordered him none too gently to go and wash +them, ending with an emphatic: + +"Git!" + +"Yes'm," was his meek answer, though he called back as he disappeared: +"Been blackenin' my boots." + +The Girl took up the word quickly. + +"Boots! Yes, an' look at them boots!" And as each man came up to her, +"An' them boots! an' them boots! Get in there the whole lot o' you an' +be sure that you leave your whisky behind." + +When all had left the room save Nick, who stood with her cape on his arm +near the desk she suddenly became conscious that she still had her hood +on, and at once began to remove it--a proceeding which brought out +clearly the extraordinary pallor of her face which, generally, had a +bright, healthy colouring. Now she beckoned to Nick to draw near. No +need for her to speak, for he had caught the questioning look in her +eyes, and it told him plainer than any words that she was anxious to +hear of her lover. He was about to tell her the little he knew when with +lips that trembled she finally whispered: + +"Have you heard anythin'? Do you think he got through safe?" + +Nick nodded in the affirmative. + +"I saw 'im off, you know," she went on in the same low voice; then, +before Nick could speak, she concluded anxiously: "But s'pose he don't +git through?" + +"Oh, he'll git through sure! We'll hear he's out of this country pretty +quick," consoled the little barkeeper just as Rance, unperceived by +them, quietly entered the room and went over to a chair by the stove. + + + + +XVI. + + +No man had more of a dread of the obvious than the Sheriff. His +position, he felt, was decidedly an unpleasant one. Nevertheless, in the +silence that followed the Girl's discovery of his presence, he struggled +to appear his old self. He was by no means unconscious of the fact that +he had omitted his usual cordial greeting to her, and he felt that she +must be scrutinising him, feature by feature. When, therefore, he shot a +covert glance at her, it was with surprise that he saw an appealing look +in her eyes. + +"Oh, Jack, I want to thank you--" she began, but stopped quickly, +deterred by the hard expression that instantly spread itself over the +Sheriff's face. Resentment, all the more bitter because he believed it +to be groundless, followed hard on the heels of her words which he +thought to be inspired solely by a delicate tactfulness. + +"Oh, don't thank me that he got away," he said icily. "It was the three +aces and the pair you held--" + +This was the Girl's opportunity; she seized it. + +"About the three aces, I want to say that--" + +It was Rance's turn to interrupt, which he did brutally. + +"He'd better keep out of my country, that's all." + +"Yes, yes." + +To the Girl, any reference to her lover was a stab. Her face was pale +with her terrible anxiety; notwithstanding, the contrast of her pallid +cheeks and masses of golden hair gave her a beauty which Rance, as he +met her eyes, found so extraordinarily tempting that he experienced a +renewed fury at his utter helplessness. At the point, however, when it +would seem from his attitude that all his self-control was about to +leave him, the Girl picked up the bell on the desk and rang it +vigorously. + +Began then the long procession of miners walking around the room before +taking their seats on the benches. At their head was Happy Halliday, who +carried in his hands a number of slates, the one on the top having a +large sponge attached. These were all more or less in bad condition, +some having no frames, while others were mere slits of slate, but all +had slate-pencils fastened to them by strings. + +"Come along, boys, get your slates!" sang out Happy as he left the line +and let the others file past him. + +"Whoop!" vociferated Trinidad in a burst of enthusiasm. + +"Trin, you're out o' step there!" reprimanded the teacher a little +sharply; and then addressing Happy she ordered him to take his place +once more in the line. + +In a little while they were all seated, and now, at last, it seemed to +the barkeeper as if the air of the room had been freed of its tension. +No longer did he experience a sense of alertness, a feeling that +something out of the ordinary was going to happen, and it was with +immense relief that he heard the Girl take up her duties and ask: + +"What books were left from last year?" + +At first no one was able to give a scrap of information on this +important matter; maybe it was because all lips were too dry to open; in +the end, however, when the silence was becoming embarrassing, Happy +moistened his lips with his tongue, and answered: + +"Why, we scared up jest a whole book left. The name of it is--is--is--" +The effort was beyond his mental powers and he came to a helpless pause. + +Swelling with importance, and drawing forth the volume in question from +his pocket, Sonora stood up and finished: + +"--is 'Old Joe Miller's Jokes.'" + +"That will do nicely," declared the Girl and seated herself on the +pine-decorated box. + +"Now, boys," continued Sonora, ever the most considerate of pupils, +"before we begin I propose no drawin' of weppings, drinkin' or swearin' +in school hours. The conduct of certain members wore on teacher last +term. I don't want to mention no names, but I want Handsome an' Happy to +hear what I'm sayin'." And after a sweeping glance at his mates, who, +already, had begun to disport themselves and jeer at the unfortunate +pair, he wound up with: "Is that straight?" + +"You bet it is!" yelled the others in chorus; whereupon Sonora dropped +into his seat. + +In time order was restored and now the Girl, looking at Rance out of her +big, frightened, blue eyes, observed: + +"Rance, last year you led off with an openin' address, an'--" + +"Yes, yes, go on Sheriff!" cried the boys, hailing her suggestion with +delight. + +Nevertheless, the Sheriff hesitated, seeing which, Trinidad contributed: +"Let 'er go, Jack!" + +At length, fixing a look upon the Girl, Rance rose and said +significantly: + +"I pass." + +"Oh, then, Sonora," suggested the Girl, covering up her embarrassment as +best she could, "won't you make a speech?" + +"Me--speak?" exploded Sonora; and again; "Me--speak? Oh, the devil!" + +"Sh-sh!" came warningly from several of the boys. + +"Why, I didn't mean that, o' course," apologised Sonora, colouring, and +incidentally expectorating on Bucking Billy's boots. But to his infinite +sorrow no protest worthy of the word was forthcoming from the apparently +insensible Bucking Billy. + +"Go on! Go on!" urged the school. + +Sonora coughed behind his hand; then he began his address. + +"Gents, I look on this place as something more 'n a place to sit around +an' spit on--the stove. I claim that there's culture in the air o' +Californay an' we're here to buck up again it an' hook on." + +"Hear! Hear! Hear!" voiced the men together, while