IX: A PARTY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
"Lady-girl's a-going to have a birthday."
The remark issued from the blue tobacco reek that filled the bunk-house.So thick it was the lamp on the table sent forth a feeble golden glimmerthat barely revealed the sketchy outlines of the Three stretched at easeon their _catres_. But the title "Lady-girl," Sliver's especial name forLee, stamped the remark as coming from him.
"That so?" Bull and Jake spoke in chorus. "How'd you know?"
"She asked me to write a piece, t'other day, in her birthday-album, an'looking through it I kem on her day."
"She asked me, too," Jake admitted. "What did you write?"
"'Roses is red, violets is blue; sugar is sweet, an' so air you.'"
"A real nice piece, too," Jake commented upon this classic. "I like itbetter 'n mine." Nevertheless, with the secret pride of your true poet,he gave his own:
Under pressure, Bull also admitted a descent into poetry. "I ked on'ythink of a verse that a girl once wrote in my sister's album when I wasa kid. 'Tain't near as good as yourn.
"My pen is dull, my ink is pale; My love for you will never fail."
"I think it's pretty fine," the others commended the effort.
After a thoughtful pause, consecrated by heavy smoking, Bull asked, "Howold is she, Sliver?"
"Rising twenty, be the date."
"Seems to me we orter raise a little hell in honor of the 'casion--ifit's on'y to keep her from feeling lonesome."
"Little bit close on the funeral," Jake tentatively suggested. "Jestabout three months, ain't it?"
"Yes, for a regular party. My idea was just to tip off the Lovells an'have 'em drop in that day."
"We might shoot things up a bit, too," Sliver began, but Jake cut himoff with utter scorn.
"This ain't no cowman's jamboree. Girls don't like any shooting exceptwhat they do with their own pretty mouths. A cake with candles 'u'd bemy idee."
"'Cake'?" Sliver now returned the scorn. "Kain't you see these Mexicandames baking a real, sure-enough birthday cake made out of raisins an'curran's an' cit-tron peel, an' with spice fixin's to it? An enchiladastuffed with store prunes 'u'd be the best they ked do."
"Oh, I don't know." Bull poured the oil of quiet counsel on the troubledwaters. "What about Mrs. Mills?"
He referred to the widow of an American rancher who, with the aid of heryoung daughter and a few _peones_, had kept their _rancho_ going sinceher husband's death. "If one of us was to ride over to-morrow I'll betyou she'd fix up a cake, if 'twas only a three-layer chocolate. As forcandles, candles an' beer-factories are the main products of Mexico."
Thus was the ball set rolling, not only for the party, but also towardconsequences unforeseen; and it received a second fillip when Bulldelivered his invitation to the Lovells at San Miguel midway of thefollowing afternoon. It chanced that Phoebe's _fiance_, a young miningengineer, had arrived the preceding evening, bringing with him a friend,a smelter man from El Paso. With the enthusiasm of youth they proceededto enlarge upon the plan after Bull rode on.
"It would be a shame to leave out Isabel Icarza," Phyllis warmlydeclared. "She and Lee have always been such good friends."
Accordingly, a _mozo_ delivered an invitation at the _Hacienda del Sol_about the same time that Bull dismounted at the widow's _rancho_.
The widow, a woman of thirty-five or six, whose comeliness indicatedformer real beauty, fell at once for the plan. While Bull was eatingsupper she began on the cake. Having met her but once before, hedeveloped a certain shyness. But if his communications with her borderedon the formal, he yielded himself captive without reserve to Betty, hersmall daughter.
Though nearly thirteen, with the promise of being as pretty in herflaxen whiteness as Lee herself, isolation had conserved, if anything,the girl's childishness. Sitting on a chair opposite Bull, she prattledhappily while they both seeded raisins, questioning him with an artlessdirectness that sometimes proved embarrassing.
Had he a father, mother, sister? Where did they live? What was hisbusiness? Married? Why not? And when he returned the usual answer thatno one would have him she brought him to sudden and utter confusion.
