CONCLUSION
In her career as the wife of a Western rancher, Eleanor Redfield had beencalled upon to entertain many strange guests, and she made no verydetermined objection when her husband telephoned that he was bringing Lizeas well as Lee Virginia to stay at Elk Lodge for a few days. Therevelation of the true relation between the two women had (as Lize put it)made a "whole lot of difference" to Mrs. Redfield. It naturally clearedthe daughter of some part of her handicap, and it had also made themother's attitude less objectionable.
Furthermore, the loyalty of Eliza to Ross, her bravery in defending himfrom attack, and the love and courage which enabled her to rise from asick-bed and go to the mountains, ready and insistent on taking his placeas nurse--all these were not the traits of a commonplace personality. "Ibegin to think I've been unjust to Mrs. Wetherford," she admitted to herhusband.
She had seen Lize but once, and that was in the distorting atmosphere ofthe restaurant, and she remembered her only as a lumpy, scowling,loud-voiced creature with blowsy hair and a watchful eye. She wasprofoundly surprised, therefore, when Lee Virginia introduced aquiet-spoken, rather sad-faced elderly woman as her mother.
"I'm glad to see you, Mrs. Wetherford," Eleanor said, with the courtesywhich was instinctive with her.
"I'm mightily obliged for the chance to come," replied Lize. "I toldReddy--I mean the Supervisor--that you didn't want no old-timer like me,but he said 'Come along,' and Lee she fixed me out, and here I am." Sheuttered this with a touch of her well-known self-depreciation, but she wasby no interpretation sordid or common.
She did, indeed, show Lee's care, and her manner, while manifestly formedupon Lee's instructions, was never ludicrous. She was frankly curiousabout the house and its pretty things, and swore softly in her surpriseand pleasure. "Think of an old cow-boss like me living up to thesejimmy-cracks!" As they went to their room together, she made a confession:"The thing that scares me worst is _eating_. I've et at the Alma timesenough, but to handle a fork here with El'nor Redfield lookin' on! Greatpeter! ain't there some way of takin' my meals out in the barn? I wouldn'tmind you and Ross and Reddy--it's the missis."
Ross had not yet arrived at the cabin, but Redfield had warned Lee not toexpect him till after dark. "He probably slept late, and, besides, thereare always delays on the trail. But don't worry. Swenson will ride to thetop of the divide with him, and if it seems necessary will come all theway."
This feeling of anxiety helped to steady Lize, and she got through themeal very well. She was unwontedly silent, and a little sad as well asconstrained. She could see that Lee fitted in with these surroundings,that she was at home with shining silver and dainty dishes, and she saidto herself: "I could have been something like her if I'd had any sort o'raisin', but it's too late now. But oh, Lord! wouldn't Ed like to see hernow!"
It was not yet dark when they came out on the veranda to meet the doctor,who had come to meet Ross, and Lee's anxiety led her to say: "Can't we goup to the cabin and wait for him there?"
"I was about to propose that," replied Redfield. "Shall we walk?"
Lee was instant in her desire to be off, but Lize said: "I never was muchon foot and now I'm hoof-bound. You go along, and I'll sit on the porchhere and watch."
So Lee, the doctor, and Redfield went off together across the meadowtoward the little cabin which had been built for the workmen while puttingin the dam. It was hardly a mile away, and yet it stood at the mouth of amighty gorge, out of which the water sprang white with speed.
But Lee had no mind for the scenery, though her eyes were lifted to themeadow's wall, down which the ranger was expected to ride. It lookedfrightfully steep, and whenever she thought of him descending that trail,worn and perhaps ill, her heart ached with anxiety. But Redfield rambledon comfortably, explaining the situation to the doctor, who, being a mostunimaginative person, appeared to take it all as a matter of course.
At the cabin itself Lee transferred her interest to the supper which hadbeen prepared for the ranger, and she went about the room trying to makeit a little more comfortable for him. It was a bare little place, hardlymore than a camp (as was proper), and she devoutly prayed that he was notto be sick therein, for it stood in a cold and gloomy place, close underthe shadow of a great wall of rock.
As it grew dark she lighted a lamp and placed it outside the window inorder that its light might catch the ranger's eye, and this indeed it did,for almost instantly a pistol-shot echoed from the hillside, far above,signalling his approach.
