by B. M. Bower
CHAPTER XVII
THE FEAST
Joyous whoops, loud and heartfelt, brought the women to the door of thesheriff's house in time to see their guests dismount. A perfect babel ofwords greeted their appearance as the cowboys burst into a running fireof jokes, salutations and comments. Even the ponies seemed to know thatsomething important and unusual was taking place, for they cavortedand bit and squealed to prove that they were in accord with the spirit oftheir riders and that thirty miles in less than three hours had notsubdued them. Bright colors prevailed, for the neck-kerchiefs in mostcases were new and yet showed the original folding creases, while new,clean thongs of rawhide and glittering bits of metal flashed back thesunlight. Spurs glittered and the clean looking horses appeared to havehad a dip in the Limping Water. Blake had hunted through the carpetedrooms of his ranch-house for decorations, and in the drawer of a tablehe had found a bunch of ribbons of many kinds and shades. These nowfluttered from the pommels of the saddles and in one case a red ribbonwas twined about the leg of a vicious pinto, and the pinto was not atall pleased by the decoration.
The sheriff led the way to the house closely followed by Blake, the otherscoming in the order of their nerve. The Orphan was last, not from lack ofcourage, but rather because of strategy. He thought that Helen wouldremain at the door to welcome each arrival and if he was in the vanhe would be passed on to make way for those behind him. Being the lastman he hoped to be able to say more to her than a few words of greeting.As he mounted the steps she was drawn into the room for something and hestepped to one side on the porch, well knowing that she would miss him.
Bud poked his head out the door and started to say something, but TheOrphan fiercely whispered for him to be silent and to disappear, whichBud did after grinning exasperatingly.
The man on the porch was growing impatient when he heard the lightswish of skirts around the corner of the house. Sauntering carelessly tothe corner he looked into the back-yard and saw Helen with a tray inher hands, nearing the back door. She espied him and stopped, flushingsuddenly as he leaped lightly to the ground and walked rapidly towardher. Her cheeks became a deeper red when he stopped before her and tookthe tray, for his eyes were rebellious and would not be subdued, and thefirst thing she saw was the gold pin which stood out boldly againstthe dark blue neck-kerchief. She was rarely beautiful in her white dress,and the ribbon which she wore at her throat did not detract in itseffect. Later her sister was to wonder if it was a coincidence that theribbon and his neck-kerchief were so good a match in color.
She welcomed him graciously and he felt a sudden new and strangelyexhilarating sensation steal over him as he took the hand she held out,the tray all the while bobbing recklessly in his other hand.
"Why aren't you in the house paying your respects to your hostess?" shechided half in jest and half in earnest.
"The delay will but add to my fervor when I do," he replied, "for I willhave had a stimulus then. As long as the hostesses are four and insiston not being together, how can I pay my respects all at once?"
"But there is only one hostess," she laughingly corrected. "I am afraidyou are not very good at making excuses. You probably never felt the needto make them before. You see, I, too, am only a guest."
"We two," he corrected daringly.
"I am very glad to see you," she said, leading away from plurals. "Youare looking very well and much more contented. And then, this is ever somuch nicer than our first meeting, isn't it? No horrid Apaches."
"I've gotten so that I rather like Apaches," he replied. "They are souseful at times. But you mustn't try to tempt me to subordinate thateventful day, not yet. It can't be done, although I've never tried to doit," he hastily assured her, making a gesture of helplessness. "Sometimesan unexpected incident will change the habits of a lifetime, makingthe days seem brighter, and yet, somehow, adding a touch of sadness. Ihave been a stranger to myself since then, restless, absentminded, moodyand hungry for I know not what." He paused and then slowly continued, "Imust beg to remain loyal to that day of all days when you bathed anoutlaw's head and showed your love for fair play and kindness."
"Goodness!" she cried, for one instant meeting his eager eyes. "Why, Ithought it was a terrible day! And you really think differently?"
"Very much so," he assured her as she withdrew her hand from his. "Yousee, it was such a new and delightful experience to save a stage coachand then find that it was a hospital with a wonderful doctor. I accusedthat Apache of being stingy with his lead, for he might just as well havegiven me a few more wounds to have dressed."
