He removed his hat and sat regarding it with a speculative eye. Miss Radford smiled knowingly.
“I expect I have been scarcely polite,” she said. “Won’t you get off your horse?”
“Why, yes,” he responded, obeying promptly; “I expect Mustard’s been doin’ a lot of wonderin’ why I didn’t get off before.”
If he had meant to imply that her invitation had been tardy he had hit the mark fairly, for Miss Radford nibbled her lips with suppressed mirth. The underplay of meaning was not the only subtleness of the speech, for the tone in which it had been uttered was rich in interrogation, as though its author, while realizing the pony’s dimness of perception, half believed the animal had noticed Miss Radford’s lapse of hospitality.
“I’m thinkin’ you are laughin’ at me again, ma’am,” he said as he came to the edge of the porch and stood looking up at her, grinning.
“Do you think I am laughing?” she questioned, again biting her lips to keep them from twitching.
“No-o. I wouldn’t say that you was laughin’ with your lips—laughin’ regular. But there’s a heap of it inside of you—tryin’ to get out.”
“Don’t you ever laugh inwardly?” she questioned.
He laughed frankly. “I expect there’s times when I do.”
“But you haven’t lately?”
“Well, no, I reckon not.”
“Not even when you thought your horse might have noticed that I had neglected to invite you off?”
“Did I think that?” he questioned.
“Of course you did.”
“Well, now,” he drawled. “An’ so you took that much interest in what I was thinkin’! I reckon people who write must know a lot.”
Her face expressed absolute surprise. “Why, who told you that I wrote?” she questioned.
“Nobody told me, ma’am. I just heard it. I heard a man tell another man that you had threatened to make him a character in a book you was writin’.”
Her face was suddenly convulsed. “I imagine I know whom you mean,” she said. “A young cowboy from the Two Diamond used to annoy me quite a little, until one day I discouraged him.”
His smile grew broad at this answer. But he grew serious instantly.
“I don’t think there is much to write about in this country, ma’am,” he said.
“You don’t? Why, I believe you are trying to discourage me!”
“I reckon you won’t listen to me, ma’am, if you want to write. I’ve heard that anyone who writes is a special kind of a person an’ they just can’t help writin’—any more’n I can help comin’ over here to see your brother. You see, they like it a heap.”
They both laughed, she because of the clever way in which he had turned the conversation to his advantage; he through sheer delight. But she did purpose to allow him to dwell on the point he had raised, so she adroitly took up the thread where he had broken off to apply his similitude.
“Some of that is true,” she returned, giving him a look on her own account; “especially about a writer loving his work. But I don’t think one needs to be a ‘special’ kind of person. One must be merely a keen observer.”
He shook his head doubtfully. “I see everything that goes on around me,” he returned. “Most of the time I can tell pretty near what sort a man is by lookin’ at his face and watching the way he moves. But I reckon I’d never make a writer. Times when I look at this country—at a nice sunset, for instance, or think what a big place this country is—I feel like sayin’ somethin’ about it; somethin’ inside of me seems kind of breathless-like—kind of scarin’ me. But I couldn’t write about it.”
She had felt it, too, and more than once had sat down with her pencil to transcribe her thoughts. She thought that it was not exactly fear, but an overpowering realization of her own atomity; a sort of cringing of the soul away from the utter vastness of the world; a growing consciousness of the unlimited bigness of things; an insight of the infinite power of God—the yearning of the soul for understanding of the mysteries of life and existence.
She could sympathize with him, for she knew exactly how he had felt. She turned and looked toward the distant mountains, behind which the sun was just then swimming—a great ball of shimmering gold, which threw off an effulgent expanse of yellow light that was slowly turning into saffron and violet as it met the shadows below the hills.
“Whoever saw such colors?” she asked suddenly, her face transfixed with sheer delight.
“It’s cert’nly pretty, ma’am.”