"There he is!" she exclaimed, in swift rebound to ecstasy. "Hear himshout?"
His voice could indeed be heard, though faintly, and so they waited whilethe darkness deepened and the voice of the stream rose like an exhalation,increasing in violence as the night fell.
At last they could hear the sound of his horse's feet upon the rocks, andwith girlish impulse Lee raised a musical cry--an invitation as well as ajoyous signal.
To this the ranger made vocal answer, and they could soon see him movingathwart the hillsides, zigzagging in the trailer's fashion, dropping downwith incredible swiftness. He was alone, and leading his horse, but hiscelerity of movement and the tones of his voice denoted confidence andhealth.
The doctor laughed as he said: "I don't think a very sick man could comedown a mountain like that."
"Oh, he isn't sick yet," said Redfield. "What we are afraid of is apossible development."
The ranger, as he came rushing down the final slope, found his kneesweakened as much by excitement as by weariness. To hear Lee's clear voicedown there, to know that she was waiting for him, was to feel himself theluckiest of men. Escaping contagion and being on his way to a largerposition were as nothing compared to the lure of that girlish halloo. Hesaw the lamp shine afar, but he could not distinguish the girl's form tillhe emerged from the clump of pine-trees which hid the bottom of the trail.Then they all shouted together, and Redfield, turning to Lee, warninglysaid:
"Now, my dear girl, you and I must not interfere with the doctor. We willstart back to the house at once."
"Not yet--not till we've seen him and talked with him," she pleaded.
"I don't think there's a particle of danger," said the doctor, "butperhaps you'd better not wait."
Cavanagh came up with shining eyes and heavy breath. "I made it--but oh,I'm tired! I never was tired like this before in my life." He looked ather as he spoke. "But I'm feeling fine."
"This is Doctor French, Ross."
"How are you doctor? I'm not shaking hands these days."
"Well see about that," replied the physician.
"I met the sheriff on the way, Mr. Supervisor, and I gave him the storyDunn told me, and I made a request that the reward for the information bepaid to Dunn's widow."
"I'll see to that," responded Redfield. "And now we'll leave you to thetender mercies of the doctor."
"I made some coffee for you, and you'll find some supper under a napkin onthe table," explained Lee.
"Thank you."
"I'm sorry it isn't better. It's only cold chicken and sandwiches--"
"Only cold chicken!" he laughed. "My chief anxiety is lest it should notprove a whole chicken. I'm hungry as a coyote!"
"Well, now, good-night," said Redfield. "Doctor, you'll report as you goby?"
"Yes; expect me in half an hour or so."
And so Lee walked away with Redfield, almost entirely relieved of hercare. "He can't be ill, can he?" she asked.
"I don't see how he can. His life has made him as clean and strong as anoak-tree on a windy slope. He is all right, and very happy. Your beingthere to meet him was very sweet to him, I could see that. If it shouldturn out that you should be the one to keep him here and in the ForestService I shall be very grateful to you."
She did not reply to this, but walked along in silence by his side,feeling very small, very humble, but very content.
Lize was on the veranda. "Did he get through?"
"He's all right so far," returned Redfield, cheerily.
"We left the doctorabout to fly at him. We'll have a report soon."
They had hardly finished telling of how the ranger had descended the hillwhen the doctor arrived. "He hasn't a trace of it," was his report. "Allhe needs is sleep. I cut him off from his entire over-the-range outfit,and there's no reason why he should not come down to breakfast with you inthe morning."
Mrs. Redfield thanked the doctor as fervently as if he had conferred apersonal favor upon her, and the girl echoed her grateful words.
"Oh, that's all right," the doctor replied, in true Western fashion; "I'lldo as much more for you any time." And he rode away, leaving at least oneperson too happy to sleep.
* * * * *
The same person was on the veranda next morning when Cavanagh, dressed inthe Supervisor's best suit of gray cassimere, came striding across thelawn--too impatient of the winding drive to follow it. As he came, hisface glowing with recovered health, Lee thought him the god of themorning, and went to meet him unashamed, and he took her to his arms andkissed her quite as he had promised himself to do.
"Now I _know_ that I am delivered!" he exclaimed, and together theyentered upon the building of a home in the New West.
THE END
Cavanagh, Forest Ranger: A Romance of the Mountain West Page 17