"Yes," she laughingly retorted, "it was almost as new an experienceas starting on a long and supposedly peaceful journey and suddenlyfinding oneself in the middle of a desert surrounded by dead Indiansand doctoring an Indian killer who was at war with one's brother. Andthat after a terrible shaking up lasting for over an hour. Truly itis a day to be remembered. Now, don't you think you should hurry in andgreet my sister-in-law?"
"Yes, certainly," he quickly responded. "But before I lose the opportunityI must ask you if you will care if I ride over and see you occasionally,because it is terribly lonely on that ranch."
"You know that we shall always be glad to see you whenever you can call,"she replied, smiling up at him. "We are all very deep in your debt andbrother and all of us think a great deal of you. Are you satisfied on theStar C, and do you like your work and your companions?"
"Thank you," he cried happily, "I will ride over and see you once in awhile. But as for my work, it is delightful! The Star C is fine and mycompanions--well, they just simply can't be beat! they are the finest,whitest set of men that ever gathered under one roof."
"That's very nice, I am glad that you find things so congenial," shereplied in sincerity. "James was sure that you would, for Mr. Blake is anold friend of his."
"I'm very anxious about this pin," he said, putting his hand on it. "MayI keep it for a while longer?" he asked with a note of appeal in his voice.
"Why, yes," she replied, "if you wish to. But only as long as you donot displease me, and you will not do that, will you? James has suchdeep confidence in you that I know you will not disappoint him. You willjustify him in his own mind and in the minds of his acquaintances andprove that he has not erred in judgment, won't you?"
"If I am the sum total of your brother's trouble, he will have a path ofroses to wander through all the rest of his life," he responded earnestly."And I'm really afraid that you will never again wear this pin as apossession of yours. Of course you can borrow it occasionally," and hesmiled whimsically, "but as far as displeasing you is concerned, it ismine forever. It will really and truly be mine on that condition, won'tit? My very own if I do not forfeit it?"
"If you wish it so," she replied quickly, her face radiant with smiles."And you will work hard and you will never shoot a man, no matter what theprovocation may be, unless it is absolutely necessary to do it for thesaving of your own life or that of a friend or an innocent man. Promiseme that!" she commanded imperatively, pleased at being able to dictateto him. "Men like you never break a promise," she added impulsively.
"I promise never to shoot a man, woman, child or--or anybody," helaughingly replied, "unless it is necessary to save life. And I'll workreal hard and save my money. And on Sundays, rain or shine, I'll ride inand report to my new foreman." Then a bit of his old humor came to him:"For I just about need this pin--knots are so clumsy, you know."
She glanced at the knot which held the pin and laughed merrily, leadingthe way into the house.
As they entered Humble was extolling the virtues of his dog, to thebroad grins of his companions, who constantly added amendments and madecorrections _sotto voce._
"Why, here they are!" cried the sheriff in such a tone as to suffuseHelen's face with blushes. The Orphan coolly shook hands with him.
"Yes, here we are, Sheriff, every one of us," he replied. "We couldn't beexpected to stay away when Mrs. Shields put herself to so much trouble,and we're all happy
and proud to be so honored. How do you do, Mrs.Shields," he continued as he took her hand. "It is awful kind of you to goto such trouble for a lot of lonely, hungry fellows like us."
"Goodness sakes!" she cried, delighted at his words and pleased at theway he had parried her husband's teasing thrust. "Why, it was no troubleat all--you are all my boys now, you know."
"Thank you, Mrs. Shields," he replied slowly. "We will do our very bestto prove ourselves worthy of being called your boys."
The sheriff regarded The Orphan with a look of approbation and turned tohis sister Helen.
"He ain't nobody's fool, eh, Sis?" he whispered. "I'm wondering how youever made up your mind to share him with us!"
"Oh, please don't!" she begged in confusion. "Please don't tease me now!"
"All right, Sis," he replied in a whisper, pinching her ear. "I'll saveit all up for some other time, some time when he ain't around to turn itoff, eh? But I don't blame him a bit for exploring the yard first--you'rethe prettiest girl this side of sun-up," he said, beaming with love andpride. "How's that for a change, eh? Worth a kiss?"