She clapped her hands. “It is magnificent!” she declared enthusiastically. She came closer to him and stretched an arm toward the mountains. “Look at that saffron shade which is just now blending with the streak of pearl striking the cleft between those hills! See the violet tinge that has come into that sea of orange, and the purple haze touching the snow-caps of the mountains. And now the flaming red, the deep yellow, the slate blue; and now that gauzy veil of lilac, rose, and amethyst, fading and dulling as the darker shadows rise from the valleys!”
Her flashing eyes sought Ferguson’s. Twilight had suddenly come.
“It is the most beautiful country in the world!” she said positively.
He was regarding her with gravely humorous eyes. “It cert’nly is pretty, ma’am,” he returned. “But you can’t make a whole book out of one sunset.”
Her eyes flashed. “No,” she returned. “Nor can I make a whole book out of only one character. But I am going to try and draw a word picture of the West by writing of the things that I see. And I am going to try and have some real characters in it. I shall try to have them talk and act naturally.”
She smiled suddenly and looked at him with a significant expression. “And the hero will not be an Easterner—to swagger through the pages of the book, scaring people into submission through the force of his compelling personality. He will be a cowboy who will do things after the manner of the country—a real, unaffected care-free puncher!”
“Have you got your eye on such a man?” he asked, assuring himself that he knew of no man who would fill the requirements she had named.
“I don’t mind telling you that I have,” she returned, looking straight at him.
It suddenly burst upon him. His face crimsoned. He felt like bolting. But he managed to grin, though she could see that the grin was forced.
“It’s gettin’ late, ma’am,” he said, as he turned toward his pony. “I reckon I’ll be gettin’ back to the Two Diamond.”
She laughed mockingly as he settled into the saddle. There was a clatter of hoofs from around the corner of the cabin.
“Wait!” she commanded. “Ben is coming!”
But there was a rush of wind that ruffled her apron, a clatter, and she could hear Mustard’s hoofs pounding over the matted mesquite that carpeted the clearing. Ferguson had fled.
CHAPTER X
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE ORPHAN
During the night Ferguson had dreamed dreams. A girl with fluffy brown hair and mocking eyes had been the center of many mental pictures that had haunted him. He had seen her seated before him, rapidly plying a pencil. Once he imagined he had peered over her shoulder. He had seen a sketch of a puncher, upon which she appeared to be working, representing a man who looked very like himself. He could remember that he had been much surprised. Did writers draw the pictures that appeared in their books?
This puncher was sitting in a chair; one foot was bandaged. As he watched over the girl’s shoulder he saw the deft pencil forming the outlines of another figure—a girl. As this sketch developed he saw that it was to represent Miss Radford herself. It was a clever pencil that the girl wielded, for the scene was strikingly real. He even caught subtle glances from her eyes. But as he looked the scene changed and the girl stood at the edge of the porch, her eyes mocking him. And then to his surprise she spoke. “I am going to put you into a book,” she said.
Then he knew why she had tolerated him. He had grown hot and embarrassed. “You ain
’t goin’ to put me in any book, ma’am,” he had said. “You ain’t givin’ me a square deal. I wouldn’t love no girl that would put me into a book.”
He had seen a sudden scorn in her eyes. “Love!” she said, her lips curling. “Do you really believe that I would allow a puncher to make love to me?”
And then the scene had changed again, and he was shooting the head off a rattler. “I don’t want you to love me!” he had declared to it. And then while the snake writhed he saw another head growing upon it, and a face. It was the face of Leviatt; and there was mockery in this face also. While he looked it spoke.
“You’ll nurse him so’s he won’t die?” it had said.
When he awakened his blood was surging with a riotous anger. The dream was bothering him now, as he rode away from the ranchhouse toward the gully where he had found the dead Two Diamond cow. He had not reported the finding of the dead cow, intending to return the next morning to look the ground over and to fetch the “dogie” back to the home ranch. It would be time enough then to make a report of the occurrence to Stafford.
