The Short Cut

by Jackson Gregory

  CHAPTER XIX

  SHANDON TAKES HIS STAND

  Dart had been quite right concerning the actions of Garth Conway. Ithardly required a clairvoyant mother for any man who knew both Conwayand Wayne Shandon to predict the haste with which Conway saddled andleft the Bar L-M, nor the direction he went.

  "Old Mart's going to sleep restless to-night," mused Dart, to whom theadventures of a guy named Jupiter, and a skirt who shall be nameless,no longer appealed. "Them haymakers don't know enough to walk crookedand cover their tracks the same time. Now with Red on the war path,and me shaping his play right along--"

  He grew deeply thoughtful over the delightful possibilities unfoldingto his highly coloured imagination. There was going to be somethingdoing now that would put an edge to this dull life. With what wasequivalent to a lining up of forces and an open declaration ofhostilities, with Red on the one hand pitted against the trio whom Dartcalled the Haymakers, with a murder mystery to untangle, a robbery tosolve, and--not to be forgotten--Little Saxon guarded through thewinter months so that a winning horserace could be run in the spring,Mr. Dart looked forward happily to a very busy time. Then there wasthe Dry Valley irrigation scheme of which his limited knowledge must beenlarged immediately, in order that he might "scrape up a few beans andget them down while the game was wide open." And there was HelgaStrawn.

  "I wouldn't have missed this here," said Mr. Dart solemnly, nodding hishead at a picture in his book of a lady without arms or superfluousclothing, "not for the boodle of a U. S. senator."

  He went to the bunk house door in time to see Garth riding out of thecorral, his horse floundering awkwardly in the drifts that weresteadily piling higher. Dart spat contemptuously.

  "A measly little cur," he declared softly. "Crooked just because heain't got the guts to go straight. Them's the worst kind. They getscared stiff and shoot you when you come in late, thinking you're asecond-story artist, and then they're sorry. Chances are he'srepenting right now and wishing he was dead and by morning he'll bedoing the knife act some more."

  While Dart meditated, planned and philosophised, Wayne Shandon prepareda quick meal for Helga Strawn.

  "I know you're done up already," he said, "but it can't be helped.You've got to get back to the Echo Creek to-night, if for no otherreason because it may be the last chance you'll have to get out at all."

  "You mean the snow?"

  "Yes. A horse can carry you through to-night; to-morrow, if this keepsup, the poor brute would have his work cut out to get through alone.If you'll help yourself and see that your clothes are good and dry I'llgo out and get the horses ready."

  "Horses? You are going with me?"

  "No," he said emphatically. "I haven't been going to Mr. Leland's homefor a long time. After what I have learned to-night I suppose thatI'll never go there again. I am going to send Dart with you."

  "What have you learned?" she asked quickly. "You mean what I have toldyou?"

  "No. It is something which I am afraid I can't talk about just yet,Miss Strawn. Now, if you will excuse me a minute?"

  He went down to the stable, saw that both Helga's horse and Old Botshad a feeding of barley, and fed his own saddle animal.

  "I'll have to fight my way out on webs tomorrow," he mused. "I canlead you until we get across the ridge where the snow will be lighter."

  Then he went to Dart in the bunk house.

  "Dart," he called abruptly, "you'd better come up to the house and getsomething to eat. Then you've got to get ready to ride."

  "Ride?" demanded Dart, a little anxiously. "You mean me and Old Botsand the chariot?"

  "You can't make it," Shandon told him positively. "I don't know howyou managed to get back from the Echo Creek with the cart. You'll haveto go on horseback now, whether you like it or not."

  "Where am I going, Chief?"

  "To the Leland's. Miss Hazleton is going back and I want you to gowith her. You'd have to go in the morning anyway and it will be easierif you go right away. And I want you to do something for me."

  "Love's little messenger again?" grinned Dart. "Gee, Red, I'm turninginto a regular carrier pigeon."

  "I am going to write a short note to Miss Leland," Shandon went onquietly. "I want you to give it to her to-night. And I don't wantanybody to see you do it. Will you do that for me?"

  "Did I ever turn a pal down?" reproachfully. "But, say, Red; I'm justhealed up good from my ride in here last summer. Can't I walk?"

