The Heart of the Range

by William Patterson White

  CHAPTER XVII

  SIGNED PAPER

  When the two 88 men had departed Molly Dale continued to stand whereshe was for a space and stare dumbly at nothing. Racey, realizing wellenough that her world had crashed to pieces about her, wished that shewould burst into tears. A sobbing woman is easily comforted. It issimply necessary to pet her and keep on petting her till her griefis assuaged. But this hard stillness of Molly Dale's gave Racey noopening. He could but gaze at her uncomfortably and shift his weightfrom one foot to the other.

  "That was a dirty trick of the Marysville bank." Thus tentatively.

  It is doubtful whether Molly heard him. "Poor Father," she said in alow tone.

  "Lookit here, Molly," said Racey, struck by a bright idea, "I've got ali'l money I been saving. I--I want you should take it."

  Molly continued to stare into the distance.

  "I've got some money--" he began again, thinking that Molly had notheard.

  But she turned her face toward him at that, and he saw that her eyeswere shining with unshed tears.

  "Racey," she said, with a slight catch in her voice, and laid her handlightly on his arm. "Racey, you're a dear, good boy. We--we'll managesomehow. I mum-must tell Mother."

  Abruptly she swung away and left him. He watched her cross the gardenand enter the kitchen of the ranch-house. Then slowly, thoughtfully,he set to work repairing as best he could the ravages left in thegarden by the hoofs of Lanpher's horse.

  Came then Swing Tunstall on a paint pony and was moved to mirth atsight of Racey Dawson engaged in earthy labour.

  "See the pret-ty flowers," mouthed Swing Tunstall, after the fashionof a child wrestling with the First Reader. "Does Racey like pret-tyflow-ers? Yeth, he'th crathy ab-out them. Ain't he cute squattin'there all same hoptoad and a-workin' away two-handed? Only he ain'ta-workin' now. He's stopped workin'. He's gettin' all red in the face.He's mad at Swing who never done him no harm nohow. Whatsa matter,Racey?" he added in his natural voice. "What bit you on the ear thisfine an' summer day?"

  Racey looked over his shoulder toward the house. Then he got to hisfeet and strode across the garden to where Swing Tunstall sat hishorse.

  "Swing," said he, quietly, "are you busy just now?"

  Swing, suspecting a catch somewhere, stared in swift suspicion."Why--uh--no," was his cautious reply.

  "Then go off some'ers and die."

  Without waiting for Swing's possible comment Racey turned his back onhis friend and walked unhurriedly to his horse Cuter. Swing slouchedsidewise in the saddle and watched him go.

  He rolled a cigarette, lit it, and inhaled luxuriously. And allwithout removing his gaze from Racey's back. He watched while Raceyflung the reins crosswise over Cuter's neck, mounted, and rode downinto the creek. When he saw that Racey, after allowing Cuter to drinknearly all he wanted, rode on across the creek and up the fartherbank, Swing's brow became corrugated with a puzzled frown.

  "He means business," muttered Swing. "I ain't seen that look on hisface for some time. I wonder what did happen this morning."

  His eyes still fixed on the dwindling westward moving object that wasRacey Dawson and his horse, he smoked his cigarette to a butt. Then hepicked up his reins, found his stirrups, and rode away.

  Racey Dawson, bound for the 88 ranch-house, did not smoke. He did notfeel like it. He did not feel like doing anything but facing Lanpher.What he would be moved to do while facing Lanpher he was not sure.Time enough to cross that bridge when the crucial moment shouldarrive. He knew what he wanted to do, but he knew, too, that he couldnot do it unless Lanpher made the first break. Otherwise it would bemurder, and Racey was no murderer.

  "He'll back down if he can, the snake," Racey said aloud. "And he'llbe shore to slick and slime round till all's blue. Damn him, ridingover those flowers of hers!"

  Racey did not hurry. He had no desire to come up with Lanpher onthe open range. It would be better to meet the man at his ownranch-house--where there were apt to be plenty of witnesses. Raceyrealized perfectly that he might need a witness, several witnesses,before the sunset. He hoped that all the boys of the 88 outfit wouldbe at the ranch. He hoped that Luke Tweezy would be there, too.Lanpher and Tweezy together, the pups.

  "Fat Jakey Pooley's li'l playmates," he muttered and sworeagain--heartily.

  He understood now the true reason for Jack Harpe's lack of activity.This purchasing by Lanpher and Tweezy of the Dale mortgage was theeminently safe and lawful plan of Jakey Pooley. In his letter FatJakey had written that it would take longer. And wasn't it takinglonger? It was. Racey thought he saw the plan in its entirety, and wasin a boil accordingly. He would have been in considerably more of aboil had he been blessed with the ability to read the future.