their fists came down +heavily upon the improvised desks before them. + +"With these remarks," concluded Sonora, "I set." And suiting the action +to the word he plumped himself down heavily upon the bench, but only to +rise again quickly with a cry of pain and strike Trinidad a fierce blow, +who, he rightly suspected, was responsible for the pin that had found a +lodging-place in the seat of his trousers. + +At that not even the Girl's remonstrances prevented the boys, who had +been silent as mice all the time that the instrument of torture was +being adjusted, from giving vent to roars of laughter; and for a moment +things in the school-room were decidedly boisterous. + +"Sit down, boys, sit down!" ordered the Girl again and again; but it was +some moments before she could get the school under control. When, +finally, the skylarking had ceased, the Girl said in a voice which, +despite its strange weariness, was music to their ears: + +"Once more we meet together. There's ben a lot happened o' late that has +learned me that p'r'aps I don't know as much as I tho't I did, an' I +can't teach you much more. But if you're willin' to take me for what I +am--jest a woman who wants things better, who wants everybody all they +ought to be, why I'm willin' to rise with you an' help reach out--" She +stopped abruptly, for Handsome was waving his hand excitedly at her, and +asked a trifle impatiently: "What is it, Handsome?" + +Handsome rose and hurriedly went over to her. + +"Whisky, teacher, whisky! I want it so bad--" + +The school rose to its feet as one man. + +"Teacher! Teacher!" came tumultuously from all, their hands waving +frantically in the air. And then without waiting for permission to speak +the cry went up: "Whisky! Whisky!" + +"No, no whisky," she denied them flatly. + +Gradually the commotion subsided, for all knew that she meant what she +said, at least for the moment. + +"An' now jest a few words more on the subject o' not settin' judgment on +the errin'--a subject near my heart." + +This remark of the Girl's brought forth murmurs of wonder, and in the +midst of them the door was pushed slowly inward and The Sidney Duck, +wearing the deuce of spades which the Sheriff had pinned to his jacket +when he banished him from their presence for cheating at cards, stood on +the threshold, looking uncertainly about him. At once all eyes were +focused upon him. + +"Git! Git!" shouted the men, angrily. This was followed by a general +movement towards him, which so impressed The Sidney Duck that he turned +on his heel and was fleeing for his life when a cry from the Girl +stopped him. + +"Boys, boys," said the Girl in a reproving voice, which silenced them +almost instantly; then, beckoning to Sid to approach, she went on in her +most gentle tones: "I was jest gittin' to you, Sid, as I promised. You +can stay." + +Looking like a whipped dog The Sidney Duck advanced warily towards her. + +Sonora's brow grew thunderous. + +"What, here among gentlemen?" + +And that his protest met with instantaneous approval was shown by the +way the miners shifted uneasily in their seats and shouted +threateningly: + +"Git! Git!" + +"Why, the fellow's a--" began Trinidad, but got no further, for the Girl +stopped him by exclaiming: + +"I know, I know, Trin--I've tho't it all over!" + +For the next few minutes the Girl stood strangely still and her face +became very grave. Never before had the men seen her in a mood like +this, and they exchanged wondering glances. Presently she said: + +"Boys, of late a man in trouble has been on my mind--" She paused, her +glance having caught the peculiar light which her words had caused to +appear in Rance's eyes, and lest he should misunderstand her meaning, +she hastened to add: "Sid, o' course,--an' I fell to thinkin' o' the +Prodigal Son. He done better, didn't he?" + +"But a card sharp," objected Sonora from the depths of his big voice. + +"Yes, that's what!" interjected Trinidad, belligerently. + +The Girl's eyebrows lifted and a shade of resentment was in the +answering voice: + +"But s'pose there was a moment in his life when he was called upon to +find a extra ace--can't we forgive 'im? He says he's sorry--ain't you, +Sid?" + +All the while the Girl had been speaking The Sidney Duck kept his eyes +lowered and was swallowing nervously. Now he raised them and, with a +feeble attempt to simulate penitence, he acknowledged that he had done +wrong. Nevertheless, he declared: + +"But if I 'adn't got caught things would 'a' been different. Oh, yes, +I'm sorry." + +In an instant the Girl was at his side removing the deuce of spades from +his coat. + +"Sid, you git your chance," she said with trembling lips. "Now go an' +sit down." + +A broad smile was creeping over The Sidney Duck's countenance as he +moved towards the others; but Happy took it upon himself to limit its +spread. + +"Take that!" he blazed, striking the man in the face. "And git out of +here! + +"Happy, Happy!" cried the Girl. Her voice was so charged with reproach +that The Sidney Duck was allowed by the men to pass on without any +further molestation. Nevertheless, when he attempted to sit beside them, +they moved as far away as possible from him and compelled him to take a +stool that stood apart from the benches which held them together in +friendly proximity. + +At this point Trinidad inquired of the Girl whether she meant to infer +that honesty was not the best policy, and by way of illustration, he +went on to say: + +"S'posin' my watch had no works an' I was to sell it to the Sheriff for +one hundred dollars. Would you have much respect for me?" + +For the briefest part of a second the Girl seemed to be reflecting. + +"I'd have more respect for you than for the Sheriff," she answered +succinctly. + +"Hurrah! Whoopee! Whoop!" yelled the men, who were delighted both with +what she said as well as her pert way of saying it. + +It was in the midst of these shouts that Billy Jackrabbit and Wowkle, +unobserved by the others, quietly stole into the room and squatted +themselves down under the blackboard. When the merriment had subsided +Rance rose and took the floor. His face was paler than usual, though his +voice was calm when presently he said: + +"Well, bein' Sheriff, I'm careful about my company--I'll sit in the bar. +Cheats and road agents"--and here he paused meaningly and glanced from +The Sidney Duck to the Girl--"ar'n't jest in my line. I walk in the open +road with my head up and my face to the sun, and whatever I've pulled +up, you'll remark I've always played square and stood by the cyards." + +"I know, I know," observed the Girl and fell wearily into her seat; the +next instant she went on more confidently: "An' that's the way to +travel--in the straight road. But if ever I don't travel that road, or +you--" + +"You always will, you bet," observed Nick with feeling. + +"You bet she will!" shouted the others. + +"But if I don't," continued the Girl, insistently, "I hope there'll be +someone to lead me back--back to the right road. 