CHAPTER IV
REBELLION
Accident or design had placed the schoolhouse at the eastern edge oftown. The invisible power which creates the schoolhouse seemingly takesno account of time or place. It comes, unheralded, unsung, and squats inthe place where the invisible power has placed it, and instantly becomesas indispensable as the ungainly youth that occupies it.
All youth is not ungainly. Ruth Hamlin was considering the negativeproposition as she stood on the little platform in front of theblackboard just before noon, calmly scrutinizing the faces of the scoreof pupils who composed her "class."
About half of her pupils, she decided, were worthy of the affection shehad bestowed upon them. The remainder were ungrateful, incorrigiblehoodlums. There had been times when Ruth wondered if the task ofteaching was worth while.
A good teacher must not be vindictive; and Ruth was trying her best tokeep alive the spark of mercy and compassion that threatened to burnitself out.
Despite her apparent calm--the outward sign of cold self-control--Ruth'sface revealed indications of the terrific struggle that was going onwithin her. Her face was pale, and though her eyes seemed to smile,there was a gleam far back in them that suggested thoughts of force,instant, vicious. Also there was wrath in them--wrath that threatened tobreak with volcanic fury.
The girl was of medium height, and yet she seemed to be almost tall asshe stood on the platform. She was erect, her head was held high. Shewas slender, with a gracefully rounded figure, but as she stood there,her muscles straining, her chest swelling with the passion she wastrying to suppress, she must have appeared Amazonic to the culpritswhose crimes had goaded her to thoughts of corporal punishment.
It was not difficult to single out the culprits. There were two, andthey sat defiantly in their seats, sneering their contempt of theteacher's wrath, advertising their entire disregard for the restraininginfluence of rules.
Both were boys. The larger, freckle-faced, with an uptilted nose andbelligerent eyes, was fully as tall as Ruth. He was broad and muscular,and it was evident that consideration for his size was one influencethat had thus far delayed the punishment he no doubt merited.
It was evident, too, that the culprit suspected this, for as Ruth'shesitation continued he grew bolder and more contemptuous. And now,having divined that Ruth would not attempt to inflict the punishment shemeditated, the young man guffawed loudly.
"Shucks," he sneered, winking piratically at his brother-culprit; "she'stryin' to run a whizzer in on us. She ain't goin' to do _nuthin'_!"
"Jimmy Singleton; you advance to the platform!" Ruth's voice camesharply, quavering with the passion she had been suppressing until now.
She stood rigid until "Jimmy" got out of his seat with elephantinedeliberation, and shuffled to the edge of the platform, where he stood,grinning defiantly.
Ruth raised the lid of her desk and took out a formidable willow branch,which she had cut only the day before from a tree that grew beside theWolf near her cabin, in anticipation of the present incident.
She had known for many days that she would have to punish JimmySingleton, for Jimmy had been growing daily less amenable to discipline.But she had hoped that she would not be compelled to punish him--she hadescaped that disagreeable task so far.
But there was no alternative, and though she grew deadly white and herlegs grew weak as she drew out the willow switch, she advanced on Jimmy,her eyes flaming with desperate resolution.
As she reached Jimmy's side, he lunged toward her. He struck viciouslyat her with his fist, the blow landing on her shoulder near the neck. Ithad been aimed at her face, but she had somehow dodged it. The force ofthe blow brought Jimmy against her, and he seized her around the waistand attempted to throw her. She brought the switch down sharply onJimmy's legs as they struggled, and the sting of the blow enraged theboy. He deliberately wrenched himself loose; then leaped forward,swinging his arms viciously.
He had not struck the girl fairly, but she was in a daze from the rapidmovement, and she was not aware of what was going on around her,centering all her energy in an attempt to keep the boy from strikingher face.
But she suddenly became conscious that a big form had loomed close toher; she heard a deep, angry voice saying:
"I'll attend to you--you young pirate!"
And then Jimmy was jerked backward, away from her; and she saw KaneLawler standing not more than two or three paces from her. His righthand was twisted in Jimmy's collar; and there was an expression of coldrage on his face--despite the smile he gave her when she looked athim--that chilled her.
But she made no objection when Lawler walked to a chair that stood onthe platform, dragging the now protesting Jimmy after him by the scruffof the neck. There was something of majestic deliberation in Lawler'smovements, she thought, as he seated himself in the chair and placed thestruggling Jimmy across his knees.
Ruth had never entertained a bloodthirsty thought, but her passions werevery near that point when she saw Lawler's large, capable right handbegin to descend upon Jimmy's anatomy. She gasped at first, at Lawler'stemerity; and then she stepped back and watched him, her heart singingwith approval.
