The Cattle-Baron's Daughter Part 15

"If I were a man I should go down and talk quite straight to them," she said.

The prisoner was sitting stiffly now, but he swayed in the saddle when one of the cattle-men struck his horse and it plunged. He turned his head as he did so, and the moonlight shone into his face. It was very white, and there was a red smear on his forehead. Hetty gasped, and Flora Schuyler felt her fingers close almost cruelly upon her arm.

"It's Larry!" she said.

Christopher Allonby nodded. "Yes, we have him at last," he said. "Of course, one feels sorry; but he brought it on himself. They're going to put him into the stable."

The men rode forward, and when they pa.s.sed out of sight Hetty slipped back from behind the curtain, and, sat down, s.h.i.+vering as she looked up at Miss Schuyler.

"I can't help it, Flo. If one could only make them let him go!"

"You need not let any of them see it," said Miss Schuyler, sharply. "Sit quite still here and talk to me. Now, what right had those men to arrest him?"

The warning was sufficient. Hetty shook out her dress and laughed, though her voice was not steady.

"It's quite simple," she said. "The Sheriff can call out any citizen to help him or send any man off after a criminal in an emergency. Of course, being a responsible man he stands in with us, and in times like these the arrangement suits everybody. We do what seems the right thing, and the Sheriff is quite pleased when we tell him."

Flora Schuyler smiled drily. "Yes. It's delightfully simple. Still, wouldn't it make the thing more square if the other men had a good-natured Sheriff, too?"

"Now you are laughing at me. The difference is that we are in the right."

"And Larry, of course, must be quite wrong!"

"No," said Hetty, "he is mistaken. Flo, you have got to help me--I'm going to do something for him. Try to be nice to Chris Allonby. They'll send him to take care of Larry."

Miss Schuyler looked steadily at her companion. "You tried to make me believe you didn't care for the man."

A flush stole into Hetty's cheek, and a sparkle to her eyes. "Can't you do a nice thing without asking questions? Larry was very good to me for years, and--I'm sorry for him. Any way, it's so easy. Chris is young, and you could fool any man with those big blue eyes if he let you look at him."

Flora Schuyler made a half-impatient gesture, and then, sweeping her dress aside, made room for Christopher Allonby. She also succeeded so well with him that when the guests had departed and the girls came out into the corral where he was pacing up and down, he flung his cigar away and forsook his duty to join them. It was a long ride to Cedar Range, and Torrance had decided to stay with Allonby until morning.

"It was very hot inside--they would put so much wood in the stove," said Hetty. "Besides, Flo's fond of the moonlight."

"Well," said Allonby, "it's quite nice out here, and I guess Miss Schuyler ought to like the moonlight. It's kind to her."

Flora Schuyler laughed as they walked past the end of the great wooden stable together. "If you look at it in one sense, that wasn't pretty. You are guarding the prisoner?"

"Yes," said the lad, with evident diffidence. "The boys who brought him here had 'bout enough of him, and they're resting, while ours are out on the range. I'm here for two hours any way. It's not quite pleasant to remember I'm watching Larry."

"Of course!" and Miss Schuyler nodded sympathetically. "Now, couldn't you just let us talk to him? The boys have cut his forehead, and Hetty wanted to bring him some balsam. I believe he used to be kind to her."

Allonby looked doubtful, but Miss Schuyler glanced at him appealingly--and she knew how to use her eyes--while Hetty said:

"Now, don't be foolish, Chris. Of course, we had just to ask your uncle, but he would have wanted to come with us and would have asked so many questions, while we knew you would tell n.o.body anything. You know I can't help being sorry for Larry, and he has done quite a few nice things for you, too."

"Miss Schuyler is going with you?"

"Of course," and Hetty smiled mischievously as she glanced at her companion. "Still, you needn't be jealous, Chris. I'll take the best care she doesn't make love to him."

Flora Schuyler looked away across the prairie, which was not quite what one would have expected from a young woman of her capacities; but the laughing answer served to banish the lad's suspicions, and he walked with them towards the door. Then he stopped, and when he drew a key from an inner pocket Hetty saw something twinkle in the moonlight at his belt.

"Chris," she said, "stand still for a minute and shut your eyes quite tight."

The lad did as he was bidden, for a few years ago he had been the complaisant victim of Hetty's pleasantries, and felt a light touch on his lips. Then, there was a pluck at his belt, and Hetty was several yards away when he made a step forward with his eyes wide open. She was laughing at him, but there was a pistol in her hand.

"It was only my fingers, Chris, and Flo wasn't the least nearer than she is now," she said. "If you dared to think anything else, you would make me too angry. We'll bring this thing back to you in five minutes, but you wouldn't have us go in there quite defenceless. Now you walk across the corral, and wait until we tell you."

Allonby was very young, and somewhat susceptible. Hetty was also very pretty, and, he fancied, Miss Schuyler even prettier still; but he had a few misgivings, and when they went in closed the lower half of the door and set his back to it.

"No," he said decisively, "I'm staying right here."

The girls made no demur, but when they had crossed a portion of the long building Miss Schuyler touched her companion. "I'll wait where I am," she said drily, "you will not want me."

Hetty went on until she came to where the light of a lantern shone faintly in a stall. A man sat there with his hands still bound and a wide red smear upon his forehead. His face flushed suddenly as he glanced at her, but he said nothing.

"I'm ever so sorry, Larry," said the girl.

The man smiled, though it was evident to Hetty, whose heart beat fast, that it was only by an effort he retained his self-control.

"Well," he said, "it can't be helped, and it was my fault. Still, I never suspected that kind of thing."

Hetty coloured. "Larry, you mustn't be bitter--but it was horribly mean. I couldn't help coming--I was afraid you would fancy I was proud of them."

"No," he said, sternly. "I couldn't have fancied that. There was nothing else?"

"Your head. It is horribly cut. We saw you from the window, and I fancied I could tie it up for you. You wouldn't mind if I tried, Larry? I have some balsam here, and I only want a little water."

For a moment Grant's face was very expressive, but once more he seemed to put a check upon himself, and his voice was almost too even as he pointed to the pitcher beside him. "There is some ready. Your friends don't treat their prisoners very well."

The girl winced a little, but dipping her handkerchief in the pitcher she laved his forehead, and then would have laid the dressing on it; but he caught her hand.

"No," he said, "take mine instead."

"You needn't be quite too horrid, Larry," and there was a quiver in her voice. "It wouldn't hurt you very much to take a little thing like that from me."

Grant smiled very gravely. "I think you had better take mine. If they found a lady's handkerchief round my head, Allonby's folks would wonder how it got there."

Hetty did as he suggested, and felt a curious chagrin when he failed to look at her. "I used to wonder, Larry, how you were able to think of everything," she said. "Now I have brought you something else; but you must promise not to hurt anybody belonging to Allonby with it."

Grant laughed softly, partly to hide his astonishment, when he saw a pistol laid beside him.

"I haven't grown bloodthirsty, Hetty," he said. "Where did you get it?"

"It was Chris Allonby's. Flo and I fooled him and took it away. It was so delightfully easy. But you will keep it?"

He shook his head. "Just try to think, Hetty."

Hetty's cheeks flushed. "You are horribly unkind. Can't you take anything from me? Still--you--have got to think now. If I let you go, you will promise not to make any more trouble for my father and Allonby, or anybody?"