  Shandon laughed and the two men hurried together back to the house.Helga, who was still eating, looked up at them with frank curiosity asthey came in. Her eyes rested longest upon Dart; her contempt for himhad passed or else she had resolved to hide it and appear friendly.Through the brief meal he strove constantly to be entertaining, and hislittle sallies which had formerly elicited nothing beyond her silentcontempt now provoked her ready laughter.

  "It ain't a little jolt of brandy that made the difference, either,"Dart informed himself thoughtfully in the midst of an enthusiasticrecital of the gallant way in which his pal, Red, had saved him from ahorrible death in some wonderful land whose geographical location hefailed to make perfectly clear. "She's wise I'm the gent with a noodlefull of things she's dying to know. Red ain't told her what I toldhim. We're sure going to have an awful chummy time on our jingle bellparty back to old Mart's."

  And he went on with his tale until Wayne returning from the kitchenstopped him.

  Shandon had written his note and gave it to Dart as the two men wentout to saddle the horses. Ten minutes later Helga Strawn and her guideleft the Bar L-M. During the long ride, although Dart seemed the mostingenuous of creatures, Helga Strawn obtained no satisfactory report ofthe news which he had brought and which had so obviously steeledShandon's will.

  An hour before they came to the Echo Creek the snow ceased abruptly andit began to rain.

  When at last they reached the ranch house the girl was clinging wearilyto the horn of her saddle, drenched to the skin, her face pinched andwhite and drawn from cold and the hardest day's physical work herwoman's body had ever buffeted through. When Dart glanced at her inthe lamplight of the living room he filed a swift mental note of thefact that what Helga Strawn set out to do she was very likely toaccomplish. For her eyes, their brilliancy undimmed, their calculatingpenetration unaltered, told of a fighting spirit which no bodilyfatigue could touch.

  There had been only two lights burning in the house; one in Martin'sprivate room from which came the voices of Garth Conway and Lelandhimself; one in Wanda's bedroom. But at Dart's knock both Wanda andher mother hastened to receive them, replenished the fireplace until itroared lustily in its deep throat, found warm, dry clothing and hotdrinks, and made them comfortable for the night. If Wanda were "sore"as Dart had expressed it, she did not in any way give evidence of it.

  "Them ginneys that go chasing off to climb the North Pole," was Dart'scheery comment as he reappeared from a brief absence in the kitchen,"ain't going to find me choking up the trail in front of 'em. Thishere is good enough for me."

  In the kitchen he had changed his own outer, soaked clothing for a suitof Martin's which Mrs. Leland had given him, and now the general effectof his appearance was that of a very small boy in a very large hat.But he had not forgotten to transfer Wayne's note with the transfer ofgarments. And when Wanda left the room presently for the sandwich Darthad requested he followed her, his coat and trousers seeming to flowabout him and after him with a will of their own.

  "Love and kisses from Red," he whispered, handing her the note.

  And be it said to the credit of Mr. Willie Dart that, although he hadbeen perfectly aware that there was a steaming kettle of water on thekitchen stove, his haste had been so great to deliver the message thathe had not taken time to avail himself of the opportunity.

  That night Wanda went quietly about her preparation for to-morrow. Herskis, gathering dust in the attic, were brought down, cleaned and giventhe thin coat of shellac
which, drying by morning, would put them inshape. A glance outdoors showed her that it had stopped raining andwas clear and cold. There would be a good crust formed during thenight. Shandon's note, which she read more than once, ran:--

  "Dear Wanda--Will you try to meet me at your cliff to-morrow? I havesomething which I must tell you.

  "WAYNE."

  All night, waking or sleeping, Wanda was restless and worried. She hadguessed swiftly that the thing Wayne was going to tell her hadsomething to do with Helga Strawn; it might also have something to dowith Garth and Martin Leland. Garth had been strangely agitated whenhe burst into the house. Then he and her father were closeted for along time in the study, their voices at times raised in what soundedlike anger, at times lowered almost to whispers. She knew that Martinhad gone out to the men's quarters, that Jim had saddled his horse andridden away upon some errand which must have been born of Garth'scoming. She felt that it all was in some way connected with WayneShandon and she was a little afraid.

