The Heart of the Range

by William Patterson White

  CHAPTER XXIV

  DIPLOMACY

  Worried Mrs. Dale raised a work-scarred hand and pushed back a lock ofgray hair that had fallen over one eye. "It's a forgery," she said,wretchedly. "I know it's a forgery. He--he wouldn't sign such a paper.I know he wouldn't."

  Molly Dale, all unmindful of Racey Dawson sitting in a chair tiltedback against the wall, slipped around the table and slid her arm abouther mother's waist.

  "There, there, Ma," she soothed, pulling her mother's head againsther firm young shoulder. "Don't you fret. It will come out all right.You'll see. You mustn't worry this way. Can't you believe what Raceysays? Try, dear, try."

  But unhappy Mrs. Dale was beyond trying. She saw the home which shehad worked to get and slaved to maintain taken from her and herselfand her daughter turned out of doors. There was no help for it. Therewas no hope. The future was pot-black. She broke down and wept.

  "Oh, oh," she sobbed, "if only I'd watched him closer that day. But Iwas washing, and I sort of forgot about him for a spell, and when I'dgot the clothes on the line he wasn't anywhere in sight, and--and it'sall my fuf-fault."

  This was too much for Racey Dawson. He got up and went out. Savagelyhe pulled his hat over his eyes and strode to where his horse stood inthe shade of a cottonwood. But he did not pick up the trailing reins.For as he reached the animal he saw approaching across the flat thefigures of a horse and rider. And the man was Luke Tweezy.

  With the sight of Mrs. Dale's tears fresh in his memory and the rageengendered thereby galvanizing his brain he went to meet Mr. Tweezy.

  "Howdy, Racey," said the lawyer, pulling up.

  "Whadda you want?" demanded Racey, halting a scant yard from LukeTweezy's left leg.

  "I come to see Mrs. Dale," replied Tweezy, his leathery featureswrinkling in a grimace intended to pass for a propitiating smile.

  Racey's stare was venomous. "Tweezy," he drawled, "I done told yousomething about admiring to see you put these women off this ranch,didn't I?"

  "Oh, you was just a li'l hasty. I understand. That's all right. I'vedone forgot all about it."

  "So I see. So I see. I'm reminding you of it. After this, Luke, I'dhobble my memory if I was you, then it won't go straying off thisawayand get you into trouble."

  "Trouble?"

  Racey did not deign to repeat. He nodded simply.

  "I ain't got no gun," explained the lawyer.

  "Alla more easy for me, then. You can't shoot back."

  Luke Tweezy choked. Choked and spat. "---- ----" he began in a violenttone of voice.

  "Careful, careful," cautioned Racey, promptly kicking the lawyer'shorse in the ribs. "There's ladies in the house. You get a-holt ofyore tongue."

  Luke Tweezy obeyed the command literally. For, his horse going intothe air with great briskness at the impact of Racey's toe, even as thepuncher had intended it should, he, Luke Tweezy, bit his tongue sohard that he wept involuntary tears of keenest anguish.

  "You stop that cussin'," resumed Racey, seizing the bridle short andyanking the bouncing horse to a standstill with a swerve and a jerkthat almost unseated its rider. "You be careful how you talk, you--hoptoad!"

  "Leggo that bridle!" yammered Tweezy, almost distraught with anger.His tongue pained him exquisitely and he was otherwise physicallyshaken. "Leggo that bridle!"

  "I'll let it go!" Racey grated through set teeth, and he let it gowith a backward flip to the lower branches of the severe curb bit thatinstantly sent the horse on its hind legs. If Luke Tweezy had notquickwittedly smacked the animal between the ears with the butt of hisquirt it would have continued the motion to a backfall and rolled itsrider out.

  "Tough luck," mourned Racey, sorry to observe that Luke had contrivedto ward off an accident. "I was expecting to see that horn dislocateyore latest meal. If you ain't quite so set on going to the house youcan flit."

  "I wanna see Mrs. Dale," persisted the lawyer in a strangled voice."I come to offer her money. I wanna do her a favour, can't youunderstand?"

  "I can't," was the frank reply. "I can't see you doing anybody afavour or giving away any money. C'mon, get a-going."