"Oh, I'm so glad! Mother would take you, I'm sure. I'd just love to haveyou for my father. Will you please marry her, then she will never beanxious or fearful again?"
Her mother's merry laugh helped to cool Bull's blushes. "Don't bespecially insulted. She says that to every one." Then, brave little soulthough she was, she lifted a corner of the curtain that veiled anever-present fear. "It's true that I get sometimes terribly anxious.Mexicans are lovely people when they're kept in their place. But sinceDiaz was overthrown they're like a school of naughty children, let loosewithout morality, discipline, or guidance to protect them fromthemselves. Sometimes I think we ought to leave, but if we did the placewould be sacked and burned before we reached the railroad. So I'd rathertake the risk than be a pauper in the United States. But there, I'mungrateful talking this way instead of thanking Providence we've gotalong so well."
"That's the way to look at it, ma'am," Bull encouraged her. While awicked flash shot from under his black brows he added, "If any onebothers you jest send for us."
"Oo-oh, but you looked fierce then!" the child gave a delighted shudder."Do it again." Though a humorous twinkle sterilized the rehearsal, sheconsoled herself with the reflection: "'Tisn't the same. But I'll betyou're muy malo when you fight."
"It's a good thing if he is." From the sink, where she was washingcurrants, her mother surveyed with approval Bull's imposing bulk. "Itwas a great relief when we heard that you and your friends were stayingwith Lee."
Later, when Bull's shyness had somewhat abated, she spoke moreintimately. From Ramon himself she had learned of his expulsion from LosArboles. "Ramon is a nice boy, yet no one could blame Mr. Carleton," shesaid. "Yet what is Lee to do? Before the revolution she could have takenher pick from scores of young Americans, but now they're all gone."Laughing, she finished with a remark which was destined, later, toproduce unexpected results. "I guess we'll have to import her ahusband."
Bull's heavy rumble echoed her laugh. It broke out again when Bettycried out: "While you're at it get one for me. I simply won't marry agreaser."
Because of the unusual proceedings she was allowed to sit up. Caughtyawning while the cake was baking, she fled to Bull's knee, from whichstrategic position she defeated her mother's best efforts to coax her tobed. Whereafter she promptly celebrated her victory by falling asleep.Curled against him in trustful comfort, she slept with her fair headpillowed on his mighty chest till, the cake finished, he carried her tobed. A _catre_ had been moved out for him under the _portales_. Butafter silence and sleep descended on the house he sat for a long time onits edge, softly musing, the warmth of the child's body enwrapping hisheart. Even Jake, whose sharp eyes had detected many an alien expressionon that scarred visage of late, would have wondered at its tenderness.
Betty was still asleep when he mounted to leave next morning, but at thebeat of hoofs she came running, bare feet and legs flying under hernightdress. Stooping, he swung her to the saddle before him. Thepressure of her warm arms around his neck, soft lips on his cheek, put athrill of earnestness into his farewell.
"Remember, ma'am, we'll come whenever you call."
A quarter-mile away he drew rein and looked back. Though smaller thanLos Arboles, the _rancho_ buildings grouped picturesquely in a pocket ofthe foot-hills. The rich purple and crimson blossoms of a bougainvilleavine that almost buried the house made a fine splash of color againstthe golden adobe walls and tawny pastures. Drenched in sunlight, roofedin by fleecy clouds sailing across the deep blue vault above, it seemedthe abode of peace. But not so did Bull see it. It loomed through adread mirage that squirmed with ugly fighting shapes.
Shaking his big head, he spoke aloud. "'Tain't safe for them here,'tain't safe!"
So vivid was that dread feeling, presage of evil, the sweat broke on hisbrow. Into his mind shot a vivid
picture of the miner hanging limplyfrom the _sahuaro_, face turned up to the torrid sun. Around it, as in awhirling nightmare, revolved all of the horrors, outrages, and murdersof three awful years. Turning, he shook his big fist at the northernhorizon in fierce rebuke of the political lethargy and executiveindifference on the other side of the border that had not only made thelong list of outrages possible, but almost set the seal of approval uponit. Anger choked him. With the growl of a furious dog he turned againand rode on.
