Justin Wingate, Ranchman

by John Harvey Whitson

  CHAPTER II

  THE HARVEST OF THE FIRE

  The fire ravaged a large part of the mesa range. In the valley it didsmall damage, for the farmers checked it there by flooding the canalsand laterals with the water they had stored for the fall irrigation.Some of their hay land was swept over, and a few stacks of alfalfawere destroyed, but no house was burned. One of the destroyed stacksbelonged to William Sanders. And it did not mitigate his hostility tothe people of the Davison ranch to know that the fire had been startedby Ben Davison.

  Ben was voluble with excuses and explanations. He stated that he hadgone to the plum bushes by the rim of the canon. There, tossing away asmoked-out cigarette, it had fallen into some dry grass, which at onceleaped into flame. He had tried to stamp out the fire, and failed.Startled by the rapidity with which it spread, and by the increasingheat and smoke, he had fled. As he did so he came on a loose horse,bearing a woman's saddle. No one was near it, or to be seen, and hesupposed very naturally that the rider had let the horse get away. Atany rate, it offered him a chance to escape from the fire, which hebelieved to be ringing him in, and he accepted it. He did not hearHarkness shout at him, he said, nor Justin. Riding toward the ranchhouse, he had encountered the cowboys who were hastening to the fire,and had turned back with them, thus meeting Steve Harkness, who washolding his wife in front of him and had ridden out of the smoke. Andhe had continued with the cowboys, and was with them when Justinappeared with Helen.

  Dicky Carroll's version, poured into the ears of Justin Wingate as helay convalescing from the effects of his burns, held some pepperyadditions:

  "Gee! wasn't Harkness wild; wasn't he hot? He was hotter than the firehe had run from. He was simply crazy. He didn't say anything to Benwhen we first met him, fer there wasn't time right at that minute. Buthe come on him at the ranch house. That was after you was carried in,and while Doc Clayton was fingerin' you over to see if you was allthere. Ben was standin' by the door; and Harkness stepped up to him,his face as white as a sheet, where it wasn't all smoked up; and hesays to him, jest like this:

  "'Damn you fer a sneakin' coward! You took my wife's horse, and lefther and Helen in that hell of fire to be roasted to death!' And thenhe hit him square on the mouth and knocked him up ag'inst the side ofthe house.

  "After that he never said a word to Ben, but as soon as the Old Mancome he told him what he'd done, and handed in his resignation asranch foreman. The Old Man was as hot as Harkness, the fellers saythat saw it; fer a minute he looked as swelled up and porkupiny as ahorned toad. Then he calmed down. 'I'll see Ben,' he says, jest like,that. And he did see Ben; and of all the roastin's, that feller gotit; things couldn't have been much warmer fer him if he'd let thehorse go and stayed in the fire. And Harkness is still foreman. He'stoo good a man, you see, fer Davison to lose. But there's one thing tobe said fer Ben, which I reckon he don't want to say fer hisself. Hewas drinkin' that day, up by the canon. Nobody but a drunk man or afool would have throwed that burnin' cigarette butt into grass as dryas that. Ben was too drunk to realize the danger, and I reckon he wastoo drunk to know or care whose horse he took. But he was middlin'sober, I tell you, when we met him. The scare did that. He was scaredgood. And I will say fer him that he turned right round, though he'dbeen ridin' like the devil was after him, and went back with us, andafterward he done his part in puttin' out the fire."

  Lucy Davison must have heard this story from Pearl Harkness; and itwas possible, as Justin knew, that she had seen Harkness strike Ben.Yet she said nothing to Justin on the subject, but left him to his ownconclusions.

  In one way, the aftermath of that unpleasant experience was notunpleasant to Justin. Much of the time he had for a nurse no less aperson than Lucy Davison herself. Whether engaged in the actual workof nursing him or otherwise, she made constant and solicitousinquiries which strengthened and soothed him more than anything withinthe range of Clayton's skill. Her presence would have more thancounter-balanced the suffering but for one thing. He knew that hisappearance was worse than grotesque. Even a comely youth loses allcomeliness, with his eyelashes and eyebrows gone, and his facedisfigured by burns and bandages.

