by Bret Harte
hours."
A large, thick-set man, with a mechanical smile that was an overt act offalse pretense, was lounging in the bar-room. Jeff dimly remembered tohave seen him at the last county election, distributing tickets at thepolls. This gave Jeff a slight prejudice against him, but a greaterpresentiment of some vague evil in the air caused him to motion thestranger to an empty room in the angle of the house behind the barroom,which was too near the hall through which Miss Mayfield must presentlypass.
It was an infelicitous act of precaution, for at that very moment MissMayfield slowly passed beneath its open window, and seeing her chairin the sunny angle, dropped into it for rest and possibly meditation.Consequently she overheard every word of the following colloquy.
The Stranger's voice: "Well, now, seein' ez I've been waitin' for yeover an hour, off and on, and ez my bizness with ye is two words, itstrikes me yer puttin' on a little too much style in this yer interview,Mr. Jefferson Briggs."
Jeff's voice (a little husky with restraint): "What is yer business?"
The stranger's voice (lazily): "It's an attachment on this yer propertyfor principal, interest, and costs--one hundred and twelve dollars and'seventy-five cents, at the suit of Cyrus Parker."
Jeff's voice (in quick surprise): "Parker? Why, I saw him onlyyesterday, and he agreed to wait a spell longer."
The Stranger's voice: "Mebbee he did! Mebbee he heard afterwards suthin'about the goin's on up yar. Mebbee he heard suthin' o' property bein'converted into ready cash--sich property ez horses, guns, and sich!Mebbee he heard o' gay and festive doin's--chickin every day, fresheggs, butcher's meat, port wine, and sich! Mebbee he allowed that hischances o' gettin' his own honest grub outer his debt was lookin' mightyslim! Mebbee" (louder) "he thought he'd ask the man who bought yerhorse, and the man you pawned your gun to, what was goin' on! Mebbee hethought he'd like to get a holt a suthin' himself, even if it was onlysome of that yar chickin and port wine!"
Jeff's voice (earnestly and hastily): "They're not for me. I have afamily boarding here, with a sick daughter. You don't think--"
The Stranger's voice (lazily): "I reckon! I seed you and herpre-ambulating down the hill, lockin' arms. A good deal o' style,Jeff--fancy! expensive! How does Aunt Sally take it?"
A slight shaking of the floor and window--a dead silence.
The Stranger's voice (very faintly): "For God's sake, let me up!"
Jeff's voice (very distinctly): "Another word! raise your voice above awhisper, and by the living G--"
Silence.
The Stranger's voice (gasping): "I--I--promise!"
Jeff's voice (low and desperate): "Get up out of that! Sit down thar!Now hear me! I'm not resisting your process. If you had all h-ll aswitnesses you daren't say that. I've shut up your foul jaw, and keptit from poisoning the air, and thar's no law in Californy agin it! Nowlisten. What! You will, will you?"
Everything quiet; a bird twittering on the window ledge, nothing more.
The Stranger's voice (very huskily): "I cave! Gimme some whiskey."
Jeff's voice: "When we're through. Now listen! You can take possessionof the house; you can stand behind the bar and take every cent thatcomes in; you can prevent anything going out; but as long as Mr.Mayfield and his family stay here, by the living God--law or nolaw--I'll be boss here, and they shall never know it!"
The Stranger's voice (weakly and submissively): "That sounds square.Anythin' not agin the law and in reason, Jeff!"
Jeff's voice: "I mean to be square. Here is all the money I have, tendollars. Take it for any extra trouble you may have to satisfy me."
A pause--the clinking of coin.
The Stranger's voice (deprecatingly): "Well! I reckon that would beabout fair. Consider the trouble" (a weak laugh here) "just now. 'Tain'tevery man ez hez your grip. He! he! Ef ye hadn't took me so suddentlike--he! he!--well!--how about that ar whiskey?"
Jeff's voice (coolly): "I'll bring it."
Steps, silence, coughing, spitting, and throat-clearing from thestranger.
