Shifting Sands

by Sara Ware Bassett

  Chapter XIV

  In spite of Elisha's indignation toward Stanley Heath, and his resolveto go to the Homestead with the break of dawn, it was noon before he andEleazer got under way.

  In the first place, the two men disagreed as to the proper method ofarresting the alleged criminal.

  "You can't take him on no warrant, 'Lish," Eleazer objected, "'cause youain't actually got proof he's guilty."

  "Proof? Ain't I got a clear case? Ain't I roundin' him up with the looton him?" blustered Elisha.

  "Mebbe. Still, it's my opinion you can't do more'n take him onsuspicion."

  "Suspicion!" Elisha repeated scornfully. "Suspicion! Would you call afistful of diamonds suspicion? I wouldn't."

  "P'raps--p'raps you didn't really see the jewels," Eleazer quavered."Sometimes folks get to imaginin' things--seein' what ain't there. Areyou plumb certain you saw them things?"

  "Certain?"

  "Come, come! Don't go up in the air, 'Lish. I ain't doubtin' your word.Nothin' of the sort. I just want to make sure we don't take no misstepsan' make jackasses of ourselves," Eleazer explained. "This is a bigaffair. We've got to move careful."

  "Humph! You're shifty as the sands. You didn't talk like thisyesterday."

  "No, I didn't. But after sleepin' on the matter, I've thought more 'boutit."

  "Sleepin' on it! You were lucky if you could sleep on it. I didn't. Inever closed my eyes from the time I went to bed 'till mornin'. Heardthe clock strike every hour. You can't 'cuse me of not thinkin'. I'llbet I've done full as much thinkin' as you--mebbe more. Had you theprospect of bein' shot ahead of you, you'd think--think pretty hard, Ifigger," Elisha growled.

  "No doubt I would," conceded Eleazer mildly. "Wal, 'long's we've bothchewed the matter over, I reckon there's nothin' more to be done now butgo ahead."

  "Take Heath on suspicion, you mean? Humph! Seems an awful cheap sort ofway to do it, in my opinion. Kinder meechin'. There ain't no dignity toit."

  "What's the use of standin' here bickerin' half the mornin', 'Lish?"Eleazer said fretfully. "Let's get started. Next we know Heath may getwind of what we're up to an' light out."

  "No danger of that with the Homestead dory on this side of the channel,"Elisha sniffed.

  "For all that, no purpose is served by puttin' off the evil hour. I saywe get under way," Eleazer urged. "Have you got everythin'?"

  "I--I--guess so," Elisha said weakly.

  "Pete fixed up your badge in great shape, didn't he?" was Eleazer'scheerful comment. "It's bright as a new dollar. Anybody could see it amile away."

  Elisha offered no reply.

  "An' the handcuffs, too--they look grand. Why don't you kinder dangle'em so'st they show? Why stuff 'em in your pocket? Was I in your place,I'd stalk into the Homestead with the handcuffs in one hand an' thepistol in the other."

  "You ain't in my place!" Elisha snapped. "I wish to heaven you were."

  "No, I ain't," his confederate returned promptly. "I'm only playin'second fiddle on this job. The whole responsibility's yours."

  "Don't I know it? Why rub it in?"

  "I ain't rubbin' it in. I'm just sorter cautionin' myself. You see whenI'm mixed up in a job, I get so interested I'm liable to forget an' goahead as if the whole enterprise was my own."

  "You're welcome to shoulder this one if you want to. I give youpermission," Elisha said eagerly.

  "Oh, I wouldn't think of doin' that, 'Lish. I wouldn't want to steal theglory from you. You're the big shot on this occasion," cajoled Eleazer."Wal, what do you say to our settin' out?"

  Elisha did not move.

  "Don't it 'most seem as if we'd oughter eat somethin' 'fore we go? Imight turn faint doin' arrestin' on an empty stomach."

  "But man alive, you et your breakfast, didn't you?"

  "That was some little while ago," argued Elisha. "I'm feelin' a wee mitegone a'ready. I'd oughter have a lunch or somethin'."

  "Wal, since you mention it, I could do with a couple of doughnuts an'slab of cheese myself," Eleazer confessed.

  This information delighted Elisha.

  "We might put off goin' 'til after dinner," he suggested. "Then we'd beprimed by a good square meal an' be braced for it."