'Cause remember, Rance, +some of us are lucky enough to be born good, while others have to be +'lected." + +"That's eloquence!" cried Sonora, moved almost to tears; while Rance +took a step forward as if about to make some reply; but the next +instant, his head held no longer erect and his face visibly twitching, +he passed into the bar-room. + +A silence reigned for a time, which was broken at last by the Girl +announcing with great solemnity: + +"If anybody can sing 'My Country 'Tis,' Academy's opened." + +At this request, really of a physical nature, and advanced in a spirit +of true modesty, all present, curiously enough, seemed to have lost +their voices and nudged one another in an endeavour to get the hymn +started. Someone insisted that Sonora should go ahead, but that worthy +pupil objected giving as his excuse, obviously a paltry one and trumped +up for the occasion, that he did not know the words. There was nothing +to it, therefore, but that the Indians should render the great American +anthem. And so, standing stolidly facing the others, their high-pitched, +nasal voices presently began: + + + "My country 'tis of thee, + Sweet land of liberty, + Of thee I sing." + + +"Well, if that ain't sarkism!" interjected Sonora between the lines of +the hymn. + + + "Land where our fathers died--" + + +"You bet they died hard!" cut in Trinidad, rolling his eyes upward in a +comical imitation of the Indians. + + + "Land of the Pilgrim's pride, + From every mountain side + Let freedom ring." + + +All the while the Indians were singing the last lines of the hymn the +Girl's face was a study in reminiscent dreams, but when they had +finished and were leaving the room, she came back to earth, as it were, +and clapped her hands, an appreciation which brought forth from Wowkle a +grateful "Huh!" + +"I would like to read you a little verse from a book of poems," +presently went on the teacher; and when the men had given her their +attention, she read with much feeling: + + + "'No star is ever lost we once have seen, + We always may be what we might have been.'" + + +"Why, what's the matter?" inquired Sonora, greatly moved at the sight of +the tears which, of a sudden, began to run down the teacher's cheeks. +"Why, what's--?" came simultaneously from the others, words failing +them. + +"Nothin', nothin', only it jest came over me that I'll be leavin' you +soon," stammered the Girl. "How can I do it? How can I do it?" she +wailed. + +Sonora gazed at her unbelievingly. + +"Do what?" he said. + +"What did she say?" questioned Trinidad. + +Now Sonora went over to her, and asked: + +"What d'you say? Why, what's the matter?" + +Slowly the Girl raised her head and looked at him through half-closed +lids, the tears that still clung to them, blinding her almost. Plainly +audible in the silence of the room the seconds ticked away on the clock, +and still she did not speak; at last she murmured: + +"Oh, it's nothin', nothin', only I jest remembered I've promised to +leave Cloudy soon an', p'r'aps, we might never be together again--you +an' me an' The Polka. Oh, it took me jest like that when I seen your +dear, ol' faces, your dear, plucky, ol' faces an' realised that--" She +could not go on, and buried her face in her hands, her glistening blonde +head shaking with her sobs. + +It was thus that the Sheriff, entering a moment later, found her. +Without a word he resumed his seat in front of the fire. + +Sonora continued to stare blankly at her. He was too dazed to speak, +much less to think. He broke silence slowly. + +"What--you leavin' us?" + +"Leavin' us?" inquired Happy, incredulously. + +"Careful, girl, careful," warned Nick, softly. + +The Girl hesitated a moment, and then went recklessly on: + +"It's bound to happen soon." + +Sonora looked more puzzled than ever; he rested his hand upon her desk +as if to support himself, and said: + +"I don't quite understand. Great Gilead! We done anythin' to offend +you?" + +"Oh, no, no, no!" she hastened to assure him, at the same time letting +her hand rest upon his. + +But this explanation did not satisfy Sonora. Anxious to discover what +she had at heart he went on sounding: + +"Tired of us? Ain't we got style enough for you?" + +The Girl did not answer; her breathing, swift and short, painfully +intensified the hush that had fallen on the room; at last, the boys +becoming impatient began to bombard her with questions. + +"Be you goin' to show them Ridge boys we've petered out an' culture's a +dead dog here?" began Happy, rising. + +"Do you want them to think Academy's busted?" asked Handsome. + +"Ain't we your boys no more?" put in Trinidad, wistfully. + +"Ain't I your boy?" asked Sonora, sentimentally. "Why, what is it, Girl? +Has anybody--tell me--perhaps--" + +The Girl raised her head and dried her eyes; when she spoke one could +have heard a pin drop. + +"Oh, no, no, no," she said with averted face, and added tremulously: +"There, we won't say no more about it. Let's forgit it. Only when I go +away I want to leave the key o' my cabin with Old Sonora here, an' I +want you all to come up sometimes, an' to think o' me as the girl who +loved you all, an' sometimes is wishin' you well, an' I want to think o' +little Nick here runnin' my bar an' not givin' the boys too much +whisky." Her words died away in a sob and her head fell forward, her +hand, the while, resting upon Nick's shoulder. + +At last, Sonora saw what lay beneath her tears; the situation was all +too clear to him now. + +"Hold on!" he cried hoarsely. "There's jest one reason for the Girl to +leave her home an' friends--only one: There must be some fellow away +from here that she--that she likes better 'n she does any of us." And +turning once more upon the Girl, he demanded excitedly: "Is that it? +Speak!" + +The Girl raised her tear-stained face and looked him in the eye. + +"Likes--" she repeated with a world of meaning in her voice--"in a +different way, yes." + +"Well, so help me!" ejaculated Happy, unhappily, while Sonora, with head +bent low, went over to his seat. + +The next moment the boys of the front rows had joined those of the rear +and were grouping themselves together to discuss the situation. + +"Sure you ain't makin' a mistake?" Trinidad questioned suddenly. + +The Girl came down from her seat on the platform and went over to them. + +"Mistake," she repeated dreamily. "Oh, no, no, no, boys, there's no +mistake about this. Oh, Trin!" she burst out tearfully, and two soft +arms crept gently about his neck. "An' Sonora--Ah, Sonora!" She raised +herself on her tiny toes and kissed him on the left cheek. + +The next instant she was gone. + + + + +XVII. + + +Whatever