  When he rode in among the buildings of the 88 ranch his eyes weregratified by the sight of freckle-faced Bill Allen straddling acracker-box in front of the bunkhouse and having his hair cut by RodRockwell.

  "That's right," Bill Allen was complaining, "whynell don't you cut offthe whole ear while yo're about it?"

  "Aw, shut up," said Rod Rockwell, "it was only the tip, and I didn'tgo to cut it, anyway."

  "I don't giveadamn whether you went to cut it or not, you cut it! Ican feel the blood running down the back of my neck."

  "That's only sweat, you bellerin' calf! Hold still, can't you? Djuhwant me to hurt you?"

  "You done have already," snarled Bill Allen, fidgeting on hiscracker-box. "You wait till I cut yore hair after. I'll fix you. I'llscalp you, you pot-walloper."

  "That's right, Bill," said Racey, checking his horse beside thequarrelling pair. "Talk to him. Givem hell."

  "'Lo, Racey," grinned the two youngsters in unison.

  "Where did you rustle _this_ hoss?" asked Bill Allen.

  "Nemmine where," smiled Racey, for both Bill and Rod had been hisfriends in his 88 days and could therefore insult him with impunity."I wouldn't wanna put li'l boys in the way of temptation. Does thecook still spank him regular, Rod?"

  "Stab his hoss with the scissors, Rod," begged Bill Allen. "Let's seewhat for a rider Mr. Dawson is."

  Racey pressed his off rein against his horse's neck. The animalwhirled on a nickel, and reared, hard held, after the first plunge.The flying pebbles plentifully showered the two punchers. Bill Allenswore heartily, for one of the pebbles had clipped his damaged ear.

  "You see what a good rider I am," Racey said, sweetly. "Can't feazeme, nohow. Sit still, Bill, and lemme try can I jump the li'l hossover you. Rod, do you mind movin' back a yard?"

  "No," said Bill Allen, decidedly, and picked up his cracker-box andretreated backward to the bunkhouse door. "No, you don't play any suchtricks as that on me. He'd just as soon try it as not, the idjit," headded over his shoulder to Tile Stanton who was peering out to seewhat all the racket was about.

  "Let him try it," Tile Stanton advised promptly. "If the cayuse doeshappen to hit yore head, it won't hurt yore thick skull. G'on, Bill,be a sport."

  "Be a sport yoreself," returned Bill Allen, skipping into thebunkhouse. "Where's the other scissors? I'll finish this job myself."

  Racey, left alone with Rod Rockwell, smiled slightly. "Bill ain't gota sense of humour this mornin'," he observed, softly. "He must 'a'thought I meant it."

  There was no answering smile on Rod's features as he looked up atRacey Dawson. "Racey," said he, laying a hand on the horse's mane,"have you been to McFluke's lately?"

  "I ain't," replied Racey, his smile fading out.

  "Then keep on stayin' away."

  "As bad as that?"

  "As bad as that."

  "McFluke been talking?" was Racey's next question.

  "If McFluke was the only one it would be a mighty short hoss tocurry."

  "Then there are others?"

  "Plenty." Rod Rockwell gave a short, hard laugh.

  "All of Nebraska's bunch, huh?"

  "All but Nebraska."

  "How long has this been going on--this talking, I mean?"

  "Doc Coffin
started it about a week ago. He told Windy Taylor of theDouble Diamond A he was gonna ventilate yore good health some fineday. He wasn't drunk, neither."

  "Then he must have serious intentions."

  "Somethin' like that. Five of us heard him say it. Lookit, while I wasat McFluke's alone day before yesterday Doc and Peaches Austin andHoney Hoke was all three bellying the bar, and while I was tuckingaway my nosepaint they was mumbling to themselves how you was allkinds of a pup and would stand shootin' any day."

  "Mumblin' loud enough for you to hear, huh?"

  "Naturally, or I wouldn't 'a' heard it."

  "Then they wanted you to hear. Guess they know yo're a friend ofmine."

  "Guess they do now," Rod Rockwell said, grimly.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Oh, nothin'. I just talked to 'em a li'l bit."

  "And you wasn't shot? Didn't they do anything?"

  "Hell, no," Rod denied, disgustedly. "Kansas Casey come in just at thewrong time, and throwed down on the four of us and said he'd do allthe shooting they was to be done. And when he went he took me withhim. Said he'd arrest me if I didn't go peaceable. Ain't that justlike Kansas?"

