Show CHAPTER C APTER II Continued n I 3 Im grateful to you for your ad ad- advice advice vice sir and Im I'm sure Father will willbe willbe willbe be she said the sting of a small whiplash singing In her voice He lie disregarded her jeer Apparently Apparently he was as oblivious of her an an- annoyance annoyance as he was of the pristine of her vital youth Bullheaded headed was the word you used he went on evenly It suits Lee Chiswick fine When Pender Fender busted into the Golden Nugget yore father was reading the riot act to a dozen scalawags waiting for the signal to cut loose at him Whose signal she asked the blood driven from her face Seemed to be Sherm Howards Howard's say Get me right Im I'm playing my own hand and I dont don't give a cuss whether you smile or snap Ill I'll tell the old man his dear daugh daughter ter to is here and you can feed him any story youve you've a mind to at any time If U he goes back across the road and gets rubbed out it is none of my business She had lorded it over boys with witha a high hand That she could not break brcak through his callousness irritated irritated her Surprisingly she felt young and immature was moved by byan byan byan an impulse to defend herself hersel Im not ashamed of what Ive I've done she said bridling nice Tell him you came cameto cameto to town to buy a paper of pins Youre Impudent Am IV U UHe I He faced her anger with a long r look of at amused scorn s orn then turned away Insolently indifferent The girl wanted to call him back to lash out at him with pelting words that would sUng sting but she was aware that I nothing she could say would pene pene- his impassivity His opinion of her had not been swayed by any personal pique Gray walked back Into the gam gam- bling Sanger had the floor Who did this Curly he asked Curly pushed a hand through his blackhair black hair tell you for sure YelL Half a dozen of us took tooka a n crack at him He rode In asking for trouble and got it Blazed away with his rifle and handed in his checks pronto Maybe you better make yore verdict read commit commit- committed ted suicide while temporarily in in- sane Norris volunteered information slanting a sneer at Chiswick No objections anywhere I reckon We can be bullied just so far No objections from me Sanger agreed Tender Pender came in on my horse Black Diamond so if you want to tomake tomake tomake make the killing more legal you can claim he was a thief horse Curly I suggested humorously I Or self defense Sanger amend amend- amended ed seriously Who cares how legal it was Norris said No four four-flusher can come in here and hurrah me Dan Brand recognized this as a personal challenge flung at his em em- Only a crazy fool would try Morg he answered amiably You don't dont need to be carrying a chip on Morg How Bow Howard Howard Bowe e ard and said with a warning glance If U there is rustling going on we all want to back up Lee Did you say if ir there was any rustling Chiswick inquired harsh irony in his voice Howard laughed without mirth Youre hard to please Chiswick I dont don't pick my words like a pro fessor lessor If youre you're not on the prod as Brand claims you sure have a funny way of being pleasant Did I say I was aiming to be pleasant The cattleman let his hard gaze shift from Norris to How How- Howard ard Someone ran off a bunch of 50 of my cows last night If you expect me to grin and say Help yourselves boys you can have an an- another another other guess uess Im I'm going to fight bull to the When hen a gets to pawing ground he most generally gets ac ac- accommodated accommodated ac- ac accommodated Norris insisted not shifting his narrowed gaze from the owner of the L C. C Shut up Morg Interposed CurI Cur Cur- P I affably Cant expect a man to tott it tt t quiet while he is being stole blind lind Tell you what boys Some r of us will be heading into the hills soon Well We'll keep our eyes skinned Like as not some of ot us will spot this thI bunch of L t C stuff t tA A I 1 wouldn't wonder if some of you I did Chiswick said bluntly The cattleman turned to leave the saloon Gray stopped him with a gesture Just a moment Mr Chiswick What you want the ranchman asked Gray lowered his voice Theres Theresa a young lady over at Sanger's who says she is yore daughter She would like to see sec you right off My daughter What's she doing here Better ask her The red headed man had nothing more to say He turned to the bar and ordered a schooner of beer Chiswick and his foreman walked out of the place Out of the corner of his mouth Mile High said to his chief chiel the guy I was telling you about Howard nodded He observed that Curly was wa sauntering to the bar So was Norris The big haired black man gave an order to the bartender A Curly special