  "Oh, we can't wait that long," his comrade immediately objected.

  "N--o, I s'pose we can't. Wal, anyhow, I'll go hunt up a snack ofsomethin'."

  "Don't bring nothin' but doughnuts an' cheese," Eleazer bellowed afterhim. "We can munch on them while walkin' to the beach."

  The stroll to Crocker's Cove was not a hilarious one, even May Ellen'stwisted crullers failing to stimulate Elisha's rapidly ebbing strength.With each successive step his spirits dropped lower and lower.

  "You walk like as if you was chief mourner at your own funeral, 'Lish,"Eleazer fretted. "We'll never make the Cove if you don't brace up."

  "My shoes kinder pinch me."

  "Walk on your toes."

  "It's my toes that hurt."

  "Walk on your heels then. Walk anywhere that's most comfortable, onlycome along."

  "I am comin'."

  "At a snail's pace," Eleazer retorted. "Soon folks will be comin' fromthe noon mail an' what we're doin' will get noised abroad."

  Reluctantly Elisha quickened his steps.

  At last they came within sight of the bay.

  "Where'd you leave the boat?" Eleazer questioned.

  "I pulled her up opposite the fish-shanty."

  "She ain't here."

  "Ain't here!"

  "No. Look for yourself."

  "My soul an' body!"

  "I told you you hadn't oughter dally. What's to be done now?"

  "I reckon we'll just have to give it all up," the sheriff responded witha sickly grin. "Call it off."

  "Call it off? But you can't call it off. Officers of the law have got todo their duty no matter what."

  "Yes--yes! Of course. I only meant we'd call it off for thepresent--for today, p'raps."

  "An' let the thief escape? No sir--ee! We've got to go through withthis thing now we've started if it takes a leg. We'll walk round by theshore."

  "It's too far. My feet would never carry me that distance."

  "They've got to. Come along."

  "I can't walk in all these clothes. This collar is murderin' me."

  "Oh, shut up, 'Lish. Quit whinin'."

  "I ain't whinin'. Can't a man make a remark without your snappin' himup, I'd like to know? Who's sheriff anyhow--me or you?"

  Eleazer vouchsafed no reply.

  In high dudgeon the two men plodded through the sand, its grit seepinginto their shoes with every step.

  It was not until they came within sight of the Homestead that thesilence between them was broken.

  "Wal, here we are!" Eleazer announced more genially.

  "Yes--here--here we are!" his comrade panted. "S'pose we set down aminute an' ketch our breath. My soul an' body--what a tramp! There'sblisters on both my heels. I can hardly rest 'em on the ground."

  "You do look sorter winded."

  "I'm worse'n winded. I'm near dead! It's this infernal collar. It'smost sawed the head off me," groaned Elisha.

  "I don't see how it could. Every mite of starch is out of it. It's limpas a pocket handkerchief."

  "Mebbe. Still, for all that, it's sand-papered my skin down to the raw.Collars are the devil's own invention. Nobody oughter wear 'em. Nobodyoughter be made to wear 'em," raged Elisha. "Had I known when I was madesheriff I'd got to wear a collar, I'd never have took the job--never.'Twarn't fair play not to tell me. In fact, there was nothin' fair 'boutany of it. This arrestin', now! I warn't justly warned 'bout that."

  "Mebbe not," Eleazer agreed. "Still, I don't see's there's anything tobe done 'bout all that now. You're sheriff an' your duty lies straightahead of you. You've got to do it. Come along."

  "Wait a minute, Eleazer. Just hold on a second. Let's take 'count ofstock an' decide how we're goin' to proceed. We've got to make a plan,"pleaded Elisha.

  "But we've made a plan
a'ready."

  "No, we ain't--not a real plan. We've got to decide 'xactly how we'll go'bout the affair," contradicted his companion. "After you've knocked atthe door an' gone in--"

  "I knocked an' gone in?"

  "Yes, yes," Elisha repeated. "After that, you'll sorter state the caseto Marcia, 'xplainin' why we've come an' everythin'--"

  "An' what'll you be doin' meantime?" Eleazer inquired, wheeling sharply.

  "Me? Why, I'll be waitin' outside, kinder loiterin' 'til it's time forme to go in--don't you see?"

  "I don't. The time for you to go in is straight after the door isopened. It's you that'll enter first an' you who'll do the explainin'."