may be said to the contrary, there are few more humiliating +moments in a man's life than when he learns that some other person has +supplanted him in the affections of his adored one. And it was the +Girl's knowledge of this, together with her desire to spare the feelings +of her two old admirers,--for in her nature there was ever that +thoughtfulness of others which never permitted her to do a mean thing to +anyone,--that had caused her to flee so precipitously from the room. + +But painful as was their humiliation as they stood in silence, gazing +with saddened faces at the door through which the Girl had gone out, +their cup of bitterness was not yet full. The next moment the Sheriff, +his lips curled inscrutably, said mockingly: + +"Well, boys, the right man has come at last. Take your medicine, +gentlemen." + +His words cut Sonora to the quick, and it was with difficulty that he +braced himself to hear the worst. + +"Who's the man?" he inquired gruffly. + +The Sheriff's eyes fastened themselves upon him; at length with deadly +coldness he drawled out: + +"Johnson's the man." + +All the colour went out of Sonora's face, while his lips ejaculated: + +"Gol A'mighty!" + +"You lie!" blazed Trinidad in the next breath, and made a quick movement +towards the Sheriff. + +But Rance was not to be denied. Seeing Nick advancing towards them he +called upon him to verify his words; but that individual merely looked +first at one and then the other and did not answer, which silence +infuriated Sonora. + +"Why, you tol' me . . .?" he said with an angry look in his eye. + +"Tol' you, Sonora? Why he tol' me the same thing," protested Trinidad +with an earnestness that, at any other time, would have sent his +listeners into fits of laughter. + +This was too much for Sonora; he flew into a paroxysm of rage. + +"Well, for a first-class liar . . .!" + +"You bet!" corroborated Trinidad, relapsing, despite his anger, into his +pet phrase. + +For some minutes the dejected suitors continued in this strain, now +arguing and then condoling with one another, the boys, meanwhile, +proceeding to clear the school-room of the benches, casks and planks, +lifting or rolling them back into place as if they were made of paper. + +All of a sudden Sonora's face cleared perceptibly. Turning swiftly to +the sheriff, who sat tilted back in a chair before the fire, he said +with unexpected cheerfulness of voice: + +"Why, Johnson's dead. He got away, an'--" + +"Yes, he got away," remarked Rance, dully, shaking the ashes from his +cigar, which answer, together with the peculiar look which Sonora saw on +the other's face, made him at once suspicious that something was being +held back from them which they had a right to know. It came about, +therefore, that, with a hasty movement towards the Sheriff, his eyes +glaring, his voice husky, Sonora demanded: + +"Jack Rance, I call on you as Sheriff for Johnson! He was in your +county." + +Instantly the cry was taken up by the others, but it was Trinidad who, +shaking his fist in Rance's face, supplemented: + +"You hustle up an' run a bridle through your p'int o' teeth or your boom +for re-election 's over, you lily-fingered gambler!" + +But the Sheriff did not move a muscle, though after a moment he answered +coolly: + +"Oh, I don't know as I give a damn . . .!" Which reply, to say the +least, was somewhat disconcerting to the men who had surrounded him and +were eyeing him threateningly. + +"No talk--we want Johnson," insisted Trinidad, hotly. + +"We want Johnson," echoed the crowd in low, tense voices, their fists +clenched. + +And still Rance did not waver, but calmly puffing sway at his long, +black cigar he looked blankly into space. Presently a voice outside +calling, "Boys!" sounded throughout the room and brought him back to +actuality. He sat straight up in his chair while Nick, shifting uneasily +about on his feet, muttered: + +"Why, that's Ashby!" + +"Oh, if--" began the Sheriff and stopped. The next instant the Wells +Fargo Agent, a cool, triumphant look on his face, stood framed in the +doorway. With a hasty movement towards him Rance asked tensely: "Did you +get him?" + +The answer came back, almost before the question was asked: + +"Yes--we've got him." + +"Not Johnson?" demanded Sonora, truculently. + +"Yes, Johnson," affirmed the Wells Fargo Agent with a hard laugh, his +eyes the while upon Handsome, who, unaided, was lifting a heavy cask to +a bench nearby. + +"Not alive?" questioned Trinidad, unwilling to trust his own ears. + +"You bet!" was Ashby's sententious confirmation, at which pandemonium +broke loose, Nick alone appearing dejected and morose-looking. For his +love and devotion to the Girl were too genuine to permit of his taking +any part whatsoever in what he believed was opposed to her happiness. On +the other hand, Rance, as may be inferred, was inwardly rejoicing, +though when he perceived that Nick was eyeing him steadily he was +careful to lower his eyes lest the little barkeeper should see the +triumph shining beneath them. And, finally, unable to bear Nick's +scrutiny any longer, he explained with a feeble attempt at self-defence: + +"Well, I didn't do it, Nick, I didn't do it." But a moment later, his +face hard and set, he added: "Now he be damned! There's an end of +Johnson!" + +The words were hardly out of his mouth, however, than Johnson, his arms +bound, followed by the Deputy, strode into the room with the courage of +one who has long faced death, and stood before the men who glared at him +with fire in their eyes and murder in their hearts. + +"How do you do, Mr. Johnson. I think, Mr. Johnson, five minutes will do +for you." Rance gave to the words a peculiar accent and inflection, but +this caused the prisoner to look even more composed and calm than +before; he returned crisply: + +"I think so." + +"So this is the gentleman the Girl loves?" Sonora's face wore a cruel +grin as he stood with arms folded leering at the prisoner. + +The biting humour of the thought appealed to Rance, and he smiled grimly +to himself. + +"That's the gentleman"--he was saying when a voice outside broke in upon +his words with: + +"Nick! Boys! Boys!" + +"It's the Girl!" cried Nick in dismay, at the same time rushing over to +the door to intercept her; while Ashby, desirous of preventing any +communication between the Girl and the prisoner took up a position +between them--unnecessary precautions, since the Girl had no intention +of re-entering the room, but wished merely to say that she had forgotten +that it was recess and that the boys might have one drink. + +At the sound of her voice Johnson paled. He listened to her retreating +steps, then turning towards Nick he asked him to lock the door. + +"Why, the devil . . .!" objected the Sheriff, angrily. + +"Please," urged the prisoner with such a look