CHAPTER 12. MISTRESS AND MAID
Now that it was safely concluded, Helen thought the adventure almostworthwhile for the spontaneous expressions of good will it had drawnforth from her adherents. Mrs. Winslow and Nora had taken her totheir arms and wept and laughed over her in turn, and in their silentundemonstrative way she had felt herself hedged in by unusual solicitudeon the part of her riders. It was good--none but she knew how good--tobe back among her own, to bask in a friendliness she could not doubt.It was best of all to sit opposite Ned Bannister again with no weight onher heart from the consciousness of his unworthiness.
She could affect to disregard the gray eyes that followed her withsuch magnetized content about the living room, but beneath her coolself-containment she knew the joyous heart in her was strangely buoyant.He loved her, and she had a right to let herself love him. This wasenough for the present.
"They're so plumb glad to see y'u they can't let y'u alone," laughedBannister at the sound of a knock on the door that was about the fifthin as many minutes.
This time it proved to be Nora, come to find out what her mistress wouldlike for supper. Helen turned to the invalid.
"What would you like, Mr. Bannister?"
"I should like a porterhouse with mushrooms," he announced promptly.
"You can't have it. You know what the doctor said." Very peremptorilyshe smiled this at him.
"He's an old granny, Miss Messiter."
"You may have an egg on toast."
"Make it two," he pleaded. "Excitement's just like caviar to theappetite, and seeing y'u safe--"
"Very well--two," she conceded.
They ate supper together in a renewal of the pleasant intimacy sodelightful to both. He lay on the lounge, propped up with sofa cushions,the while he watched her deft fingers butter the toast and prepare hisegg. It was surely worth while to be a convalescent, given so sweet acomrade for a nurse; and after he had moved over to the table he enjoyedimmensely the gay firmness with which she denied him what was not goodfor him.
"I'll bet y'u didn't have supper like this at Robbers' Roost." he toldher, enthusiastically.
"It wasn't so bad, considering everything." She was looking directly athim as she spoke. "Your cousin is rather a remarkable man in some ways.He manages to live on the best that can be got in tin-can land."
"Did he tell y'u he was my cousin?" he asked, slowly.
"Yes, and that his name was Ned Bannister, too?"
"Did that explain anything to y'u?"
"It explained a great deal, but it left some things not clear yet."
"For instance?"
"For one thing, the reason why you should bear the odium of his crimes.I suppose you don't care for him, though I can see how you might in away."
"I don't care for him in the least, though I used to when we wereboys. As to letting myself be blamed for his crimes. I did it becauseI couldn't help myself. We look more or less alike, and he was cunningenough to manufacture evidence against me. We were never seen together,and so very few know that there are two Bannisters. At first I used toprotest, but I gave it up. There wasn't the least use. I could only waitfor him to be captured or killed. In the meantime it didn't make me anymore popular to be a sheepman."
"Weren't you taking a long chance of being killed first? Some one with agrudge against him might have shot you."
"They haven't yet," he smiled.
"You might at least have told me how it was," she reproached.
"I started to tell y'u that first day, but it looked so much of a fairytale to unload that I passed it up."
"Then you ought not to blame me for thinking you what you were not."
"I don't remember blaming y'u. The fact is I thought it awful white ofy'u to do your Christian duty so thorough, me being such a miscreant,"he drawled.
"You gave me no chance to think well of you."
"But yet y'u did your duty from A to Z."
"We're not talking about my duty," she flashed back. "My point is thatyou weren't fair to me. If I thought ill of you how could I help it?"
"I expaict your Kalamazoo conscience is worryin' y'u because y'umisjudged me."
"It isn't," she denied instantly.
"I ain't of a revengeful disposition. I'll forgive y'u for doing yourduty and saving my life twice," he said, with a smile of whimsicalirony.
"I don't want your forgiveness."
"Well, then for thinking me a 'bad man.'"
"You ought to beg my pardon. I was a friend, at least you say I actedlike one--and you didn't care enough to right yourself with me."
"Maybe I cared too much to risk trying it. I knew there would be proofsome time, and I decided to lie under the suspicion until I could getit. I see now that wasn't kind or fair to you. I am sorry I didn't telly'u all about it. May I tell y'u the story now?"
"If you wish."
It was a long story, but the main points can be told in a paragraph. Thegrandfather of the two cousins, General Edward Bannister, had worn theConfederate gray for four years, and had lost an arm in the service ofthe flag with the stars and bars. After the war he returned to hishome in Virginia to find it in ruins, his slaves freed and his fieldsmortgaged. He had pulled himself together for another start, andhad practiced law in the little town where his family had lived forgenerations. Of his two sons, one was a ne'er-do-well. He was one ofthose brilliant fellows of whom much is expected that never develops.He had a taste for low company, married beneath him, and, after a careerthat was a continual mortification and humiliation to his father, waskilled in a drunken brawl under disgraceful circumstances, leavingbehind a son named for the general. The second son of General Bannisteralso died young, but not before he had proved his devotion to his fatherby an exemplary life. He, too, was married and left an only son, alsonamed for the old soldier. The boys were about of an age and were wellmatched in physical and mental equipment. But the general, who had takenthem both to live with him, soon discovered that their characters wereas dissimilar as the poles. One grandson was frank, generous, open asthe light; the other was of a nature almost degenerate. In fact, eachhad inherited the qualities of his father. Tales began to come to theold general's ears that at first he refused to credit. But eventuallyit was made plain to him that one of the boys was a rake of the mostobjectionable type.
