The One-Way Trail: A story of the cattle country

by Ridgwell Cullum

  CHAPTER XV

  A "PARTY CALL"

  Peter led the way up the path from the gate of Eve's garden. He hadtaken the lead in this visit; he felt it was necessary. Jim Thorpe'sframe of mind was not to be trusted, should they encounter Henderson.He knocked at the door, reassured that Eve was within by the light inher parlor window.

  At first he received no reply, and in silence the two men waited. ThenPeter knocked again. This time Elia's voice was heard answering hissummons.

  "Come in."

  Peter raised the latch, and, closely followed by Jim, passeddirectly into the parlor. He glanced swiftly round at the litter ofdressmaking, but Eve was not there. Jim's eyes, too, wandered over thefamiliar little room. It was the first time he had entered it sincethe day he had ridden over to ask her to marry him.

  He saw Eve now in every detail of the furnishing; he saw her in thework he had watched her at so often; he saw her in the very atmosphereof the place, and the realization of all he had lost smote him sorely.Then there came to him the object of his present visit, and he grewsick with the intensity of his feelings.

  But the room was empty, and yet it had been Elia's voice thatsummoned them to enter. With only the briefest hesitation Peterstarted toward the kitchen door, and Jim, his thoughts running riotover the past, mechanically followed him. And as they reached it,and Peter's great bulk filled up the opening, it was the latter'ssharp exclamation that brought Jim to matters of the moment. Hedrew close up behind his companion and looked over his shoulder,and a startled, horror-stricken cry broke from him.

  "Look!" he cried, and the horror in his voice was in his eyes, and theexpression of his face.

  The scene held them both for a second, and for years it lived in Jim'smemory. The ill-lit kitchen with its single lamp; the yellow rayslighting up little more than the untidy supper-table with themisshapen figure of Elia sitting on the far side of it, calmlydevouring his evening meal. The rest of the room was shadowy, exceptwhere the light from the cook-stove threw its lurid rays upon thewhite face and crumpled figure of Eve lying close beside it upon thefloor. Her eyes were closed, and a great wound upon her forehead, withblood oozing slowly from it, suggested death to the horrified men.

  In an instant Jim was at Eve's side, bending over her, seeking somesigns of life. Then, as Peter came up, he turned to him with a look ofunutterable relief.

  "She's alive," he said.

  "Thank God!"

  "Quick," Jim hurried on, "water and a sponge, or towel or something."

  Peter crossed the room to the barrel, and dipped out some water; and,further, he procured a washing flannel, and hastened back with them toJim, who was kneeling supporting the girl's wounded head upon hishand.

  And all the time Elia, as though in sheer idle curiosity, watched thescene, steadily continuing his meal the while. There was no sort offeeling expressed in his cold eyes. Nor did he display the leastrelief when Jim assured him Eve was alive. Peter watched the boy, andwhile Jim bathed her wounded forehead with a tenderness which wassomething almost maternal, he questioned him with some exasperation.

  "How did it happen?" he demanded, his steady eyes fixed disapprovinglyon the lad's face.

  "Don't know. Guess she must ha' fell some. Ther's suthin' red on theedge o' the coal box. Mebbe it's her blood."

  The cold indifference angered even Peter.

  "And you sit there with her, maybe, dying. Say, you're pretty mean."

  The boy's indifference suddenly passed. He glanced at Eve, then at thedoor, and he stirred uneasily.

  "I didn't know wher' Will 'ud be. If I'd called folks, an' he'd gotaround an' found 'em here----"

  "Why didn't you fetch him?" Peter broke in.

  "I come in jest after he'd gone out, an'----"

  "Found--this?" Peter indicated Eve.

  "Yes."

  Jim suddenly looked up, and his fierce eyes encountered Peter's. Thelatter's tone promptly changed.

  "How is she?" he asked gently, and it was evident he was trying tobanish the thoughts which Elia's statement had stirred in Jim's mind.

  "Coming to," he said shortly, and turned again to his task of bathingthe injured woman's forehead.

