The Sagebrusher: A Story of the West

by Emerson Hough

  CHAPTER XXIV

  ANNIE MOVES IN

  The hum of a motor at the gate brought Mary Gage to the window oncemore, the third morning after Doctor Barnes' visit. It was DoctorBarnes now, she knew. She could not see that he now helped out of thecar a passenger who looked about her curiously, more especially at thefigure of Sim Gage who, hands in pockets, stood gazing at them as theydrove into the yard.

  "Listen," said Doctor Barnes under his breath to the young woman,"that's the man--that's Sim Gage. Don't show surprise, and don't talk.Remember what I've told you. For God's sake, play the game!"

  Sim Gage slowly approached the car, and the doctor accosted him. "Thisis Miss Squires, Mr. Gage," said he, "the young woman we have beenexpecting."

  "Pleased to meet you," said Sim, after the fashion of his extremestsocial formality. And then, in a burst of welcome, "How'd you like it,coming out?"

  "Fine!" said Annie, dusting off her frock. "Lovely."

  She paid no attention to Sim Gage's words, "Go right on in. She'sanxious to see you," but hurried on, muttering to herself, "Ain't itthe limit? And her blind!"

  She stopped for an instant at the door, staring into the dim interior,then with a cry rushed in. Mary, stone blind, stood staring,trembling. The two met in swift embrace, mingled their tears.

  "Oh, Mary, it can't be!" said Annie after a time. "It will get well,won't it? Say, now--your eyes will come back, won't they? How did youget here--what did you do? And you're married!"

  "Yes," said Mary Gage, "that's true."

  "Oh, then," said Annie Squires, pulling herself together withresourcefulness, "that was your husband out in the yard, thatfine-looking man! I was in such a hurry. You lucky thing! Why didn'tyou tell me more about him, Mary? He has such a pleasant way. I don'tmind men being light complected, or even bald. He's fine!"

  "I think so," said Mary. "You like him?"

  "Why, how could any one help liking him, Sis?" demanded Annie, choking."Of course. So this is where you live?"

  "Yes, this is my home," said Mary Gage. "And then you're notdisappointed in him? I'm so glad! I've never seen him--my husband.You're joking about the color of his hair, of course."

  "You'll have to help yourself, Annie," she went on, having no reply."I'm not of much use. I've learned a few things and I help a little.You can see about everything there is, I suppose, at one look. Isn'tit nice?"

  "Couldn't be better," said Annie Squires, again choking back her tears."You certain are the lucky kid. And he--he married you after he sawyou was blind?"

  "It was a strange thing for a man to do," said Mary Gage, slowly."Yes,--but fine."

  "I'm glad you've done so well. This will settle a heap of things,won't it, Mary?"

  "Some things."

  The step of Doctor Barnes was heard at the door. Mary Gage called out,asking him to come in. Some talk then followed about the domesticresources of the place, in which Annie was immediately interested.

  "But I've got four hens," said Mary Gage, smiling.

  "Well, it seems to be a right cheerful, friendly sort of place, don'tit?" said Annie after a while, "where they come in and kill the cattleand horses and burn the house, and run away with people!" She waslooking at the burned door jamb of Sim Gage's cabin as she spoke.Doctor Barnes had told her the story of the raid.

  "Who's _that_ coming in?" she remarked after a time, having caughtsight through the window of an approaching figure.

  "That's your neighbor, Wid Gardner," said Doctor Barnes.

  "He's taller than some," said Annie after a time. "Gee, ain't heplain! And ain't he sunburned!"

  Wid Gardner himself presently approached the door, to be suddenly takenaback when he met the somewhat robust and blooming young person who hadjust arrived.

  "You've knew Mrs. Gage for some time?" he managed to say at last, tomake conversation, after he also had declared himself pleased to meetthe newcomer.

  "Lived together for years," said Annie. "Only real pal I ever had. Itook care of her the best I knew how. I'm going to keep on." Acertain truculence was in her tone.

  Wid Gardner and Annie Squires soon found themselves together andsomewhat apart, for she beckoned him to meet her outside the cabin.

  "Say, Mister," said she to him suddenly, "tell me,--are you the manthat wrote them letters to us girls? I know he never done nothing likethat." She indicated Sim Gage, who stood staring vacuously at hertrunk, which still stood upon the ground near the car.

  Wid Gardner flushed deeply. "I ain't saying one way or the other,"said he. "But I know the letters went, all right. Like enough we bothought to of been shot for it."

  "You know it, and you said it!"

  "But now, Miss Squires," he went on, "we didn't ever really supposethat anybody would answer our fool letters. We never did realize thata girl would actual be so foolish, way that one was."

  "Fine business, wasn't it, you men--to treat a good clean girl likethat! Look at that!" Again she indicated Sim Gage, withering contemptin her tone.

  "Who's going to run this place?" she demanded. "She can't."

  "I dunno," said Wid Gardner vaguely. "You won't be going back rightaway, will you?"'

  "Not any quicker'n God'll let me!" said Annie Squires. Which struckpoor Wid silent.

  Doctor Barnes and Sim had passed to the other side of the premises,where the little group of men who had come in the day previous, and hadpitched their tent in the yard, were engaged in laying up the logs ofthe cabin which was to be the quarters of the men stationed here.There were a half dozen of them in all, a corporal, four privates, anda carpenter impressed from the Company forces to supervise the building.

  "In a week you won't know the place, Sim," said the doctor. "They'llrun this house up in jig time. With two bunk rooms and a dining roomand a kitchen, there'll be plenty of room. I'll see that it'sfurnished. Gardner can stay here until he gets time to build on hisown place. That girl that came out with me is a good sort, asbig-hearted as they make them. It's a godsend, her coming out. Shetold me she could cook, and would be glad to have a job. If your wifecan keep busy, it will be all the better for them both."