She kissed him hurriedly and then left the room to attend to her dutiesin the kitchen, and he sauntered over to where The Orphan was talking withMrs. Shields, his hand rubbing his lips and a mischievous twinkle in hiskind eyes.
"Did you notice the new flower-bed right by the side of the house as youran past it a while ago?" he asked, flashing a keen warning to his wife.
The Orphan searched his memory for the flower-bed and not finding it,turned and smiled, not willing to admit that his attention had been toofully taken up with a fairer flower than ever grew in earth.
"Why, yes, it is real pretty," he replied. "What about it?"
"Oh, nothing much," gravely replied the sheriff as he edged away. "Onlywe were thinking of putting a flower-bed there, although I haven't hadtime to get at it yet."
The Orphan flushed and glanced quickly at the outfit, who were too busycracking jokes and laughing to pay any attention to the conversationacross the room.
"James!" cried Mrs. Shields. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself!"
"When you tickle a mule," said the sheriff, grinning at his friend, "youwant to look out for the kick. Come again sometime, Sonny."
"James!" his wife repeated, "how can you be so mean! Now, stop teasing andbehave yourself!"
"For a long time I've been puzzled about what you resembled, but nowI have your words for it," easily countered The Orphan. "Thank you forputting me straight."
The sheriff grinned sheepishly and scratched his head: "I'm an old fool,"he grumbled, and forthwith departed to tell Helen of the fencing.
Mrs. Shields excused herself and followed her husband into the kitchen tolook after the dinner, and The Orphan sauntered over to his outfit justas Jim looked out of a rear window. Jim turned quickly, his face wearinga grin from ear to ear.
"Hey, Bud!" he called eagerly. "Bud!"
"What?" asked Bud, turning at the hail.
"Come over here for a minute, I want to show you something," Jim replied,"but don't let Humble come."
Bud obeyed and looked: "Jimminee!" he exulted. "Don't that look sumptious,though? This is where we shine, all right." Then turned: "Hey, fellows,come over here and take a look."
As they crowded around the window Humble discovered that something wasin the wind and he followed them. What they saw was a long table beneathtwo trees, and it was covered with a white cloth and dressed for a feast.Bud turned quickly from the crowd and forcibly led Humble to a sidewindow before that unfortunate had seen anything and told him to puthis finger against the glass, which Humble finally did after an argument.
"Feel the pain?" Bud asked.
"Why, no," Humble replied, looking critically at his finger. "What's thematter with you, anyhow?"
"Nothing," replied Bud. "Think it over, Humble," he advised, turning away.
Humble again put his finger to the glass and then snorted:
"Locoed chump! Prosperity is making him nutty!" When he turned he saw hisfriends laughing silently at him and making grimaces, and a light suddenlybroke in upon him.
"Yes, I did!" he cried. "That joke is so old I plumb forgot it years ago!Spring something that hasn't got whiskers and a halting step, will you?"
Jim laughed and suggested a dance, but was promptly squelched.
"You heathen!" snorted Blake in mock horror. "This is Sunday! If you wantto dance wait till you get back to the ranch--suppose one of the women washere and heard you say that!"
"Gee, I forgot all about it being Sunday," replied Jim, quickly lookingto see if any of the women were in the room. "We're regular barbarians,ain't we!" he exclaimed in self-condemnation and relief when he saw thatno women were present. "We're regular land pirates, ain't we?"
"You'll be asking to play poker yet, or have a race," jabbed Humble withmalice. "You ain't got no sense and never did have any."
"Huh!" retorted Jim belligerently, "I won't try to learn a Chinee cookhow to play poker and get skinned out of my pay, anyhow! Got enough?"he asked, "or shall I tell of the time you drifted into Sagetown andasked----"
"Shut up, you fool!" whispered Humble ferociously. "Yu'll get skun if yousay too much!"
"'Skun' is real good," retorted Jim. "Got any more of them new words tospring on us?"
Helen had been passing to and fro past the window and Docile Thomas hereput his marveling into words, for he had been casting covert glances ather, but now his restraint broke.
