The Sagebrusher: A Story of the West

by Emerson Hough

  CHAPTER XXVII

  DORENWALD, CHIEF

  Mary Gage, sitting alone in her cabin, could hear the hum of voices asWid Gardner and Annie Squires talked together in the open sunlight.Presently she heard the footfall of Annie as she came to the door.

  "Well, Sis," said that cheerful individual, "how are you getting on?"

  "Couldn't you come in for a while, Annie? I'm very lonesome. Whatwere you talking about?"

  "I just told that man out there I'm going to take you back home."

  Mary Gage sat silent for a time. "We'll have to get a better solutionthan that."

  "It's a fine little solution you've got so far, ain't it now?"commented Annie. "Highbrows always have to lean on the lowbrows, moreor less. You listen to me."

  "Sometime, I suppose," she went on after a moment's pause, "I'll haveto talk right out with you. For instance, you being a farmer's wife!Now, as for me, I was raised on a farm. When I was ten years old I wasmilking five cows every day. When I was twelve I was sitting up atnight knitting socks for the other kids. That was before I got theidea of going to the white lights after my career. Well, it's lucky Imet you, like enough. But me once talking of getting married toCharlie Dorenwald! I should admire to see him, me handy to a flatiron."

  "But, Annie, I'd die if it wasn't for some one to help me all the time.Some pay for that with money. How can I pay for it at all? Tell me,Annie." She turned suddenly. "If I--if I could get my eyesight backagain, what ought I to do?"

  "I wouldn't talk about that, Sis, if I was you. But just wait, there'ssome one coming--it's him."

  Mary could hear Sim Gage's rapid step as he came around to the door,pausing no more than to throw down his horse's bridle over its head.

  Sim Gage was excited. "Where's the Doc?--he been here this morning?"

  "He went away less than an hour ago," replied Mary Gage. "How long wasit, Annie? Why?"

  "Well, I got to go down to the dam. Something up in the hills I don'tlike."

  "Not those same men?" Mary Gage's face showed terror.

  "I don't know yet. Two cars was in camp on the creek, half way uptowards the Reserve. I seen 'em and sneaked back."

  "Telephone down, why don't you?"

  "I hadn't thought of that," said Sim. "I ain't used to them things.Say, Miss Squires, supposin' you see if you can get the doctor down atthe dam?"

  But when Annie tried to use the telephone her ring sounded idle andvacant in the box. The instrument was dead.

  "Out of order!" said Annie, "right when you want it. When you want tomake a date the girls says, 'Party's line's out of order.' Of courseit is!"

  "Well, then I'll have to start down right away. I got to see the Docabout this. I hate to leave you alone."

  "Let him go," said Annie to Mary Gage. "The soldiers 'll be back forsupper pretty soon."

  "I've got to go over to Wid's," said Sim; "got to get another horse."

  He turned and left the room without more word of parting than he hadshown of greeting. He walked more alertly than ever he had in his life.

  He found Wid Gardner and told his news. His neighbor listened to himgravely.

  "It may be only some people in there fishing," said Wid, "but it's notime to take chances. You say the wire's down? That looks so bad, Ireckon you'd better ride on down. How far have you rode today?"

  "Round thirty, forty miles."

  "Forty more won't hurt you none," said Wid. "The roan bronc can standit. I'll go on over and tell the women folks not to be afraid."

  "Gee, but this is some quiet place!" said Annie Squires, as the twowomen sat alone in nervous silence. "You can cut it with a knife,can't you?"

  "Did you say Mr. Gardner was coming over here before long?" asked Mary."Annie, I'm so afraid!"

  "Hush, Sis! It's like enough only a scare. I wish't that doctor manhad stayed. But tell me, was he saying anything to you about youreyes?"

  "Yes."

  "What?"

  "He said he was coming up here in a week or two to take me down to thehospital. He said he thought perhaps he could save my eyes! Oh,Annie, Annie!"

  "Hush, Sis! I told you to forget it. You mustn't hope--remember, you_mustn't_ hope, Mary, whatever you do."

  "No, I mustn't hope. I told him I wouldn't go."

  "Some folks is grand little jokers. Women can't help stringing a manalong, can they? Of course you'll go."

  She cast her arms about Mary Gage, and held her tight. "You poor kid!"said she. "You get your eyes first, and let's figure out the restafter that. You make me tired. Cut out all that duty and sacrificestuff. Live and get yours. That's the idea!"

