CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jamie was tucked comfortably between his sister and the big, newbrother, and as they drove swiftly along the smooth prairie road behindthe high-headed trotters, the boy forgot his shyness in constant wonder.
"This is a prairie-dog town," explained Traynor to the child, but Nellwas equally interested. "Those holes are where they live, and when arain is coming they all get busy heaping up the earth to prevent watergoing down into their homes and drowning them out. They are good weatherprophets."
"Oh, look! It's sitting up!" cried the child in delight, pointing at atiny brown-furred animal squatted on its hind legs and barking shrilly.
"Watch him when we get nearer," suggested Traynor. "See, they arestationed at regular intervals, just like soldiers. They are thesentinels who warn the others of approaching enemies." The prairie-dognearest the carriage, gave a final bark of defiance, wiggled its shorttail and dodged into the hole. The next nearest dog then took up thewarning bark.
"What bright little things they are!" Nell smiled at the yapping littleanimal that shouted pigmy challenge twenty feet distant.
"If they had long tails," Jamie hastened to say, "they'd be like thesquirrels we used to feed in the Park."
"We'll get Limber to trap one for you," promised Traynor. "You won'thave to keep it in a cage after it knows you, for it will dig a holeclose to the house and never leave."
Jamie's shining eyes met Nell's and he gave an ecstatic sigh as hesettled against her shoulder. But in an instant he was alert, watching acotton-tail rabbit dash across the road. It halted by a mesquite bush.
"Maybe I can catch it." Traynor handed the reins to his wife and steppedcautiously until he reached down and picked the cowering creature by itsears. Jamie uttered a cry of delight as his hands closed gently over therabbit.
"Once in a while you can do that," commented the man as he took thereins again. "The Apaches often catch them that way, but I'd hate tohave my dinner depend on the success of getting a rabbit by thismethod."
The child was holding the quivering captive against his cheek. Its eyeswere bright with terror, and when Jamie looked up at Traynor, his eyesheld something of the same bright, frightened appeal. "Won't you pleaselet it go home now? I'm afraid it will be lonesome tonight, like I usedto be when Nell was away working all day in New York."
Traynor lifted the tiny prisoner and let it slip to the ground. Theylaughed together as it scurried and leaped across the prairie until itwas lost to sight.
"He knew the right way home," said Jamie, clapping his hands, "and ithas gone to tell its little boys and girls about the giants that caughtit and how it got away. They will be awful glad to see him come home,won't they?" Nell nodded, and the boy went on, "Sometimes I used tothink maybe a giant would catch Nell so she couldn't come home to mewhen it got dark, and it made my throat hurt. But you always did come,"he finished with a smile at his sister, who thus learned for the firsttime of his childish fear.
Her arm went about him suddenly and she held him close as she answered,"And the giants didn't catch me, you see. Instead, you and I ran away toa wonderful, new country, where the Prince came and found us, and now heis taking us home to live with him."
"And we won't have to go back again, ever, will we Nell?" he asked insudden anxiety.
"No, dear," she answered. "It's going to be just like the story books.Don't you remember? 'And they all lived happily for ever afterward!'"
The child leaned back with a contented sigh, and his closed eyes did notsee the look that passed between Nell and Traynor. The horses had sloweddown to a walk and Traynor's right hand held the reins loosely, but hisleft hand closed over the girl's ungloved one with its new golden bandon the slender finger. He smiled at her, and then her eyes filled withquick tears, as he leaned over to kiss her tenderly.
"Tears, Nell?"
"Tears of happiness," she answered tremulously. "The tears that comewhen one's heart is too happy for laughter."
Nell had a distinct recollection of her first view of the ranch when shehad seen it from the stage coach, but the thought now that this was herhome and Allan's lent a different interest to the little village ofcream-coloured buildings with red roofs, surrounded by cottonwood andwillow trees. Here and there poked windmills that supplied the troughsand ponds with water. That other ride had been filled with anxiousuncertainty as to what lay before her, but now, the whole world was awonderful dream of happiness and love. This was her home.
The carriage entered the big driveway into the main stable, where themen and Fong were waiting to meet them. A pack of greyhounds lying onthe floor, leaped and began to yelp in excitement. From the box-stallssleek heads of handsome horses peered curiously, then they whinnied awelcome home to the team that pawed the floor impatiently.
Nell scarcely had time to note it all when Doctor Powell came from thecourt-yard of the house and helped her from the carriage.
"I got back yesterday," he said, after they had all exchanged words ofwelcome. His eyes rested on Jamie, "Well, I believe Arizona is fatteningyou up already," he exclaimed, taking the child's hand in his own. "Youand I must be chums, Jamie, for we're both tenderfeet, and have lots tolearn. Limber picked out a fine little pony for you to ride, and I founda saddle in Tucson that is just your size. We'll both learn to becowboys, now. Won't that be fine?"
The child's smile told that Powell had won a loyal follower. Thedoctor's love for children was a magnet that drew them to him at once.Now he looked down at the child, measuring the battle to be fought, andknew the victory would not be easily won, for the child's vitality hadbeen deeply sapped.