Lawler's capable right hand descended many times with a force thatbrought dismal howls from the unlucky culprit--so many times and withsuch force that the girl began to fear that Jimmy would be fatallyinjured. Jimmy likewise entertained that fear, for his howls grew moreshrill, laden with mingled terror and pain, until the piercing appealof them sent the other pupils out of their seats and into the openshouting that Jimmy was being "killed."
Then, just when Ruth decided to protest, Lawler swung Jimmy around andplaced him upright upon the platform. What Lawler said to Jimmy, Ruthdid not hear, so low was his voice. But she heard Jimmy's reply, as didsome of the children who still lingered outside the door:
"You've walloped me, damn you; you've walloped me!"
Jimmy ran frenziedly to the door, plainly in fear that he would be"walloped" again if he did not make his escape; and when he reached thedoor he shrieked through unmanly tears:
"My paw will wallop you; you locoed maverick--you see if he don't!"
Jimmy vanished. There was no doubt in Lawler's mind, nor in Ruth's, thathe had gone to relate his trouble to his "paw;" and that "paw" wouldpresently appear to exact the lurid punishment Jimmy desired.
But thoughts of imminent punishment were not in Lawler's mind as hefaced Ruth. There was nothing but humorous concern in his eyes andvoice.
"Did he hurt you, Ruth?"
"I--I think not," she smiled; "but I have no doubt that he would havethrashed me soundly if you hadn't come when you did. I am sorry ithappened, but I just _had_ to discipline him. He was setting a badexample for the other pupils."
"Teaching school isn't the best job in the world, is it?"
"Decidedly not!" She looked quickly at Lawler, for something in hisvoice hinted of subtlety; and when she saw his eyes agleam with thewhimsical humor that was always in them when he spoke of his hope ofwinning her, she knew that he had attacked her obliquely.
Her cheeks flushed, and she drooped her shining eyes from his, murmuringlow:
"But I am going to keep at it for the present, Kane."
"I was hoping--" he began. But he paused when she shook her head.
"Is that what you rode to town for?" she asked.
"That's the big reason," he returned. "The other is that I'm here tosell Gary Warden my cattle."
"I don't like Gary Warden!" she declared.
His eyes twinkled. "I've heard that before--two or three times. By thetime I see him I'll be disliking, him, myself."
The class, Ruth now noted, had departed--undoubtedly to follow JimmySingleton; or perhaps seizing the opportunity so suddenly presented toplay truant. At all events the school was deserted except forthemselves.
But Ruth did not seem to mind, nor did Lawler express any regret for theabsence of an audience. He grinned widely at Ruth.
"You'll not get them back toda
y, I reckon. If you're riding back homeI'd be pleased to----"
"But you have business with Gary Warden!" she reminded him.
"That can wait. Blackburn won't have the herd here until tomorrow."
Her eyes were glowing with pleasure, and the faint flush on her facebetrayed her still more. But she looked at him resolutely.
"I shall stay the day out, whether the children come back or not," shesaid. "And you must not permit me to interfere with business."
It cost her something to tell him that, for the lure of him had seizedher long ago--during the first days of their acquaintance, in fact--andshe was deliberately refusing the happiness that was offeredher--because she could not confess her father's crimes to this man, andbecause she would not marry him unless he knew.
And not even then, perhaps. For she knew something of Lawler's highideals, the rugged honesty of him, his straightforwardness and hishatred for the thieves who stole cattle--thieves like her father. Shecouldn't marry him, feeling that each time he looked at her she mustfeel that he would be thinking of the misdeeds of her parent. That wouldbe unbearable.
He took a step, and stood beside her, looking down at her gravely. Hetook one of her hands, she permitting it, lifting her eyes to his as hedrew the hand toward him. The hand lay inertly in his left; he coveredit with his right and held it thus in a warm, firm grip. Then he met hereyes, his own swimming with a gentleness that made her draw a slow, deepbreath of wonder.
This minute had been anticipated by both of them; for many months, whenthey had stood close together, they had felt the imminence of surrenderto the longing that dwelt in both of them.
But the girl resisted, as she had resisted many times. Her breath camerapidly, and the captive hand trembled as she tried to withdraw it.
"No; not now, Kane!" she protested; "not now--please!"
Lawler laughed lowly, and held the hand for an instant longer, while hecompelled the girl's eyes to meet his.
"All right," he said; "not now. But the time will come. Something isworrying you, Ruth. But you don't trust me enough to tell me what it is.Some day--when you discover that nothing but your love means anything tome; when you realize that I love you enough to take you in spite of thething that worries you--you'll tell me. And then we'll forget it."
He stepped back, releasing her hand, for he had heard a commotionoutside--Jimmy's voice, high-pitched, carrying a note of savage triumph;and the voices of the other pupils in a shrill murmur, coming closer.
Ruth started, clenched her hands and backed to the desk, where shestood, her eyes wide, her breath coming fast, a picture of apprehensionand dismay.
Her big eyes went to Lawler, who grinned faintly at her.
