CHAPTER V
ON THE FLAT
As Mayor Maloney had said, every rancher and nester within forty milesof Wolf River had driven into town for the celebration. Farm wagons,spring wagons, and automobiles were drawn wheel to wheel upon bothsides of the flat. From the vehicles women and children in holidayattire applauded the feats of the cowboys with cheers and the waving ofhandkerchiefs, while the men stood about in groups and watched withapparent indifference as they talked of fences and flumes.
From the top of the lumber piles, and the long low roof of the woolwarehouse, the train passengers entered into the spirit of the fungasping in horror at some seemingly miraculous escape from deathbeneath the pounding hoofs of the cow-horses, only to cheer themselveshoarse when they saw that the apparent misadventure had been purposelystaged for their benefit.
Races were won by noses. Hats, handkerchiefs, and even coins weresnatched from the ground by riders who hung head and shoulder belowtheir horses' bellies. Mounts were exchanged at full gallop. Playingcards were pierced by the bullets of riders who dashed past them atfull speed. And men emptied their guns in the space of seconds withoutmissing a shot.
In each event the gaudily caparisoned Jack Purdy was at the fore,either winning or crowding the winner to his supremest effort. And itwas Purdy who furnished the real thrill of the shooting tournamentwhen, with a six-shooter in each hand, he jumped an empty tomato caninto the air at fifteen paces by sending a bullet into the groundbeneath its base and pierced it with a bullet from each gun before itreturned to earth.
A half-dozen times he managed to slip over for a few words with AliceMarcum--a bit of explanation of a coming event, or a comment upon thefine points of a completed one, until unconsciously the girl's interestcentred upon the dashing figure to an extent that she found herselffollowing his every movement, straining forward when his supremacy hungin the balance, keenly disappointed when another wrested the honoursfrom him, and jubilantly exultant at his victories. So engrossed wasshe in fallowing the fortunes of her knight that she failed to noticethe growing disapproval of Endicott, who sat frowning and silent by herside. Failed, also, to notice that as Purdy's attentions waxed moreobvious she herself became the object of many a glance, and lip to earobservation from the occupants of the close-drawn vehicles.
It was while Mayor Maloney was announcing the roping contest andexplaining that the man who "roped, throw'd, an' hog-tied" his steer inthe least number of seconds, would be the winner, that the girl'sthoughts turned to the cowpuncher who earlier in the day had soskilfully demonstrated his ability with the lariat.
In vain her eyes sought the faces of the cowboys. She turned to Purdywho had edged his horse close beside the lumber pile.
"Where is your friend--the one who raced with you for my handkerchief?"she asked. "I haven't seen him since you both rode up in that firstwild rush. He hasn't been in any of the contests."
"No, mom," answered the cowpuncher, in tones of well-simulated regret;"he's--he's prob'ly over to some saloon. He's a good man some ways,Tex is. But he can't keep off the booze."
Kicking his feet from the stirrups the man stood upright in his saddleand peered over the top of an intervening pile of lumber. "Yes, Ithought so. His horse is over in front of the Headquarters. Him an'Cinnabar Joe's prob'ly holdin' a booze histin' contest of their own."Slipping easily into his seat, he unfastened the rope from his saddle,and began slowly to uncoil it.
"All ready!" called the Mayor. "_Go git him_!"
A huge black steer dashed out into the open with a cowboy in fullpursuit, his loop swinging slowly above his head. Down the middle ofthe flat they tore, the loop whirling faster as the horseman gained onhis quarry. Suddenly the rope shot out, a cloud of white dust roseinto the air as the cow-horse stopped in his tracks, a moment ofsuspense, and the black steer dashed frantically about seeking anavenue of escape while in his wake trailed the rope like a long thinsnake with its fangs fastened upon the frantic brute's neck. A roar oflaughter went up from the crowd and Purdy turned to the girl. "Made abad throw an' got him around the neck," he explained. "When you git'em that way you got to turn 'em loose or they'll drag you all over theflat. A nine-hundred-pound horse hain't got no show ag'in afifteen-hundred-pound steer with the rope on his neck. An' even if thehorse would hold, the cinch wouldn't, so _he's_ out of it."
The black steer was rounded up and chased from the arena, and once moreMayor Maloney, watch in hand, cried "_Go git him_!"
Another steer dashed out and another cowboy with whirling loopthundered after him. The rope fell across the animal's shoulders andthe loop swung under. The horse stopped, and the steer, his fore legsjerked from under him, fell heavily. To make his rope fast to thesaddle-horn and slip to the ground leaving the horse to fight it outwith the captive, was the work of a moment for the cowboy whoapproached the struggling animal, short rope in hand. Purdy who wasleaning over his saddle-horn, watching the man's every move, gave a cryof relief.