Selecting a bottle the man man in the white apron pushed it across the top of the bar Curly poured a drink and tossed it down his throat Hot enough to melt the tallow Y r Jl u ui i t e ea a f. f r e efi fi J a t L Chiswick offered his hand a guy taking a long ride he said amiably to the stranger Sure is agreed Gray Expect youre you're cotton I can stand a beer In the cattle business More or less At loose ends right now Kinda lookin around My name is Connor said Curly This is Mr Norris Glad to meet you Im I'm Jeff Gray A stranger In these parts Norris rolled a cigarette Tough Nut Is a good town he said Booming these days Mines are arc do do- doIng doing Ing fine Plenty of money there Im not a miner Gray told him recognizing the Invitation to move on but disregarding it Fact is Im I'm not much of a town man anyhow except when I drift In to blow my savings Ive I've been In n the cow business all my life In Texas Norris asked with a casual manner Here and there Noticed when I was outside that youre you're riding a Brazos saddle My choice too especially when Im I'm riding a long ways Gray remarked non that a saddle made a lot of differ differ- difference difference ence to a riders rider's comfort Been dry in West Texas for quite a spell I read Curly volunteered So the papers claim Thought maybe you had come from down that way Try one of my specials Mr Gray May I have another beer In fn Instead stead Mr Connor Gray asked I certainly swallowed a lot of ot dust today today Norris strolled across to Howard This is on the dodge looks to me he said Mighty care care- careful careful ful to give no information Lee Chiswick caught sight of ot his daughter standing In front froM of Sang- Sang Sanger's Sanger's Sanger's ers er's store and strode across the the- street to her What are you doing here he demanded Evading his question she said Ive been worried about you What 11 a t for When I heard the shooting over ovel In the Golden Nugget I thought Her voice faltered No need to tell him what she had thought He knew The cattleman spoke more gen gen- gently UY You knew I was there Yes I saw you and Dan go In tn I hadn't time to stop you Stop me He frowned Im not so feeble I need a girl to look Jook after my doings Already Chiswick had jumped to the conclusion that she he had followed ua him to town because she was afraid he would get into trouble with the rustler group I know but but youre youre you're so head bull bullheaded ed Father Nothing of the kind he protest protest- protested ed hotly hoUy You wouldn't expect me meto meto meto to let these dirty thieves drive oft off a bunch of 50 cows at one crack with with- without without out a squawk would you She shuddered When all those guns roared roared- They weren't shooting at me honey His mind harked harked back to the reproof she needed You had no business coming to town town not not to Tail TaU Holt We stay away from this place You know that You Dad gum it girl Im I'm your fa fa- fa ther there You dont don't have to tell me what all I can and cant can't do He slammed his fist down into the palm of the other hand You act like you rule the roost Well you dont don't Not by a Understand Yes she said with more humility humility ity than was customary since her mind was still full of the crazy thing she had done Ruth was still thinking of her escapade with Lou Howard She could not understand how it had ever gone so far She knew now she did not love him never had That she had not seen through his shallow weakness earlier hurt her pride Later she knew she would flog herself hersel with her own scorn She was a lying little cheat for not tell tell- telling telling ing her father the truth But she dared not confess without preparing his mind first It would be like Lee Chiswick to walk across to the Gold Golden en cn Nugget to have it out with Sherm Howard Well go over to Charley Wong's restaurant for supper Lee Chis Chis- Chiswick Chiswick wick said Dan is waiting for tor us over there Back of the restaurant they found a bucket of water a tin pan a thin piece of dirty soap and a roller roller- towel much the worse for use The cattleman called Wong This towel has half hal of Arizona on it ft Char Char- ley Bring a new one one and and another piece of soap The Chinaman grinned Velly good he said I Inside the restaurant Dan Brand i iwas was waiting at a table in a corner Across the aisle from him sat Gray Ruth touched the cattleman on the arm by way of calling his attention This is Mr Gray Father When that drunk man came shooting into Sanger's store he looked after me Looked after you you how how asked Chiswick Pushed me back of some sacks of potatoes and stood in front of me Chiswick offered his hand Glad to meet you Mr Gray I reckon my daughter has