It may be laid down as a general principle that a woman never forgetsand a man seldom remembers anniversaries. These tendencies are due tothe fact that a woman lives principally in the past and present, a manin the future; while she observes past occasions, he creates new ones.Whether she be looking forward with youthful joy, or looking back withincreasing regret, a woman specializes upon her birthdays. But,accustomed to her father's bad memory, Lee had not expected any one toremember; was accordingly astonished and pleased when, coming tobreakfast that morning, she found the table decorated with trailingvines and a bouquet of wild flowers at her plate that had been picked bySliver.
"Why--" she gave a little gasp. Then her shining glance accused theThree, whose sheepish grins loudly proclaimed their guilt. "How _did_you know? What's this?"
While she was unwrapping the tissue-paper in which Mrs. Mills hadwrapped the cake the Three looked on with eager expectance, and weretreated to a second bath of sunshine. "A _real_ cake! Where _did_ youget it?"
In a country where cakes, if not actually hanging on every tree, may beeither home-grown or plucked from the counter of any pastry cook, herjoy might have seemed exaggerated. But in that alien desert, stripped ofits substance to the bare hot bones by repeated revolutions, theconjunction of a sure-enough cake with a girl's birthday verged on themiraculous. Nor was Lee's pleasure lessened after she heard at whatpains it had been produced.
It was, of course, merely the first of the day's surprises, some ofwhich were purely accidental, as when William Benson rode in at noon. Asa matter of fact, his visit pertained to a defensive alliance againstraiders, but, being warned in time, he straightway credited his visit tothe birthday. A bluff Englishman, almost as big as Bull, hot-temperedand overbearing in manner, he fell with great joviality into the spiritof the occasion; kissed and congratulated Lee with the license of oldfriendship. His big, hearty laugh was resounding in the _patio_ when thesecond irruption of the Lovells and their _fiances_--for Phyllis hadconquered the smelter man in record time--occurred midway of theafternoon. And they were no more than settled under the _portales_before, like some rich, dusky bird, Isabel Icarza came floating underthe arched gateway into Lee's arms.
"But you surely did not come alone?" Though that was exactly what shemight have done herself, Lee looked at her in horror.
"Ah no, querida! Ramon escorted me, and will return to-morrow!"
"You don't mean to say that he has--" Lee stopped, for she had caught,just then, a glimpse of him riding away.
"Your father--you remember--he thought--"
Isabel stopped in her embarrassed explanations for, like a scared whitebird, Lee was flying through the gateway. Grabbing Isabel's horse fromthe _anciano_ who was just about to lead it around to the compound, sheleaped into the saddle and went flying down the trail.
Turning at the sound of hoofs, Ramon waited for her. It was the firsttime they had met since the funeral, and though embarrassment would havebeen quite natural, Lee's frank greeting put him at once at his ease.
"You were going away--on my saint's day?"
"It was out of respect for--"
She cut off his apology. "Yes, yes, but father was angry and unjust thatday. He would have acknowledged it himself, had he lived. You must comeback, at once, with me."
Not knowing the cause of her sudden flight, Bull had followed to thegateway. As he stood there watching the two returning, Benson's voicebroke at his shoulder.
"That's the hell of raising a girl in this country. I spoke often toCarleton about it, but he was a lonely man and couldn't bear to have heraway. I suppose that he felt she was perfectly safe with him."
Knowing him for Lee's sincere friend, Bull did not scruple to hand onthe information he had gained from Mrs. Mills. Benson received it with alow, shocked whistle.
"And the poor man had to meet death with that on his mind? She hasn'tseen Ramon since the funeral, you say? That speaks well for him. Hetried to go, just now, too. He's not half bad. But when it's a questionof marrying Lee, no Mexican need apply. But come on back in. She'll pickout in a second that we're talking about them."
During the lively chatter that whiled away the afternoon; at supper whenthe cake appeared in a glory of radiant candles; while the young folkslaughed and chatted thereafter under the lighted _portales_, the twostealthily watched Lee and Ramon. Sliver and Jake having retired early,Bull and Benson engaged in an interminable game of poker which left themfree to discuss the proposed defensive alliance without neglecting theirwatch.
