Jessica Trent: Her Life on a Ranch

by Evelyn Raymond

  CHAPTER VII

  CAPTAIN JESS

  Jessica drew back, repelled. Why did that man make her so unhappywhenever she saw him nowadays? What did he mean by that speech aboutold Ephraim Marsh and the safe? Well, he was gone, riding swiftly awayand lightening her trouble with every rod of ground he put between them.

  "He'll not come for a month, he said, and by that time everythingwill be straight. If Sobrante is ours it cannot possibly be his. That'ssimple. Though he might have lived here always if he'd wished. Thetitle paper has been mislaid. That's all. I'm sure to find it whenI have time to look thoroughly, and how different things do seem bydaylight. Now, to say good-morning to the 'boys,' dear fellows, andthen for breakfast. I'm as hungry as on ostrich."

  Though since sunrise each had been busy about his accustomed duties,neglecting nothing because of the change in command, it suited the ideasof these faithful ranchmen to report for duty to their newly appointed"captain" and to ask for orders from her. With the ready intuition ofchildhood she fell in with their mood at once and received them in amanner which robbed the affair of burlesque and invested it with dignity.

  From a shaded corner of the porch, from behind his book, Mr. Halewatched the scene with an amusement that soon gave place to wonder andadmiration. They were all profoundly in earnest. The fair young girl withfolded arms and serene composure, poised at the head of the steps andthe group of sunburned workmen standing respectfully before her.

  By tacit consent Samson was spokesman for the company and his words hadtheir usual nautical tinge.

  "We're ready to set sail, captain, and here's wishing good luck tothe v'yge! Old 'Forty-niner' hasn't showed up on deck yet, buthe'll likely soon heave to, and the rest the crew'll vouch for hisbeing a good hand in any sort o' storm we're apt to strike. We'veoverhauled this chart. Each of us solemnly promise to abide and obey noorders but yours, captain, or the admiral's through you. And wouldrespectfully suggest--each man sticks to the post he's always filled,till ordered off it by his superior officer. Right, mates?"

  "Ay, ay."

  "How's that suit you, commodore?"

  "That suits me, Samson. It will suit my mother."

  "As for pay--being as we've got along without any these five monthsback, and Senor Top-Lofty's rode off, forgettin' to leave them arrearswe mentioned, we wash the slate clean and start all over again. For fivemonths to come we'll serve you and the admiral for mess and berth, nomore, no less."

  "Samson, do you mean that? Haven't you boys been paid your wagesregularly, just as in my father's time?"

  "Come, now, captain, that's all right. Give us the word of dismissaland let that slide. You missed your own mess this morning----"

  "But that will break my mother's heart. I know! I know! I've oftenheard her ask him, and Antonio tell her--he said that your wages werealways taken out before he brought what little money he could to her.I know you said something about 'arrears' last night, but I didn'tunderstand. What are 'arrears,' Samson?"

  "Blow me, for an old numskull. Why couldn't I keep my long tonguestill! I only meant that we are willing, we want, we must work for youand all the Trents for nothing till we've made up part to 'em of whatthat sweet 'senor' cheated 'em of. That's all. We've settled it.No use for anybody to try change our minds, even if there was spot cashlying around loose, waiting to be picked up and you havin' no call forit. Not one of which conditions hits the case."

  "You are a good talker, dear old Samson, and a long one. I can talk,too, sometimes. Maybe you've heard me! You've read me your chart. Hearmine. It's my father's own--that he always meant, but was never ableto follow. That I know my mother wants to follow for his sake, thoughshe does know so little of business. Now, if we're starting fresh,with the clean slates you like, we'll put this at the top: 'share andshare alike.' There was another long name dear father used to callit--I----"

  "Co-operation," suggested John Benton.

  "Yes, yes. That's it. As soon as he was out of debt and had a rightto do what he would with Sobrante, he meant to run it that way. But youknow, you know. It was only that last day when he came home so late fromthat far-off town that he had his own 'title' and was all ready to doas he wished. Let us do that now. I know how. He told me. He was to makeyou, Samson, responsible for all the cattle on the ranch. You were tohire as many of the other boys as you needed and were to have a justshare for your own money. The more you made out of the cattle the betterit would be for yourself. Isn't that right?"