"He's up behind! That'll fix your clock!" Sure enough, the strugglinganimal had succeeded in regaining his hind legs and while the horse,with the cunning of long practice, kept his rope taut, the steerplunged about to such good purpose that precious seconds passed beforethe cowboy succeeded in making his tie-rope fast to a hind foot,jerking it from under the struggling animal, and securing it to theopposite fore foot.
"Three minutes an' forty-three seconds!" announced the Mayor. "Gitready for the next one. . . . _Go git him_!"
This time the feat was accomplished in a little over two minutes andthe successful cowboy was greeted with a round of applause. Severalothers missed their throws or got into difficulty, and Purdy turned tothe girl:
"If I got any luck at all I'd ort to grab off this here contest. Theyhain't be'n no fancy ropin' done yet. If I c'n hind-leg mine theywon't be nothin' to it." He rode swiftly away and a moment later, tothe Mayor's "_Go git him_!" dashed out after a red and white steer thatplunged down the field with head down and tail lashing the air. Purdycrowded his quarry closer than had any of the others and with a swiftsweep of his loop enmeshed the two hind legs of the steer. The nextmoment the animal was down and the cowpuncher had a hind foot fast inthe tie rope, Several seconds passed as the man fought for a forefoot--seconds which to the breathlessly watching girl seemed hours.Suddenly he sprang erect. "One minute an' forty-nine seconds!"announced the Mayor and the crowd cheered wildly.
Upon the lumber pile Alice Marcum ceased her handclapping as her eyesmet those of a cowboy who had ridden up unobserved and sat his horse atalmost the exact spot that had, a few moments before, been occupied byPurdy. She was conscious of a start of surprise. The man sat easilyin his saddle, and his eyes held an amused smile. Once more the girlfound herself resenting the smile that drew down the corner of the thinlips and managed to convey an amused tolerance or contempt on the partof its owner toward everything and everyone that came within its radius.
"If they hain't no one else wants to try their hand," began the Mayor,when the Texan interrupted him:
"Reckon I'll take a shot at it if you've got a steer handy."
"Well, dog my cats! If I hadn't forgot you! Where you be'n at? Ifyou'd of got here on time you'd of stood a show gittin' one of themsteers that's be'n draw'd. You hain't got no show now 'cause theonliest one left is a old long-geared roan renegade that's on theprod----"
Tex yawned: "Jest you tell 'em to run him in, Slim, an' I'll show youhow we-all bust 'em wide open down in Texas."
Three or four cowpunchers started for the corral with a whoop and a fewminutes later the men who had been standing about in groups began toclamber into wagons or seek refuge behind the wheels as the lean roansteer shot out onto the flat bounding this way and that, the veryembodiment of wild-eyed fury. But before he had gone twenty yardsthere was a thunder of hoofs in his wake and a cow-horse, his ridermotionless as a stone image in his saddle, closed up the distance untilhe was running almost against the flank of the frenzied renegade.T
here was no preliminary whirling of rope. The man rode with his eyesfixed on the flying hind hoofs while a thin loop swung from his righthand, extended low and a little back.
Suddenly--so suddenly that the crowd was still wondering why the mandidn't swing his rope, there was a blur of white dust, a brown streakas the cow-horse shot across the forefront of the big steer, the thudof a heavy body on the ground, the glimpse of a man-among the thrashinghoofs, and then a mighty heaving as the huge steer strained against therope that bound his feet, while the cowboy shoved the Stetson to theback of his head and felt for his tobacco and papers.
"Gosh sakes!" yelled Mayor Maloney excitedly as he stared at the watchin his hand. "Fifty-seven seconds! They can't beat that down toCheyenne!"
At the words, a mighty cheer went up from the crowd and everybody wastalking at once. While over beside the big steer the cowboy mountedhis pony and coiling his rope as he rode, joined the group of riderswho lounged in their saddles and grinned their appreciation.
"Ladies an' gents," began the Mayor, "you have jest witnessed a ropin'contest the winner of which is Tex Benton to beat who McLaughlinhimself would have to do his da--doggondest! We will now conclood theafternoon's galaxity of spurious stars, as the circus bills says, witha buckin' contest which unneedless to say will conclood the afternoon'scelebration of the openin' of a institoot that it's a credit to anytown in reference to which I mean the Wolf River Citizen's Bank inwhich we invite to whose vaults a fair share of your patrimony. Whilethe boys is gittin' ready an' drawin' their horses a couple of gentswill pass amongst you an' give out to one an' all, ladies an' gentsalike, an' no favorytes played, a ticket good fer a free drink in anysaloon in Wolf River on the directors of the bank I have endeavoured toexplain about which. After which they'll be a free feed at the _ho_telalso on the directors. Owin' to the amount of folks on hand this herewill be pulled off in relays, ladies furst, as they hain't room fer allto onct, but Hank, here, claims he's got grub enough on hand so allwill git a chanct to shove right out ag'in their belt. An' I might sayright here in doo elegy of our feller townsman that Hank c'n set out asfillin' an' tasty a meal of vittles as anyone ever cocked a lip over,barrin', of course, every married man's wife.