It was mid-morning when he finally reached the gully and rode down into it. He found the dead cow still there. He dismounted to drive away some crows that had gathered around the body. Then he noticed that the calf had disappeared. It had strayed, perhaps. A calf could not be depended upon to remain very long beside its dead mother, though he had known cases where they had. But if it had strayed it could not be very far away. He remounted his pony and loped down the gully, reaching the ridge presently and riding along this, searching the surrounding country with keen glances. He could see no signs of the calf. He came to a shelf-rock presently, beside which grew a tangled gnarl of scrub-oak brush. Something lay in the soft sand and he dismounted quickly and picked up a leather tobacco pouch. He examined this carefully. There were no marks on it to tell who might be the owner.
“A man who loses his tobacco in this country is mighty careless,” he observed, smiling; “or in pretty much of a hurry.”
He went close to the thicket, looking down at it, searching the sand with interest. Presently he made out the impression of a foot in a soft spot and, looking further, saw two furrows that might have been made by a man kneeling. He knelt in the furrows himself and with one hand parted the brush. He smiled grimly as, peering into the gully, he saw the dead Two Diamond cow on the opposite side.
He stepped abruptly away from the thicket and looked about him. A few yards back there was a deep depression in the ridge, fringed with a growth of nondescript weed. He approached this and peered into it. Quite recently a horse had been there. He could plainly see the hoof-prints—where the animal had pawed impatiently. He returned to the thicket, convinced.
“Some one was here yesterday when I was down there lookin’ at that cow,” he decided. “They was watchin’ me. That man I seen ridin’ that other ridge was with the one who was here. Now why didn’t this man slope too?”
He stood erect, looking about him. Then he smiled.
“Why, it’s awful plain,” he said. “The man who was on this ridge was watchin’. He heard my gun go off, when I shot that snake. I reckon he figgered that if he tried to ride away on this ridge whoever’d done the shootin’ would see him. An’ so he didn’t go. He stayed right here an’ watched me when I rode up.” He smiled. “There ain’t no use lookin’ for that dogie. The man that stayed here has run him off.”
There was nothing left for Ferguson to do. He mounted and rode slowly along the ridge, examining the tobacco pouch. And then suddenly he discovered something that brought an interested light to his eyes. Beneath the greasy dirt on the leather he could make out the faint outlines of two letters. Time had almost obliterated these, but by moistening his fingers and rubbing the dirt from the leather he was able to trace them. They had been burned in, probably branded with a miniature iron.
“D. L,” he spelled.
He rode on again, his lips straightening into serious lines.
He mentally catalogued the names he had heard since coming to the Two Diamond. None answered for the initials “D. L.” It was evident that the pouch could belong to no one but Dave Leviatt. In that case what had Leviatt been doing on the ridge? Why, he had been watching the rustler, of course. In that case the man must be known to him. But what had become of the dogie? What would have been Leviatt’s duty, after the departure of the rustlers? Obviously to drive the calf to the herd and report the occurrence to the manager.
Leviatt may have driven the calf to the herd, but assuredly he had not reported the occurrence to the manager, for he had not been in to the ranchhouse. Why not?
Ferguson pondered long over this, while his pony traveled the river trail toward the ranchhouse. Finally he smiled. Of course, if the man on the ridge had been Leviatt, he must have been there still when Ferguson came up, or he would not have been there to drive the Two Diamond calf to the herd after Ferguson had departed. In that case he must have seen Ferguson, and must be waiting for the latter to make the report to the manager. But what motive would he have in this?
Here was more mystery. Ferguson might have gone on indefinitely arranging motives, but none of them would have brought him near the truth.
He could, however, be sure of three things. Leviatt had seen the rustler and must know him; he had seen Ferguson, and knew that he knew that a rustler had been in the gully before him; and for some mysterious reason he had not reported to the manager. But Ferguson had one advantage that pleased him, even drew a grim smile to his lips as he rode on his way. Leviatt may have seen him near the dead Two Diamond cow, but he certainly was not aware that Ferguson knew he himself had been there during the time that the rustler had been at work.