of entreaty in his eyes +that Nick could not find it in his heart to deny him, and went forthwith +to the door and locked it. + +"Why, you--" began Sonora with a hurried movement towards the prisoner. + +"You keep out of this, Sonora," enjoined the Sheriff, coming forward to +take a hand in the proceedings. "I handle the rope--pick the tree . . ." + +"Then hurry . . ." said Sonora, impatiently, while Trinidad interposed +with his usual, "You bet!" + +"One moment," said the prisoner as the miners started to go out; and, +strange to relate, the Sheriff ordered the men to halt. Turning once +more to the prisoner, he said: + +"Be quick--what is it?" + +"It is true," began the unfortunate road agent in an even, unemotional +voice, "that I love the Girl." + +At these words Rance's arms flew up threateningly, while a mocking smile +sprang to his lips. + +"Well, you won't in a minute," he reminded him grimly. + +The taunt brought no change of expression to the prisoner's face or +change of tone in his voice as he went on to say that he did not care +what they did to him; that he was prepared for anything; and that every +man who travelled the path that he did faced death every day for a drink +of water or ten minutes' sleep, concluding calmly: + +"You've got me and I wouldn't care but for the Girl." + +"You've got just three minutes!" A shade almost of contempt was in +Sonora's exclamation. + +"Yes . . .!" blazed Trinidad. + +There was an impressive silence; then in a voice that trembled strangely +between pride and humility Johnson continued: + +"I don't want her to know my end. Why, that would be an awful thought +for her to go on with all her life--that I died out there--near at hand. +Why, boys, she couldn't stay here after that--she couldn't . . ." + +"That's understood," replied Rance, succinctly. + +"I'd like her to think," went on the prisoner, with difficulty choking +back the tears, "that I got away clear and went East and changed my way +of living. So you just drag me a good ways from here before you--" He +stopped abruptly and began to swallow nervously. When he spoke again it +was with a perceptible change of manner. "And when I don't write and she +never hears why she will say, 'he's forgotten me,' and that will be +about enough for her to remember, because she loved me before she knew +what I was--and you can't change love in a minute." + +All the while Johnson had been speaking the Sheriff's jealousy had been +growing steadily until, finally, turning upon the other with a +succession of oaths he struck him a fierce blow in the face. + +"I don't blame you," returned the prisoner without a trace of malice in +his voice. "Strike me again--strike me--one death is not enough for me. +Damn me--I wish you could . . . Oh, why couldn't I have let her pass! +I'm sorry I came her way--but it's too late now, it's too late . . ." + +Rance, not in the least affected by what the prisoner had been saying, +asked if that was his last word. + +Johnson nodded. + +Trinidad, simultaneously with his nod, snapped his finger, indicating +that the prisoner's time was up. + +"Dep!" called the Sheriff, sharply. + +The Deputy came forward and took his prisoner in charge. + +"Good-bye, sir!" said Nick, who was visibly affected. + +"Good-bye!" returned the prisoner, briefly. "You tell the Girl--no, come +to think of it, Nick, don't say anything . . ." + +"Come on, you!" ordered Happy. + +Whereupon with a shout and an imprecation the men removed en masse to +the door. + +"Boys," intervened Nick at this juncture, rushing into their midst, +"when Alliger was hanged Rance let 'im see his sweetheart. I think, +considerin' as how she ain't goin' to see no more o' Mr. Johnson here, +an' knowin' the Girl's feelin's--well, I think she ought to have a +chance to--" + +Nick was not allowed to finish, for instantly the men were up in arms +raising a most vigorous objection to his proposal; but, notwithstanding, +Nick, evidently bent upon calling the Girl, started for the door. + +"No," objected Rance, obstinately. + +The road agent took a step forward and, turning upon the Sheriff with a +desperately hopeless expression upon his face, he said: + +"Jack Rance, there were two of us--I've had my chance. Inside of ten +minutes I'll be dead and it will be all your way. Couldn't you let me--" + +He paused, and ended almost piteously with: + +"Oh, I thought I'd have the courage not to ask, but, Oh, couldn't you +let me--couldn't you--" + +Once more Nick intervened by shrewdly prevaricating: + +"Here's the Girl, boys!" + +But this ruse of Nick's met with no greater success than his previous +efforts, for Rance, putting his foot down heavily upon the stove, voiced +a vigorous protest. + +"All right," said the prisoner, resignedly. Nevertheless, his face +reflected his disappointment. Turning now to Nick he thanked him for his +efforts in his behalf. + +"You must excuse Rance," remarked the little barkeeper with a +significant look at the Sheriff, "for bein' so small a man as to deny +the usual courtesies, but he ain't quite himself." + +Weary of their cavilling, for he believed that in the end the Sheriff +would carry his point, and determined to go before his courage failed +him, Johnson made a movement towards the door. Speaking bravely, though +his voice trembled, he said: + +"Come, boys--come." + +But, odd as it may seem, Nick's words had taken root. + +"Wait a minute," Rance temporised. + +The prisoner halted. + +"I don't know that I'm so small a man as to deny the usual courtesies, +since you put it that way," continued Rance. "I always have extended +them. But we'll hear what you have to say--that's our protection. And it +might interest some of us to hear what the Girl will have to say to you, +Mr. Johnson--after a week in her cabin there may be more to know than--" + +Fire leapt to Johnson's eyes; he cried hoarsely-- + +"Stop!" + +"Rance, you don't know what you're sayin'," resented Nick, casting hard +looks at him; while Sonora put a heavy hand upon the Sheriff and +threatened him with: + +"Now, Rance, you stop that!" + +"We'll hear every word he has to say," insisted the Sheriff, doggedly. + +"You bet!" affirmed Trinidad. + +"Nick! Nick!" called the Girl once more, and while the little barkeeper +went over to admit her the Wells Fargo Agent took his leave, calling +back after him: + +"Well, boys, you've got him safe--I can't wait--I'm off!" + +"Dep, untie the prisoner! Boys, circle round the bar! Trin, put a man at +that door! And Sonora, put a couple of men at those windows!" And so +swift were the men in carrying out his instructions, that even as he +spoke, everyone was at his post, the Sheriff himself and Sonora +remaining unseen but on guard at the doors, while the prisoner, edging +up close to the door, was not in evidence when the Girl entered. + +"You can think of