  "Wearing the star shore means a lot to him."

  "Aw, since he's been deputy he's gotten too big for his boots. AndJake the same way. The country's played out, that's whatsa matter.Law and order, law and order, till a feller can't turn round no morewithout fallin' into jail."

  "She's one lucky thing for you, cowboy," said Racey, seriously, "thatKansas did come. Three of 'em! You had yore gall. Lookit here, nexttime you let 'em talk. Names don't hurt less they're said to afeller's face."

  "They knowed you was my friend," said Rod, simply. "Anyway, you keepaway from McFluke's."

  "Maybe I will take yore advice. It has its points of interest, asthe feller said when he sat down on the porkumpine. And speakin' ofporkumpines, have you seen Lanpher?"

  "Shore. Him and Alicran pulled in a hour ago. Guess he's in theoffice--Lanpher."

  "See anything of Tweezy lately?"

  "Luke seems to be living with us _lately_."

  "I never knowed him and Lanpher was good friends?" Racey cast at aventure.

  "I didn't either--till lately."

  "Jack Harpe ever come out here?"

  "Long-geared feller--supposed to have capital? Hangs out in Farewell?The one that Marie girl tried to down? Bo, he ain't been here as Iknow of, but then he could easy drift in and out and me not know it."

  Racey nodded. "Marie jump Jack again, do you know?" he asked.

  "Damfino. Don't guess so, though. I seen her pass him on Main Street,and she didn't even look at him."

  "I'll bet he looked at her."

  "You can gamble he did. He ain't trustin' her, not him. I wonder whatwas at the bottom of the fuss between him an' her?" A sharp glance atRacey accompanied this remark.

  "I dunno," yawned Racey. "They say Mr. Harpe has had a career bothhigh, wide, and handsome."

  "That's what I'd call one too many," grinned Rod Rockwell.

  "You can put down a bet the career has been one too many, too."

  "Yeah?" said Rod, wondering what was coming next.

  "Yeah," said Racey, nodding mysteriously, but disappointing his friendby immediately changing the subject. "Say, Rod, I'd take it as afavour if you and Tile and Bill would sort of freeze round thebunkhouse till after I'm through with Lanpher."

  "Shore," said Rod. "Tweezy's in the office, too, I guess."

  Racey nodded, and started his horse toward the office.

  He understood well enough that Rod and the other two punchers wouldnot interfere in any way with him and whatever acts he might be calledupon to perform during his conversation with Lanpher. Loyal to thelast cartridge and after whenever it was ranch business, none of the88 punchers ever felt it incumbent upon him to go out of his way sofar as Lanpher personally was concerned. The manager was not the maneither to engender or to foster personal loyalty.

  At the open doorway of the office Racey dismounted. He dropped thereins over his horse's head and walked to the doorway. There hestopped and looked in. He saw Lanpher sitting behind his big homemadedesk. Lanpher was watching him. At one side of the desk, on a chairtilted back against the wall, sat Luke Tweezy. Luke was chewing astraw. His eyes were half closed, but Racey detected their glitter.Luke Tweezy was not overlooking any bets at that moment.

  Racey stepped across the doorsill and halted just within the room. Thethumb of his left hand was hooked in his belt. His right hand hung athis side. He was ready for action.

  "Lanpher," said Racey without preliminary, "I want to serve noticeon you here and now that if I catch you within one mile of MoccasinSpring you come a-shooting because I will."

  Lanpher's hand remained motionless on the desktop. Then the man pickedup a pencil and began to tap it on the wood. He licked his lipscat-fashion.

  "Is that a threat or a promise?" he asked.

  "You can take it she's both," Racey told him.

  "You hear that, Luke?" Lanpher turned to Luke Tweezy. "Threatenin' mylife, huh?"

  "Shore," nodded Luke Tweezy. "Actionable, that is. Mustn't threaten aman's life, Racey. Against the law, you know."

  Racey moved to one side and leaned his back comfortably against thewall. "Against the law, huh, Luke?" he said nervously. "Then I can bearrested?"

  "You can," Luke Tweezy declared with evident relish. "That is, you canif Lanpher wants to make a complaint."

  "You hear, Lanpher?" asked Racey, still more nervously. "You wannamake a complaint, huh?"

  Lanpher had not failed to note the nervousness of Racey's tone. Now helicked his lips again. He felt quite cheerful of a sudden. It gavehim a warm and pleasant feeling to think that Racey Dawson was to acertain degree in his power. Having licked his lips several times herubbed his chin judicially and coughed, likewise judicially.