"I reckon Jimmy's coming with his 'paw,'" he said.
A big man, massive, muscular, with heavy shoulders that seemed to droopwith the weight of his great, long arms, stepped into the room.
The man's head was big, like the rest of him, and covered with shaggy,tawny hair which seemed to bristle with truculence. His chin was huge,square, and sagging a little, his lips were in a hideous pout; and hiseyes, small, black, with heavy brows that made them seem deep-set, wereglittering with passion.
He paused just inside the door, seemingly to accustom his eyes to thesubdued light of the room. His long arms were hanging at his sides, thefingers clenching and unclenching close to the heavy pistols hewore--one at each hip. As he stood there, blinking his eyes at Ruth andLawler, Lawler spoke.
"Come in, Singleton," he said.
Ruth was still standing at the desk. Her arms were now outstretchedalong it, her hands gripping its edge. She started at the sound ofLawler's voice, amazed at the change that had come in it--wonderinghow--when it had been so gentle a few minutes before--it could now havein it a quality that made her shudder.
She saw the big man's eyes widen, noted that his shoulders sagged alittle when he heard Lawler's voice; observed that there seemed to comean appreciable lessening of the tension of his taut muscles. Shemarveled that the sound of one man's voice could have so calming aneffect upon another--that it could, at a stroke, seemingly, cool thewhite-hot rage that had seized the man.
But there was no doubt that a change had come over the big man. Hisshoulders sagged further. A suggestion of a mirthless smile began to tugat the corners of his mouth; he unclenched the fingers of his hands.
"It's you, eh?" he said, gruffly. "My kid was sayin' someone in theschoolhouse had walloped him, an' I was aimin' to find out who it was. Ireckon he's gone."
"I walloped him, Singleton."
Lawler's voice was gentle. In it was still a trace of that quality thatRuth had sensed, softened now slightly by the knowledge that Singleton'srage had slightly cooled.
"There isn't a heap to be said, I reckon," Lawler resumed as Singletonstood rigid again. "Your boy was trying to 'wallop' his teacher. Ihappened to look in, and I had to take a hand in it, just to keep thingseven. He had it coming to him, Singleton."
Lawler's manner was conciliatory, even mildly placative. "I figured onsaving you a job, Singleton."
Singleton's face reddened.
"Lawler, I figger to lick my own kid."
"Singleton, I reckon it can't be undone, and you'll have to make thebest of it. You and I have never got along well, but I want you to knowI didn't know it was your boy I punished."
"Hell's fire!" snarled Singleton; "what you interferin' in theschoolhouse for? What business you got buttin' in?" It was dear thatSingleton's rage was again rising. He must have noticed that the pupilshad crowded around the door, and that Jimmy was watching him, no doubtdisappointed that the salutary punishment for which he had hoped hadbeen unnecessarily delayed.
Undoubtedly the presence of the children contributed to Singleton'sanger; but at bottom was his old dislike of Lawler--a dislike that theincident of the whipping had increased to hatred.
It was plain that Singleton meditated violence. Yet it was equally plainthat he feared Lawler. He never had seen Lawler draw a gun, but he hadheard tales of the man's ability with the weapon. There lingered in hismind at this minute--as it had dwelt during all the days he had knownLawler--the knowledge that Lawler's father had been a gunman of widereputation, and that he had taught his son the precision and swiftnessthat had made him famous in the deadly art.
That knowledge had always exerted a deterring influence upon Singleton;there had been times when he would have drawn a gun on Lawler had it notbeen that he feared the son might be as swift as the father.
So Singleton had assured himself; he was not afraid of Lawler, he wasafraid of the reputation of Lawler's father. Singleton was reluctant toadmit that it was not Lawler's gun that he was afraid of, but somethingthat was in the man himself--in his confident manner, in the levelglance of his eyes; in the way he looked at Singleton--seeming to hintthat he knew the man's thoughts, and that when the time came--if it evercame--he would convince Singleton that his fears were well founded.
And, singularly, Singleton knew it; he knew that if he drew his gun onLawler, Lawler would anticipate the movement; Singleton had becomeconvinced of it--the conviction had become an obsession. That was whyhis rage had cooled so suddenly when he had entered the schoolroom.
But he knew, too, that Lawler never sought trouble; that within the pastfew years--or since Singleton had known him--he had never drawn the gunthat reposed at his hip. And that knowledge brought the rage surgingback into Singleton's veins. He knew he could _talk_ to Lawler; that hecould say some of the things that were in his mind--that had been in hismind all along; and that he would be safe so long as he kept his handsaway from his guns.
As he snarled his questions at Lawler he took a step toward him. Hiseyes were truculent again, his lips in the pout that had been on themwhen he had entered. If Lawler didn't go for his gun he need have nofear of him. For he was bigger than Lawler, stronger. And if he couldgoad Lawler into using his fists instead of the dreaded gun he had nodoubt of the outcome.