  Somewhat reluctantly Justin was at length obliged to confess himselfso nearly well that he could go home with Clayton. Thanks to thelatter's skill he had escaped permanent disfigurement. Nevertheless,his injuries confined him for some time to the house, and to shortwalks and rides near it.

  Lucy made him many visits, and brought him the news and gossip of thevalley. She had "finished" at Mrs. Lassell's school, so was not to goEast again, and that was a pleasant thought to both. Philip Davisonwas deep in his plans for Ben's advancement, and Fogg was workingearnestly to secure his own election. The thing that sorely troubledboth Davison and Fogg now, as it also troubled Ben, was the storywhich was spreading, that Ben had cut the dam the night of the storm.

  "I hope no one will think I told that!" thought Justin.

  Yet the repositories of that secret, he was sure, were Lucy, Fogg andhimself.

  Justin inquired concerning the political action of the farmers.Apparently, they had not desired to turn to him again; they had chosena candidate, and were working for Ben's defeat.

  When Fogg called at Clayton's, Justin, in a private conversation withhim, declared with heat that he had remained silent about the dam,even though that silence had distressed his conscience. Fogg, trickyhimself, hence ready to impute trickery to others, might not havebelieved Justin, if it had not come out soon that Ben had given thestory wings himself, as he boasted one night, while he sat gamblingand drinking with Clem Arkwright and some cronies in the town. Bendenied this strenuously to his father. But after that, the suspicionsof Lemuel Fogg against Justin were blown to the wind.

  There was some wild talk among the farmers of prosecuting Ben, whichended in talk, for there was a lack of first-hand proof. But to thework of defeating him at the polls they had set themselves with mightand main.

  Then, as suddenly as the fire itself, a surprising change came in thepolitical situation. From the first, as now appeared, the campaignagainst Ben had been engineered craftily by crafty men. At the lastmoment, the name of the opposition candidate was taken down, andanother name hoisted in its stead--the name of Justin Wingate, usedwithout his knowledge. Cowboys made hurried night rides, moving withsecrecy. Ben's conduct at the time of the fire had laid up for him intheir hearts a store of smothered rage and contempt, which now foundexpression. Everywhere the cowboys rallied to the support of JustinWingate--and he was elected.

  Because he was confined so closely to the house and its vicinity, butmore because the sudden movement to elect him was sedulously concealedboth from him and from Clayton, Justin's election came to him as astunning surprise. His astonishment was mingled with pain and anxiety.The hopes of the Davisons were in the dust. He knew that Ben must behumiliated beyond measure, and he feared that Davison would resent itas a personal insult to his son and an act of treachery. And whatwould Lucy think? That was, to Justin, the most important of all.

  Clayton brought him the news early on the morning after the election.Justin, who had been walking about in the yard enjoying the brightautumn sunshine, dropped to a seat on the doorsteps, startled, weakand unnerved. Clayton began to make the thing clear to him.

  "After that affair, the cowboys couldn't stand Ben Davison, and thestory that he cut the dam killed him with a good many of the townpeople, as well as the farmers. When your name was mentioned, thesuggestion caught as quickly as that fire Ben started. At Borden'sranch, at Wilson's, at Lindborg's, and all over the county, where thestory of the fire had gone, the thing was taken up by the cowboys; andit was all done so quickly and quietly that neither Davison nor Ben,nor even Fogg, knew a thing of it, until it was too late. I'm assurprised as you are; I knew of the talk against Ben, but I didn'tdream of this."

  Lemuel Fogg, shrewd and astute, hurried to Davison's, as soon as heheard the astounding news. Davison was in a white rage. But for Fogg'stimely intervention he would have
discharged all of his cowboys atonce, together with Steve Harkness. They were angry, and they stoodready to go.