  But it was still some minutes before the flicker of the girl's eyelidsproved Jim's words. Then he sighed his relief and for a moment ceasedthe bathing and examined the wound. Then he reached a cushion fromone of the kitchen chairs and folded it under her head.

  The wound on her forehead was an ugly place just over her righttemple, and there was no doubt in his mind had it been half an inchlower it would have proved fatal. He knelt there staring at it,wondering and speculating. He glanced at the corner of the box, andthe thought of Eve's height suggested the impossibility of a tumblecausing such a wound. Suspicion stirred him to a cold, hard rage. Thiswas no accident, he told himself, and his mind flew at once to theonly person who, to his way of thinking, could have caused it. Willhad left her just as Elia came in; but Peter's voice called him tohimself.

  "Best keep on with the bathing," he said.

  And without a sign Jim bent to his task once more. A moment later Evestirred, and her eyes opened. At first there was no meaning in herupward stare. Then the eyes began to move, and settled themselves onJim's face. In a moment consciousness returned, and she struggled tosit up. It was then the man's arm was thrust under her shoulders, andhe gently lifted her.

  "Feeling better, Eve?" he asked gently.

  There was a moment's pause; then a whispered, "Yes," came from herlips. But her wound began to bleed afresh, and Jim turned at once toElia.

  "Go you and hunt up Doc Crombie," he said hastily. And as the boystirred to depart, he added in a tone that was curiously sharp set,"Then go on to the saloon and tell Will Henderson to come right uphere."

  But Peter interfered.

  "Let him get the Doc," he said. "I'll see to him--later."

  The two men exchanged glances, and Jim gave way.

  "Very well. But hurry for Crombie."

  After that Eve's voice demanding water held all Jim's attention. Andwhile Peter procured a cupful, he lifted her gently in his arms andcarried her into the parlor, and laid her on an old horsehair settee,propping her carefully into a sitting position. When the water wasbrought she drank thirstily, and then, closing her eyes, sank backwith something like a sigh of contentment.

  But with the first touch of the wet flannel which Jim again applied toher head she looked up.

  "I fell on the coal box," she said hastily. And before Jim couldanswer Peter spoke.

  "That's how we guessed," he said kindly. "Maybe you were stooping forcoal--sure."

  "Yes, yes. I was stooping for coal for the kitchen stove. I must havegot dizzy. You needn't send for the doctor. I'm all right, and thebleeding will stop. I've just got a headache. Please don't send forWill; I'm glad you haven't. He'd only be alarmed for--for nothing--andreally I'm all right. Thank you, Jim, and you too, Peter. You can't doanything more. Really you can't and I don't want to spoil yourevening. I----"

  "We're going to wait for the Doc, Eve," said Jim, firmly.

  Her eagerness to be rid of them was painfully evident, and so unlikeher.

  "Yes," agreed Peter, "we better wait for the Doc, Eve. You see we camedown to pay you a party call."

  "A party call?"

  "Yes. Y'see Jim rode in from the 'AZ's' to pay you a--party call."

  The girl's eyes steadied themselves on Jim's face. He had drawnhimself up a chair, and was sitting opposite her. Peter was stillstanding, his great bulk shutting the glare of the lamplight out ofher eyes. She looked long and earnestly into the man's face, as thoughshe would fathom the meaning of his visit before she in any waycommitted herself. But she learned nothing from it.

  "A party call--after all this time, Jim?" she asked, with somethinglike a wistful smile.

  Jim turned away. He could not face the pathos in her expression. Hiseyes wandered round the little room. Not one detail of it wasforgotten, yet it seemed ages and ages since he
had seen it all. Henodded.

  "You see," he said lamely, "new married folks don't----"

  Eve checked his explanation quickly. She didn't want any. All shewanted was for them to go before Will returned.

  "Yes; I know. And, besides, the ranch is a long way. Yet--why did youcome to-night?" She pressed her hand to her forehead lest the fear inher eyes should betray her.

