The Rules of the Game

by Stewart Edward White

  X

  On his arrival at camp he found Elliott much interested over discoveriesof his own. It seemed that the Easterner had spent the afternoonfishing. At one point, happening to look up, he caught sight of a mansurveying him intently from a thicket. As he stared, the man drew backand disappeared.

  "I couldn't see him very plainly," said Elliott. "He had a beard and anold gray hat; but that doesn't mean much of course. When I got my nerveup, and had concluded to investigate, I could hardly find a trace ofhim. He must wear moccasins, I think."

  In return Bob detailed his own experiences. The two could make nothingof it all.

  "If we were down South I'd say 'moonshiners,'" said Elliott, "but thebeautiful objection to that is, that we aren't!"

  "It's some mystery to do with the Basin," said Bob, "and the wholecountryside is 'on'--except our boys. I don't believe California Johnknew a thing about it."

  "Didn't act so. Question: what possibly could everybody in the mountainsbe interested in that the Forest Service would object to?"

  "Lots of things," replied Bob promptly, "but I don't believe themountains are unfriendly to us--as a unit. I know Martin isn't, and hewas the first one I noticed as particularly worried."

  Elliott reflected.

  "If he's so friendly, perhaps he was a little uneasy about _us_," hesuggested at length. "If somebody doesn't want the Forest Service inthis neck of the woods--if that somebody is relying on the fact that wenever come down in here farther than the lookout, why then it may not bevery healthy here."

  "Hadn't thought of that," said Bob. "That looks cheerful. But what's thepoint? Nine-tenths of this timber is private property anyway. There'scertainly no trespass--sheep, timber or otherwise--on the governmentland. What in blazes is the point?"

  "Give it up; but we'd better wear our guns."

  Bob laughed.

  "I'd have a healthy show against a man who really wanted to get me witha gun. Presumably he'd be an expert, or he wouldn't be sent."

  It was agreed, however, "in view of the unsettled state of the country,"as Bob gravely characterized the situation, that the young men shouldstick together in their work.

  "There's no use taking chances, of course," Bob summed up, "but there'sno sense in making fools of ourselves, either. Lord love you, I don'tmind being _haunted_! They can spring as many mysterious apparitions asthey please, so long as said apparitions don't take to heaving bricks.We'd look sweet and lovely, wouldn't we, to go back to headquarters andtell them we'd decided to come in because a bad man with whiskers who'dnever been introduced came and looked at us out of the trees."

  In pursuance of this determination Bob and Elliott combined forcesclosely in their next day's work. That this was not a useless precautionearly became apparent. As, momentarily separated by a few feet, theypassed a dense thicket, Bob was startled by a low whistle. He looked up.Within fifty feet of him, but so far in the shadow as to beindistinguishable, a man peered at him. As he caught Bob's eyes he madea violent gesture whose purport Bob could not guess.

  "Did you whistle?" asked Elliott at his elbow. "What's up?"

  Bob pointed; but the man had vanished. Where he had stood they found theprint of moccasins.

  Thrice during the day they were interrupted by this mysterious presence.On each occasion Bob saw him first. Always he gestured, but whether inwarning or threat Bob could not tell. Each time be vanished as thoughthe earth had swallowed him the instant Elliott turned at Bob'sexclamation.

  "I believe he's crazy!" exclaimed Elliott impatiently.

  "I'd think so, too," replied Bob, "if it weren't for the way everybodyacted down below. Do you suppose he's trying to warn us out or scare usoff?"

  "I'm going to take a crack at him next time he shows up," threatenedElliott. "I'm getting sick of this."

  "No, you can't do that," warned Bob.

  "I'm going to tell him so anyway."

  "That's all right."

  For this experiment they had not long to await the opportunity.

  "Hi, there!" shouted Elliott at the place from which the mysteriousapparition had disappeared; "I give you fair warning! Step out anddeclare yourself peaceably or accept the consequences. If you showyourself again after five minutes are up, I'll open fire!"

  The empty forest gave no sign. For an hour nothing happened. Then all atonce, when Elliott was entangled in a tiny thicket close at Bob's elbow,the latter was startled by the appearance of the man not ten feet away.He leaped apparently from below a rounded rock, and now stood in fullview of its crown. Bob had time only to catch cognizance of a blue eyeand a long beard, to realize that the man was saying something rapidlyand in a low voice, when Elliott's six-shooter exploded so near his earas almost to deafen him. At the report the man toppled backward off therock.

  "Good Lord! You've killed him!" cried Bob.

  "I did not; I fired straight up!" panted Elliott, dashing past him."Quick! We'll catch him!"

  But catch him nor see him again they did not.

  Ten minutes later while working in a wide open stretch of forest, theywere brought to a stand by the report of a rifle. At the same instantthe shock of a bullet threw a shower of dead pine needles and humus overElliott. Another and another followed, until six had thudded into thesoft earth at the young man's feet. He stood quite motionless, andthough he went a little pale, his coolness did not desert him. After thesixth shot silence fell abruptly. Elliott stood still for some moments,then moved forward a single step.