  "Right to a dot. Atlantic! but you've a head for business, captain!"

  "I've a head must learn business, if I'm to be your captain. That istrue enough. It isn't my father's fault if I don't know some simplethings. He was always teaching me, because Ned was too little and mymother--well, business always worried her and he'd do anything to saveher worry, even talk to a little girl like me. And as Samson was to dowith the cattle, so George Cromarty was to do with the raisins andoranges. The ostriches--Oh! but they were to be Antonio's charge. Andnow----"

  "They're yours, captain, with any one or lot of us you choose forhelpers."

  "Ferd knew much about them, and they minded him. But----"

  "Ferd'll trouble Sobrante none while the senor is away. Joe is agood hand at all live stock, and I'll pledge you'll get every featherthat's plucked when he does the counting. He won't let any eggs getcooked in hatchin', neither. You can trust Joseph--if you watch him amite."

  A laugh at honest Joe's expense, in which he heartily joined, followedthis and Lady Jess stepped down among her friends, holding out herhands to first one, then another. Her blue eyes were filled with happymoisture, for she was not too young to feel their devotion to be asunselfish as it was sincere, and her smile was full of confidence in themand in herself.

  "Eleven years old is pretty early to be a captain, I guess, but I'llbe a good one--just as good and true as you are! What I don't knowyou'll teach me, and if I make mistakes you'll be patient, I know.One thing I can do, I can copy bills and papers. I can put down figuresand add them up. It was good practice for me, my father said. So I'llput down your names and all your business in these new books he boughtand was going to use in his co--co-operation--is that right, John?"

  "Right as a trivet."

  "And our admiral, that's the dear mother, will not have to fret so anylonger. Between us we'll make Sobrante all my father meant it shouldbe and--as soon as I have my breakfast--I will find that title. I mustfind it. I will. Sobrante is yours and ours forever. Oh, boys, I loveyou! I'm all choked up--I love you so and I feel like that my fatherused to read in Dickens: 'God bless you every one!'"

  With her hands clasped close against her breast, and her beloved faceluminous with her deep affection, their little maid stood before herhardy henchmen, a symbol to them of all that was best and purest inlife. Their own eyes were moist, and even Mr. Hale had to take offhis glasses and wipe them as, looking around upon his comrades, greatSamson swung his hat and cried:

  "And may God bless Our Lady Jess! And may every man who seeks to injureher be--stricken with numb palsy! And may every crop be doubled, priceslikewise! Peace, prosperity and happiness to Sobrante--destruction toher enemies!"

  "Forgiveness for her enemies, Samson, dear, if there really are. Thatwill be nobler, more like father's rule. Make it peace, prosperity andhappiness to all the world! Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!"

  Mr. Hale clapped his hands to his ears, then hastily moved forward andjoined in the cheer, that was deafening enough to have come from manymore throats than uttered it. Yet he had an uncomfortable feeling thathe might be classed among those "enemies" whom Samson wished afflictedwith numb palsy and that, at that moment, he was, by no fault of hisown, playing a double part.

  But he gave himself the benefit of the doubt until he should learn, ashe meant to do at once, the whole history of Sobrante with its strangehodge-podge of industries, its veteran employees, and its childish"captain." So, while the ranchmen dispersed to their business andJessica sought her long-delayed breakfast, he turned
towards the kitchenwhere he hoped to find the mistress of the ranch.

  But he was disappointed. There was visible only the broad,purple-covered back and black pig-tail of a Chinaman, pounding awayat the snowy loaves of his kneading-board, as if they were "enemies"of his own and deserving something much worse than "numb palsy."

  "Wun Lung!"

  No answer, save the whack, whack, whack of the tormented dough.

  "Ahem. I say, John!"

  Whack, whack.

  "Wun Lung, where's your mistress?"

  "Dlaily."

  "Indeed? I fancy your hand is better. I'm glad of it. That breadought to be fine. At your leisure, kindly point the direction of the'dlaily,' will you?"

