Sundown Slim

by Henry Herbert Knibbs

  CHAPTER VII

  FADEAWAY'S HAND

  Fadeaway, one of the Concho riders, urged his cayuse through the ford,reined short, and turned to watch Chance, who accompanied him. The dogdrew back from the edge of the stream and bunching himself, shot up andover the muddy water, nor did the jump break his stride as he leaped toovertake the rider, who had spurred out of his way. Fadeaway cursedjoyously and put his pony to a lope. Stride for stride Chance ranbeside him. The cowboy, swaying easily, turned and looked down uponthe dog. Chance was enjoying himself. "Wonder how fast the cuss _can_run?" And Fadeaway swung his quirt. The stride quickened to therhythmic beat of the cow-horse at top speed. The dog kept abreastwithout apparent effort. A half-mile beyond the ford the paceslackened as the pony took the hill across which the trail led to theopen mesas. As they topped the rise Fadeaway again urged his cayuse toa run, for the puncher had enjoyed the hospitality of his companions of"The Blue," a distant cattle ranch, a day longer than had been set forhis return to the Concho. Just then a startled jack rabbit leaped upand bounced down the trail ahead of them. Fadeaway jerked his horse toa stop. "Now we'll see some real speed!" he said. There was a flashof the dog's long body, which grew smaller and smaller in the distance;then a puff of dust spurted up. Fadeaway saw the dog turn end overend, regain his feet and toss something in the air.

  "The fastest dog in Arizona," remarked the cowboy. "And you, youglass-eyed son of a mistake, you're about as fast as a fence-post!"This to his patient and willing pony, that again swung into a run andran steadily despite his fatigue, for he feared the instant slash ofthe quirt should he slacken pace.

  Round a bend in the trail, where an arm of the distant forest ran outinto the mesa. Fadeaway again set his horse up viciously. Chancestopped and looked up at the rider. The cowboy pointed through thethin rim of timber beyond which a herd of sheep was grazing. "Take'em!" he whispered. Chance hesitated, not because he was unfamiliarwith sheep, but because he had been punished for chasing and worryingthem. "Go to it! Take 'em, Chance!"

  The dog slunk through the timber and disappeared. The cowboy rodeslowly, peering through the timber. Presently came the trample offrightened sheep--a shrill bleating, and then silence. Fadeaway lopedout into the open. The sheep were running in all directions. Hewhistled the dog to him. Chance's muzzle dripped red. The dog slunkround behind the horse, knowing that he had done wrong, despite thefact that he had been set upon the sheep.

  From the edge of the timber some one shouted. The cowboy turned andsaw a herder running toward him. He reined around and sat waitinggrimly. When the herder was within speaking distance. Fadeaway's handdropped to his hip and the herder stopped. He gesticulated and spokerapidly in Spanish. Fadeaway answered, but in a kind of Spanish nottaught in schools or heard in indoor conversation.

  The herder pressed forward. "Why, how! Fernando. Now what's bitin'you?"

  "The sheep! He kill the lamb!" cried the herder.

  Fadeaway laughed. "Did, eh? Well, I tried to call him off. Reckonyou heard me whistle him, didn't you?"

  The cowboy's assertion was so palpably an insult that old Fernando'sanger overcame his caution. He stepped forward threateningly.Fadeaway's gun was out and a splash of dust leaped up at Fernando'sfeet. The herder turned and ran. Fadeaway laughed and swung away at alope.

  When he arrived at the Concho he unsaddled, turned his pony into thecorral, and called to Chance. He was at the water-trough washing thedog's muzzle when John Corliss appeared. Fadeaway straightened up. Heknew what was coming and knew that he deserved it. The effects of hisconviviality at the Blue had worn off, leaving him in an ugly mood.

  Corliss looked him over from head to heel. Then he glanced at the dog.Chance turned his head down and sideways, avoiding his master's eye.Fadeaway laughed.

  "You get your time!" said Corliss.

  "You're dam' right!" retorted Fadeaway.

  "And you're damned wrong! Chance knows better than to tackle sheepunless he's put up to it. You needn't explain. Bud will give you yourtime."

  Then Corliss turned to Shoop who had just ridden in.

  "Chain that dog up and keep him chained up! And give Fadeaway histime, right up to the minute!"

  Shoop dropped easily from the saddle, led his horse toward the corral,and whistled a sprightly ditty as he unsaddled him.

  Fadeaway rolled a cigarette and strolled over to the bunk-house wherehe retailed his visit and its climax to a group of interested punchers.

  "So he tied the can onto you, eh? And for settin' Chance on the sheep?He ought to be much obliged to you, Fade. They ain't room for sheepand cattle both on this here range. We're gettin' backed plumb intothe sunset."

  Fadeaway nodded to the puncher who had spoken.

  "And ole man Loring's just run in twenty thousand head from New Mex.,"continued the puncher. "Wonder how Corliss likes that?"

  "Don' know--and dam' 'f I care. If a guy can't have a little sportwithout gettin' fired for it, why, that guy don't work for the Concho.The Blue's good enough for me and I can get a job ridin' for the Blueany time I want to cinch up."

  "Well, Fade, I reckon you better cinch up pronto, then," said Shoop whohad just entered. "Here's your time. Jack's some sore, believe me!"

  "Sore, eh? Well, before he gets through with me he'll be sorer. Youcan tell him for me."

  "'Course I _can_--but I ain't goin' to. And I wouldn't if I was you.No use showin' your hand so early in the game." And Shoop laughed.

  "Well, she's full--six aces," said Fadeaway, touching his holstersignificantly.

