CHAPTER XVI.
MOTOR MATT'S TRIUMPH.
Edith Hawley was a stunningly pretty girl. There was little of herfather's looks about her, however, and it was quite clear that she gotmost of her character from her mother's side of the house. She was alittle pale, but otherwise showed no bad effects of the ordeal throughwhich she had passed earlier in the day.
All those on the porch got up as the two callers drew near thesteps--that is, all except Welcome Perkins. The old ex-buccaneer of theplains just sat where he was and glared.
"Excuse me for buttin' in here," said Hawley, "but my daughter's got alittle business with King." He turned to the girl. "Fire away, Edie,"he added.
"Which is Mr. King?" queried the girl, in a low voice.
Matt stepped away from the others and came down the steps.
"I saw you when you stopped the horse," Edith Hawley went on, fixingher hazel eyes on Matt's face, "but I couldn't remember much, then. Iwant to thank you. Father brought me here so that I could. I want youto understand how grateful I am."
She put out her hand timidly and Matt took it cordially.
"That's all right, Miss Hawley," said he, flushing. "What I did for youI would have done for anybody caught in the same way."
"I believe that," she returned significantly. "Even if you had knownwho I was it wouldn't have made any difference."
"Not a particle," answered Matt.
"Isn't there something my father can do for you?" she asked.
Matt shook his head.
"Well," she went on, "there's something I'm going to do for you." Sheturned. "Father----"
"Wait a minute, Edie," interrupted Hawley. "Let me tell all of you,"and he faced those on the porch, "just how I stand in the matter ofthat minin'-claim. It won't take more'n a minute, and it may save a lotof hard feelin's. I've been grub-stakin' Jacks for two or three years,and he ain't never yet found anythin' but country rock. I was gettin'tired o' puttin' up good money, an' the last time he started out Itold him he'd got to find somethin' or we'd split up our partnership.I reckon that made him rather too keen for a strike, so that he didn'tcare much how he made it just so he delivered the goods.
"Well, when Dace Perry came to me t'other day an' says he's founda letter concernin' me an' Jacks, of course I read it; an', havin'grub-staked Jacks, quite naturally I took his side. I sent Bisbee outto help Jacks keep what was rightfully his an' mine, an' later I sentPerry out on a horse to find out what they were doin' an' report.
"Well, Perry comes in with a location notice, an' says he had to ridelike Sam Hill to get ahead o' Matt King, who was hustling for townwith a notice o' McReady's. That's all Perry told me. Never a word,mind ye, about scarin' Edie's horse an' makin' it run away, nary a wordabout what Matt King done to stop the horse--all he said was what I'mtellin' ye.
"By and by, Edie was brought home by a man I know, who had seen therunaway from start to finish. He told me the whole of it."
Dirk Hawley's coarse, heavy face was flushed. His voice shook a littleas he went on.
"Edie's goin' to school in 'Frisco, an' she come out here to make herfather a short visit. There ain't anythin' I wouldn't do for her, an'about the first thing I did after she struck town was to buy Ajax, thatwhite riding-horse. She knows how to ride, Edie does--none better--butthe way Perry scared the horse didn't leave Edie much of a chance. IfKing hadn't taken after Ajax, I--I----"
Hawley snapped his heavy lower jaw and remained silent for a moment.
"Well," he finished, "I gave Perry three hours to get out of town an'to go back to Denver where he belongs. He needs lookin' after, an' hisfather's the one to do it. I know King won't let me do anythin' forhim, but I reckon he won't balk on takin' a little somethin' from Edie."
"I don't want any of your money, Mr. Hawley," began Matt, "if that'swhat----"
"Sure you don't," broke in the gambler grimly, "you don't want any o'my money an' you're not goin' to get any." He pulled a folded paperfrom his pocket. "I'd have done this sooner," he went on, "only I hadto send my automobile out after Jacks. It was necessary for him to signthe paper along with me."
He gave the document to Edith, and she turned and placed the paper inMatt's hand.
"It's a quitclaim deed to that mine," she said, "and it's made out toJames McReady. It's yours, Mr. King, because you won it. If you hadn'tstopped to save me, you'd have got to the recorder's office first. Itisn't much to do for the service you rendered me, but I'm sure youwouldn't let us do any more. Good-by!"
She held out her hand again. After Matt had clasped the small palm forthe second time, she turned, took her father's arm, and they went backto the automobile.
