Judith of Blue Lake Ranch

by Jackson Gregory

  XV

  JUST A GIRL, AFTER ALL

  Three days later Bud Lee learned that Judith Sanford was, after all,"just a girl, you know"; that at least for once in her life she hadslipped away to be by herself and to cry. He stopped dead in histracks when he came unexpectedly upon her, become suddenly awkward,embarrassed, a moment uncertain, but yielding swiftly to an impulse torun for it.

  "Come here, Bud Lee!" commanded Judith sharply, dabbing at her eyes."I want to talk with you."

  He was at the Upper End where he had ridden for half a dozen younghorses which were to be taken down into the meadow for their education.And here she was, on a bench outside the old cabin, indulging herselfin a hearty cry.

  "I--I didn't know you were here," he stammered. "I was going to makesome coffee and have lunch here. I do, sometimes. It's a real fineday, isn't it, Miss Sanford? Nice and warm and--" His voice trailedoff indistinctly.

  "Oh, scat!" cried Judith at him, half laughing, still half crying. Shehad wiped her eyes but still two big tears, untouched, trembled on hercheeks. In spite of him Lee couldn't keep his eyes off of them.

  "I'm just crying," Judith told him then, with a sudden assumption ofcool dignity which had in it something of defiance. "I've got a rightto, if I want to, haven't I? What do you look at me like that for?"

  "Sure," he answered hastily. "It does you good to cry; I know. Greatthing. All ladies do, sometimes----"

  Judith sniffed.

  "You know all that there is to be known about '_ladies_,' don't you?In your vast wisdom all you've got to do is lump 'em in one of yourbrilliant generalities. That's the man of you!"

  "Maybe I'd better go make the coffee?" he suggested hurriedly. "It'safter twelve. And it'll do you good. A nice hot cup."

  "Maybe you had," said Judith icily. "Perhaps I can postpone myconversation with you until the water boils."

  Lee went into the cabin without looking back. Judith, watching him,saw that he ran his hand across his forehead. She sniffed at himagain. But when Lee had the coffee ready she had washed her face atthe spring, had tucked her tumbled hair back under her hat, and,looking remarkably cool, came into the cabin. Lee thought of hismeeting with Marcia, of her repeated assurance that she knew she hadviolated the conventions.

  "You _can_ make coffee," Judith nodded her approval as she sipped atthe black beverage, cooled a little by condensed milk. Lee was busiedwith a tin containing potted meat. "Now, have you got over your shockso that I can talk with you?"

  He smiled at her across the little oil-cloth-covered table, andanswered lightly and with his old assurance that he guessed he hadsteadied his nerve. Hadn't he told her a cup of coffee would dowonders?

  "Would it go to your head," began the girl abruptly, "if I were to tellyou that I size you up as the best man I've got on my pay-roll?"

  "I'd try to keep both feet on the ground," he said gravely, though hewondered what was coming.

  "I'll explain," she continued, her tone impersonally businesslike."Next to you, I count on Doc Tripp; next to Tripp, on Carson. They aregood men; they are trustworthy; they understand ranch conditions andthey know what loyalty to the home-range means. But Tripp is just aveterinarian; simply that and nothing more. His horizon isn't verywide. Neither is Carson's."

  "And mine?" he grinned at her. "Read me my horoscope, Miss Sanford!"

  "You have taken the trouble to be something more than just a horseforeman," she told him quietly. "I don't know what your advantageshave been; if you haven't gone through high school, then at least youhave been ambitious enough to get books, to read, to educate yourself.You have developed further than Carson; you have broadened more thanTripp."

  "Thanks," he offered dryly.

  "Oh, I'm not seeking to intrude into your private affairs, Mr. BudLee!" she cried warmly at his tone. "I have no desire to do so, havingno interest in them. First of all, I want one thing clear: You saidwhen I first came that you'd stay a few days, long enough for me to geta man in your place. We have both been rather too busy to think ofyour leaving or my seeking a substitute. Now what? The job is yoursas long as you want it--if you'll stay. I don't want you leaving me inthe lurch. Do you want to go? Or do you want to stick?"

  What did he want? He had anticipated an interference from the girl inhis management of the duty allotted him and no such interference hadcome. She left him unhampered, even as she did Tripp and Carson. Hehad his interest in his horses. It was pleasant here. This cabin wasa sort of home to him. Besides, he had the idea that Quinnion andShorty might again be heard from--that if Trevors was backing theirplay, there would be other threats offered the Blue Lake outfit fromwhich he had no desire to run. There was such a thing as loyalty tothe home-range, and in the half-year he had worked here it had become apart of him.