  It was then that the lawyer lifted up his voice and shouted aloud forMrs. Dale. Undoubtedly Racey would have done Tweezy a mischief had hebeen given time. But unfortunately Molly Dale came to the lawyer'srescue precisely as she had once come to the rescue of his partner inevil, the bulldozer Lanpher. As it was Racey had contrived to pullLuke Tweezy partly from the saddle when Molly arrived and forced herdefender to release his victim.

  Reluctantly Racey dropped the leg he held and allowed Tweezy to cometo earth on his hands and knees.

  "What do you want?" inquired Molly, regarding Tweezy much as she wouldhave regarded a poisonous reptile.

  "I want to see yore mother," snuffled Tweezy, applying his sleeve tohis nose. He had in the mixup smote his swell fork with the organ inquestion and it had begun to bleed.

  "Why?"

  "I want to pay her money to go away quietly," said Tweezy, switchingfrom his sleeve to his handkerchief. "I--"

  "Here she is," interrupted Molly. "Tell her."

  "How do, ma'am," said Luke to the wet-eyed widow. "I guess it ain'tnecessary for me to go through a lot of explanations with you. Youknow what's what, and you know we'll take possession just as soon asthe sheriff serves the eviction papers on you."

  At this Racey Dawson made a noise in his throat. Molly laid coolfingers on his wrist.

  "Steady, boy, steady," she whispered under her breath.

  Despite the seriousness of the moment Racey's heart skipped a beat andthe pleasantest shiver in the world ran about his body. "Boy!" she hadcalled him. "Boy." Her hand was actually touching his own. He--

  "I don't want to be hard on you, Mis' Dale," resumed Luke, after anapprehensive glance at Racey Dawson. "I don't like to be hard onanybody that's sittin' into a run of hard luck, but business isbusiness, ma'am. You know that. And after all I'm--we're only askingfor what we're by rights entitled to. We got title to this place fairand square, and--"

  "Title, huh?" struck in Racey, unable to keep silent. "Not yet youain't."

  "S-s-sh," breathed Molly, tightening her grip on his wrist.

  "It's like I say, Mis' Dale," Luke Tweezy burred on from behind hishandkerchief, "I ain't got any wish to add to yore troubles, and so Igot my partner to agree for me to give you five hundred dollars cashmoney if you'll pack up and clear out quiet and peaceful."

  "Don't you do it, Mis' Dale!" urged Racey. "There's a trick in thatoffer."

  "They ain't any trick!" contradicted Luke Tweezy, vehemently. "I justwanna save trouble, thassall."

  Save trouble! That had been Lanpher's reason for coming the day herode through the garden. Save trouble, indeed.

  "If yo're so shore the sheriff is going to serve those evictionpapers," said Racey as calmly as he could because of the warningpressure on his wrist, "if yo're so shore why are you giving away fivehundred?"

  "Because I don't like to be hard on Mis' Dale. Then, again, I'll admitwe wanna get in here soon as we can."

  "You admit it, huh? That's a good one, that is. Don't you do it, Mis'Dale. You stand pat."

  "I don't want your five hundred dollars," said Mrs. Dale.

  "Seven-fifty," climbed up Tweezy.

  Mrs. Dale shook her head. "No."

  "One thousand," Tweezy raised his ante.

  "Lemme throw him out, Mis' Dale?" begged Racey Dawson. "Just lemmethrow him out, and I'll guarantee he'll never bother you again."

  Again Mrs. Dale shook her head, and the pressure on Racey's wristincreased. "You mustn't touch him," said Mrs. Dale. "He'll go."

  "Think it over," Tweezy blundered on. "One thousand dollars gratiscash money in yore hands if you'll leave at once."

  "I'll wait awhile," said Mrs. Dale. "Please go."

  Luke Tweezy opened his mouth to speak. Racey broke from Molly'sdetaining grasp and stepped between him and Mrs. Dale, and Tweezyclosed his mouth without speaking.

  "Y
ou heard what she said," Racey drawled, softly. "Git."

  And Tweezy got.

  "Do you think the sheriff will put us out?" asked Mrs. Dale, twistinga corner of her apron between her hands.

  "He'll take all the time to it he can," Racey evaded the direct reply."But whatever happens don't think of taking any offer like that ofTweezy's. It's a trick, thassall. No matter who comes to you nor whathe offers don't you move till--Well, anyway, Judge Dolan and Jake Ruleare with you from soda to hock, and they'll do all they can to holdthings at a stand-still till I can fix it all up. You must rememberthat I know what you dunno, and when I say that everything will endfine and daisy you better believe I know what I'm talking about."