something to tell her--lie to her," had been the +Sheriff's parting suggestion. + +"I'll let her think I risked coming back to see her again," had replied +the prisoner, his throat trembling. + +"She won't know it's for the last time--we'll be there," had come +warningly from the Sheriff as he pointed to the door that led to the +bar-room. + + + * * * * * * + + +"Why, what have you got the door barred for?" asked the Girl as she came +into the room; and then without waiting for an answer: "Why, where are +the boys?" + +"Well, you see, the boys--the boys has--has--" began Nick confusedly and +stopped. + +"The boys--" There was a question in the Girl's voice. + +"Has gone." + +"Gone where?" + +"Why, to the Palmetter," came out feebly from Nick; and then with a +sudden change of manner, he added: "Oh, say, Girl, I likes you!" And +here he laid his hand affectionately upon her shoulder. "You've been my +religion--the bar an' you. Why, you don't never want to leave us--why, +I'd drop dead for you." + +"Nick, you're very nice to--" began the Girl, gratefully, and stopped, +for at that instant a gentle tap came upon the door. Turning swiftly, +she saw Johnson coming towards her. + +"Girl!" he cried in an agony of joy, and held out his arms to receive +her. + +"You? You?" she admonished softly. + +"Don't say a word," he whispered hurriedly. + +"You shouldn't have come back," she said with knitted brow. + +"I had to--to say good-bye once more." And his voice was so filled with +tenderness that she readily forgave him for the indiscretion. + +"It's all right, it's all right," murmured Nick, his hand still on the +door, which he had taken the precaution to bolt after the Girl had +passed through it. + +There was a moment's silence; then, going over to the windows, the Girl +pulled down the curtains. + +"The boys are good for quite a little bit," she said as she came back. +"Don't git nervous--I'll give you warnin' . . ." + +Nick, unwilling to witness the heartrending scene which he foresaw would +follow, noiselessly withdrew into the bar-room, leaving the prisoner +alone with the Girl. + +"Don't be afraid, my Girl," said Johnson, softly. + +But the Girl's one thought, after her first gladness, was of his safety: + +"But you can't git away now without bein' seen?" + +"Yes, there's another way out of Cloudy,--and I'm going to take it." + +The grimness of his meaning was lost on the Girl, who answered urgently: + +"Then go--go! Don't wait, go now!" + +Johnson smiled a sad little smile: + +"But remember that I'm sorry for the past, and--and don't forget me," he +said, with an odd break in his voice,--so odd that it roused the Girl +into startled wonderment. + +"Forget you? Why, Dick . . .!" + +"I mean, till we meet again," he reassured her hastily. + +The Girl heaved a troubled sigh. Her fears for him were still on edge. +Then, with a nervous start, she asked: + +"Did he call?" + +"No. He'll--he'll warn me," Johnson told her unsteadily. + +"Oh, every day that dawns I'll wait for a message from you. I'll feel +you wanting me. Every night I'll say to-morrow, and every to-morrow I'll +say to-day . . . Oh, you've changed the whole world for me! I can't let +you go, but I must, Dick, I must . . ." And bursting into tears, she +buried her face on his shoulder, repeating piteously, between shaking +sobs, "Oh, I'm so afraid,--I'm so afraid!" + +He held her close, the strength of his arms around her reassuring her +silently. "Why, you mustn't be afraid," he said in tones that were +almost steady. "In a few minutes I'll be quite free, and then--" + +"An' you'll make a little home for me when you're free--soon--will you?" +asked the Girl, with a wan smile dawning on her trembling lips. She was +drying her eyes and did not see how the light died out of the man's +face, as he gazed down at her hungrily, hopelessly. This time he could +not trust himself to speak, but merely nodded "yes." + +"A strange feelin' has come over me," went on the Girl, brokenly, "a +feelin' to hold you--to cling to you--not to let you go. Somethin' in my +heart keeps sayin', 'Don't let him go!'" + +Johnson felt his knees sagging oddly beneath him. The Girl's sure +instinct of danger, the piteousness of their case, were making a coward +of him. He tore himself from her in a panic desire to go while he still +had the manhood to play his part to the end; then suddenly broke down +completely, and with his face buried in his hands, sobbed aloud. + +"Why, Girl," he managed to say, brokenly, "it's been worth--the whole of +life just--to know you. You've brought me nearer Heaven,--you, to love a +man like me!" + +"Don't say that, Oh, don't say that," she hastened to say with a great +tenderness in her voice. "S'pose you was only a road agent an' I was a +saloon keeper. We both came out o' nothin' an' we met, but through +lovin' we're goin' to reach things now--that's us. We had to be lifted +up like this to be saved." + +Johnson tried to speak, but the words would not come. It was, therefore, +with a feeling of relief that, presently, he heard Nick at the door, +saying, "It's all clear now." + +Johnson wheeled round, but Nick had flown. Turning once more to the +Girl, he said with trembling lips: + +"Good-bye!" + +The Girl's face wore a puzzled look, and she told him that he acted as +if they were never going to meet again. + +"An' we are, we are, ain't we?" she questioned eagerly. + +A faint little smile hovered about the corners of the road agent's mouth +when presently he answered: + +"Why, surely we are . . ." + +His words cleared her face instantly. + +"I want you to think o' me here jest waitin'," she said. "You was the +first--there'll never be anyone but you. Why, you're the man I'd want +sittin' across the table if there was a little kid like I was playin' +under it. I can't say no more 'n that. Only you--you will--you must get +through safe an' come back--an' well, think o' me here jest waitin', +jest waitin', waitin' . . ." + +At these words a tightness gripped the man's throat, and in the silence +that followed the tears ran steadily down his cheeks. + +"Oh, Girl, Girl," at last he said, "that first night I went to your +cabin I saw you kneeling, praying. Say that in your heart again for me +now. Perhaps I believe it--perhaps I don't . . . I hope I do--I want +to--but say it, say it, Girl, just for the luck of it--say it . . ." + +Quickly the Girl crossed herself, and while she sent a silent prayer to +Heaven Johnson knelt at her knees, his head bowed low. + +"God bless you," he murmured when the prayer was finished and arose to +his feet; then bending over her hand he touched it softly with his lips. + +"Good-bye!" he said chokingly and started for the door. + +"Good-bye!" came slowly in return, her face no less moist than his. +Presently she murmured like one in a dream: "Dick, Dick!" + +The