CHAPTER XX
THE LITTLE MOTHER FREES HER MIND
If some one had made Emerson Crawford a present of a carload of Herefordshe could not have been more pleased than he was at the result of theJackpot crew's night adventure with the Steelman forces. The news cameto him at an opportune moment, for he had just been served notice by thepresident of the Malapi First National Bank that Crawford must prepare tomeet at once a call note for $10,000. A few hours earlier in the day thecattleman had heard it rumored that Steelman had just bought acontrolling interest in the bank. He did not need a lawyer to tell himthat the second fact was responsible for the first. In fact the banker,personally friendly to Crawford, had as good as told him so.
Bob rode in with the story of the fracas in time to cheer the droopingspirits of his employer. Emerson walked up and down the parlor waving hiscigar while Joyce laughed at him.
"Dawggone my skin, if that don't beat my time! I'm settin' aside fivethousand shares in the Jackpot for Dave Sanders right now. Smartest trickever I did see." The justice of the Jackpot's vengeance on its rival andthe completeness of it came home to him as he strode the carpet. "He notonly saves my property without havin' to fight for it--and that was ablamed good play itself, for I don't want you boys shootin' up anybodyeven in self-defense--but he disarms Brad's plug-uglies, humiliatesthem, makes them plumb sick of the job, and at the same time wipes outSteelman's location lock, stock, and barrel. I'll make that ten thousandshares, by gum! That boy's sure some stemwinder."
"He uses his haid," admitted Bob admiringly.
"I'd give my best pup to have been there," said the cattlemanregretfully.
"It was some show," drawled the younger man. "Drowned rats was what theyreminded me of. Couldn't get a rise out of any of 'em except Dug. Thatman's dangerous, if you ask me. He's crazy mad at all of us, but mostat Dave."
"Will he hurt him?" asked Joyce quickly.
"Can't tell. He'll try. That's a cinch."
The dark brown eyes of the girl brooded. "That's not fair. We can't lethim run into more danger for us, Dad. He's had enough trouble already. Wemust do something. Can't you send him to the Spring Valley Ranch?"
"Meanin' Dug Doble?" asked Bob.
She flashed a look of half-smiling, half-tender reproach at him. "Youknow who I mean, Bob. And I'm not going to have him put in danger on ouraccount," she added with naive dogmatism.
"Joy's right. She's sure right," admitted Crawford.
"Maybeso." Hart fell into his humorous drawl. "How do you aim to gethim to Spring Valley? You goin' to have him hawg-tied and shipped asfreight?"
"I'll talk to him. I'll tell him he must go." Her resolute little facewas aglow and eager. "It's time Malapi was civilized. We mustn't givethese bad men provocation. It's better to avoid them."
"Yes," admitted Bob dryly. "Well, you tell all that to Dave. Maybe he'sthe kind o' lad that will pack up and light out because he's afraid ofDug Doble and his outfit. Then again maybe he ain't."
Crawford shook his head. He was a game man himself. He would go throughwhen the call came, and he knew quite well that Sanders would do thesame. Nor would any specious plea sidetrack him. At the same time therewas substantial justice in the contention of his daughter. Dave had nobusiness getting mixed up in this row. The fact that he was an ex-convictwould be in itself a damning thing in case the courts ever had to passupon the feud's results. The conviction on the records against him wouldmake a second conviction very much easier.
"You're right, Bob. Dave won't let Dug's crowd run him out. But you keepan eye on him. Don't let him go out alone nights. See he packs a gun."
"Packs a gun!" Joyce was sitting in a rocking-chair under the glow of thelamp. She was darning one of Keith's stockings, and to the young manwatching her--so wholly winsome girl, so much tender but business-likelittle mother--she was the last word in the desirability of woman."That's the very way to find trouble, Dad. He's been doing his best tokeep out of it. He can't, if he stays here. So he must go away, that'sall there is to it."
Her father laughed. "Ain't it scandalous the way she bosses us allaround, Bob?"
The face of the girl sparkled to a humorous challenge. "Well, some onehas got to boss you-all boys, Dad. If you'd do as I say you wouldn't haveany trouble with that old Steelman or his gunmen."
"We wouldn't have any oil wells either, would we, honey?"
"They're not worth having if you and Dave Sanders and Bob have to live indanger all the time," she flashed.
"Glad you look at it that way, Joy," Emerson retorted with a ruefulsmile. "Fact is, we ain't goin' to have any more oil wells than ajackrabbit pretty soon. I'm at the end of my rope right now. The FirstNational promised me another loan on the Arizona ranch, but Brad has gota-holt of it and he's called in my last loan. I'm not quittin'. I'll putup a fight yet, but unless things break for me I'm about done."
"Oh, Dad!" Her impulse of sympathy carried Joyce straight to him. Soft,rounded arms went round his neck with impassioned tenderness. "I didn'tdream it was as bad as that. You've been worrying all this time and younever let me know."
He stroked her hair fondly. "You're the blamedest little mother ever Idid see--always was. Now don't you fret. It'll work out somehow. Thingsdo."
Gunsight Pass: How Oil Came to the Cattle Country and Brought a New West Page 20