"Singleton," replied Lawler, a
nswering the questions that had beenhurled at him; "what I am here for is my business. I don't feel a heaplike explaining it."
"Business--bah!" sneered Singleton. "I reckon the business that broughtyou here could be carried on better with no kids around."
Singleton saw a pin point of fire glow in Lawler's eyes. But he notedwith venomous satisfaction that Lawler's hand did not move upward theslightest fraction of an inch toward his gun, and he laugheddiscordantly, taking another step toward Lawler, so that he would beclose enough to strike when the time came.
"Lawler," he said, sticking his face close to the other's, his eyesglittering with the malignant triumph that had seized him over theconviction that Lawler would not try to draw his gun; "I'm figgerin' onwallopin' you like you walloped my kid. Understand? I'm aimin' to makeyou fight--with your fists. I'm goin' to knock hell out of you!".
Lawler had not moved. Had Singleton not been so obsessed with thoughtsof an easy victory he might have noted that the pin point of fire thathad glowed in Lawler's eyes had grown larger, and that his muscles hadstiffened. Also, had Singleton been observant at this minute he musthave seen a faint grin on Lawler's lips.
"Hell's fire!" snarled Singleton; "won't anything make you fight!There's that girl there--Ruth Hamlin. You think she's got a right to beproud as she is. Lawler, you don't know her; you don't know what's goin'on over there at the Two Bar--Hamlin's ranch. This here school teachin'of hers is only a blind--a blind, I tell you! A blind for other thingsthat her an'----"
Ruth's sharp, protesting cry was drowned in a sodden swish as Lawlerstruck. His fist had shot upward with the weight of his body behind it,landing fairly on the point of Singleton's chin, snapping his teeth shutwith a clack.
Singleton's head went back, his body rose from the floor. He came downwith his knees unjointed, his head sagging on his chest; came down in aheap and tumbled forward upon his face, his arms limp, the fingersslowly spreading.
For an instant Lawler stood over him, pale, his eyes agleam. Then whenSingleton did not move he turned to Ruth, smiling faintly.
"Go home, now, Ruth, before this beast comes to life. Go out and sendthe children away. I've got something to say to Singleton."
Ruth looked intently at him, saw there would be no use of pleading withhim, and walked to the door, dragging the children away from it, tellingthem to go home.
Jimmy Singleton, terrorized by the thing that had happened to hisfather, needed no urging. He ran, whimpering, toward town, the otherchildren following.
Ruth went to the shed where she kept her pony, threw saddle and bridleon him and led him to the step, where she usually mounted.
The door of the schoolhouse was closed. Trailing the reins over thepony's head, she ran to one of the windows--a small one in the center ofthe side wall, dust-begrimed, with one pane of glass missing.
Peering within, she saw Singleton sitting up, staring dazedly around,supporting himself with his hands, an expression of almost laughable,bewilderment on his face.
Lawler was standing near him--big, stern, seeming to wait for Singletonto rise before he spoke to him.
And while Ruth watched, Singleton staggered to his feet. He swayeduncertainly as he faced Lawler; and when Lawler advanced toward him hecringed and staggered back, raising one arm as though to ward off anexpected blow.
Ruth heard his voice; it was a whine, tremulous with fear.
"Don't hit me again, Lawler; I wasn't meanin' anything!"
And then Ruth saw that Singleton must have been struck a second time,for high up on his left cheek was a huge gash that had suffused his chinand neck with blood. She remembered that while saddling and bridling herpony she had heard a sound from within the schoolhouse, but she hadthought then that it must have been Lawler moving a chair. Plainly,Singleton had recovered from the first blow, and had received another.
Lawler's voice again reached her. It was low, vibrant with passion.
"Singleton, I ought to kill you. I will kill you if you ever tell thatgirl that you know her father is a rustler. Damn your hide, she knows itnow--and it's breaking her heart!
"I'm warning you. Don't you ever go near the Two Bar again. Don't youever buy another steer from Hamlin. Don't even speak to him. I'll killyou sure as hell if you do!"
Ruth reeled away from the window. She got on her pony somehow, takingcare to make no sound, for she did not want Lawler to know that she hadheard. Once on the pony she sent the little animal rapidly away, towardthe Two Bar--away from Lawler and from that happiness for which she hadhoped despite the hideous knowledge which for months had tortured her.
Inside the schoolhouse Singleton was standing, beaten by the man overwhom he had thought to triumph easily; by a man whose pallid face andblazing eyes conveyed to Singleton something of the terrible power andenergy of him when aroused.
Singleton did not think of his guns, now; he was aware of nothing butthe great awe that had seized him. And as Lawler watched, saying nothingmore, Singleton turned from him and slunk out through the door.
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