"Draw your horses, boys, an' git a-goin'!"
Alice Marcum's surprise at Tex Benton's remarkable feat, after whatPurdy had told her, was nothing to the surprise and rage of Purdyhimself who had sat like an image throughout the performance. When theMayor began his oration Purdy's eyes flashed rapidly over the crowd andseeing that neither Cinnabar Joe nor the doctor were present, slippedhis horse around the end of the lumber pile and dashed for the doctor'soffice. "That damn Doc'll wisht he hadn't never double-crossed me!" hegrowled, as he swung from the saddle before the horse had come to astop. The office was empty and the man turned to the Headquarterssaloon. Inside were the two men he sought, and he approached them witha snarl.
"What the hell did yeh double-cross me for?" he shouted in a fury.
The doctor pointed to Cinnabar Joe who, still dazed from the effect ofthe drug, leaned upon the table. "I didn't double-cross you. Thewrong man got the dope, that's all."
Cinnabar Joe regarded Purdy dully. "He switched glasses," he mutteredthickly.
A swift look of fear flashed into Purdy's eyes. "How'n hell did heknow we fixed his licker?" he cried, for well he realized that if theTexan had switched glasses he was cognizant of the attempt to dope him.Moistening his lips with his tongue, the cowpuncher turned abruptly onhis heel. "Guess I'll be gittin' back where they's a lot of folksaround," he muttered as he mounted his horse. "I got to try an' figgerout if he knows it was me got Cinnabar to dope his booze. An' if hedoes--" The man's face turned just a shade paler beneath the tan----"I got to lay off this here buckin' contest. I hain't got the guts totackle it."
"Have you drawn your horse?" he had reached the lumber pile and thegirl was smiling down at him. He shook his head dolefully.
"No, mom, I hain't a-goin' to ride. I spraint my shoulder ropin' thatsteer an' I just be'n over to see doc an' he says I should keep offenbad horses fer a spell. It's sure tough luck, too, 'cause I c'd of wonif I c'd of rode. But I s'pose I'd ort to be satisfied, I drug downmost of the other money--all but the ropin', an' I'd of had that if ithadn't of be'n fer Tex Benton's luck. An' he'll win ag'in, chancesis--if his cinch holds. Here he comes now; him an' that breed. Theyhain't never no more'n a rope's len'th apart. Tex must have somethin'on him the way he dogs him around."
The girl followed his glance to the Texan who approached accompanied byBat Lajune and a cowboy who led from the horn of his saddle ablaze-faced bay with a roman nose. As the three drew nearer the girlcould see the mocking smile upon his lips as his eyes rested for amoment on Purdy. "I don't like that man," she said, as though speakingto herself, "and yet----"
"Plenty others don't like him, too," growled Purdy. "I'm glad he'sdraw'd that roman nose, 'cause he's the out-buckin'est outlaw that evergrow'd hair--him an' that pinto, yonder, that's hangin' back on therope."
The Texan drew up directly in front of the lumber pile and ignoringPurdy entirely, raised his Stetson to the girl. The direct cutting ofPurdy had been obviously rude and Alice Marcum felt an increasingdislike for the man. She returned his greeting with a perfunctory nodand instantly felt her face grow hot with anger. The Texan waslaughing at her--was regarding her with an amused smile.
A yell went up from the crowd and out on the flat beyond the Texan, ahorse, head down and back humped like an angry cat, was leaping intothe air and striking the ground stiff-legged in a vain effort to shakethe rider from his back.
"'Bout as lively as a mud turtle. He'll sulk in a minute," laughed theTexan, and true to the prophecy, the horse ceased his efforts and stoodwith legs wide apart and nose to the ground.
"Whoopee!"
"He's a ringtailed woozoo!"
"Thumb him!"
"Scratch him!"
The crowd laughed and advised, and the cowboy thumbed and scratched,but the broncho's only sign of animation was a vicious switching of thetail.
"Next horse!" cried the Mayor, and a horse shot out, leaving the groundbefore the rider was in the saddle. Straight across the flat he buckedwith the cowboy whipping higher and higher in the saddle as he tried invain to catch his right stirrup.
"He's a goner!"
"He's clawin' leather!"
To save himself a fall the rider had grabbed the horn of the saddle,and for him the contest was over.
"Come on, Bat, we'll throw the shell on this old buzzard-head. I'mnumber seven an' there's three down!" called the Texan.