  "But now, I told you I'd put you on the pay roll, Gage," he concluded."I want you to act as a scout here, to keep watch on this road and thecross road into the Reserve. When I was in town I got you ahat--regulation O. D.,--with a green cord around it, as I told you. Goon over to the car and get it--it's yours."

  Sim walked slowly over to the car and peered in at the new head gear.He took it up gingerly by the rim, regarding the green cord withcuriosity. Half reverently he placed it on his head. A vast new pridecame to him at that moment. Never before had he taken on any badge ofauthority, known any sort of singling out or distinction in all hisdrab, vague life. No power ever had sent to him a parchment engraved"placing special confidence in your loyalty and discretion." But evenhis mind divined that now in some way he did represent the authorityand government of his country, that some one had placed confidence inhis loyalty and discretion. If not, why this green cord on his hat?

  "When you wear that, Gage," said Doctor Barnes sharply to him, "youbutton up your shirt and roll down your sleeves, do you understand?You shave and you wash clean every morning. You comb your hair andkeep it combed. If I'm cast away as Major of this desert island outhere I'm going to be the law and the gospel. And the first thing, SimGage, that a soldier learns is to be neat. Think of that cord on yourhat!"

  "Doc," said Sim Gage, "that's just what I am a-thinking of."

  "Well, I've got to go on back to the dam. I suppose those two womencan take care of themselves somehow now."

  "I wish't you wouldn't go away," said Sim uneasily. "One woman is badenough--but now there's two of them."

  "Two won't be as much trouble as one," said Doctor Barnes.

  As he turned he saw standing in the door a figure which to him suddenlyseemed pathetic. It was Mary Gage. She was looking out now vaguely.He did not even go ove
r to say good-by.

  In the meantime Annie Squires, not backward in her relations withmankind, again engaged Wid Gardner in conversation as they stood at theedge of the yard, and Wid's downcast head bespoke his lack of happinessat what he heard.

  "I never in all my born days saw a joint like this," said Annie, herdark eyes snapping. "It ain't fit for cowboys--it ain't fit fornobody. Her _married_ to him! And how on earth are we going to keepit from her? If she ever knew--my God! it would break herheart--she'd kill herself now if she knew the truth. Man, you don'tknow that girl--you just think she's a common, ordinary woman, don'tyou? You can't understand a woman like that, you people. She justthought it was her duty to get married. Her _duty_--do you getme?--her _duty_! It's a crime when a woman like that gets that sort ofbugs in their nut. Well, what could I do? I figured if she couldmarry and get a good home it would be the best thing for her. Do youknow what us two girls done?--we flipped a copper to see which one ofus should have the chance. Wasn't that a fine thing to do? Well, shewon--and look at that!"

  She again pointed to Sim Gage, who stood hands in pocket, looking afterDoctor Barnes' departing car. "Look at him! Is he human or ain't he?He ain't got but one gallus, and I bet he ain't been shaved for a week.His clothes may fall off him any minute. He's past forty-eight if he'sa day. Say, man, leave me take the ax and go kill that thing rightaway! I got to do it sometime. Do you get me?"

  "Yes," said Wid Gardner, somewhat agitated, "yes, there's a heap oftruth in what you say. There ain't no use in me denying not a singlething. All I got to say is we didn't never mean to do what this herehas turned out to be. But now you've come out here, too, and in someways it makes it harder to keep things quiet. You don't look to melike you was easy to be right quiet. What are you going to do about ityour own self?"

  "I've told you what I'm going to do about it. Just as soon as theLord'll let us, I'm going to take her out of here. Do you think I'mone of them sort that'll set down and let the world walk over me, andsay I like it? Oh, no, not sister Annie! I ain't blind."

  "Say, Mister," said she a moment later as he maintained disconsolatesilence, "they call you Wid. What's your real name?"

  "My name is Henry," remarked her companion. "They only call me Wid forshort."

  "Huh! Well, now, Henry, go get some wood for supper. Cut it shortenough so the door'll shut tight. And fetch in another pail ofwater--water's apt to get bad, standing around that way. And whileyou're out along this little creek pull some of this water cress andbring it in--didn't you know it's good to eat? And, Henry, if you'vegot any cows, you see that one of them is brought over here, and achurn--we got to have some butter. We got to get a garden started evenif it is a little bit late. And, Henry, listen, them hens got to havesome kind of a door to their coop--they're just walking around aimless.And I want you to get a collar for that little dog--I'm going to see ifI can learn it to lead Mary around. There's a heap of things have gotto be done here. How long you been living here yourself?"

  "Why, I don't live here a-tall," said Wid, aghast at the new dutieswhich seemed to be crowding upon him. "That's my place over thereacrosst the fence. I just strolled over in here to-day. They burnedme out."

  "You two was neighbors, huh? And I suppose you both set around andfigured out that fine little game about advertising for a wife? Well,you got one, anyway, didn't you?"

  "Well, this ain't my place--Sim lives here."

  "You don't suppose I'd ask him to do anything, do you?" said AnnieSquires. "He's no good. I tell you he'll be playing in luck if Idon't break loose and read the law to him."

  "Well, now," said Wid, apologetically, "I wouldn't start any too strongright at first. There ain't nothing he wouldn't do for her--nothing inthe whole, wide world."

  "But now, about you," he added--"I'm glad you've come. It looks sortof like you was going to move in, don't it?"

  "You've said it," said Annie.

  Wid Gardner looked at her curiously, and meekly went about his newduties regarding wood and water.