  "Well, I dunno as I wanna make a complaint exactly," he said, slowly."But you wanna walk a chalkline round here, Racey. You got too much tosay for a fact."

  "What do you think, Luke?" queried Racey. "Have I got too much tosay?"

  "You heard what Lanpher said," replied the cautious Luke.

  "Yep, I heard all right. I just wanted to get yore opinion, because Iain't through yet--through talking, I mean. What I was going to say isthat I wouldn't be particular about catching Lanpher round MoccasinSpring. If I only _heard_ he'd been hanging round there it would beenough."

  "Meaning you'll drill him on suspicion?"

  "Meaning I'll do just that."

  "Now yo're threatenin' me again." Thus Lanpher.

  "Takes you a long time to wake up, don't it?" The nervousness hadvanished from Racey's voice. "Lanpher, you lousy skunk! Why don't youpull? There's a gun in that open drawer not six inches from your hand.Go after it, you hound-dog!"

  Lanpher was not inordinately brave. He would go out of his way toavoid an appeal to lethal weapons. But Racey's words were more than hecould stand. His hand jerked sidewise and down toward the sixshooterin the open drawer.

  Bang! Shooting from the hip Racey drove an accurate bullet through themanager's right forearm. Lanpher grunted and gurgled with pain. But hemade no attempt to seize his weapon with his left hand.

  Luke Tweezy picked himself up from the floor where he had thrownhimself a split second before the shot. Luke Tweezy's leathery facewas mottled yellow with rage.

  "I'll get you ten years for this!" he squalled, pointing a long arm atRacey. "You started this fight! You tried to murder him!"

  "Oh, say not so," said Racey. "If I'd wanted to kill him I wouldn't'a' plugged him in the arm, would I? That wouldn't 'a' been sensible."

  "You provoked this fraycas!" snarled Luke, disregarding Racey's pointin a true lawyer-like way. "You--"

  "Why, no, Luke, yo're wrong, all wrong," interrupted Swing Tunstall,leaning over the windowsill at Tweezy's back. "I seen the whole thing,I did, and I didn't see Racey do anything he shouldn't. I could swearto it on the stand if I had to," he added,
thoughtfully.

  Come then Rod Rockwell, Bill Allen, and Tile Stanton from thebunkhouse. None made any comment on the state of affairs. But whileRod fetched water in a basin, Bill Allen cut away the sleeve of hisgroaning employer, and made all ready.

  A few minutes later Alicran Skeel entered the office. "I thought Iheard a gun," he drawled, his calm eyes embracing everyone in theroom.

  "That man!" bubbled Luke Tweezy, shaking his fist at Racey. "Thatman tried to kill Lanpher! I call upon you not to let him leave thepremises until I can go to Farewell and swear out a warrant for hisarrest."

  "That man," said Swing Tunstall, pointing a derisive finger at LukeTweezy, "is a liar by the clock. I saw the whole thing. And all Igotta say is that Lanpher went after his gun first."

  "I ain't doubting yore word, Swing," Alicran said, tactfully, "butthey seems to be a difference of opinion sort of, and--"

  "I say that Luke Tweezy is a damn liar," reasserted Swing, "and theyain't no difference of opinion about that."

  "Well, of course, if Luke--" Alicran did not complete the sentence.

  "I am a lawyer," Luke Tweezy explained, hurriedly. "I ain't paying anyattention to what his man says--now."

  "Or any other time," jibed Swing.

  "Any of you boys see this?" Alicran asked of his three punchers.

  "He tried to kill me, I tell you!" Lanpher gritted through his teeth."He didn't gimme a chance!"

  "Any of you boys see it?" repeated Alicran, paying no attention toLanpher.

  "How could we?" asked Rod Rockwell, glancing up from the bandaging ofLanpher's arm. "We was all in the bunkhouse."

  "Then for the benefit of the gents who wasn't here," said Racey,smoothly, "I don't mind saying that I told Lanpher to go after hisgun, and he did, and I did."

  "He's a liar," gibbered Lanpher. "Alicran, ain't you man enough totake care of Racey Dawson?"

  Alicran nodded composedly. "I guess him and me would come to some kindof an agreement provided I was shore he needed taking care of. But Iain't none shore he does. Looks like it was a even break to me--theword of you and Luke against his and Swing's. And what's fairer thanthat I'd like to know?"

  "Alicran!" squalled Lanpher. "I'm telling you to--"

  "Yo're all worked up, that's whatsa matter," Alicran assured him."You don't mean more'n half you say. You lie down now after Rod getsthrough with you and cool off--cool off considerable, I would. Do youa heap o' good. Yeah."