  Molly looked at him keenly. "Racey, that's the third or fourth timeyou've said that. I wonder if you really have something up yoursleeve."

  "Of course I have," Racey insisted. "You wait. You'll see."

  "What do you know? Tell us."

  "Never mind, and I won't. It might spoil everything if I told you. Youjust leave it to me."

  He had definitely made his bluff. He would have to make good. And heno more knew how to make good in the business than the year-old babybusy with its toes. But ere this men have killed dragons and madewonders come to pass all for the sake of their ladies' eyes. Men asprosaic and matter-of-fact as the puncher, Racey Dawson. Quite so.

  Half-an-hour after the departure of Luke Tweezy Mr. Saltoun and TomLoudon rode in on lathered horses. They were, it seemed, journeyinghomeward from the 88 whither they had gone in an endeavour to persuadeLanpher and Tweezy to sell the Dale mortgage.

  "Tweezy, huh?" said Racey. "He's just left here."

  "He must 'a' rode like the devil," said Mr. Saltoun. "He was in theoffice with Lanpher when we left."

  "I thought I noticed a feller off to the south of us as we comealong," observed Loudon. "He was just a-boilin'. I only saw him theonce as he slid by the mouth of a draw. Looked like he was trying tokeep out of sight. Rode a gray hoss."

  "Tweezy rode a gray," nodded Racey.

  "Him, all right. What did he want here, Racey?"

  "Offered Mis' Dale one thousand cold if she'd pull her freight."

  "She ain't gonna do it, is she?" demanded the alarmed Mr. Saltoun.

  Racey shook his head. "She's gonna stick."

  "She must. Hell, yes. Those papers of Luke's are forged. I know theyare."

  "So does everybody else," put in Tom Loudon, "but if something don'tturn up damn quick--" He broke off, shaking a dubious head.

  "Something will," declared Racey, making his bluff a second time withan air of supreme confidence.

  "You know something, Racey," prodded Mr. Saltoun who prided himself onhis perspicacity. "Whadda you know?"

  "I ain't telling it," answered Racey, coolly. "I ain't coming back tothe ranch to-day, neither."

  "Oh, you ain't. Listen to the new owner, Tom."

  "That's all right," said Racey. "If I'm going to do the world any goodI've got to have a free hand."

  "You can have two of 'em," conceded Mr. Saltoun. "The bridle's off."

  "Aw right, I'll take Swing Tunstall," Racey hastened to say.

  "I meant yore own two hands," demurred Mr. Saltoun.

  "I know you did, but I meant the other kind. Listen, do you wantLanpher and Tweezy to get this ranch?"

  "---- it, no!"

  "Then gimme Swing Tunstall."

  "Take him. Need anybody else? Wouldn't you like all the rest of theoutfit, and me, too?"

  "My Gawd, no. This is a job requirin' brains."

  "Say, lookit here, Racey--"

  "When you get to the ranch tell Swing to come along soon as he can,"interrupted Racey. "I'll be expecting him."

  Tuckety-tuck! Tuckety-tuck! Somewhere beyond the cottonwood grovesurrounding Moccasin Spring a galloping horse was coming in. A momentlater horse and rider shot past the tail of the cottonwood grove, andbore down on the house.

  "Marie!" exclaimed Racey.

  "And riding one of my hosses," observed Mr. Saltoun.

  At that instant Marie caught sight of the three men and swerved hermount toward them.

  "They said at the Bar S you was here," panted the lookout, pulling upin front of Racey Dawson. "So I borrowed a fresh hoss and kep' on.Somethin's happened in Farewell, Racey. Swing Tunstall's shot."

  "Downed?" Racey did not usually jump at conclusions, but SwingTunstall was his friend.

  Marie shook her tousled head. "Nicked--shoulder and leg. But it ain'ttheir fault he wasn't rubbed out."

  "Who's responsible?" demanded Racey.

  "Doc Coffin."

  "You said 'their'."