  "Don't do it!" Fogg begged. "We can't fight all of the cowboys of thecounty, and they all went against Ben. The thing to do is to makeJustin see that the cowboys--and in that sense the ranchinterests--elected him. Though the cowboys united with the farmersthis time, they are not naturally with them; Justin knows that. Wemustn't let him go to Denver feeling that he owes his election to thefarmers. He is a cowboy, and if we work him right we can hold him toour side."

  "I can't believe yet but that Justin knew all about it," said Davison,angrily.

  "I don't think he did; but whether he did or didn't, he's elected."

  "He may not accept the place; he might give way, if pressure isbrought to bear on him?"

  "Don't you believe that for even a minute," said Fogg. "I know Justin.He's not a fool, and he'd be a fool if he did that. He will go toDenver and sit in that legislature, and we want him to go as ourfriend, not our enemy. Don't stir up the cowboys, don't make troublewith them; just give me a free hand--I think I can work this thing."

  Lemuel Fogg set about the work at once. He suggested to certain menthat it would be a good idea for the friends of the ranch interests tomeet publicly at Clayton's that evening and show Justin that theyregarded him as their friend, and not their enemy; and, having donethat, he walked over to Clayton's to see Justin himself, andcongratulate him. Some of the farmers, he learned, had already visitedClayton's for that purpose; and he felt that for the ranchmen topermit the "farming jays" to get ahead of them in that way was atactical mistake.

  So Fogg came into Clayton's little study, where he had been so manytimes, and sat in the big chair which had so often nursed his rotundbody. His round freckled face oozed amiability, and his big laugh wascheery and infectious, as he congratulated Justin.

  "You ought to have been nominated regularly in the first place,instead of Ben," he asserted. "It was a mistake to put Ben up, afterthat trouble about the fire. The cowboys wouldn't have him. They'veelected you, and they're roaring with joy. I suppose Ben has gone intohiding, for I haven't seen him anywhere this morning."

  He laughed, as if this were a joke.

  "Ben's defeat and your election surprised me, of course," he admitted,"but as soon as I had time to think it over I felt there wasn'tanything to be sorry about, for you'll make a good deal betterrepresentative. You're better educated all round than Ben is, andyou've got the confidence of the people, which as this vote shows hehasn't."

  Justin liked Fogg, in spite of the known defects of his character. Hehad believed that Fogg would be instantly alienated; yet here he was,as friendly and as jovial as ever, not disturbed in the least,apparently, by the strange turn of events.

  "It's a thing that doesn't come every day to a young man that hasn'tgone gunning for it, and it's up to you to make the most of it," Foggcontinued. "This may be the stepping-stone that will lead you into thegovernor's chair some day. You can't tell, you know. Make as manyfriends as you can, and as few enemies as you can. Ben made enemies,without making friends, and you see where he is. It's a good lesson toany young man. I'm glad I'm to be in the legislature with you; in thesenate, of course; but I'll be right there, where I can see you everyday; and if I can help you in any way, by advice or otherwise, why,I'm yours truly, to command to the limit."

  "The position is what I should have sought, if I could have had thechoosing," said Justin, "yet I feel troubled about it, coming to me asit did."

  "You wouldn't think of refusing to accept it, now that it's yours?"

  "No, I shouldn't want to do that, and it wouldn't be right to the menwho voted for me."

  "I felt sure you wouldn't," Fogg admitted significantly, shiftingcomfortably in his big chair.

  "I'm too bewildered to know what to say, or what to think; I only knowthat it's a great surprise, and that I'm troubled as to how it will beregarded by the Davisons."

  "Well, of course you must expect them to be a little sore over it, asit comes so close home to them. But Davison is a pretty square sort ofman, as I've found, and he'll look at it in the right light, unlessyou give him occasion to do otherwise. Ben will be bitter, I've nodoubt; but there's no help for that, and if I were you I shouldn't letit trouble me. He'll get over it after awhile. If his head is levelhe'll know that he went up against a cyclone for which you were notresponsible and he'll keep still."

