Overland Red: A Romance of the Moonstone Cañon Trail

by Henry Herbert Knibbs

  CHAPTER XIX

  "TO CUT MY TRAIL LIKE THAT!"

  Overland Red was concluding his last yarn, a most amazing account of"The night the Plancher boys shot up Abilene."

  It was exactly two o'clock by Dr. Marshall's watch.

  "Both my guns was choked up with burnt powder. I reached down andborrowed two guns off a gent what wasn't usin' his jest then. Next day Iwas elected sheriff unanimous. They was seven of us left standin'. Thatwas back in '98." Overland yawned and stood up.

  "The boys are all asleep now," said Walter Stone. "We have plenty ofroom here. You'll not object to taking one of the guest-rooms as youfind it, I'm sure."

  "For better or for worse, as the pote says." And Overland grinned. "ButI got to put that little chaffer to roost somewhere."

  "That's so."

  "I'll go wake him up." And Overland strode to the racing-car. The"chaffer" had departed for parts unknown.

  "I guess he was scared at that last grade," said Overland, returning tothe house. "He's gone. He must 'a' been scared, to beat it back down theroad afoot."

  "Perhaps he has gone to the stables," said Stone. "Well, we'll take careof you here. You can see Collie in the morning."

  Overland, closing the door of the spacious, cool guest-room, glancedabout curiously. What was it made the place seem so different from eventhe most expensive hotel suites? The furniture was very plain. Thedecorations were soft-toned and simple. "It's--it's because the RoseGirl lives here, I guess," he soliloquized. "Now this kind of a roostwould jest suit Billy, but it makes me feel like walkin' on eggs. Thishere grazin' is too good for me."

  He undressed slowly, folding his unaccustomed garments with great care.He placed his automatic pistol on the chair by the bed. Then he creptbeneath the sheets, forgetting to turn out the light. "Huh! Gettin'absent-minded like the old perfessor what picked up a hairbrush insteadof a lookin'-glass to see if he needed shavin'. He was dum' near scaredto death to see how his beard was growin'." And Overland chuckled as heturned out the lights.

  He could not go to sleep at once. He missed the desert night--the spacesand the stars. "I left here in a hurry once," he muttered. "'Bout threeyears ago. Then I was kiddin' Collie about wearin' silk pejammies. Now Igot 'em--got 'em on, by thunder! Don't know as I feel any heftier in theintellec'. And I can't show 'em to nobody. What's the good of havin' 'emif nobody knows it? But I can hang 'em on the bedpost in the mornin',careless like, jest like I was raised to it. Them pejammies cost fourdollars a leg. Some class...." And he drifted to sleep.

  After breakfast Dr. Marshall, who had taken a fancy to Overland,strolled with him over to the bunk-house. Most of the men were on therange. Collie was assembling bits and bridles, saddles, cinchas, andspurs, to complete an equipment for the proposed camping trip in thehills. He was astounded at Overland's appearance. However, he hadabsorbed Western ideals rapidly. He was sincerely glad, overjoyed, tosee his old friend, but he showed little of it in voice and manner. Heshook hands with a brief, "How, Red!" and went on with his work.

  Dr. Marshall, after expressing interest in the equipment, excusedhimself and wandered over to the corrals, where he admired the horses.

  "Where did you get 'em?" queried Collie, adjusting the length of a pairof stirrup-leathers.

  "These?" And Overland spread his coat-tails and ruffled. "Why, out ofthe old Mojave. Dug 'em up with a little pick and shovel."

  "You said in your letter you found the claim."

  "Uhuh. Almost fell over it before I did, though. We never found theother things, by the track. New ties. No mark. Say, that Billy WinthropI writ about is the brother of them folks stayin' here! What do youthink!"

  "Wish I was out there with you fellows," said Collie.

  "You're doin' pretty good right here, kiddo. The boss don't think you'rethe worst that ever came acrost, and I expect the ladies can put up withhavin' you on the same ranch by the way they talk. Got a hoss of yourown yet?"

  "Nope. I got my eye on one, though. Say, Red, this is the best place towork. The boss is fine. I'm getting forty a month now, and savin' it.The boys are all right, too. Brand Williams, the foreman--"

  "Brand who?"

  "Williams. He came from Wyoming."

  "Well, this here's gettin' like a story and not like real livin'. Why, Iknowed old Brand in Mex. in the old days when a hoss and a gun was aboutall a guy needed to set up housekeepin'. We was pals. So he's foremanhere, eh? Well, you follow his trail close about cattle or hosses andyou'll win out."