  One yellow, floury hand was lifted and extended eastward, but as thissignified nothing definite to the stranger he continued his inquiries.

  "Where's Pasqual?"

  "Sclub."

  "And the little boys?"

  "Alle glone."

  "I congratulate you on your English, though I'm uncertainly whetheryou mean me to 'go on' or assert that somebody else has gone on. Idon't like to disturb Miss Jessica at breakfast, but----"

  "Back polchee," suggested Wun Lung, anxious to be rid of the intruder,whose irony he suspected if he did not understand.

  Mr. Hale betook himself around the house, and, fortunately, in the rightdirection; for just issuing from her dairy, which was in a cellar underthe cottage, was Mrs. Trent, bearing a wooden bowl of freshly made butter.

  The guest's heart smote him as he saw her sad face brighten at meetinghim, for he knew she trusted him for help he was in duty bound to giveelsewhere. But it was not a lawyer's habit to anticipate evil, and hewas thankful for her suggestion.

  "You should have a ride this fine morning, Mr. Hale, before the sun istoo high. I've ordered a horse brought round for you at nine o'clock,and Jessica shall act your guide, on Scruff. That is--if the laddieshaven't already disappeared with him. Ah! here comes my girl, herself.You are to show our friend as much of Sobrante as he cares to see, inone morning, daughter. If the children have ridden the burro off you mayhave Buster saddled."

  "Shan't you need me, mother? One of the men----"

  "No, dear. Wun Lung is at his post again and Pasqual will do the milkand things. But as you go, I'd like you to take this butter to John's.It's the weekly portion for the men, who mess for themselves," sheexplained to the stranger.

  "Lucky men to fare on such golden balls as those!"

  "Come and see my dairy. I'm very proud of it. You know, I suppose,that cellars are rarities in California. Everything is built aboveground, in ordinary homes; but I needed a cooler place for the milk, andmy husband had this planned for me. See the water, our greatest luxury;piped from an artesian well to the tank above, and then down throughthese cooling pipes around the shelves. After such use supplying thegarden, for whatever else may be wasted here it is never a drop ofwater. Will you taste the buttermilk? I can't give you ice, but wecool it in earthen crocks sunk in the floor."

  More and more did the lawyer's admiration for his hostess increase.She displayed the prosaic details of her dairy with the same ease andpride with which she would have exhibited the choicest bric-a-brac of asumptuous drawing-room, and her manner impelled him to an interest inthe place which he would have found impossible under other circumstances.But above all he wondered at the unselfishness with which she set asideher own anxieties and gave herself wholly to the entertainment of herguest.

  "The loss of that title deed means ruin for her and her family--evenif I were not also compelled to bring distress upon her. But she doesnot whine nor complain, and that's going to make my task all the harder.Well, first to see this ranch, and then--I wish I'd never come uponthis business! Better suffer nervous dyspepsia all the rest of my lifethan break such a woman's heart. Her husband may have been a scamp ofthe first water, but she's a lady and a Christian. So is that beautifullittle girl, and it's from her I mean to get all my needed information."

  Absorbed in thoughts that were far from pleasant, the gentlemanwalked beside Mrs. Trent to the horseblock, and mounted the horsewhich a gray-haired stable "boy" was holding for him, all withoutrousing from the preoccupation that held him. It was not till he heardJessica's excited call coming over the space between the cottage and the"quarters" that he realized where he was and looked up, expectant.

  The little girl who had left them for a few moments, was galloping towardthem on the back of a rough-coated broncho, waving a paper in her handand with distressed indignation, crying out as she came:

  "'Forty-niner' has gone. Dear old 'Forty-niner!' I found thisletter in his room and it's forever--forever! Oh, mother! And he says_you_ discharged him--or it means that--without show of chance! Mother,mother, how could you? That dear old man that everybody loved!"

  "Discharged him--I? I should as soon have thought of discharging myself!What fresh distress is this?"

  Catching the paper from Jessica's hand Mrs. Trent read it, then turnedand without a word walked slowly into the house. But her head was giddyand her limbs trembled, and she had a strange feeling as if she werebeing swiftly inclosed in a net from which she could not escape.