  In the morning, as Wanda made her early breakfast alone, a glanceoutside at the white world showed her that where there had been jaggedrocks and logs strewn upon the hillsides, now there were only smoothmounds. Tree stumps and fences, their identity already lost, werehooded things that in another two days would be completely covered andhidden.

  The girl buckled her arctics upon her warmly stockinged feet, drew herhood down over her ears, strapped on her skis and slipped on hermittens before she left the kitchen. From the back door which insummer was three feet above ground she pushed her way out upon thelevel snow. Then, through a white world of silence she moved quietlythrough the clear, crisp morning.

  She arrived early at the cliffs, but already Shandon, although he hadtravelled further, was before her. For the last quarter of a mile shehad travelled in the deeper tracks, which his broader skis and heavierweight had made. Already he had gone ahead of her up the great cedar,as she saw by the branches from which he had scraped the snow. Andwhen she came to the top and peeped into the cave she saw him pilingwood upon the fire he had blazing to welcome her.

  "God bless you," he said tenderly. "You came."

  "Of course I came," she answered. "Now tell me, Wayne. What is it?"

  First he made her draw off her sweater and arctics and take the stoolhe placed at the fire for her.

  "Wanda," he began, at last, "I've got something to tell you that'sgoing to be hard telling. I have hoped all along that things wouldsmooth themselves out for us, that in due time your father would cometo see that neither he nor any other man has the right to stand in theway of our happiness. But now, dear, there is no hope of that.Matters are bad enough now, God knows. And they are going to getworse. Do you love me very much, Wanda?"

  "You know that I do," she answered simply.

  "So much that you could cleave to me through everything? Even when theunpleasantness which already exists between your father and me growsinto positive, hard, open opposition? On my part as well as his?"

  "Is it so bad as that, Wayne?" she asked, her eyes darkening a little.

  "Yes," he answered bitterly. "It is worse than you know. You willfind it as hard to believe as I found it."

  "Tell me." She looked up at him bravely enough, but he knew how thisthing hurt her, and how it was going to hurt her when he toldeverything. Hastily, to have it over with, he repeated Dart's storyand told of the quarrel with Garth.

  "I believe," he said slowly, "that Dart told me the truth throughout.I don't know how he found it out, but in part I know he was right.Arthur mortgaged the Bar L-M to your father for twenty-five thousanddollars. You know how I went away then, how I authorised Garth to actfor me just as though he were the actual owner of the property. Dartsays that three months ago the mortgage was foreclosed. That was justbefore I came home. I heard nothing of it. He swears that he saw thesheriff's certificate of sale to your father. In California law duenotice must be served upon a man whose property is threatened with saleto satisfy the holder of the mortgage. From the date of that saleuntil a year later the original owner has what is termed a year ofredemption during which, at any time, upon his paying the amount of themortgage and all costs, he may regain his property. Do you follow me,Wanda?"

  "Yes. Go on, Wayne."

  "Had I not been away, had I not furthermore given to Garth my power ofattorney, that first service of notice of foreclosure would have cometo me. It came to Garth instead; it had to come to him. By his simplyignoring the matter, failing to appear in court or to be represented bya lawyer when the matter was called, he allowed the Bar L-M to be soldto pay the promissory note of twenty-five thousand given by Arthur toyour father. Your father bought in the property himself. It is nowhis and not mine; it would become absolutely his, with clear title, ifI should allow this year of redemption to pass without paying off thetwenty-five thousand and costs. And that is certainly what would havehappened if I had not learned of the whole wretched deal, through Dart,last night."

  For a long time she did not answer. Even Wayne Shandon, who thoughtthat he knew how the girl loved and venerated her father, could notguess how deeply this thing cut her. Presently, steadying her voice,she said:

  "You are absolutely sure of this, Wayne?"

  "No. Not in every detail. But in enough to make me more than ready tobelieve it, Wanda. Garth himself admitted the mortgage, and confessedthat he had known of it all along from the day it was made, and said heknew that your father held it. Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't Mr.Leland tell me? Why have they gone on with their plan of irrigationwithout making me an offer for the water right without which theirwhole plan falls to pieces?"

  "There is only one thing to do, Wayne. You must come back with me. Wemust go straight to papa and ask him."