  "Honey Hoke bumped into Swing just as he went after his gun, so Swingcouldn't get his gun out a-tall. Swing said Honey grabbed his wrist,but Peaches Austin and Punch-the-breeze Thompson was on the other sidein the way so none of the boys seen what happened to Swing exactlytill after it had."

  "Austin, Thompson, Hoke, and Coffin," said Racey. "What began thefuss?"

  "Doc Coffin upset a glass of whiskey over Swing's arm, and then cussedhim for getting his arm in the way."

  "And Swing called him a liar, huh?"

  "And a ---- one, too," elaborated Marie.

  "Put-up job." Gruffly Mr. Saltoun gave his opinion.

  "Shore." Tom Loudon nodded gravely.

  "Where are those four men now?" Racey asked, quietly, looking atMarie.

  "They were in the Starlight when I left town--and _they weren'tdrinkin_'."

  "No, they wouldn't be."

  "And the sheriff and Kansas went to Dogville this morning, and themarshal is sick. I thought you ought to know. My Gawd, I thought you'dhear the news from somebody else before I got here and go bustin' inregardless, and--"

  "I guess I'll go in all right," he told her with a slight smile, "butit won't be regardless."

  With that he turned on a spurred heel and crossed springily to wherehis horse stood.

  "Aw, the devil!" exclaimed Marie, looking helplessly at Tom Loudon andMr. Saltoun. "And he'll do it, too."

  Then she "kissed" to her horse and rode into the cottonwood grove fora drink at the spring.

  Racey, sticking foot in stirrup, found Molly Dale at his elbow. Shewas looking at him the way women do when they either don't understandor think they understand only too well.

  "Who is that woman?" asked Molly Dale.

  "Huh?" Thus Racey, stupidly. He was thinking of his friend lyingwounded in Farewell. "What woman you mean?... Oh, her, that's Marie,she's--she's lookout in the Happy Heart."

  "Oh, yes, Marie. I--I've seen you with her--one evening when you andshe were crossing the street and I drove past. I--I, yes, indeed."

  And as she spoke her eyes were very bright, and her figure was stifferthan the proverbial poker. Which was odd. And at the tail of her wordsshe gave a stiff nod and hurried into the house. Which was odder. Thespecies of nod and the hurry--both.

  But Racey was in no mood to speculate on the idiosyncrasies of woman.Even _the_ woman. So he topped his mount and rejoined Tom Loudon andMr. Saltoun. They regarded him silently.

  "I guess," said Racey, whirling an empty tobacco-bag by it'sdraw-string, "I'll borrow some of yore smokin', Tom. I'm plumb afootfor tobacco at the present writing."

  Tom Loudon handed over his pouch without a word. But Mr. Saltoun wasfidgety. Unlike his son-in-law, he felt that he must speak.

  "Lookit here, Racey," he said, hurriedly, "you ain't going to Farewellalone, are you?"

  "Why, no, certainly not," Racey replied, solemnly. "I'm going to sendword to Yardly for the troops. Hell's bells, there's only four ofthem, man!"

  "Yes, well--Who's this? One of our boys?"

  But it was not one of "our" boys. It was Rack Slimson, the proprietorof the Starlight Saloon. But he was riding in from the direction ofthe Bar S.

  He rode soberly, as one bound on a journey of length. Even as Mariehad done he glimpsed the three men and turned his horse toward them.Ten feet from the flank of Racey Dawson's
mount he pulled in andnodded. There was spite--spite and something else--in the gaze hefixed on Racey Dawson.

  "Yore friend's hurt," said he. "Got in a fight."

  "Hurt bad?" asked Racey.

  "Not _too_ bad. I've seen worse."

  "Where's he hurt?"

  Rack Slimson merely corroborated what Marie had said. So far he seemedto be telling the truth. And it was natural that there should be spitein his eyes. He had no cause to feel affection for either man. Butthere was the "something else" besides the spite in those eyes. Thatwas what interested Racey.

  "You come here special to tell me this?" said Racey, staring.

  "Not me," denied Rack Slimson. "I was just passing by, and I thoughtI'd let you know."

  "Just bein' neighbourly, huh?"

  "I dunno as I'd go so far as to say that."

  "Well, I'm obliged to you, Slimson. I'm shore a heap obliged to you.Is Swing Tunstall being taken care of all right?"

  "He's in Mike Flynn's house. Joy Blythe is a-nursin' him."

