by Max Brand
CHAPTER XXXIV
THE ACID TEST
In the living-room below they heard it, Dan and Kate Cumberland. All dayshe had sat by the fire which still blazed on the hearth, replenishedfrom time to time by the care of Wung Lu. She had taken up some sewing,and she worked at it steadily. Some of that time Dan Barry was in theroom, sitting through long intervals, watching her with lynx-eyedattention. Very rarely did he speak--almost never, and she could havenumbered upon her two hands the words he had spoken--ay, and she couldhave repeated them one by one. Now and again he rose and went out, andthe wolf-dog went with him each time. But towards the last Black Bartpreferred to stay in the room, crouched in front of her and blinking atthe fire, as if he knew that each time his master would return to thefire. Then, why leave the pleasant warmth for the chilly greyness of theday outside?
There he remained, stirring only now and then to lift a clumsy paw andbrush it across his eyes in an oddly human gesture. Once or twice, also,he lifted that great, scarred head and laid it on her knees, lookingcuriously from her busy hands to her face, and from her face back againto her work, until, having apparently assured himself that all was well,he dropped his head again and lay once more motionless. She could seehim open a listless eye when the master entered the room again. And witheach coming of Dan Barry she felt again surrounded as if by invisiblearms. Something was prying at her, striving to win a secret from her.
As the day wore on, a great, singing happiness rose in her throat, andat about the same time she heard a faint sound, impalpable, from thefarther side of the room where Dan Barry sat. He was whistling.
A simple thing for a man to do, to be sure, but the astonishment of itnearly stopped the heart of Kate Cumberland. For in all her life she hadnever before heard him whistle except when he was in the open, andpreferably when he was astride of the strength and the speed of Satan,with Black Bart scouting swiftly and smoothly ahead. But now he whistledhere by the warmth of the fire. To be sure the sound was small and thin,but there was such music in it as she had never heard before. It was sothin that it was almost ghostly, as if the soul of wild Paganini playedhere on a muted violin. No tune that might be repeated, but as alwayswhen she heard it, a picture rose before the eyes of Kate. It wavered atfirst against the yellow glow of the firelight. Then it quite shut outall else.
It was deep night, starry night. The black horse and his rider wound upa deep ravine. To one side a bold mountain tumbled up to an infiniteheight, bristling with misshapen trees here and there, and losing itshead against the very stars. On the other side were jagged hills, allcarved in the solid rock. And down the valley, between the mountains andthe stars, blew a soft wind; as if that wind made the music. They wereclimbing up, up, up, and now they reach--the music rising also to a softbut triumphant outburst--a high plateau. They were pressed up againstthe heart of the sky. The stars burned low, and low. Around them thewhole earth seemed in prospect at their feet. The moon burst through amass of clouds, and she saw, far off, a great river running silverthrough the night.
Happy? Ay, and he was happy too, and his happiness was one with hers. Hewas not even looking out the window while he whistled, but his eyes werefixed steadily, unchangingly, upon her face.
It was then that they heard it: "Dan! Dan Barry! Come out!"
A hoarse, ringing cry, as of one who is shouting against a great wind:"Dan! Dan Barry! Come out!"
Dan Barry was on his feet and gliding to the wall, where he took downhis belt from a nail and buckled it swiftly around him. And Kate ran tothe window with the wolf-dog snarling beside her and saw standing infront of the house, his hat off, his black hair wildly tumbled, and twoguns in his hands, Buck Daniels! Behind him the tall bay mare shookwith her panting and glistened with the sweat of the long ride.
She heard a scratching next and saw the wolf-dog rear up and paw at thedoor. Once through that door and he would be at the throat of the manoutside, she knew. Nor he alone, for Dan Barry was coming swiftly acrossthe room with that strange, padding step. He had no eye for her. He wassmiling, and she had rather have seen him in a cursing fury than to seethis smile. It curled the upper lip with something like a sneer; and shecaught the white glint of his teeth; the wolf-dog snarled back over hisshoulder to hurry his master. It was the crisis which she had known allday was coming, sooner or later. She had only prayed that it might bedelayed for a little time. And confronting the danger was like steppinginto the path of runaway horses. Fear ruled her with an iron hand, andshe swayed back against the wall and supported herself with anoutstretched hand.