man hastened his steps and did not turn. At the door, however, he +burst out in an agony of despair: "Girl! Girl . . .!" + +But when the Girl looked up he had reached the open. She listened a +moment to the retreating steps, then raising her tear-stained face above +her arms, she sobbed out: "He's gone--he's gone--he's gone . . .!" She +started in pursuit of him, but half-way across the room she fell into +Nick's arms, crying out: + +"He's gone, he's gone, he's gone! Dick! Dick! Dick . . .!" + +Terribly affected at the sight of the Girl's sorrow, the little +barkeeper did his best to soothe her, now patting her little blonde head +as it rested upon his arm, now murmuring words of loving tenderness. + +Suddenly she raised her head, and then it was that she saw for the first +time the men standing huddled together near the door. In a flash the +truth of the situation dawned upon her. With a look of indescribable +horror upon her face she turned upon Nick, turned upon them all with: + +"You knew, Nick--you all knew you had 'im! You knew you had 'im an' +you're goin' to kill 'im! But you shan't--no, you shan't kill 'im--you +shan't--you shan't . . .!" + +Once more she started in pursuit of her lover, but only to fall with her +face against the door, sobbing as if her heart would break. + +Outside there was nothing in the enchanting scene to suggest finality. +Nature never was more prodigal of her magic beauties. The sun still +shone on the winter whiteness of the majestic mountains; the great arch +of sky was still an azure blue; the wild things still roamed the great +forest at will. + +Life indeed was very beautiful. + +Minutes passed and still the Girl wept. + +A wonderful thing happened then--and as suddenly as it was +characteristic of these impulsive and tender-hearted men. In thinking +over their action long afterwards the Girl recalled how for an instant +she could believe neither her ears nor her eyes. With Sonora it was +credible, at least; but with Rance--it seemed wonderful to her even when +observed through the vista of many years. And yet, men like Rance more +often than not exhibit to the world the worst side of their nature. It +is only when some cataclysm of feeling bursts that their inner soul is +disclosed and joyously viewed by eyes which have long been accustomed to +judging them solely from the icy and impenetrable reserve which they +invariably wear. + +And so it came about that Sonora--first of the two--went over to her +and laid an affectionate hand upon her shoulder. + +"Why, Girl," he said, all the kindliness of his gentle nature flooding +his eyes, "the boys an' me ain't perhaps realised jest what Johnson +stood for you, an' hearin' what you said, an' seein' you prayin' over +the cuss--" + +Rance's face lit up scornfully. + +"The cuss?" he cut in, objecting to a term which is not infrequently +used affectionately. + +"Yes, the cuss," repeated Sonora, all the vindictiveness gone from his +heart now. "I got an idee maybe God's back of this 'ere game." + +The Girl's heart was beating fast; she was hoping against hope when, a +moment later, she asked: + +"You're not goin' to pull the rope on 'im?" + +"You mean I set him free," came from Rance, his tone softer, gentler +than anyone had heard it in some time. + +"You set 'im free?" repeated the Girl, timidly, and not daring to meet +his gaze. + +"I let him go," announced the Sheriff in spite of himself. + +"You let 'im go?" questioned the Girl, still in a daze. + +"That's our verdict, an' we're prepared to back it up," declared Sonora +with a smile on his weathered face, though the tears streamed down his +cheeks. + +The Girl's face illumined with a great joy. She did not stop now to +dissipate the tears which she saw rolling down Sonora's face, as was her +wont when any of the boys were grieved or distressed, but fairly flew +out of the cabin, calling half-frantically, half-ecstatically: + +"Dick! Dick! You're free! You're free! You're free . . .!" + +The minutes passed and still the miners did not move. They stood with an +air of solemnity gazing silently at one another. Only too well did they +realise what was happening to them. They were inconsolable. Presently, +Sonora, all in a heap on a bench, took out some tobacco and began to +chew it as fast as his mouth would let him; Happy, going over to the +teacher's desk, picked up the bunch of berries which he had presented +her at the opening of the school session and began to fondle them; while +Trinidad, too overcome to speak, stood leaning against the door, gazing +sadly in the direction that the Girl had taken. As for Rance, after +calling to Nick to bring him a drink, he quietly brought out a pack of +cards from his pocket and, seemingly, became absorbed in a game of +solitaire. + +A little while later, his eyes still red from weeping, Nick remarked: + +"The Polka won't never be the same, boys--the Girl's gone." + + + + +XVIII. + + +The soft and velvety blackness of night was giving place to a pearly +grey, and the feathery streaks of a trembling dawn were shooting +heavenward when a man, whose head had been pillowed on a Mexican saddle, +rose from the ground in front of a tepee, made of blankets on crossed +sticks, and seated himself on an old tree-stump where he proceeded to +light a cigarette. + +In the little tepee, sheltered by an overhanging rock, the Girl was +still sleeping; and the man, sitting opposite the mound of earth and +rock on which it was built, was Johnson. + +A week had passed since the lovers had left Cloudy Mountain, and each +day, at the moment when the sun burst above the snow-capped mountains, +found them up and riding slowly eastward. No attempt whatever was made +at haste, but, instead, now climbing easily to the top of the passes, +now descending into the valleys, they rode slowly on, ever loathe to +leave behind them the great forests and high mountains. + +Noon of each day found them always resting in some glen where the sun +made golden lacework of the branches over their heads; while at the +approach of night when the great orb was no longer to be seen through +the tree-tops and twilight was fast settling upon the woods, they would +halt near a pool of a dancing brook where, with the relish of fatigue, +they would partake of their rations; and then, when the silences came +on, Johnson would proceed to put up with loving skill the Girl's rude +quarters and, stretching himself out on a gentle slope, covered with +pine needles matted close together, the man and the Girl would go to +sleep listening to the music of the stream as it gurgled and dashed +along, foaming and leaping, over the rocks and beneath the little +patches of snow forgotten by the sun. And to these two, whether in the +depths of the vast forest or, as now, at the edge of the merciless +desert, stretching away like