  "I'll stick," he said quietly.

  "I'm glad of that," replied Judith. "Oh, you'll have your work cut outfor you, Bud Lee, and, that you may be the better fitted to do it, Iwant you to know just what I am up against."

  She paused a moment, stirring her coffee with one of Lee's tin spoons,gathering her thoughts. Then, speaking thoughtfully, she explained:

  "It's a gamble, with us bucking the long odds. Dad left me a thirdinterest, clear, valued, counting stock, at a good deal more than fourhundred thousand dollars. He left me no cash. Dad never had any cash.Just so soon as he got his hands on it he put it to work. I knew hehad planned taking over another one-third interest, and I went on withhis plans. I mortgaged my share for two hundred thousand dollars,which I got at five per cent. That means I have to dig up each year,just interest, ten thousand dollars. That's a pretty big lump, youknow."

  "Yes," he admitted slowly. "That's big; mighty big."

  "With the money I raised," Judith continued, "I bought out the thirdowner, Timothy Gray. He let his holding go for three hundred and fiftythousand. It was a bargain for me--if I can make a go of it. I stillowe, on the principal, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I oweon my mortgage two hundred thousand. Total of my indebtedness, threehundred and fifty thousand dollars. And that's bigger, Bud Lee."

  "Yes. That's bigger figures than I can quite get the hang of."

  No wonder she had been crying. Even if everything went smooth on theBlue Lake she, too, had her work cut out for her.

  "Now," she ran on, her voice stirring him with the ringing note in it,"I can make a go of it--if they will just let me alone! I am playingclose to the table, Lee, close! I have a little money in the bank,enough to run along for two or three months, that's all. I said thatdad left no cash. I didn't mention his insurance." Her eyes grewsuddenly wet but she did not avert them from Lee's face, going onquietly: "That was ten thousand dollars. Close to seven thousand hadto go for his current obligations. I have about two thousand to runon."

  "Close hauled," grunted Lee. And to himself, he remarked as he hadremarked once before: "She's got her sand."

  Quite naturally Bud Lee thought swiftly of his horses. He had toldTrevors that he wanted to make no sale for at least six months. Givenuntil then--if Judith could make a go of it without forcing asale--he'd show her the way to at least seven or eight thousand, with agood percentage of clear profit.

  "To begin with," Judith's voice interrupted his musings, "I am going tohave trouble with Carson. I admit that he's an exceptionally goodcattle foreman; I admit, too, that he has his limitations. He is ofthe old school, and has got to learn something! Already he has hisweather-eye cocked for the lean season; he'll be coming to me in Augustor September, telling me I've got to begin selling. That's the waythey all do! And the result is that beef cattle drop and the marketclogs with them. What I am going to do is make Carson start in buyingthen. Oh, he'll buck like one of his own red bay steers but he'll buy!"

  "We're pretty well stocked up," Lee offered gently. "Turning the hillsover to the hogs makes a difference, too. We're going to be short offeed long before September is over."

  "Short
of range feed, yes," she retorted warmly. "But we're going toput our trust in our silos, Lee, and make them do such work for us asthey have never done before. Then, when other folks are forced to selloff for what they can get, we'll hold on and buy. We won't sell beforeDecember or January, when the market is up."

  He shook his head. Though not of the old school which had producedCarson, still he put little faith in those tall towers into whichalfalfa and Indian corn were fed to make lush fodder.

  "I don't know a whole lot about silos," he admitted.

  "Neither does Carson," said Judith. "He looks at such things as silosand milking-machines and tractors and fences even as the old Indiansmust have looked at the inroads of the white men. But, do you knowwhere he has been these last few days?"

  "In San Francisco? Heard him say he was going to take a few days off."

  Judith laughed.

  "That's Carson for you! He wouldn't admit where he was going. I senthim down to Davis where the State experimental farm and laboratoriesare. He's going to see silo, study silo, think silo until he gets anew idea into his head. I have ordered a big extension in ourirrigated area, I have begun the construction of two more silos. WhenCarson gets back he's going to look around for some more shorthorns atbargain prices. I have an idea it wouldn't do you any harm either, tolook over what we are doing down at the Lower End."

  Again she paused. Then, her eyes suddenly darkening, she told himwhat, after all, lay top-most in her mind.