Before night fell the girls had distributed candles here and there amongthe foliage which now transmuted their waxen gleam into a greenishincandescence. Behind the creeper that fell in a cascade from the roof,the lamplit _portales_ gleamed in half-circles of gold. The massedcluster of a bougainvillea dripped clotted blood down the facade of thegate arch. As the girls moved under the golden arches opposite, theirwhite dresses might easily have been the fluttering wings of gianttropical moths, and, noting it, Benson paused in filling his hand.
"It's like a beautiful stage setting."
Bull's nod took in the bright faces, soft laughter, happy chatter. Witha slow, indulgent smile he musingly watched the secret glances betweenthe two pairs of lovers; artless subterfuges by which the girls achievedsmall personal contacts.
"Don't take much to make 'em happy, does it? A little laughter an' alittle song; plenty of chatter an' some pretty clothes; a baby to loveand a man to boss; 'tain't much, but Lordy, how many of 'em don't getit. If men 'u'd on'y keep on admiring in their wives the things theyliked in their sweethearts, the divorce courts 'u'd go out of business.If I had a daughter, I'd marry her to a boot-black that understood thenature of women ahead of a merchant prince; for a man that says to hiswife at breakfast, 'Why, how pretty you look this morning!' is a-goingto get a reward that can't be bought with a million."
Just then Phoebe Lovell's clear voice floated across the _patio_. "Whata lovely night! Let's go for a walk."
"All right. Wait till I get a shawl."
As the others moved off, Lee ran back into her room. They had passedthrough the gateway when she came out again, except Ramon, who took theshawl and threw it over her shoulders. For a few moments they stoodtalking under the lamplit _portal_, and, though the conversation wasquite ordinary, the glow in his big dark eyes was sufficientlyrevealing. As Lee's back was turned toward them, her face told nothing.But just before they moved off she reached up and straightened the lapelof Ramon's coat.
Bull frowned. "D'you really think she's in love?"
Benson shrugged. "When a girl fusses with a young man's clothes shedoesn't hate him."
Bull broke a second frowning pause. "You've knowed her almost all herlife. Kedn't you put in a word?"
The Englishman made a wry face. "I did, about six months ago, when Ifirst noticed this thing starting. But never again!" He laughed, alittle self-consciously. "I never had any one sauce me so in all mylife. Told me that it was none of my damn business; to go home and bossmy poor wife. Said that she preferred Mexicans to English, anyway.Phe-e-ew! I never think of it, even now, without aching to spank her.No, counsel wouldn't help her."
"But she simply kain't be allowed to go ahead an' marry him." Bull'scoal eyes flashed with the old wicked gleam. "Before that I'd--lay forhim an' shoot him."
Benson regarded him dryly. "Your plan has the advantage of finality,but--it would lead to reprisals. Old Icarza stands well with Valles. Ifanything happened to his beloved son we'd be wiped out so completelythere'd be no one left to
mourn us. But why worry? We don't know forsure whether she even loves him. Give me two cards. I raise you threeblues."
For two hours thereafter the two played and talked, arranging a code ofsmoke signals by day, beacons by night, to warn the _haciendas_. Butunder it Bull's thought still revolved around Lee and her problem. Theparty had returned from the walk, and Lee was shooing all her guests offto bed before his brow cleared and he uttered a low chuckle.
"What's the matter?" Benson looked up in surprise.
"Oh, jest something I was thinking of. I raise you two reds."
Not until Jake woke up when Bull entered the bunkhouse did his secretthought find expression. "Sure I noticed it," he answered Jake's remarkconcerning Lee's "likin' for that Mexican." "But leave it to me."
"What d'you allow to do?"
This time Bull laughed outright. "Mrs. Mills was saying, t'other day,that we'd have to import a rival. 'Tain't sech a bad idea."
"What d'you reckon to do--put an ad in the paper 'Wanted, a husband'?"
"Never you mind," Bull quietly replied to the cynical comment. "I'mgoing, to-morrow, up to El Paso."
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