  "Then I ain't needed in Farewell right now." Racey's tone was casual.

  Rack Slimson rose to the bait immediately. "He's asking for you allatime," said he.

  "He is, is he? Why didn't you say so at first?"

  "I didn't know it was necessary."

  "Which is true more ways than one. Lookit here, Slimson, where mightyou happen to be going when you run into me so providential here atMoccasin Spring?"

  "I might be going most anywhere," Rack Slimson replied with a flash oftemper.

  "No call to get het, Rack, no call to get het. What I'm asking is afair question: Where might you be going to-day."

  "Marysville."

  "Ain't you off the trail some?"

  "Shore I am, some. I remembered something I gotta see about at the88 before I go to Marysville. That's how I'm going west instead ofsouth."

  "When did you first remember this here something of yores?"

  "When I stopped at the Bar S for a drink of water."

  "And after you'd just happened to remember this something, I s'poseyou just happened to ask where I was and they told you MoccasinSpring. Is that the how of it?"

  "Yo're a good guesser," replied Rack Slimson with sarcasm.

  "Sometimes I do make a centre shot," Racey admitted, modestly.

  It was then that Marie, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand,rode forth from the cottonwood grove. At sight of her Rack Slimson'seyes opened wide, then they narrowed.

  "Hell," he muttered, turning a slightly worried look on Racey.

  "What you hellin' about?" Racey inquired, pleasantly.

  "You knowed about Swing Tunstall alla time," complained Rack Slimson.

  "What makes you think so?" Racey sidled his horse closer to Rack.

  "She told you." Thus Rack, bluntly.

  "'She?' What she you mean?"

  "Aw, her." Rack Slimson jerked his head toward the approaching girl.

  "He's got 'em again," said Racey to Mr. Saltoun and Tom Loudon. "Idon't see any 'her' anywhere. Do you?"

  "Not me," chorussed both men.

  "You see how yo're mistaken, Rack," pointed out Racey. "Yore eyes aredeceivin' you. Don't you trust 'em. You don't see any girls roundhere, exceptin' maybe Miss Dale over at the house. You might 'a' seenher according to whether she came to the kitchen door or not. But youain't seen any other girl here. And you better be shore you ain't."

  "Why had I?" blustered Rack Slimson, without, however, making anyhostile motion with his hands.

  "Because I say so."

  "Whatell's it to you?"

  "All you have to do is say in Farewell that you saw Marie here atDale's and you'll find out. I'll even go farther than that. I'mtellin' you, Rack, that if anybody finds out in Farewell thatMarie was here, or if any accident happens to her--any accident,y'understand--I'll have to take it as evidence that you had to blat.Fair enough, huh?"

  "But supposing somebody else sees her and tells about it?" protestedRack Slimson.

  "In that case yo're out of luck," was the unfeeling reply.

  "But--" began again Rack Slimson.

  "You might try prayer," Racey interrupted. "It would maybe help. Youcan't tell."

  The unhappy Rack Slimson looked toward Mr. Saltoun and Tom Loudon. Butthere was no aid for him in that quarter. In fact, both men eyed himwith frank hostility.

  "So you see Marie is kept out of it." Racey laid his final injunctionon Rack as the girl in question joined them. "You don't guess thisgirl is her, do you?"

  "Nun-no," declared Rack, hastily. "I don't. She's somebody else forall I care."

  "That's the way to talk," Racey said, nodding approvingly. "You keepright on holding to those sentiments and I wouldn't be surprised ifyou lived quite a long while."

  Marie showed her teeth in a laugh. "I ain't a-scared of any such breedof chunker as Rack Slimson," said she, calmly. "I can manage him myown self. You goin' back to Farewell, Racey?"

  "Right now."

  "Then I'll be going with you."

  "You'll do no such a thing. There's no sense in yore running intotrouble thataway. You'll come in to Farewell after me and from anotherdirection."

  "Shore, I was going to. I was only gonna ride along with you partway."

  Racey shook his head. "Wouldn't be sensible, that wouldn't. Somebodymight see you. You come along later like I told you. Me and Rack willtravel together."

  "I was goin' to the 88," protested Rack.

  "Yo're mistaken," Racey told him, firmly. "Yo're going toFarewell--with me. Ain't you?"