"Gee whiz!" he exclaimed in a whisper to Jack Lawson. "Ain't she a regularhummer, now! Lines like a thoroughbred, face like a dream and a smilewhat shore is a winner! See her hair--fine and dandy, eh? She's in thetwo-forty class, all right!" he enthused. "Why, when this country wakesup to what's in it the sheriff will have to put up a stockade around thishouse and mount guard. Everybody from Bill up will be stampeding this wayto talk business with the sheriff. No wonder The Orphan has got a beein his bonnet--lucky dog!"
"She can take care of my pay every month just as soon as she says theword," Jack replied. "But suppose you look away once in a while? Supposeyou shift your sights! You, too, Humble," he said, suddenly turning onthe latter.
"Me what?" asked Humble, without interest and without shifting his gaze."What are you talking about?"
"Look at something else, see?"
"Shore I see," replied Humble. "That's why I'm looking. Do you think Ilook with my eyes shut! Gee, but ain't she a picture, though!"
"She shore is, but give it a rest, take a vacation, you chump!" retortedJack. "You're staring at her like she had you hoodooed. Come out of yourtrance--wake up and make a fool of yourself some other way. Don't aim allthe time at her. Mebby Lee Lung has killed your dog!"
"If he has we'll need a new cook," replied Humble with decision.
"Come on, boys! Don't start milling!" cried the sheriff, suddenly enteringthe room. "Dinner's all ready and waiting for us. And I shore hope youhave all got your best appetites with you, because Margaret likes tosee her food taken care of lively. If you don't clean it all up she'llthink you don't like it," he said, winking at Blake, "and if she oncegets that notion in her head it will be no more invitations for the StarC."
There was much excitement in the crowd, and the replies came fast.
"I ain't had anything good to eat for fifteen long, aching years!" criedBud. "When I get through you'll need a new table.
"Same here, only for thirty years," replied Jim hastily. "I just couldn'tsleep last night for thinking about the glorious surprise my abusedstomach was due to have to-day. I'll bet my gun on my performance ifthe track is heavy, all right. I'm not poor on speed, and I'm a stayerfrom Stayersville."
"Well, I won't be among the also rans, you can bet on that," laughedSilent. "I don't weigh very much, but I'm geared high."
"I'll bet it's good!" cried Humble, "I'll bet it's real good!"
"D----n good, you mean!" corrected Jack. "Hey, fellows!" he cried, "didyou hear what Humble said? He said that he'd
bet it was _real_ good!"
"Horray for Humble, the wit of the Star C," laughed Docile.
"Me for the apricot pie!" exulted Charley. "Here's where I get square onBlake for rubbing it in all these months about the fine pie he gets overhere."
"There ain't no apricot pie," gravely lied the sheriff in surprise.
"What!" cried Charley in alarm. "There ain't none for me! Oh, well, youcan't lose me in daylight, for I'll double up on everything else. I ain'tgoing to get left, all right!"
"Don't wake me up," begged Joe Haines. "Let me dream on in peace andplenty. Grub, real, genuine grub, grub what is grub! Oh, joy!"
Mrs. Shields hurried into the room and then paused in surprise when shesaw that the outfit had not moved toward the feast.
"Land sakes!" she cried. "Aren't you boys hungry, or is James up to someof his everlasting teasing again!"
"You talk to her, Bud," whispered Jim eagerly. "I'm so scary I shorecan't."
"Yes, go ahead, Bud!" came instant and unanimous endorsement in whispers.
"Well, ma'am," began Bud, clearing his throat, glancing around uneasilyto be sure that the crowd was giving him moral backing, and feelinguncomfortable, "we was just getting up a--a----"
"B, C, D," prompted Jim in a whisper.
"We was just getting up a resolution of thanks, Mrs. Shields," hecontinued, stabbing his elbow into the stomach of the offending Jim."You shut up!" he fiercely whispered. "I'm carrying one hundred andforty pounds now without the saddle!" Then he continued: "We all of usare plumb tickled about this, so plumb tickled we don't hardly know whatto say----"
"That's right," whispered Jim, folding his arms across his stomach."You're proving it, all right."