  "Now, you sit here." She rose and placed a comforting hand on Mary'sshoulder. "Just keep quiet here, and I'll go out and see if I can callHenry Gardner. He seems to me like a man that wouldn't scare easy.I'll go as far as the fence and yoo-hoo at him. I'll be right back."

  But Annie Squires did not come back for almost an hour. Wid Gardner,coming across lots by the creek path, found Mary Gage alone, and satwith her there in an uneasiness he could not himself conceal, wonderingover the girl's absence. Mary was well-nigh beside herself when atlength they heard Annie coming rapidly, saw her at the door.

  "Get back in!" she said. "Sit down, both of you! Wait, now--Listen!Who do you think I found right out here, almost in our very yard, Mary?"

  Panting, she seated herself, and after a time began more coherently."I'll tell you. I just walked out to the gate, and says I to myself,I'll yoo-hoo so that Mr. Gardner can hear over there and come on down.So I yoo-hooed. Did you hear me?"

  Wid shook his head. "I didn't hear nothing."

  "Well, I heard some one holler back, soft-like, 'Yoo-hoo!' It didn'tsound just right, so I walked on a little more. 'Yoo-hoo!' says I.Then I seen a man come out of the bushes. I seen it wasn't you, allright. He come on right fast, and Mary--I couldn't of believed it, butit's the truth. It was Charlie--Charlie Dorenwald! I couldn't make nomistake about them legs.

  "When I seen who it was I turned around to run. I was scared he'dshoot me. He hollered at me to stop, and I stopped. He come after meand caught me by the arm, and he laughs. I was scared silly--silly, Itell you. He laughs some more, and then he sobers down to solid talk.

  "'Why, Charlie,' says I, 'it can't be you. I'm so glad.' I allowedthe best thing was to jolly him along. I knew he'd make trouble. Iwanted a chance to think.

  "We stood out there so close I could see the cabin all the time--and wetalked. That fellow couldn't help bragging about himself. He was halfloaded. Says I to him, 'What made you come out here, Charlie? To findme?'

  "'Yes,' says he. 'I knew you was here.'"

  "'How did you know it?' I asked him.

  "'That's a good question,' says he. 'Haven't I got plenty peopleworking for me that could tell me where you was, or anything else Iwanted to know? The free brothers work together.'"

  Wid Gardner's eyes were full on her. He did not speak.

  "So we turned and moved further up the lane then," went on Annie. "Ikept on asking him how he come here. I told him I'd been too proud tosend for him. But now he'd come, how could I help loving him all overagain!"

  "You didn't mean that," said Wid quietly.

  "How much do you think I'd mean it? That Dutch snake! Listen-- Hetold me more than the papers ever told. He told me he'd been a sort ofchief there in Cleveland right along, along in the war, and after peacewas signed. He pulled off some good things, so he said, so they senthim out here. He was after me. Folks, that man took himself apart forme. He made me promise to go along with him, all dolled up, and in ourown car!"

  "You ain't going," said Wid, quietly.

  "One guess! But there'll be trouble. I've only told you a little partof it that that fellow spilled to me. Dorenwald's nutty over thesethings. He tells what the German Socialists will do when they get toAmerica. He says this is the world revolution,--whatever he means.Oh, my God!"

>   Annie began to weep in a sudden hysteria.

  "Which way did that man go from here?" she heard Wid Gardner's voice atlength.

  "I don't know. He said he had a man with him, a 'brainy-cat,' hecalled him, to lecture in halls. He made me promise to be out there atthe gate at sun-up to-morrow morning to go away with him. I'd havepromised him anything. I'm awful scared. Why don't the men come back?"

  Annie Squires was sobbing now. "And this was our country. We let thempeople in. I know it's true, what he said. And I told him that atsun-up----"

  "Don't bother about that," said Wid Gardner quietly. "Now you two setright here in the house," he added, as he rose and picked up the riflehe saw hanging on its nails. "I'm going out and lay in the willersalong the lane a little while, near the gate. I can hear you if youholler. I think it's best for me to go out there and keep a watch tillthe fellers come back. Don't be a-scared, because I'll be right there,not far from the gate."

  He stepped out, rifle in hand. The two women sat alone, shivering innervous terror, starting at every little sound.

  They sat they knew not how long, before the clear air of the moonlightnight was rent by sharp sounds. A single piercing shot echoed close athand; scattering shots sounded farther up the lane; then many shots;and then came the sound of a car passing rapidly on the distant highway.