  The pause which followed was awkward. Somehow neither of the men wasprepared for it. Neither had thought that such a question would be putto him. Peter looked at Jim, who turned deliberately away. He wasstruggling vainly for a way of approaching all he had to say to thisgirl, and now that he was face to face with it he realized theimpossibility of his position. Finally it was the girl herself whohelped him out.

  "It's very, very kind of you, anyway," she said, in a low voice."It's good to think that I've got friends thinking about me----"

  "That's just it, Eve," cried Jim, seizing his opportunity with aclumsy rush. "I've been thinking a heap--lately. You see--WillHenderson's not working and--and--folks say----"

  "And gossip says we're 'hard up,'" Eve added bitterly. She knew wellenough the talk that was rife. "So you've come in to see--if it istrue." She again pressed a hand to her forehead. This time it was thepain of her head which had become excruciating.

  Jim nodded, and Peter's smiling eyes continued to watch him.

  "But it wasn't exactly that," the former went on in his straightforwardway. "Yet it's so blazing hard to put it so you can understand. Yousee, I've been doing very well, and--you know I've got a big bunch ofcattle running up in the foot-hills now--I thought, maybe, seeing Willisn't working, money might be a bit tight with you. You see, we'refolks of the world, and there's no fool sentiment about us in thesethings; I mean no ridiculous pride. Now, if I was down, and you'doffered to help me out, I'd just take it as a real friendly act. And Ijust thought--maybe----"

  How much longer he would have continued to flounder on it wasimpossible to tell, but Peter saw his trouble and cut him short.

  "You see, Eve," he said, "Jim wants to help you out. Some folks havegot busy, and he's heard that you're hard pushed for ready dollars.That's how it is."

  Jim frowned at his bluntness, but was in reality immensely relieved.Eve had been listening with closed eyes, but now opened them, andthey were full of a friendliness.

  "Thanks, Peter; thanks, Jim," she said softly. "You're both very goodto me, but--don't worry about money. If things go right we haveenough."

  "That's it, Eve," Jim exclaimed eagerly. "If things go right. Are theygoing right? Will they go right? That's just it. Say, can't you see ithurts bad to think you've got to pinch, and that sort of thing? Youcan surely take a loan from me. You----"

  But Eve shook her head decidedly.

  "Things will go right, believe me. Will has got something up--in thehills. He says it's going to bring us in a lot." She turned wistfuleyes upon Peter's rugged face. "It's something in your line," shesaid. "Gold. And he says----" She broke off with a look of suddendistress. "I forgot. I wasn't to say anything to--to anybody.Please--please forget about it. But I only wanted to show you that--weare going to do very well."

  "So Will's struck it rich." It was Peter's astonished voice thatanswered her. The news had a peculiar interest for him. "Placer?" heinquired.

  "Yes--and easy to work. But you won't say a word about it, will you?He told me not to speak of it. And if he knew he would be so angry.I----"

  "Don't worry, Eve," broke in Jim, gently. "Your secret is safe withus--quite safe."

  Peter said nothing. The news had staggered him for a moment, and hewas vainly trying to digest it. Jim rose from his seat and leanedagainst the table. His attempt had failed. She would have none of hishelp. But his coming to that house had told him, in spite of Eve'sreassurance, that the gossip was well founded. There was trouble inEve's home, and it was worse than he had anticipated.

  The girl eyed them both for a moment with a return of that fear in hereyes.

  "Are you going now?" she inquired, with an anxiety she no longer triedto conceal. She felt so ill that it didn't seem to matter what shesaid.

  "We're going to wait till Doc Crombie's fixed you up," said Peter,steadily. Then he added thoughtfully, "After that I'm going to fetchWill."

  Eve gasped. Swift protest rose to her lips, but it remained unspoken,for at that moment there came the sound of footsteps outside, and Elialed the forceful doctor into the room.

  "Hey, Mrs. Henderson," he cried, nodding at the two men. "Winged yourhead some. Let's have a look," he added, crossing to Eve's side andglancing keenly at her wound. "Whew!" he whistled. "How did you do it?Eh?" he demanded, and Peter explained. The explanation was made tosave Eve what both he and Jim knew to be a lie.

  The doctor's blunt scorn was withering.