Silent and Jack hauled Jim to the rear and Bud continued unruffled: "Butwe want to thank you, ma'am, from the bottoms, the very lowest bottoms ofour hearts for your kindness to a orphant outfit what ain't had anythingto eat since the war, and very little during it. Joe Haines, here, ma'am,was just saying as how he was a-scared that it is all a dream----"
"I didn't neither!" fiercely contradicted Joe in a whisper, looking veryself-conscious. He was whisked to the rear to join Jim and the speech wenton.
"He is afraid it is a dream, ma'am, and I know we all of us have more orless doubts about it being really true. But, ma'am, we shore are anxiousto find out all about it. We've rid thirty miles to see for ourselves,and I don't reckon you'll have any fears about our appetites being leftat home when you sizes up the wreck left in the path of the storm afterthe stampede is over. The boys want to give you three cheers even if itis Sunday, ma'am, for your kindness to them, and I'm shore one of theboys!"
"Hip, hip, horray!" yelled the crowd, surging forward.
"Good boy, Bud!" they cried.
"I'm proud of you, Buddie!" exulted Charley, slapping him extra heartilyon the back.
"I didn't know you had it in you, Bud!" cried Silent. "It was shore adandy speech, all right."
"We'll send you to Congress for that, some day, Bud," cried Jack Lawson."You're all right!"
"I once had a piece of pie, a piece of pie, a piece of pie, I once had a piece of pie, when I was five years old,"
sang Charley as he pranced toward the door.
"Good! Go on, Charley, go on!" cried his companions joyously.
"Now I'll have another piece, another piece, another piece, Now I'll have another piece, that's two all told.
Good bye, Lee Lung, good bye Lee Lung, Good bye, Lee Lung, we're going to forget you now!"
"Again on that Lee Lung, altogether--it hits me right!" cried Bud, and thematter pertaining to the farewells to Lee Lung was promptly and properlyattended to in heartfelt sincerity.
The ladies laughed with delight, and Mrs. Shields whispered to herhusband, who nodded and escorted The Orphan to a seat near the head of thetable, where he was flanked by Helen and Blake.
"Grab your partners, boys," the sheriff cried, pointing to the chairs.There was a hasty piling of belts and guns on the ground, and after muchconfusion all were seated.
The sheriff arose: "Boys, Mrs. Shields wants me to tell you how pleasedshe is to have you all here. She has felt plumb sorry about you and sheshore has shuddered at the thought of a Chinee cook----"
"Which same we all do--it's chronic," interposed Jim to laughter.
"She wants you to make yourselves at home," continued the sheriff, "learnthe lay of the land around this range and never forget the trail leadinghere, because she insists that when any of you come to town you havesimply got to pay us a visit and see if there is a piece of pie or caketo eat before you go back to that cook. And Tom says that he'll firethe first man who renigs----"
"I'm going to carry the mail hereafter!" cried Bud, scowling fiercely atJoe.
"Not if I can shoot first, you don't!" retorted the mail carrier. "I wasjust a-wondering if it wouldn't be better to come in twice a week for itinstead of once. We might get more letters."
"We'll bid for your job next year," laughed Silent.
"Before I coax you to eat," continued the sheriff, "I----"
"Wrong word, Sheriff," interposed Humble. "Not coax, but force."
"I am going to ask you to reverse things a little, and drink a standingtoast to the man who saved the stage, to the man who saved Miss Ritchieand my sisters and who made this dinner possible. This would be far from ahappy day but for him. I want you to drink to the long life and happinessof The Orphan. All up!"
The clink of glasses was lost in the spontaneous cheer which burst fromthe lips of the former outlaw's new friends, and he sat confused andembarrassed with a sudden timidity, his face crimson.
"Speech!" cried Jim, the others joining in the cry. "Speech! Speech!"
Finally, after some urging, The Orphan slowly arose to his feet, a foolishsmile playing about his lips.
"It wasn't anything," he said deprecatingly. "You all would have done it,every one of you. But I'm glad it was me. I'm glad I was on hand, althoughit wasn't anything to make all this fuss about," and he dropped suddenlyinto his seat, feeling hot and uncomfortable.