  "I been doing that," said Collie. "The other day he told me to keep myeye on one of the boys. Silent Saunders, he's called. Kind of funny. Idon't know anything about Saunders."

  "Well, you bank on it. Stack 'em up chin-high on it, Collie, if Brandsays that. He knows some-thin' or he would never talk. Brand is aparticular friend of yours?"

  "You bet!"

  "Well, tie to him. What he says is better than fine gold as the potesays. I reckon coarse gold suits me better, outside of po'try. How doesthe Saunders insec' wear his clothes?"

  "He's kind of lame in one arm and--here he comes now. You can see foryourself. The one on that pinto."

  As Saunders rode past the two men, he turned in his saddle. DespiteOverland's finery he recognized him at once.

  Overland's gaze never left the other's hands. "Mornin'," said Overland,nodding. "Ain't you grazin' pretty far this side of Gophertown?"

  "Who the hell are you talkin' to?" Saunders asked venomously, and hiseyes narrowed.

  Overland grinned, and carelessly shifted the lapel of his coat frombeneath which peeped the butt of his automatic pistol. Collie felt hisscalp tightening. There was something tense and suggestive in the air.

  "I'm talkin' to a fella that ought to know better than to get sassy tome," said Overland, "or to cut my trail like that."

  Saunders rode on.

  "Seen him before?" asked Collie.

  "Yep. Twice--over the end of a gun. He come visitin' me and Billy at awater-hole out in the dry spot. We got to exchangin' opinions. Two ofmine he ain't forgot, I guess."

  "Saunders is branded above the elbows on both arms," said Collie. "He'sbeen shot up pretty bad."

  "You don't tell! Wonder how that happened. Mebby he was practicin' thedouble roll and got careless. Now, I wonder!"

  "He's one of the 'bunch'?" said Collie, suddenly awake to the situation."Come on over to the bunk-house where we can talk, Red. I'll introduceyou regular to Silent."

  "All right. Here, you walk on the other side. I'm left-handed when Ishake with him."

  But Saunders was not at the bunk-house. Instead he had ridden on down tothe gate and out upon the Moonstone Trail. He had become acquainted withDeputy Tenlow. He would make things interesting for the man who had"winged" him out in the desert.

  "I smell somethin' burnin'," said Overland significantly. "The Saundersman has got somethin' up his sleeve. He didn't turn his pony into thecorral, did he?"

  "No."

  "All right. Now, about them papers and your part of this here claim ..."

  For an hour they talked about the claim, Winthrop, Collie's prospects,and their favorite topic, the Rose Girl. They were speaking of her whenshe appeared at the bunk-house door.

  "Good-morning, Mr. Summers. Mrs. Marshall wished to know if you wouldtell her more about her brother--when you have visited with Collie. Shewas afraid you might leave without her seeing you again."

  "I was thinkin' about that myself," replied Overland. "Yes, Miss, I'llbe right over direct."

  Louise nodded, smiled, and was gone.

  "Say, Red, you better go quick, in the machine," said Collie, fearfulthat Saunders was up to mischief.

  "Grand idea, that," said Overland, calmly brushing his hat. "But Tenlowand Saunders--that you're thinkin' about--ain't neither of 'em goin' toride up too close to me again. They are goin' to lay for me down thecanon. They'll string a riata across the road and hold up the car, mostlikely. They know I can't get out of here any other road."

  "The
n what will you do?"

  "Me? Why, me and the Guzzuh'll go down the trail jest as slow and easyas a baby-buggy pushed by a girl that's waitin' in the park for herbeau."

  "You'll ditch the machine and get all broke up," ventured Collie.

  "I am havin' too good a time to last, I know, seein' the Rose Girl againand you and visitin' the folks up to the house. Well, if it's my turn, Iain't kickin'. Sorry Brand ain't here. I'd like to see him. Here's alittle old map I drawed of the hills, and how to get to the claim incase I get detained for speedin'. Get Brand, if anything happens. He's asteady old boat and he'll tell you what to do."

  "But, Red, you don't think--?"

  "Not when it hurts me dome," interrupted Overland. "I got a hunch I'llsee you again before long. So long, Chico. I got to shine some of therust off my talk and entertain the ladies. You might get into my class,too, some day, if you knowed anything except hoss-wrastlin' andcow-punchin'," he added affectionately.

  And Overland departed, sublimely content and not in the least disturbedby future possibilities. "He's the great kid!" he kept repeating tohimself. "He's the same kid--solid clean through.... Good-morning,ladies. Now about Billy--er--Mr. Winthrop; why, as I was say-in' lastnight.... No, thanks, I'll set facin' the road. Sun? Why, lady, I'msun-cured, myself."