Practically, of course, this knowledge would avail Ferguson little. Yet it was a good thing to know, for Leviatt must have some reason for secrecy, and if anything developed later Ferguson would know exactly where the range boss stood in the matter.
Determined to investigate as far as possible, he rode down the river for a few miles, finally reaching a broad plain where the cattle were feeding. Some cowboys were scattered over this plain, and before riding very far Ferguson came upon Rope. The latter spurred close to him, grinning.
“I’m right glad to see you,” said the puncher. “You’ve been keepin’ yourself pretty scarce. Scared of another run-in with Leviatt?”
“Plum scared,” returned Ferguson. “I reckon that man’ll make me nervous—give him time.”
“Yu’ don’t say?” grinned Rope. “I wasn’t noticin’ that you was worryin’ about him.”
“I’m right flustered,” returned Ferguson. “Where’s he now?”
“Gone down the crick—with Tucson.”
Ferguson smoothed Mustard’s mane. “Leviatt been with you right along?”
“He went up the crick yesterday,” returned Rope, looking quickly at the stray-man.
“Went alone, I reckon?”
“With Tucson.” Rope was trying to conceal his interest in these questions.
But apparently Ferguson’s interest was only casual. He turned a quizzical eye upon Rope. “You an’ Tucson gettin’ along?” he questioned.
“Me an’ him’s of the same mind about one thing,” returned Rope.
“Well, now.” Ferguson’s drawl was pregnant with humor. “You surprise me. An’ so you an’ him have agreed. I reckon you ain’t willin’ to tell me what you’ve agreed about?”
“I’m sure tellin’,” grinned Rope. “Me an’ him’s each dead certain that the other’s a low down horse thief.”
The eyes of the two men met fairly. Both smiled.
“Then I reckon you an’ Tucson are lovin’ one another about as well as me an’ Leviatt,” observed Ferguson.
“There ain’t a turruble lot of difference,” agreed Rope.
“An’ so Tucson’s likin’ you a heap,” drawled Ferguson absently. He gravely contemplated the puncher. “I expect you was a long ways off yesterday when Leviatt an’ Tucson come in f
rom up the crick?” he asked.
“Not a turruble ways off,” returned Rope. “I happened to have this end an’ they passed right close to me. They clean forgot to speak.”
“Well, now,” said Ferguson. “That was sure careless of them. But I reckon they was busy at somethin’ when they passed. In that case they wouldn’t have time to speak. I’ve heard tell that some folks can’t do more’n one thing at a time.”
Rope laughed. “They was puttin’ in a heap of their time tryin’ to make me believe they didn’t see me,” he returned. “Otherwise they wasn’t doin’ anything.”
“Shucks!” declared Ferguson heavily. “I reckon them men wouldn’t go out of their way to drive a poor little dogie in off the range. They’re that hard hearted.”
“Correct,” agreed Rope. “You ain’t missin’ them none there.”
Ferguson smiled, urging his pony about. “I’m figgerin’ on gettin’ back to the Two Diamond,” he said. He rode a few feet and then halted, looking back over his shoulder. “You ain’t givin’ Tucson no chancst to say you drawed first?” he warned.
Rope laughed grimly. “If there’s any shootin’ goin’ on,” he replied, “Tucson ain’t goin’ to say nothin’ after it’s over.”
“Well, so-long,” said Ferguson, urging his pony forward. He heard Rope’s answer, and then rode on, deeply concerned over his discovery.
Leviatt and Tucson had ridden up the river the day before. They had returned empty handed. And so another link had been added to the chain of mystery. Where was the dogie?
CHAPTER XI
A TOUCH OF LOCAL COLOR
A few months before her first meeting with Ferguson, Mary Radford had come West with the avowed purpose of “absorbing enough local color for a Western novel.” Friends in the East had encouraged her; an uncle (her only remaining relative, beside her brother) had assisted her. So she had come.
The Charles Alden Seltzer Megapack Page 181