  "Guess the show's over," he remarked with a curt laugh. He stooped toexamine the excavation the bullets had made. "Quaint cuss," he remarkeda trifle bitterly. "Just wanted to show me how easy it would be. Allright, my friend, I'm obliged to you. We'll quit the gun racket; butnext time you show your pretty face I'll give you a run for it."

  "And get shot," interposed Bob.

  "If it's shoot, we'll get ours any minute. Say," went on the young manin absolutely conversational tones, "don't you see I'm mad?"

  Bob looked and saw.

  "Maybe you think shooting at me is one of my little niece's favouritesummer-day stunts?" went on Elliott. "Well, uncle isn't used to it yet."

  His tone was quiet, but his eyes burned and the muscles around his mouthwere white.

  "He's probably crazy, and he's armed," Bob pointed out. "For heaven'ssake, go slow."

  "I'm going to paddle his pantalettes, if he commands a gatling," statedElliott.

  But the mysterious visitor appeared no more that afternoon, andElliott's resolutions had time to settle.

  That night the young men turned in rather earlier than usual, as theywere very tired. Bob immediately dropped into a black sleep. So deep washis slumber that it seemed to him he had just dropped off, when he wasawakened by a cool hand placed across his forehead. He opened his eyesquietly, without alarm, to look full into the waning moon sailing highabove. His first drowsy motion was one of astonishment, for the luminaryhad not arisen when he had turned in. The camp fire had fallen to a fewfaintly glowing coals. These perceptions came to him so gently that hewould probably have dropped asleep again had not the touch on hisforehead been repeated. Then he started broad awake to find himselfstaring at a silhouetted man leaning over him.

  With a gesture of caution, the stranger motioned him to arise. Bobobeyed mechanically. The man bent toward him.

  "Put on your pants and sweater and come along," he whispered guardedly.

  Bob peered at him through the moonlight and recognized, vaguely, the manwho had been so mysteriously pursuing them all day. He drew back.

  "For the Lord's sake do what I tell you!" whispered the man. "Here!"

  His hand sought the shadow of his side, and instantly gleamed with aweapon. Bob started back; but the man was holding the revolver's butt tohim.

  "Now come on!" besought the stranger with a strange note of pleading."Don't wake your pardner!"

  Yielding, with a pleasant thrill, to the adventure of the situation, andit must be confessed, to a strong curiosity, Bob hast
ily assumed hisouter clothing. Then, with the muzzle of the revolver, he motioned thestranger to proceed.

  Stepping cautiously they gained the open forest beyond the screen ofbrush. Here the man led the way more rapidly. Bob followed close at hisheels. They threaded the forest aisles without hesitation, crossed adeep ravine where the man paused to drink, and began to clamber theprecipitous and rocky sides of Baldy.

  "That'll do for that!" growled Bob suddenly.

  The man looked around as though for information.

  "You needn't go so fast. Keep about three feet in front of me. And whenwe strike your gang, you keep close to me. _Sabe_?"

  "I'm alone," expostulated the man.

  Nevertheless he slackened pace.

  After five minutes' climb they entered a narrow ravine gashed almostperpendicularly in the side of the mountain. At this point, however, itflattened for perhaps fifty paces, so that there existed a tinyfoothold. It was concealed from every point, and nevertheless, directlyto the west, Bob, pausing for breath, looked out over Californiaslumbering in the moon. On this ledge flowed a tiny stream, and over itgrew a score of cedar and fir trees. A fire smouldered near an opencamp. On this the man tossed a handful of pitch pine. Immediately theflames started up.

  "Here we are!" he remarked aloud.

  "Yes, I see we are," replied Bob, looking suspiciously about him, "butwhat does all this mean?"

  "I couldn't get to talk with you no other way, could I?" said the man intones of complaint; "I sure tried hard enough! But you and your pardnerstick closer than brothers."

  "If you wanted to speak to me, why didn't you say so?" demanded Bob, histemper rising.

  "Well, I don't know who your pardner is, or whether he's reliable, nornothin'. A man can't be too careful. I thought mebbe you'd make a chanceyourself, so I kept giving you a show to. 'Course I didn't want to beseen by him."

  "Not seen by him!" broke in Bob impatiently. "What in blazes are youdriving at! Explain yourself!"

  "I showed myself plain only to you--except when he cut loose that timewith his fool six-shooter. I thought he was further in the brush. Whydidn't you make a chance to talk?"

  "Why should I?" burst out Bob. "Will you kindly explain to me why Ishould make a chance to talk to you; and why I've been dragged out herein the dead of night?"

  "No call to get mad," expostulated the man in rather discouraged tones;"I just thought as how mebbe you was still feeling friendly-like. Mymistake. But I reckon you won't be giving me away anyhow?"

  During this speech he had slowly produced from his hip pocket a frayedbandana handkerchief; as slowly taken off his hat and mopped his brow.

  The removal of the floppy and shady old sombrero exposed to the mingledrays of the fire and the moon the man's full features. Heretofore, Bobhad been able to see indistinctly only the meagre facts of a heavy beardand clear eyes.

  "George Pollock!" he cried, dropping the revolver and leaping forwardwith both hands outstretched.