There were many stormy scenes between the general and his grandson, butthe boy continued to go from bad to worse. After a peculiarly flagrantcase, involving the character of a respectable young girl, young NedBannister was forbidden his ancestral home. It had been by means of hiscousin that this last iniquity of his had been unearthed, and the boyhad taken it to his grandfather in hot indignation as the last hope ofprotecting the reputation of the injured girl. From that hour the evilhatred of his cousin, always dormant in the heart, flamed into activeheat. The disowned youth swore to be revenged. A short time later thegeneral died, leaving what little property he had entirely to the onegrandson. This stirred again the bitter rage of the other. He set fireto the house that had been willed his cousin, and took a train thatnight for Wyoming. By a strange irony of fate they met again in theWest years later, and the enmity between them was renewed, growing everymonth more bitter on the part of the one who called himself the King ofthe Bighorn Country.
She broke the silence after his story with a gentle "Thank you. I canunderstand why you don't like to tell the story."
"I am very glad of the chance to tell it to you," he answered.
"When you were delirious you sometimes begged some one you called Nednot to break his mother's heart. I thought then you might be speaking toyourself as ill people do. Of course I see now it was your cousin thatwas on your mind."
"When I was out of my head I must have talked a lot of nonsense,"he suggested, in the voice of a question. "I expect I had opinions Iwouldn't have been scattering around so free if I'd known what I wassaying."
He was hardly prepared for the tide of color that swept her cheeks athis words nor for the momentary confus
ion that shuttered the shy eyeswith long lashes cast down.
"Sick folks do talk foolishness, they say," he added, his gaze trainedon her suspiciously.
"Do they?"
"Mrs. Winslow says I did. But when I asked her what it was I said sheonly laughed and told me to ask y'u. Well, I'm askin' now."
She became very busy over the teapot. "You talked about the work at yourranch--sheep dipping and such things."
"Was that all?"
"No, about lots of other things--football and your early life. I don'tsee what Mrs. Winslow meant. Will you have some more tea?"
"No, thank y'u. I have finished. Yes, that ce'tainly seems harmless. Ididn't know but I had been telling secrets." Still his unwavering eyesrested quietly on her.
"Secrets?" She summoned her aplomb to let a question rest lightly inthe face she turned toward him, though she was afraid she met hiseyes hardly long enough for complete innocence "Why, yes, secrets." Hemeasured looks with her deliberately before he changed the subject, andhe knew again the delightful excitement of victory. "Are y'u going toread to me this evening?"
She took his opening so eagerly that he smiled, at which her colormounted again.
"If y'u like. What shall I read?"
"Some more of Barrie's books, if y'u don't mind. When a fellow is weakas a kitten he sorter takes to things that are about kids."
Nora came in and cleared away the supper things. She was just beginningto wash them when McWilliams and Denver dropped into the kitchen bydifferent doors. Each seemed surprised and disappointed at the presenceof the other. Nora gave each of them a smile and a dishcloth.
"Reddy, he's shavin' and Frisco's struggling with a biled shirt--I meanwith a necktie," Denver hastily amended. "They'll be along right soon, Ishouldn't wonder."
"Y'u better go tell the boys Miss Nora don't want her kitchen litteredup with so many of them," suggested his rival.
"Y'u're foreman here. I don't aim to butt into your business, Mac,"grinned back the other, polishing a tea plate with the towel.
"I want to get some table linen over to Lee Ming to-night," said Nora,presently.
"Denver, he'll be glad to take it for y'u, Miss Nora. He's realobliging," offered Mac, generously.
"I've been in the house all day, so I need a walk. I thought perhaps oneof you gentlemen--" Miss Nora looked from one to the other of them withdeep innocence.
"Sure, I'll go along and carry it. Just as Mac says, I'll be realpleased to go," said Denver, hastily.
Mac felt he had been a trifle precipitate in his assumption that Noradid not intend to go herself. Lee Ming had established a laundrysome half mile from the ranch, and the way thereto lay through mostpicturesque shadow and moonlight. The foreman had conscientious scruplesagainst letting Denver escort her down such a veritable lovers' lane ofromantic scenery.
"I don't know as y'u ought to go out in the night air with that cold,Denver. I'd hate a heap to have y'u catch pneumony. It don't seem to meI'd be justified in allowin' y'u to," said the foreman, anxiously.
"You're THAT thoughtful, Mac. But I expect mebbe a little saunter withMiss Nora will do my throat good. We'll walk real slow, so's not to wearout my strength."