In astonishment the group on the porch watched the car turn in the roadand disappear in the direction of town.
"Waal, waal!" gulped Welcome Perkins. "Somebody please ter pinch me,so's I kin wake up. It must be a dream--can't be nothin' else. DirkHawley! Actin' like that!"
Welcome picked up his wooden pin and looked hard at the brass tip onthe end of it.
Chub was also staggered.
"Get next that he didn't say anything about that underhand work," hecommented, "how he had the wireless instruments smashed, and all that."
"He's keeping such things from his daughter," said Susie. "Can youblame him for that?"
"Let him be straight, then," put in Clip. "If he wants the girl tothink he's honest and respectable, let him act the part. It's theeasiest way."
"It was the gal as done it," grinned Welcome. "Dirk Hawley never'd hevsashayed over here an' give up that quitclaim o' his own free will an'accord. Not him!"
"You don't know about that, Welcome," said Matt. "It isn't always wiseto be so quick with your snap judgments."
"And Perry's gone," went on Clip, scowling. "Hawley ordered him out oftown. He had to go. And I had no chance to settle our account. Some daywe'll meet again. Those of my race do not forget easily. It will keep."
"Perry owes Hawley a heap of plunks, I've heard," put in Chub."Probably Perry had to hike or face a whole lot of trouble."
Matt stepped over to the prospector and gave him the quitclaim deed.
"That 'strike' of yours has made you a good deal of trouble, Mr.McReady," said he, "but I don't think we have any of us got any kickcoming on the way the business has turned out. I hope the claim willmake a bonanza mine, and that the McReadys will have more money thanthey can spend."
"Hip, hip, hurroo!" wheezed Welcome. "Canned stuff--that's what theMcReadys lives on fer all the rest o' their days."
"Canned stuff"--plenty of it--was Welcome's idea of luxury.
McReady, as he took the quitclaim deed, gripped Motor Matt's hand.
"Matt," said he, with feeling, "but for you, this would never have comeabout. It was a big day for the McReadys when Chub chummed up with you,my boy. You ought to share in this good luck; by every law of right andjustice, you're entitled to an interest in the 'strike.'"
Matt shook his head.
"It's a family affair," said he, "and you couldn't make me take even apiece of quartz from the 'blow-out.'"
"That's Matt King for you," observed Tom Clipperton gruffly, edgingaround until he stood at Matt's side. "True to his friends. That's whyhe has made a hit with me."
Clipperton, on his own account, knew what it was to have Motor Matt fora friend.
"We're going to Denver," Clipperton went on. "If Chub don't buy Penny'smotor-cycle, I'll buy it myself."
"I've got to hunt up that wheel," murmured Chub, who appeared to be abit dazed. "Mebby I'll have to pay for the old terror without gettingit. And there's Old Baldy, an' Perry's horse out at the Bluebell. WishI could call up Delray by wireless and tell him all about this. Matt,you're the best pal in the world. Don't I wish I could go to Denverwith you. But it's me to the woods--or school."
Chub jumped for Matt and grabbed his hand.
"An' I'm wonderin'," said old Welcome plaintively, stumping forwardalong the porch, "if ye'll let a pore ole reformed road-agent gripyer ho
nest pa'm, Matt? I've shore made some mistakes, an' among 'em Ithought ridin' that benzine go-devil o' Penny's was about the wust;but I've changed my mind. If it hadn't been fer me makin' Hawley drapon the bridge like I done, that there letter wouldn't never hev beenpicked up by Matt, an' Hawley an' Perry would hev had things their ownway. Shucks! I'm in on this rejoicin' some myself. Ain't I now, honestInjun?"
"You are, Welcome," declared Matt heartily; "if you hadn't been sobull-headed, and had found out how to stop the motor-cycle as well asto start it, that letter wouldn't have been picked up."
"Bull-headed!" demurred Welcome. "H'm! You hand out a word now an'ag'in, that kinder jars. Anyhow, I'm proposin' three cheers fer MotorMatt. Next ter the ole ex-pirate, he done more'n anybody else to savethe claim. Let 'er go, now. Jine in hearty, all you McReadys! Hip,hip----"
They made a good deal of noise for a small crowd, and it's safe to saythat Motor Matt was the happiest one in the lot.
THE END.
Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends Page 17