"Well, we have different ideas about its being nothing," replied thesheriff. "Now, boys, a toast to Bill Halloway," he requested. "Billcouldn't get here to-day, but we mustn't forget him. His splendid gritand driving made it possible for our friend to play his hand so well."
"Hurrah for Bill!" cried Silent, leaping to his feet with the others. Whenseated again he looked quickly at his glass and turned to Bud.
"Real sweet cider!" he exulted. "Good Lord, but how time gallops past!I'd almost forgotten what it was like! It's been over twenty years since Itasted any! Ain't it fine?"
"I was wondering what it was," remarked Humble, a trace of awe in hisvoice as he refilled his glass. "It's shore enough sweet cider, and blamedgood, too!"
Charley was romping with the mail carrier and he had a sudden inspiration:"Speech from Joe! Speech for the pieces of pie and cake he's due to get!"
"Now, look here, boy," Joe gravely replied. "I'm the mail carrier. Idon't have to go on jury duty, lead religion round-ups, go to war or makespeeches. As the books say, I'm exempt. All I have to do is punch cows,rustle the mail and eat pie and cake once a week," he said, glancingat Bud, who glared and groaned.
"Good boy, Joe!" cried Humble, waving his glass excitedly. "You're shoreall right, you are, and I'm your deputy, ain't I?"
"No, not my deputy, but my delirium," corrected Joe.
"Glory be!" cried Silent as his plate was passed to him. "Chicken, realchicken! Mashed potatoes, mashed turnips and dressing and gravy! Andhere comes stewed corn, boiled onions and jelly and mother's bread. Andstewed tomatoes? Well, well! I guess we ain't going to be well fed, andreal happy, eh, fellows? My stomach won't know what's the matter--it'llthink it died and went to heaven by mistake. Holy smoke! It hurts myeyes. What, cranberry jam? Well, I'm just going to close my eyes for aminute if you don't mind; I want to recuperate from the shock. This iswhere I live again!"
Humb
le stared in rapture at the feast before him and finally heaved a longdrawn sigh of doubt and content.
"Gee!" he cried softly, a far-away look in his eyes. "Look at it, justlook at it! Just like I used to get when I was a little tad back inConnecticut--but that was shore a long time ago. Well," he exclaimed,bracing up and bravely forgetting his boyhood, "there's one thing I hope,and that is that Lee beats my dog. Then I can shoot him and get squarefor all these years of imitation grub what he's handed out to me!"
"Hey, Tom!" eagerly cried Charley, "why can't we handle a herd of chickensout on the ranch, and have a garden? Why, we could have eggs every dayand chickens on holidays!"
"No wonder Tom likes to ride to town," laughed Silent. "Gee whiz, I'd walkit for pie and cake and real genuine coffee!"
"Walk it!" snorted Jim. "Huh, I'd crawl, and stand on my head, knock myfeet together and crow every half mile! Walk it, huh!"
Merriment reigned supreme throughout the meal and when the bashfulness hadworn off the conversation became fast and furious, abounding in terse wit,verbal attacks and clever counters, and in concentrated onslaughtsagainst the unfortunate Humble, who soon found, however, a new andloyal champion in Miss Ritchie, who took his part. Her assistance was sodoughty as to more than once put to rout his tormentors, and before thedessert had been reached he was her devoted slave and admirer and washenceforth to sing her praises at every opportunity, and even to makeopportunities.
At The Orphan's end of the table all was serene. He, Helen, Blake andthe sheriff found much to talk about, and all the while Mrs. Shieldsregarded the four in a motherly way, and tempered the keenness of herhusband's wit, for he was prone to break lances with The Orphan and totease his sister, much to her confusion. She was very happy, for hereat her side were her husband and the man she had feared would harm him,laughing and joking and the best of friends; and down the table a crowdof big-hearted boys, her boys now, were having the time of their lives.They were good boys, too, she told herself; a trifle rough, but sterlingat the heart, and every one of them a loyal friend. How good it was tosee them eat and hear them laugh, all happy and mischievous. The weldingof the units had been finished, and now the Star C and The Orphan wereone in spirit.