"Big, husky fellows like y'u are awful likely to drop off with pneumony.I been thinkin' I got some awful good medicine that would be the rightstuff for y'u. It's in the drawer of my wash-stand. Help yourselfliberal and it will surely do y'u good. Y'u'll find it in a bottle."
"I'll bet it's good medicine, Mac. After we get home I'll drop around.In the washstand, y'u said?"
"I hate to have y'u take such a risk," Mac tried again. "There ain't abit of use in y'u exposing yourself so careless. Y'u take a hot footbathand some of that medicine, Denver, then go right straight to bed, and inthe mo'ning y'u'll be good as new. Honest, y'u won't know yourself."
"Y'u got the best heart, Mac." Nora giggled.
"Since I'm foreman I got to be a mother to y'u boys, ain't I?"
"Y'u're liable to be a grandmother to us if y'u keep on," came back theyoung giant.
"Y'u plumb discourage me, Denver," sighed the foreman.
"No, sir! The way I look at it, a fellow's got to take some risk. Now,y'u cayn't tell some things. I figure I ain't half so likely to catchpneumony as y'u would be to get heart trouble if y'u went walking withMiss Nora," returned Denver.
A perfect gravity sat on both their faces during the progress of most oftheir repartee.
"If your throat's so bad, Mr. Halliday, I'll put a kerosene rag roundit for you when we get back," Nora said, with a sweet little glance ofsympathy that the foreman did not enjoy.
Denver, otherwise "Mr. Halliday," beamed. "Y'u're real kind, ma'am.I'll bet that will help it on the outside much as Mac's medicine willinside."
"What'll y'u do for my heart, ma'am, if it gits bad the way Denverfigures it will?"
"Y'u might try a mustard plaster," she gurgled, with laughter.
For once the debonair foreman's ready tongue had brought him to defeat.He was about to retire from the field temporarily when Nora herselfoffered first aid to the wounded.
"We would like to have you come along with us, Mr. McWilliams. I wantyou to come if you can spare the time."
The soft eyes telegraphed an invitation with such a subtle suggestion ofa private understanding that Mac was instantly encouraged to accept.
He knew, of course, that she was playing them against each other andsitting back to enjoy the result, but he was possessed of the hopecommon to youths in his case that he really was on a better footing withher than the other boys. This opinion, it may be added, was shared byDenver, Frisco and even Reddy as regards themselves. Which is merelyanother way of putting the regrettable fact that this very charmingyoung woman was given to coquetting with the hearts of her admirers.
"Any time y'u get oneasy about that cough y'u go right on home, Denver.Don't stay jest out of politeness. We'll never miss y'u, anyhow," theforeman assured him.
"Thank y'u, Mac. But y'u see I got to stay to keep Miss Nora fromgetting bored."
"Was it a phrenologist strung y'u with the notion y'u was a cure forlonesomeness?"
"Shucks! I don't make no such claims. The only thing is it's a comfortwhen you're bored to have company. Miss Nora, she's so polite. But, y'usee, if I'm along I can take y'u for a walk when y'u get too bad."
They reached the little trail that ran up to Lee Ming's place, andDenver suggested that Mac run in with the bundle so as to save Nora theclimb.
"I'd like to, honest I would. But since y'u thought of it first I won'tsteal the credit of doing Miss Nora a good turn. We'll wait right herefor y'u till y'u come back."
"We'll all go up together," decided Nora, and honors were easy.
In the pleasant moonlight they sauntered back, two of them still engagedin lively badinage, while the third played chorus with appreciativelittle giggles and murmurs of "Oh, Mr. Halliday!" and "You know you'rejust flattering me, Mr. McWilliams."
If they had not been so absorbed in their gay foolishness the two menmight not have walked so innocently into the trap waiting for themat their journey's end. As it was, the first intimation they had ofanything unusual was a stern command to surrender.
"Throw up your hands. Quick, you blank fools!"
A masked man covered them, in each hand a six-shooter, and at hissummons the arms of the cow-punchers went instantly into the air.
Nora gave an involuntary little scream of dismay.
"Y'u don't need to be afraid, lady. Ain't nobody going to hurt you, Ireckon," the masked man growled.
"Sure they won't," Mac reassured her, adding ironically: "Thisgun-play business is just neighborly frolic. Liable to happen any day inWyoming."
A second masked man stepped up. He, too was garnished with an arsenal.
"What's all this talking about?" he demanded sharply.
"We just been having a little conversation seh?" returned McWilliams,gently, his vigilant eyes searching through the disguise of the other"Just been te
lling the lady that your call is in friendly spirit. Noobjections, I suppose?"
The swarthy newcomer, who seemed to be in command, swore sourly.
"Y'u put a knot in your tongue, Mr. Foreman."
"Ce'tainly, if y'u prefer," returned the indomitable McWilliams.
"Shut up or I'll pump lead into you!"
"I'm padlocked, seh."
Nora Darling interrupted the dialogue by quietly fainting. The foremancaught her as she fell.
"See what y'u done, y'u blamed chump!" he snapped.
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