  "Pooh! Leanin' over the coal box? Fell on the corner? Nonsense! Say,if you'd fell clear off o' the roof on to that dogone box, mebbe youcould ha' done that amount o' damage. But----"

  Eve's eyes flashed indignantly.

  "I'd be glad if you'd fix me up," she said coldly.

  The rough doctor grinned and got to work. She had made him suddenlyrealize that he was dealing with a woman, and not one of the men ofthe village. He promptly waived what had, in the course of years,become a sort of prerogative of his: the right to bully. In half anhour he had finished and the three prepared to take their departure.

  "Guess you'll be all right now," Crombie said, in his gruff but notunkindly way. Then, unable to check entirely his hectoring, he went onwith a sarcastic grin. "An', say, ma'm, if you've a habit o' leanin'so heavy over the coal box, I'd advise you to git the corners roundedsome. When falls sech as you've jest bin takin' happen around theydon't generly end with the first of 'em. I wish you good-night."

  Peter also bade her good-night, and he and the doctor passed out. Jimwas about to follow when Eve stayed him. She waited to speak till theothers had passed out of ear-shot.

  "Jim, you're real good," she said in a low voice. "And I can neverthank you enough. No," as he made an attempt to stop her, "I mustspeak. I didn't want to, but--but I must. It isn't money wewant--truth. Not yet. But maybe you can help me. I don't rightly know.You do want to, don't you? Sure--sure?"

  Jim nodded. His eyes told her. At that moment he would have doneanything for her.

  "Well, if you want to help me there's only one way. Help him. Oh, Jim,he needs it. I don't know how it's to be done, but--for my sake--helphim. Jim, it's drink--drink and poker. They're ruining him. You canonly help me--by helping him. No, don't promise anything. Good-night,Jim. God bless you!"

  She held out her hand to him and, in a paroxysm of ardent feeling, heclutched it and kissed it passionately. A moment later he was gone.

  As the door closed Elia stepped into the light. The girl had forgottenall about him. Now she was startled.

  "Eve, wot fer did you lie about that?" he said, pointing at herbandaged head.

  The girl's head was aching so that it seemed it would split, and sheclosed her eyes. But the boy would not be denied.

  "You lied, sis," he exclaimed vehemently, though his face and eyeswere quite calm. "Will did that, 'cause you wouldn't give him thirtydollars. I see him throw you 'crost the room. I hate him."

  Eve was wide-eyed now.

  "You saw him?" she cried in alarm. Then she paused. Suddenly her tonechanged. "Come here, Elia," she said gently.

  The boy came toward her and she took one of his hands and fondled it.

  "How did you see him?" she went on.

  "Through the window. I was waitin' fer supper." In spite of her caressthe boy was sulky.

  "Well, promise me you won't tell anybody. You haven't, have you?"

  The boy shook his head.

  "I won't tell, sis, if you don't want me. But--but why don't you killhim?"

  * * * * *

  The three men were walking across the market-place.

  "That's Will Henderson's wor
k," exclaimed Crombie with a fierce oath,nodding his head back at Eve's house.

  Jim and Peter offered no comment. Both had long since realized thefact.

  "Gol durn him!" cried the fiery doctor. "He'll kill her--if he don'tget killed instead."

  Jim said nothing. Eve's passionate appeal to him was still ringing inhis ears. It was Peter who answered.

  "You goin' to home, Doc? I'm goin' down to the saloon--to fetchWill."

  "You are?" It was Jim's startled inquiry. "What for?"

  "I'm going to yarn some--mebbe. You get right out to the ranch, boy.An' don't get around here till I send you word."

  The doctor stood for a moment.

  "He needs hangin'," he declared. Then, in the cheery starlight, helooked into the two men's faces and grinned. He had a great knowledgeof the men of his village. "Well, so long," he added, and abruptlystrode away.

  The moment he had gone Jim protested.

  "Peter," he said, "we've got to help him; we've got to get him clearof that saloon. It's not because I like him or want----"

  "Just so. But we got to help him. So, you get right out to the ranch,an'--leave him to me."