  "I s'pose so," Rack Slimson capitulated.

  "Then c'mon. Get a-goin'."

  Marie watched the two men ride away together. "Ain't he the hellion?"she said, admiringly, to Tom and Old Salt. "Bound to have his own wayif it kills him."

  At this there was a slight sound from the direction of the garden.Marie and the two men turned to look. Trowel in hand Molly Dale waskneeling on one knee between the brook and a row of blue camass. Butshe was not doing any weeding. She was staring fixedly at Marie. Whilea man could breathe twice Molly stared at Marie, then she dropped herhead and became very busy with the trowel.

  Marie's sniff was audible at thirty feet. She picked up her reins andnodded to Tom Loudon and Mr. Saltoun.

  "See you later," said she, and started her horse in the direction ofFarewell. But she whirled him back before he had taken three steps.

  "I clean forgot he was yore hoss," she said, apologetically, to Mr.Saltoun. "I'll have to go back to the Bar S first."

  "Thassall right," Mr. Saltoun made haste to assure her. "You take himright along. One of the boys can ride yore hoss to town on the nexttrip an' ride this one back."

  "That _will_ save me a lot of trouble," said Marie, turning herbewildered mount a second time.

  "She ain't ridin' straight toward Farewell," said Tom Loudon, rollinga slow cigarette.

  "Aw, she's sensible," yawned Mr. Saltoun. "She'll do like Racey saysall right. She must like him a lot. I--Whatsa matter with _you_?"

  For Tom Loudon had contrived to make a long leg and give Mr. Saltoun avigorous kick on the ankle.

  "I guess we'll be goin'," dodged Tom Loudon, and then took off his hatto Miss Dale. "So long, miss. If you--uh--You know where the Bar S isin case--just in case, y' understand."

  He touched his horse with the spur and moved off with as much dignityas a colonel of cavalry. Not so Mr. Saltoun. He had been kicked,and the kick hurt, and he was very red and ruffled in consequence.Swearing under his breath he followed his son-in-law.

  "Here," he demanded, crowding his horse alongside, "what did yuh kickme for?"

  Tom Loudon looked over his shoulder before replying. The ranch-housewas a hundred yards in the rear and Molly Dale was not in sight. Hedeliberately turned his head and looked his father-in-law straight inthe eye. "What did I kick you for?" he repeated. "I kicked you becauseyou didn't have any sense."

  This was too much. "Huh? Because I--Lookit here, you--"

&
nbsp; "'Tsall right, 'tsall right. You didn't have any sense. Here's MollyDale thinks Racey is the only fellah ever rode a cayuse, and you haveto blat out so she can hear you, 'Marie must shore like him a lot'."

  "Well, what of it? I don't see--"

  "You don't? Wait till I tell Kate."

  "It ain't necessary to tell my daughter," Mr. Saltoun remonstrated,hurriedly. "I suppose my saying that about Marie might give Molly awrong idea maybe about Racey. But how do you know she likes Racey? Youbeen talking to her? Did she tell you so?"

  "I ain't, and she didn't. I been talking to Kate. She told me. Don'task me how she knows. She says she knows, and that's enough for me.You can't fool a woman in things like that."

  "You can't fool 'em in anything," Mr. Saltoun corroborated, bitterly."I shore oughtn't to said that about Racey and Marie. I'll go rightback and tell Molly it ain't so."

  Mr. Saltoun started to wheel his horse, but Tom Loudon halted thatmanoeuvre.

  "You gotta let it go now," said he. "If you tell her you didn't meanwhat you said she shore _will_ think it's true."

  "We-ell, if you think I'd better not, I won't," Mr. Saltoun assented,doubtfully. "But I wouldn't say anything to Kate if I was you."

  "Then I won't," said Tom Loudon, his tongue in his cheek.

  "Where you think yo're going?" Mr. Saltoun queried presently. "Thisain't the way to the ranch."

  "I know it ain't. It's the way to Farewell."

  "Whyfor Farewell?"

  "It's just possible Racey may need a li'l help before he's throughwith this job."

  "You're right," Mr. Saltoun said, contritely. "I've been so took upwith this Dale mortgage and the idea of Luke Tweezy and that skunkLanpher getting this land that I ain't give much thought to anythingelse. Of course Racey will need help, and you and I are the fellers togive it to him."