  Fogg's attitude eased Clayton's anxiety. The turbulent conflict heforesaw seemed about to be avoided.

  "I've spoken to some of my friends," Fogg went on, "and there will bea crowd up here to-night. I reckon you'd better rub up a littlesomething in the way of a speech, Justin. And if you happen to hear abrass band filling the air with march music, don't get scared and boltlike a stampeding broncho, for that will be the new band they'veorganized in town coming up to serenade you. You're a public characternow, and you've got to stand such things."

  Fogg left Clayton's with growing confidence. He believed that Justinwould be pliable, if properly manipulated.

  "If I can only jolly him along here I can manage him when we get toDenver," was his thought.

  Though Justin was strong enough now to take short rides about thevalley, he did not visit the Davison ranch that day. Lucy wastemporarily absent from home, he was glad to know. So he shut himselfup at Clayton's and tried to take stock of the situation. His thoughtswere chaotic. The thing he would have chosen had come to him, but in amanner so strange that he could hardly be sure it was desirable. As hedid not know what he ought to say to the people who would gather therethat evening, he did not try to put together the few thoughts in theway of a speech which Fogg had suggested.

  For Paradise Valley that was a great gathering. At nightfall the newband came down from the town, braying its loudest. Horsemen, and menon foot and in carriages, seemed to spring out of the ground. Theyoverflowed the little house, for Clayton's hospitality urged them tomake themselves at home anywhere, and they filled the yard, yellinglustily. Fogg set up some gasolene torches, and came out of the house,accompanying Justin.

  The noise, the cries for him to appear, the music of the band, theleaping call of aroused ambition, tingled Justin's blood. He felt hissoul swell, when he heard that roar. It was a feeling wholly new andhe could not define it, but it caused him to lift his head and stepwith sure precision as he passed through the doorway with Fogg to thelittle piazza in front of the house.

  Before him some farmers, in whose midst he saw Sloan Jasper, werebellowing their delight. Farther out he saw Steve Harkness, by thelight of the torch which flared red in his face. At Harkness's sidewas Dicky Carroll; and both were yelling with wide-open mouths, andswinging their big hats, as they sat on their horses. Justin knew thathe trembled, but it was not because he distrusted himself, or fearedto face these people.

  As he came out upon the piazza, Fogg, the diplomat, took himaffectionately by both hands, his fat face beaming with simulated joy,as he introduced to these people the newly-elected--theirnewly-elected--representative. Fogg's remarks took the form of a wordypanegyric, whose chief note was that, as Justin had been elected bywhat seemed to be a spontaneous uprising of the whole people, he wouldgo to Denver as the representative of the whole people, and not of anyparty or faction.

  Called on for a speech, Justin spoke but a few words. He was sensible,he said, that a very high honor had been conferred on him, andconferred most unexpectedly. For it he thanked his friends and all whovoted for him. He had not sought the place, and in the manner in whichit had come to him there were some painful things, on which it was notnecessary for him to dwell; but now that he was elected, he would tryto serve his constituency to the best of his ability and do what wasright. The position having come to him wholly unsought, he felt thathe stood pledged to nothing except honesty and the good of the stateand the county.

  Dicky Carroll's small clean-shaven face and beady eyes shone withsupreme satisfaction. Dicky was a firm admirer of Justin, and he wasdelighted
to be able to swing his hat and yell for a cowboy, one ofhis own kind as he thought, who had been elected to the legislaturelargely by cowboy votes. He was swinging his hat and yelling evenbefore Justin concluded; and the speech, brief as it was, had beenpunctuated with cheers.

  Fogg thanked the people for their kindness, and with fat freckled handpatted Justin on the shoulder much as he would have patted a fineyoung horse he was grooming for the races. Clayton looked on with hisquiet smile, pleased to have Justin so praised and cheered, yetanxious.

  Then the people and the brass band went away. Only Harkness and DickyCarroll stayed, for a few words with the "cowboy" whom they had helpedto elect. They did not intend that Fogg should have Justin all tohimself.