  "And when you get all well, Lanpher," put in Racey, "will I still be aliar like you say?"

  Lanpher looked at Racey and looked away. His heated blood was coolingfast. His arm--Lord, how it hurt! He perceived that discretion wasnecessary to preserve the rest of his precious skin from futureperforation.

  "I--I guess I was a li'l hasty," he mumbled, his eyelids lowered.

  "Now that's what I call right down handsome--for you," drawled Racey."Gawd knows I ain't a hawg. I'm satisfied. Luke, s'pose you and mewalk out to the corral together. I got a secret for yore pearly ear."

  It was obvious that Luke Tweezy was of two minds. Racey grinned to seethe other's hesitation.

  "What you scared of, Luke?" he inquired. "It ain't far to the corral,and you can ask Alicran to come outside and watch me while I'm talkin'to you."

  "I ain't got any business with you," denied Luke Tweezy.

  "Oh, yo're mistaken, a heap mistaken. Yes, indeedy, you got businesswith me. But it ain't my fault, Luke. I can't help it. Of course, ifyou don't wanna talk to me private like, I can reel her off in here.My thoughts were all of you and yore feelin's, Luke, when I said thecorral. I was shore you'd be happier there."

  "I ain't got a thing to hide, not a thing," declared Luke Tweezy. "Butif you want to we'll go out to the corral."

  They went out to the corral and Racey found a seat on an emptynailkeg. Luke Tweezy sat perforce on the hardbaked ground. He hunchedup his legs, clasped his hands round his shins, and rested his sharpchin on his bony knees. His eyes were fixed on Racey. The latterseemed in no hurry to begin. He rolled a cigarette with irritatingslowness. To force one's opponent to wait is always good strategy.

  "Well," said Luke Tweezy.

  "Is it?" smiled Racey. "Have it yore own way, if you like. Lookit,Luke, you buy a lot of scrip now and then, don't you?"

  "Shore," nodded Luke.

  "Good big discount, I'll bet."

  "Why not? I ain't in business for my health. They's no law--"

  "Of course there ain't. And yore mortgages, Luke. Do a good businessin mortgages, don't you?"

  "So-so."

  "This mortgage of Old Man Dale's now--you figurin' on foreclosin' ifhe can't pay?"

  "Whadda you know about Dale's mortgage?"

  "I heard Lanpher yawpin' about it. He talks too loud sometimes, don'the? You gonna foreclose on him, I suppose?"

  "Like that!" Luke Tweezy snapped his teeth together with a click.

  "But foreclosing takes time. You can't sell a man up the minute hismortgage is due. There's got to be notices in the papers and the likeof that. Suppose now he gets to borrow the money some'ers before thesale? He'll have plenty of time to look round."

  "Who'd lend him money?"

  "Old Salt would. He's tight, but he'd rather have Dale at MoccasinSpring than someone else, and he'd lend Dale money rather than havehim drove out."

  "Shucks, he wouldn't lend him a dime. I know Old Salt. Don't fret,we'll foreclose when we get ready."

  "I ain't fretting," said Racey. "You'll foreclose, huh? Aw right. Ijust wanted to be shore. You can go now, Luke."

  Thus dismissed Tweezy rose to his feet and glared down at RaceyDawson. His little eyes shone with spite.

  "Say it," urged Racey. "You'll bust if you don't."

  But Luke Tweezy did not say it. He knew better. Without a word hereturned to the house.

  "They ain't going to foreclose, that's a cinch," said Racey when theponies were fox-trotting toward Soogan Creek and the Bar S range fiveminutes later. "Luke's telling me they were proves they ain't."

  "Shore," acquiesced Swing, "but what are they gonna do?"

  "I ain't figured that out yet."

  "You mean you dunno. That's the size of it,"

  "How'd you happen to be at that window so providential this mornin'?"Racey queried, hurriedly.

  "How'd you s'pose? Don't you guess I'd know they was something up fromthe nice, kind way you said so-long to me back there at the Dales'?Huh? 'Course I did--I ain't no fool. You'd oughta had sense enough totake me along in the first place instead of makin' me trail you milesan' miles. And where would you 'a' been if I hadn't come siftin'along, I'd like to know? Might know you'd need a witness. Them twojiggers put together could easy make you lots of trouble. What was youthinking of, anyhow, Racey?"

  "How could I tell they were _both_ gonna be together? Besides, threeof the 88 boys were over in the bunkhouse. I was counting on them."

  "Over in the bunkhouse, huh? A lot of good they'd done you there. Alot of good. Oh, yo're bright, Racey. I'd tell a man that, I would."