  "Wanda," he answered gently, "I have fought this out all night. I hopethat never in our lives will there come a time when you ask me to do athing that I cannot do. Will you try to see this from my point ofview? My first thought was to go to your father and to ask him for anexplanation, just as it is your first thought. But what good could itdo? In a few days now I shall go to the court house in El Toyon. Ifthere was a mortgage, as Dart swears and Garth himself admits, it willbe on record there. If notice of foreclosure were properly served, andforeclosure were then made in default of my appearance, or becauseGarth did not go or send a representative, if the sheriff's certificateof sale was made, the whole transaction will have been placed onrecord. _If_ all of this is true, Wanda, and I am very much afraidthat it is, then, girl of mine, is there any reason in the world why Ishould go to Martin Leland with it?" His voice had hardened, andthough he did not know it, Wanda had noticed the change in tone."Can't you see," he went on deliberately, "that after the way I havebeen treated I have the right to expect your father to come to me ifthere is any explaining to do?"

  "I can't believe it," she said faintly, though belief was alreadystrong within her. "Why should my father do a thing like that? Do youknow, Wayne, that you are accusing him of a very ugly thing?"

  "Yes," he said, his tone suddenly gentle again. "I am sorry for you,Wanda. But can't you see that if this is true there is only one thingin the world for me to do?"

  "But," and the question uppermost in her mind demanded repetition, "whyshould my father so soil his hands."

  "Aren't there many reasons? If he really believes that I killedArthur, if for lack of evidence or for some other reason he feels thatthe law cannot touch me, wouldn't he come to tell himself--"

  "Oh," she cried impetuously, "that would be mean and cowardly! For himto tell himself that robbing you would be justifiable because he waspunishing a man he deemed guilty! It would be braver, more like a man,to do it for the hot reason of hatred."

  After the silence with which Wayne answered her it was Wanda who againspoke.

  "Wayne," she asked quietly, "is this all you have to tell me?"

  "No. I want you to understand what I am going to do, what I must do,if this
is all true. It is what they have driven me to do, unless Iprove myself to be what your father thinks me, a weak willed, worthlessdo-nothing. You don't want me to be that, Wanda?"

  "No," she replied thoughtfully. "I want you to be a man."

  "Then," he cried sharply, "there is man's work cut out for me! I havetwenty-five thousand dollars and more to raise in a very short time. Ihave my reply to make to men who have used me as a fool! I have thewater that the Dry Valley needs. I can go on with the thing which theyhave tried to do, I can whip them at their own game, playing mine openwith the cards on the table. I can refuse to be the toad under thestone; I can make my fight to have my rights. Against opposition thathas been underhanded I can offer opposition that is a man's answer to achallenge. It is they, not I, who began the trouble. Had MartinLeland come to me and asked for a water right, I should have given itto him freely as you know. Why, the woman who came to you last night--"

  "Miss Hazleton?" she said very quietly, though the girl's heart wasbeating hard as she waited for his answer.

  "Helga Strawn," he answered bluntly. "Hume's cousin."

  Her smile, a little wistful but with a quick flash of gladness,surprised him. And he did not understand when she rose swiftly andcame to him and put her arms round his neck.

  "I am afraid that I have been naughty, Wayne," she whispered. "No,I'll tell you some other time. Tell me about her."

  He told her Helga's vague plan, showed her the chance for him withEttinger, Norfolk and the stragglers lined up with him.

  "I love you, Wanda," he said suddenly at the end. "So much that whatyou want done is the thing that I must do. But you must see veryclearly that the time has come when I must play the man's part or theweakling's."

  "First you are going to be very sure? Sure that papa has done this?"

  "Yes, dear."

  "Then," she said, lifting her face to his, her eyes shining, "if youfind it true I want you to do the man's part, Wayne. You knew that Iwould, didn't you, Wayne?"

  "Yes," he whispered. "God bless you, yes."

  "And, Wayne, dear--"

  "Yes?"

  "Do you think that Helga Strawn is very beautiful?"

  Whereupon he laughed happily at her, and despite the cloud in their skywhich had grown suddenly bigger and blacker so that the shadow of itlay across their lives, they were very gay together.