Steps again, and the click of glass.
The Stranger's voice (submissively): "In course I must go back to theForks and fetch up my duds. Ye know what I mean! Thar now--don't, Mr.Jeff!"
Jeff's voice (sternly): "If I find you go back on me--"
The Stranger's voice (hurriedly): "Thar's my hand on it. Ye can count onJim Dodd."
Steps again. Silence. A bird lights on the window ledge, and peers intothe room. All is at rest.
Jeff and the deputy-sheriff walked through the bar-room and out on theporch. Miss Mayfield in an arm-chair looked up from her book.
"I've written a letter to my father that I'd like to have mailed atthe Forks this afternoon," she said, looking from Jeff to the stranger;"perhaps this gentleman will oblige me by taking it, if he's going thatway."
"I'll take it, miss," said Jeff hurriedly.
"No," said Miss Mayfield archly, "I've taken up too much of your timealready."
"I'm at your service, miss," said the stranger, considerably affected bythe spectacle of this pretty girl, who certainly at that moment, inher bright eyes and slightly pink cheeks, belied the suggestion of illhealth.
"Thank you. Dear me!" She was rummaging in a reticule and in her pocket,etc. "Oh, Mr. Jeff!"
"Yes, miss?"
"I'm so frightened!"
"How, miss?"
"I have--yes!--I have left that letter on the stump in the woods, whereI was sitting when you came. Would you--"
Jeff darted into the house, seized his hat, and stopped. He was thinkingof the stranger.
"Could you be so kind?"
Jeff looked in her agitated face, cast a meaning glance at the stranger,and was off like a shot.
The fire dropped out of Miss Mayfield's eyes and cheeks. She turnedtoward the stranger.
"Please step this way."
She always hated her own childish treble. But just at that moment shethought she had put force and dignity into it, and was correspondinglysatisfied. The deputy sheriff was equally pleased, and came towards theupright little figure with open admiration.
"Your name is Dodd--James Dodd?"
"Yes, miss."
"You are the deputy sheriff of the county? Don't look round--there is noone here!"
"Well, miss--if you say so--yes!"
"My father--Mr. Mayfield--understood so. I regret he is not here. Iregret still more I could not have seen you before you saw Mr. Briggs,as he wished me to."
"Yes, miss."
"My father is a friend of Mr. Briggs, and knows something of hisaffairs. There was a debt to a Mr. Parker" (here Miss Mayfieldapparently consulted an entry in her tablets) "of one hundred and twelvedollars and seventy-five cents--am I right?"
The deputy, with great respect: "That is the figgers."
"Which he wished to pay without the knowledge of Mr. Briggs, who wouldnot have consented to it."
The official opened his eyes. "Yes, miss."
"Well, as Mr. Mayfield is NOT here, I am here to pay it for him. You cantake a check on Wells, Fargo & Co., I suppose?"
"Certainly, miss."
She took a check-book and pen and ink from her reticule, and filled up acheck. She handed it to him, and the pen and ink. "You are to give me areceipt."
The deputy looked at the matter-of-fact little figure, and signed andhanded over the receipted bill.
"My father said Mr. Briggs was not to know this."
"Certainly not, miss."
"It was Mr. Briggs's intention to let the judgment take its course, andgive up the house. You are a man of business, Mr. Dodd, and know thatthis is ridiculous!"
The deputy laughed. "In course, miss."
"And whatever Mr. Briggs may have proposed to you to do, when you goback to the Forks, you are to write him a letter, and say that you willsimply hold the judgment without levy."
"All right, miss," said the deputy, not ill-pleased to hold himself inthis superior attitude to Jeff.
"And--"
"Yes, miss?
"
She looked steadily at him. "Mr. Briggs told my father that he would payyou ten dollars for the privilege of staying here."
"Yes, miss."
"And, of course, THAT'S not necessary now."
"No-o, miss."
A very small white hand--a mere child's hand--was here extended, palmuppermost.
The official, demoralized completely, looked at it a moment, then