  "I have said that if I am given the chance, I can make a go of this.It's up to you, Bud Lee, to help see that I get that chance. Anattempt was made to spread the lung-worm through my calves. Now it'sthe hogs. Do you know what the latest news is from the pens? There'scholera among them."

  "Where did it come from?" he demanded. "Tripp's been keeping thehealth of our stock up right along."

  "Where did it come from?" Judith repeated after him. "That's what Idon't know. We've been so careful. But where did the calf sicknesscome from? Bayne Trevors imported it."

  The inference was clear. He stared at her with frowning eyes.

  "I don't see how he could have done it without Tripp's getting on toit. He hasn't bought any new hogs."

  "But you understand now why I wanted to talk to you? If I win out inthe thing I have taken on my shoulders, it is going to be by a closemargin. I've thought it all out. We can't slip up in a single deal!But, it's up to you to give me a hand. To find out for yourself suchthings as where did the cholera come from! And to look out, that thenext time they don't burn us out, when the range is dry. To see thatnothing happens to your horses. To keep your two eyes wide open. Tohelp me find the man, working with us right now, who is double-crossingus, who turned Shorty loose, who is watching a chance to do his knifeact again somewhere else. Do you get me, Bud Lee?"

  "I get you," replied Lee.

  From without, gay voices, calling merrily, interrupted them. Lee wentswiftly to the door while Judith finished her coffee and pulled herbroad hat a little lower to throw its shadow in her eyes.

  "Ahoy, there!" It was Pollock Hampton's voice. "We saw your horsesand thought we'd catch you picnicking. Got a fire going, too! Say,that's bully. Come ahead, Marcia."

  Marcia, a long riding-habit gathered in one hand, her cheeks flushedwith her ride, her eyes bright as they rested upon the tall form in thedoorway, came on behind Hampton. As the eyes of the two girls met, asudden hot flush flooded Judith's cheeks. She hated herself for it;she wondered just how red her eyes were.

  "Say, Judith," called Hampton, "I'm glad as the dickens we found you.Sawyer, the sheriff, telephoned just now. Said to tell you he'dlocated Quinnion. The funny part of it is that we made a mistake. Itwasn't Quinnion at all that tried to shoot you and Bud up the othernight."

  "How's that?" demanded Lee. "Who says it wasn't?"

  "Sawyer. Found Quinnion at a sheepman's place thirty or forty milesnorth of here. The sheepman swore Quinnion had been with him twoweeks, was with him that night."

  "A sheepman _can_ lie," grunted Lee.

  Judith's brief moment of confusion passed, she ushered Marcia into thecabin. True to her promise, Miss Langworthy, though she flashed aquick look toward Lee, did not speak to him. He found himself flushingquite as hotly as Judith had done.

  "We've just finished our lunch," Judith was saying. "And we've leftyou half of our coffee."

  "I've been simply dying to see this place!" cried Marcia impetuously."I told Pollock that it was a sure sign he didn't love me any more ifhe wouldn't bring me. And you and--and one of the men," her eyes onJudith's, "actually were in here, being shot at! Judith, dear, you arejust the bravest girl in the world. If I'd been here I'd have simplydied. I know I would."

  Perhaps she would. At any rate she shuddered delightfully. She founda bullet-hole in the door and put a pink forefinger into it, giving asecond little shiver. She managed to keep her back full upon Lee.

  "Oh, by the way," said Hampton, busy opening the parcel of lunch theyhad brought with them, "Marcia's heard all about you, Bud. You saidyou wanted to meet Lee, Marcia. Well, here he is, tall and handsome ina devilish reckless way, looking at the dimple at the back of yourneck. Miss Langworthy, Mr. Lee. Judith, that coffee smells good!"

  "You are a naughty little boy, Pollock," said Miss Langworthy coolly.Nevertheless she turned smiling to Lee and put out her hand to him."Mr. Hampton really makes quite a hero of you," she said composedly."I think I have seen you--from a distance, you know."

  The small whiteness of her hand was swallowed up in the lean brown ofhis.

  "Hampton's a prevaricator," he said gravely, as he looked down into themerry blue eyes turned up to him. "But he's a gentleman I have tothank for the introduction. I am very happy to know you, MissLangworthy."

  "And now," cried Marcia, slipping her hand out of Lee's and going to achair near the table, "do tell me all about that terrible, terriblenight. But do you think we are quite safe here now, Mr. Lee?"

  To herself Judith was saying: "Just the type to be Bud Lee's ideallady!"

  When they left the cabin, an hour later, Judith challenged Hampton to aride and so left Marcia and Bud Lee to follow leisurely.