  "But--but--s'pose Heath was to put up a fight an' rush past me?"

  "Then I'll be outside to stop him," Eleazer cut in. "That's where I'mgoin' to be--outside."

  "You promised you'd stand by me," reproached Elisha with an injured air.

  "Wal, ain't I? If I stay outside ready to trip up the criminal should hemake a dash for freedom, ain't that standin' by you? What more do youwant?"

  "I think 'twould be better was you to go ahead an' pave the way for me.That's how it's done in plays. Some kinder unimportant person goes firstan' afterward the hero comes in."

  "So you consider yourself the hero of this show, do you?" commentedEleazer sarcastically.

  "Ain't I?"

  "Wal, you don't 'pear to me to be. Where'd you 'a' got that pistol butfor me? Who egged you on an' marched you here--answer me that? You'd'a' given up beat hadn't I took you by the scruff of the neck an'hauled you here," Eleazer burst out indignantly. "If you ain't the mostungrateful cuss alive! I've a big half mind to go back home an' leaveyou to do your arrestin' alone."

  "There, there, Eleazer, don't misunderstand me," Elisha implored. "I wasonly jokin'. 'Course it's you an' not me that's the hero of the day.Don't I know it? That's why I was sayin' 'twas you should go into thehouse first. In that way you'll get all the attention an'--"

  "An' all the bullets!" supplemented Eleazer grimly. "No--sir--ee! Youdon't pull the wool over my eyes that way, 'Lish Winslow. You're goin'to be the first one inside that door an' the last one out. See? You'reto do the arrestin'. If there's undertakin' to be done afterwards, I'tend to do it. You get that clear in your head. Otherwise, I go home."

  "Don't do that, Eleazer, don't do that!" Elisha begged. "Don't go homean' leave me--now--at the last minute."

  "You'll do the knockin' at the door? The announcin' of our errand?"

  "Yes. Yes. I swear I will."

  "Very well," Eleazer agreed magnificently. "Then I'll remain an' giveyou my moral support."

  "I hope you'll do more'n that," urged Elisha timidly.

  "I may. I'll see how matters work out," Eleazer returned pompously.

  With lagging feet, the sheriff approached the door of the big greyhouse.

  "There's the dory," observed Eleazer, pointing in the direction of thefloat. "Somebody's rowed it over."

  "I wonder who?"

  "P'raps an accomplice has arrived to aid Heath. What's the matter? Youain't sick, are you?"

  "I dunno. I feel kinder--kinder queer."

  "Indigestion! Them doughnuts most likely. You et 'em in a hurry," wasEleazer's tranquil reply. "Want a soda mint? I most generally carry somein my pocket."

  "No. I--I--I think it's my heart."

  "Heart--nothin'. It's just plain indigestion--that's what it is. I oftenhave it. Don't think 'bout it an' 'twill go away. Put your mind onsomethin' pleasanter--the arrestin' of Heath."

  "That ain't pleasanter."

  "Wal, think of somethin' that is then. Anything. An' while you'rethinkin', be walkin' towards the house. You can think as well walkin' assettin' still, I reckon."

  "I don't believe I can."

  "Wal, try it, anyhow."

  Eleazer had a compelling personality. Under the force of his will,Elisha found his own weaker one yielding.

  He got up and, dragging one foot after the other, moved toward thehouse.

  "Now knock," commanded the dictator.

  Twice the sheriff reached forth his hand, wavered and withdrew it.

  "Why don't you knock, man?" Eleazer demanded.

  "I'm goin' to."

  Tremulously he tapped on the door.

  No answer came.

  "Knock, I tell you! That ain't knockin'. Give the door a good smartthump so'st folks'll hear it an' be made aware somethin' important'sgoin' on. I'll show you."

  Eleazer gave the door a spirited bang.

  "Law, Eleazer! A rap like that would wake the dead," Elisha protested.

  "I want it should--or at any rate wake the livin'," Eleazer frowned.

  "I hear somebody. Stand by me, Eleazer. Where are you goin'? Come backhere, can't you? You promised--"

  "I didn't promise to go in first, remember. We had that out an' settledit for good an' all. You was to do that," Eleazer called from hisvantage ground round the corner.

  "But--but--" Elisha whimpered.

  There was no more time for argument.

  The door swung open and Marcia stood upon the sill.