The two swung from the saddles and the roman-nosed outlaw pricked hisears and set against the rope with fore legs braced. The cowboy whohad him in tow took an extra dally around the saddle horn as the Texan,hackamore in hand, felt his way inch by inch along the taut lead-rope.As the man's hand touched his nose the outlaw shuddered and braced backuntil only the whites of his eyes showed. Up came the hand and therawhide hackamore slipped slowly into place.
"He's a-goin' to ride with a hackamore!" cried someone as the Texanbusied himself with the knots. Suddenly the lead-rope slackened andwith a snort of fury the outlaw reared and lashed out with bothforefeet. The Texan stepped swiftly aside and as the horse's feetstruck the ground the loaded end of a rawhide quirt smashed against hisjaw.
Bat Lajune removed the saddle from the Texan's horse and steppedforward with the thick felt pad which Tex, with a hand in thecheek-strap of the hackamore, brushed along the outlaw's sides a fewtimes and then deftly threw over the animal's back. The horse, bracedagainst the rope, stood trembling in every muscle while Bat broughtforward the saddle with the right stirrup-leather and cinch thrown backover the seat. As he was about to hand it to the Texan he stoppedsuddenly and examined the cinch. Then without a word carried it back,unsaddled his own horse, and taking the cinch from his saddle exchangedit for the other.
"Just as easy to switch cinches as it is drinks
, ain't it, Bat?"grinned Tex.
"Ba Goss! Heem look lak' Circle J boun' for be wan man short," repliedthe half-breed, and the girl, upon whom not a word nor a move had beenlost, noticed that Purdy's jaw tightened as the Texan laughed at theapparently irrelevant remark.
The outlaw shuddered as the heavy saddle was thrown upon his back andthe cinch ring deftly caught with a loop of rope and made fast.
Out on the flat number four, on the pinto outlaw, had hit the dirt,number five had ridden through on a dead one, and number six had quithis in mid-air.
"Next horse--number seven!" called the Mayor. The cowboy who had thebroncho in tow headed out on the flat prepared to throw off his dalliesand two others, including Purdy, rode forward quirt in hand, to hazethe hate-blinded outlaw from crashing into the wagons. With his handgripping the cheek-strap, Tex turned and looked straight into Purdy'seyes.
"Go crawl under a wagon an' chaw a bone," he said in a low even voice,"I'll whistle when I want _you_." For an instant the men's glanceslocked, while the onlookers held their breath. Purdy was not aphysical coward. The insult was direct, uttered distinctly, and in thehearing of a crowd. At his hip was the six-gun with which he had justwon a shooting contest--yet he did not draw. The silence was becomingpainful when the man shrugged, and without a word, turned his horseaway. Someone laughed, and the tension broke with a hum of low-voicedconversation.
"Next horse, ready!"
As the crowd drew back Alice Marcum leaned close to Purdy's ear.
"I think it was splendid!" she whispered; "it was the bravest thing Iever saw." The man could scarcely believe his ears.
"Is she kiddin' me?" he wondered, as he forced his glance to the girl'sface. But no, she was in earnest, and in her eyes the man readundisguised admiration. She was speaking again.
"Any one of these," she indicated the crowd with a sweep of her glovedhand, "would have shot him, but it takes a real man to preserve perfectself-control under insult."
The cowpuncher drew a long breath. "Yes; mom," he answered; "it waspretty tough to swaller that. But somehow I kind of--of hated to shoothim." Inwardly he was puzzled. What did the girl mean? He realizedthat she was in earnest and that he had suddenly become a hero in hereyes. Fate was playing strangely into his hands. A glitter of triumphflashed into his eyes, a glitter that faded into a look of wistfulnessas they raised once more to hers.
"Would you go to the dance with me tonight, mom? These others--theydon't git me right. They'll think I didn't dast to shoot it out withhim."
The girl hesitated, and the cowpuncher continued. "The transfertrain's pulled out an' the trussle won't be fixed 'til mornin', youmight's well take in the dance."
Beside her Endicott moved uneasily. "Certainly not!" he exclaimedcurtly as his eyes met Purdy's. And then, to the girl, "If you arebound to attend that performance you can go with me."
"Oh, I can go with you, can I?" asked the girl sweetly. "Well thankyou so much, Winthrop, but really you will have to excuse me. Mr.Purdy asked me first." There was a sudden flash of daring in her eyesas she turned to the cowpuncher. "I shall be very glad to go," shesaid; "will you call for me at the car?"
"I sure will," he answered, and turned his eyes toward the flats. Thiswas to be _his_ night, his last on the Wolf River range, he realizedsavagely. In the morning he must ride very far away. For before theeyes of all Wolf River he had swallowed an insult. And the man knewthat Wolf River knew why he did not shoot.
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