thanked you but Ill I'll do it again Nothing worth mentioning what I did but she thanked me proper the nosed crook man said dryly Since you haven't eaten yet wont won't you join us the cattleman invited Gray moved to the other table My foreman Dan Brand Chis Chis- Chiswick Chiswick wick introduced Dan this is Mr Gray The two men shook hands esti esti- estimating estimating mating one another with their eyes Chiswick motioned Gray to the va vacant va- va vacant I cant chair beside his daughter They fell at first into casual talk of cows grass markets Looks like a country of ot small ranches Gray said presently Yes Chiswick confirmed Plenty rough in these hills Cut up by gulches and canyons where nest nest- nesters nesters ers have settled Your ranch is lower down Yes Runs up from the Sweet Spring valley Into the hills From what I heard at the Gold Gold- Golden en Nugget I gather the L Leis C is a abig abig abig big outfit My brand biandis is on a lot of stock stock stock-or or was the cattleman said grimly Still is Brand amended I reckon Anger flamed In Chis Chis- Chiswick's wicks wick's tanned face Wont be long unless we can stop this big steal that Is going on A few of those rustlers will have to be strung up as asa asa asa a warning Better not talk advised Brand BrandIn In a low voice Why shouldn't 1 I talk Chiswick demanded This is a free country and Ive I've never yet seen the color of the scoundrels scoundrel's hair that could keep me from saying my mind You dont don't mean red redd particular particular- particularly ly do you Father Ruth asked slanting impudent eyes at Gray Or Ordo Ordo Ordo do you The cattleman smiled ruefully Figure of speech Mr Gray No I dont don't mean red He turned to his daughter You little minx None of my business Mr Chis Chiswick Chiswick wick Gray said bluntly But what Mr Brand says is good medicine Why talk any more Youve You've said yore little piece Im I'm an outsider and never saw one of those gents at atthe atthe atthe the Golden Nugget before But there were some present plesent who didn't take yore remarks kindly I am of ot opinion opinion opinion ion that the headed chuckle false alarm who rode in and got filled with lead did you a considerable service His chunk sure went out sud sud- sudden sudden sudden den Brand commented I wouldn't say youre you're not right Mr Gray While Lee was on the prod I 1 didn't feel lead immune myself They're not bad boys In a away away away way of speaking but they are some quick on the trigger No they're got lot bad Chiswick replied scornfully Practically all of them are thieves and some are killers and a few have robbed trains and stages Maybe 40 per percent percent percent cent of them have shot down Mexican Mexican can vaqueros who were were defending their masters' masters herds But what is isa isa isa a Mexican here and there Remember ber the Alamo I Yes sir Just a bunch of nice cowboys who take no pleasure in killing unless someone gets in the way of what they want The summit of Mule mountain had been a crag of fire In the sun sun- sunset sunset set when they had gone into the restaurant As they came out Ruth noticed that the crotches between the peaks were lakes of imperial purple Soon darkness would sift silt down from the hills Were out of coffee and baking soda Ruth told her father Bet Better Better Better ter get some while were we're here dont don't you think Yes Enough to last us till some some- someone someone someone one can get to Tough Nut Any Any- Anything Anything Anything thing else you need Id like some nutmegs and a box of matches Chiswick Ch swick asked the foreman to get Ruths Ruth's cowpony pony and tie it at the with the other two tw Gray walked with the father and daughter I as far tar as as Sanger's store Ill be saying adios he told them and added his ironic smile on Ruth Nice to have met up with you She said the pleasure was hers said it very coolly and turned into the store The place was lit by two oil coal lamps suspended from the ceiling Near the rear some some- something something something thing covered by a sheet lay on a cot Ruth guessed that what was resting there so still had been roar roar- roaring roaring roaring ing with drunken life less than an hour ago Two customers were In the store One was a slim graceful fishy fishy- eyed man neatly dressed with a silk bandanna tied loosely round his brown throat His companion called him Morg The other she had met metat metat metat at a dance He was a fine figure of a man slender and broad broad shouldered dered with black bl ck curly hair that had given him bun his bis nickname Con Con- Connor Connor nor she had heard him called and she knew that Curly was his cog cog- cognomen cognomen nomen among the cowboys TO BE IE CONTINUED |