  "And Jack throws the fastest gun on the Concho," said Shoop, his genialsmile gone; his face flushed. "I been your friend, if I do say it,Fade. But don't you go away with any little ole idea that I ain'tworkin' for Jack Corliss."

  "What's that to me? I'm fired, ain't I?"

  "Correct. Only I was thinkin' your cayuse is all in. You couldn't getout of sight on him tonight. But you can take one of my string andsend it back when you get ready."

  "Oh, I ain't sweatin' to hit the trail," said Fadeaway, for the benefitof his audience.

  "All right, Fade. But the boss is. It's up to you."

  After he had eaten, Fadeaway rolled his few belongings in his slickerand tied it to the saddle. He was not afraid of Corliss, but like menof his stamp he wanted Corliss to know that he was not alone unafraid,but willing to be aggressive. He mounted and rode up to theranch-house. Corliss, who had seen him approach through the window,sat at his desk, waiting for the cow-boy to dismount and come in. ButFadeaway sat his horse, determined to make the rancher come outside.

  Corliss understood, and pushing back his chair, strode to the doorway."Want to see me?" he asked.

  Fadeaway noticed that Corliss was unarmed, and he twisted thecircumstance to suit a false interpretation of the fact. "Playin'safe!" he sneered.

  Corliss flushed and the veins swelled on his neck, but he kept silent.He looked the cowboy in the eye and was met by a gaze as steady as hisown; an aggressive and insolent gaze that had for its backing sheerphysical courage and nothing more. It became a battle of mentalendurance and Corliss eventually won.

  After the lapse of several seconds, the cowboy spoke to his horse."Come on, Doc! The son-of-a----- is loco."

  Corliss heard, but held his peace. He stood watching the cowboy untilthe latter was out on the road. He noticed that he took the northernbranch, toward Antelope. Then the rancher entered the house, picked uphis hat, buckled on his gun, and hastened to the corral. He saddledChinook and took the trail to the Loring rancho.

  He rode slowly, trying to arrive at the best method of presenting hisside of the sheep-killing to Loring. He hoped that Eleanor Loringwould not be present during the interview with her father. He wasdisappointed, for she came from the wide veranda as he rode up andgreeted him.

  "Won't you come in?" she asked.

  "I guess not. I'd like to see your father."

  She knew t
hat her father had forbidden Corliss the house, and, indeed,the premises. She wondered what urgency brought him to the rancho."I'll call him, then."

  Corliss answered the grave questioning in her eyes briefly. "Thesheep," he said.

  "Oh!" She turned and stepped to the veranda. "Dad, John is here."

  David Loring came to the doorway and stood blinking at Corliss. He didnot speak.

  "Mr. Loring, one of my men set Chance on a band of your sheep. Myforeman tells me that Chance killed a lamb. I want to pay for it."

  Loring had expected something of the kind. "Mighty proud of it, Ireckon?"

  "No, I'm not proud of it. I apologize--for the Concho."

  "You say it easy."

  "No, it isn't easy to say--to you. I'll pay the damage. How much?"

  "Your dog, eh? Well, if you'll shoot the dam' dog the lamb won't costyou a cent."

  "No, I won't shoot the dog. He was put up to it. I fired the man thatset him on to the sheep."

  "That's your business. But that don't square you with me."

  "I'll settle, if you'll fix the price," said Corliss.

  "You will, eh? Then, mebby you'd think you was square with ole manLoring and come foolin' around here like that tramp brother of yours.Fine doin's in Antelope, from what I hear."

  "Dad!" exclaimed the girl, stepping to her father. "Dad!"

  "You go in the house, Nellie! We'll settle this."

  Corliss dismounted and strode up to Loring. "If you weren't an old manI'd give you the licking of your life! I've offered to settle with youand I've apologized. You don't belong in a white man's country."

  "I got a pup that barks jest like that--and he's afraid of his ownbark," said Loring.

  "Have it your way. I'm through." And Corliss stepped to his horse.

  "Well, I ain't!" cried Loring. "I'm jest startin' in! You bettercrawl your cayuse and eat the wind for home, Mr. Concho Jack! Andlemme tell you this: they's twenty thousand head of my sheep goin' tocross the Concho, and the first puncher that runs any of my sheep isgoin' to finish in smoke!"

  "All right, Loring. Glad you put me on to your scheme. I don't wanttrouble with you, but if you're set on having trouble, you can find it."

  The old man straightened and shook his fist at the rancher. "Fust timeyou ever talked like a man in your life. Nex' thing is to see if yougot sand enough to back it up. There's the gate."

  Corliss mounted and wheeled his horse. The girl, who stood beside herfather, started forward as though to speak to the rancher. Loringseized her arm. Her face flamed and she turned on her father. "Dad!Let me go!"

  He shrunk beneath her steady gaze. He released her arm and she steppedup to Corliss. "I'm sorry, John," she said, and offered her hand.

  "You heard it all, Nell. I'd do anything to save you all this, if Icould."

  "Anything?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, try and get Will--to--stop drinking. He--I heard all about it.I can't do anything to help. You ought to look after him. He's yourbrother. He's telling folks in Antelope that you refused to help him.Is that so?"

  "I refused to give him two hundred dollars to blow in if that's whatyou mean."

  "Did you quarrel with Will?"

  "No. I asked him to come home. I knew he wouldn't."

  "Yes. And I think I know how you went at it. I wish I could talk tohim."

  "I wish you would. You can do more with him than anybody."

  Loring strode toward Corliss. The girl turned to her father. Heraised his arm and pointed toward the road. "You git!" he said. Shereached up and patted his grizzled cheek. Then she clung to him,sobbing.