Nell paused in the court-yard. It was eighty feet square, with deepporches on all four sides. Triangular flowerbeds were in each corner,and over a pergola climbing roses in full bloom mingled with honeysuckleand flowering syringa, which recklessly distilled their combinedfragrance. Even the windmill in the centre of the court was completelyhidden by vines.
She followed her husband into the low-ceilinged living room, and with alittle smile she dropped into the same big chair that had held her insleep when the cowboys discovered her that unforgettable day.
"Come see this view," called Allan, and she went to the long Frenchwindow and stood beside him. "Those mountains are the most wonderfulsermons in the world," he said. "It took me a long time to understandthem. Limber helped me. When I was discouraged, he did not say anything,but just saddled his little pinto pony, Peanut, and my own horse,Chinati, and we rode silently for hours through long, dim trails, untilI found courage and peace. Then we came home again. You and I will ridethose trails together dear. They have known my dark hours, and now Iwant them to share our happiness."
He turned, and with his arm about her waist, led her to a door thatconnected the living-room with an adjoining one.
"I told the boys to slick up this room for you, and you can select yourfurniture from the catalogue. That is how we shop when we live on aranch, you know."
As he threw open the door, the pink roses and red Navajo rugs shriekeddiscordant welcome, and Traynor started in surprise.
"Well!" he exclaimed. "I told them to whitewash it! This certainly is atransformation. I wonder how on earth they managed it? If you don't carefor the paper, Nell, it can be changed. It's a trifle gaudy, I mustconfess."
"It's the sweetest room I ever had!" she answered warmly. "I just loveevery one of those awful pink roses, and I'm going out now to tell themen how I love it!"
She darted from the room and found the men in the main stable. Theylooked at her with evident embarrassment, but she held out her hand,smiling as she cried impulsively, "I want to shake hands with each oneof you, and thank you for taking such trouble to make my room so pretty!It is the nicest room I have ever had in my whole life!"
They took her hand awkwardly in turn, then each waited for one of theothers to answer. Silence gripped them.
Holy finally made a heroic effort and distinguished himself byexploding, "Oh, Hell! That warn't northin'! 'Tweren'
t no troublewhatsomever!"
Unable to control the corners of her mouth, Nell retreated to the house,where she sank on a couch and shook with laughter as she related toAllan the result of her appreciation.
As soon as her skirt had vanished through the court-yard the men turnedwrathfully on Holy.
"Say, Holy," Bronco said fiercely, "what the devil do you suppose shewill think of this outfit with you cussin' at her that way?"
Holy looked abashed and scratched his head, "Damned if I know how I cometo say it! But, if one of you fellers had of said somethin' I wouldn'tgot no chanct to cuss. You all jest made me do it!" He stalked away inoffended dignity, while the other men looked after him.
"Well, what d'ye think of that?" Bronco demanded of Limber and Roarer,who only shook their heads. Holy's logic was too much for them to passupon.
The day's surprises did not end with the elaborate dinner upon whichFong had lavished his best efforts. In the evening, as Nell, Jamie,Traynor and Powell sat in the living-room, Fong entered bearing whatappeared to be a Chinese pagoda of delicate carved ivory.
Beaming, he deposited it upon the center-table, and as they drew near,they saw it was a cake with white icing that loomed almost two feethigh. It was a lace-work Eiffel tower from which swung fairy-likebridges to the outer base, and this foundation was a mass of intricatedesigns in pure white icing. Along the edge of the cake, in rose pinkletters, was written "Mary Crixmas," for Fong's previous attempts insuch lines had been confined to Christmas festivals, and the spelling ofthe words had slipped from his memory through long disuse.
The Chinaman presented a sharp knife to Neil, as he said, "Your clake.You cuttee him."
"It's a shame to cut it," she protested, as she took the knife. Then sheturned to her husband, "I want the men to see it first, and we'll givethem each a piece of it, Allan, if you don't mind."
He hurried out of the room to marshal the boys before him. The cake wasduly admired and Fong's pride satiated. Then the knife did its deadlywork, and the fairy bridges toppled, bit by bit, until the whole outfithad received a generous portion of Fong's masterpiece.
"Hold on," said Traynor. "Fong, you get some glasses, and bring one foryourself, too."
While Fong obeyed the order, Traynor disappeared to return with severalbottles of champagne, which he opened.
Thus they drank to the health and happiness of the Boss of the Diamond Hand his bride, and in those glasses was pledged an unspoken devotionthat would count no sacrifice too great to make for the Boss and thelittle lady.
It was long past midnight before the men settled in their bunks and thelight was turned out. For quite a while nothing disturbed the silence,then Roarer's voice pierced the darkness shrilly, "Say, where did Fongget the flour to make that cake? We all seen them burros eatin' theflour sack, didn't we? An' that's all the flour thar was on the ranch?"
"Shet up!" responded Holy fiercely. "I don't know whar he got it an'what's more I don't care. It was damned good cake, anyhow!"
PART TWO
The Long Dim Trail Page 13