a world without end, their environment +seemed nothing less than a paradise. + +There were moments, however, in the long days, which could be devoted to +reflection; and often Johnson pondered over the strange fate that had +brought him under the influence--an influence which held him now and +which he earnestly prayed would continue to hold him--and into close +relationship with a character so different from his own. A contemplation +of his past life was wholly unnecessary, for the realisation had come to +him that it was her personality alone that had awakened his dormant +sense of what was right and what was wrong, and changed the course of +his life. That his future was full of possibilities, evil as well as +good, he was only too well aware; nevertheless, his faith in himself was +that of a strong man whose powers of resistance, in this case, would be +immeasurably strengthened by constant association with a stronger +character. + +It was while he was in the midst of these thoughts that the Girl, +without letting him see her, quietly drew the blankets of the tepee a +little to one side and peered out at him. She, too, had not been without +her moments of meditation. Not that she regretted for an instant that +she had committed herself to him irrevocably but, rather, because she +feared lest he should find it difficult to detach himself, soul and +body, from the adventurous life he had been leading. Such painful +communings, however, were rare and quickly dismissed as unworthy of her; +and now as she looked at him with faith and joy in her eyes, it seemed +to her that never before had she seen him appear so resolute and strong, +and she rejoiced that he belonged to her. At the thought a blush spread +over her features, and it was not until she had drawn the blankets back +into their place that she called from behind them: + +"Are you awake, Dick?" + +At the sound of her voice the man quickly arose and, going over to the +tepee, he parted the blankets and held them open. And even as she passed +out the greyness of dawn was replaced by silver, and silver by pink +tints which lighted up the pale green of the sage brush, the dwarf +shrubs and clumps of Buffalo grass around them as well as the darker +green of the pines and hemlocks of the foothills in the near distance. + +"Another day, Girl," he said softly. "See, the dawn is breaking!" + +For some moments they stood side by side in silence, the man thinking of +the future, the woman serenely happy and lost in admiration of the calm +beauty of the scene which, in one direction, at least, differed greatly +from anything that she had ever beheld. Every night previous to the one +just passed they had encamped in the great forests; but now they looked +upon a vast expanse of level plain which to the north and east, +stretched trackless and unbroken by mountain or ravine to an +infinitude--the boundless prairies soon to be mellowed and turned to a +golden brown by the shafts of a burning sun already just below the edge +of an horizon aglow with opaline tints. + +The Girl had ever been a lover of nature. All her life the mystery and +silences of the high mountains had appealed to her soul; but never until +now had she realised the marvellous beauty and glory of the great +plains. And yet, though her eyes shone with the wonder of it all, there +was an unmistakably sad and reminiscent note in the voice that presently +murmured: + +"Another day." + +After a while, and as if under the spell of some unseen power, she +slowly turned and faced the west where she gazed long and earnestly at +the panorama of the snow-capped peaks, rising range after range, all +tipped with dazzling light. + +"Oh, Dick, look back!" she cried in distress. "The foothills are growin' +fainter." She paused, but suddenly with a far-off look in her eyes she +went on: "Every dawn--every dawn they'll be farther away. Some night +when I'm goin' to sleep I'll turn an' they won't be there--red an' +shinin'." Again she paused as if almost overwhelmed with emotion, saying +at length with a deep sigh: "Oh, that was indeed the promised land!" + +Johnson was greatly moved. It was some time before he found his voice. +At length he chided her softly: + +"We must always look ahead, Girl--not backwards. The promised land is +always ahead." + +It was perhaps strange that the Girl failed to see the new light--the +light that reflected his desire for a cleaner life and an honoured place +in another community with her ever at his side--the hope and faith in +his eyes as he spoke; but still in that sad, reminiscent mood, with her +eyes fixed on the dim distances, she failed to see it, though she +replied in a voice of resignation: + +"Always ahead--yes, it must be." And then again with tears in her eyes: +"But, Dick, all the people there in Cloudy, how far off they seem +now--like shadows movin' in a dream--like shadows I've dreamt of. Only a +few days ago I clasped their hands--I seen their faces--their dear +faces--I--" She broke off; then while the tears streamed down her +cheeks: "An' now they're fadin'--in this little while I've lost +'em--lost 'em." + +"But through you all my old life has faded away . . . I have lost +that . . ." And so saying he stretched out his arms towards her; but +very gently she waved him back with a murmured: + +"Not yet!" + +For a little while longer her gaze remained on the mountains in the +west. The mist was still over her eyes when she turned again and saw +that the sun was clearing the horizon in opulent splendour. + +"See," she cried with a quick transition of mood, "the sun has risen in +the East--far away--fair an' clear!" + +Again Johnson held out his arms to her. + +"A new day--a new life--trust me, Girl." + +In silence she slipped one hand into his; then she bowed her head and +repeated solemnly: + +"Yes--a new life." + +Suddenly she drew a little away from him and faced the west again. +Clinging tightly now to him with one hand, and the other raised high +above her head, she cried in a voice that was fraught with such +passionate longing that the man felt himself stirred to the very depths +of his emotions: + +"Oh, my mountains, I'm leavin' you! Oh, my California--my lovely +West--my Sierras, I'm leavin' you!" She ended with a sob; but the next +moment throwing herself into Johnson's arms she snuggled there, +murmuring lovingly: "Oh, my home!" + +A little while later, happy in their love and fearlessly eager to meet +the trials of the days to come in a new country, they had mounted their +mustangs and were riding eastward. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST*** + + +******* This file should be named 16551.txt or 16551.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/5/5/16551 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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