What was there to be done? If she stepped in between him and his man, hewould brush her aside from his path and out of his life forever. If hewent on to his vengeance he would no less be started on the path whichled around the world away from her. The law would be the hound whichpursued him and relentlessly nipped at his heels--an eternal terror andunrest. No thought of Buck Daniels who had done so much for her. Shecast his services out of her mind with the natural cruelty of woman.Her whole thought was, selfishly, for the man before her, and forherself.
He was there--his hand was upon the knob of the door. And then sheremembered how the teeth of Black Bart had closed over her arm--and howthey had not broken even the skin. In an instant she was pressed againstthe door before Dan Barry--her arms outstretched.
He fell back the slightest bit before her, and then he came again andbrushed her slowly, gently, to one side, with an irresistible strength.She had to meet his eyes now--there was no help for it--and she sawthere that swirl of yellow light--that insatiable hunger. And she knew,fully and bitterly, that she had failed. With the wolf-dog, indeed, shehad conquered, but the man escaped her. If time had been granted her shewould have won, she knew, but the hand of Buck Daniels, so long herally, had destroyed her chances. It was his hand now which shook theknob of the door, and she turned with a sob of despair to face the newdanger.
In her wildest dreams she had never visioned Buck Daniels transformedlike this. She knew that in his past, as one of those long-riders whoroam the mountain-desert, their hand against the hands of every man,Buck Daniels had been known and feared by the strongest. But all she hadseen of Buck Daniels had been gentleness itself. Yet what faced her asthe door flew wide was a nightmare thing with haggard face andshadow-buried, glittering eyes--unshaven, unkempt of hair, his shirtopen at the throat, his great hands clenched for the battle. Thewolf-dog, at that familiar sight, whined a low greeting, but with aglance at his master knew that there was a change--the old alliance wasbroken--so he bared his white teeth and changed his whine to a snarl ofhate.
Then a strange terror struck Kate Cumberland. She had never dreamed thatshe could fear for Dan Barry at the hands of any man, but now thedesperate resolve which breathed from every line of Buck Daniels,chilled her blood at the heart. She sprang back before Dan Barry. Facinghim, she saw that demoniac glitter of yellow rising momently brighter inhis eyes, and he was smiling. No execration or loud voiced curse couldhave contained the distilled malignancy of that smile. All this shecaught in a single glimpse. The next instant she had whirled and stoodbefore Dan, shielding him with outspread arms and facing Buck Daniels.The latter thrust back into the holster the gun which he had drawn whenhe entered the room.
"Stand away from him, Kate," he commanded, and his eyes went past her todwell on the face of Barry. "Stand away from him. It's been comin' for along time, and now it's here. Barry I'm takin' no start on you. Standaway from the girl and pull your gun--and I'll pump you full of lead."
The softest of soft voices murmured behind her: "I been waitin' for you,Buck, days and days and days. I ain't never been so glad to seeanybody!"
And she felt Barry slip shadowlike to one side. She sprang in front ofhim again with a wild cry.
"Buck!" she begged, "don't shoot!"
Laughter, ringing and unhuman, filled the throat of Buck Daniels.
"Is it him you're beggin' for?" he sneered at her. "Is it him you gotyour fears for? Ain't you got a word of pity
for poor Buck Daniels thatsneaked off like a whipped puppy? Bah! Dan Barry, the time is come. Ibeen leadin' the life of a houn' dog for your sake. But it's ended. Pullyour gun and get out from behind the skirts of that girl!"
As long as they faced each other with the challenge in their eyes,nothing on earth could avert the fight, she knew, but if she could delaythem for one moment--she felt that swift moving form behind her slippingaway from behind her--she could follow Barry's movements by the light inDaniels' eyes.
"Buck!" she cried, "for God's sake--for my sake turn away fromhim--and--roll another cigarette!"
For she remembered the story--how Daniels had turned under the very noseof danger and done this insane thing in the saloon at Brownsville and inher despair she could think of no other appeal.
It was the very strangeness of it that gave it point. Buck Danielsturned on his heel.
"It's the last kindness I do you, Dan," he said, with his broad back tothem. "But before you die you got to know why I'm killin' you. I'm goingto roll one cigarette and smoke it and while I smoke it I'm goin' totell you the concentrated truth about your worthless self and when I'mdone smokin' I'm goin' to turn around and drop you where you stand.D'ye hear?"
"They's no need of waitin'," answered the soft voice of Barry. "Talkin'don't mean much."
But Kate Cumberland turned and faced him. He was fairly a-quiver witheagerness and the hate welled and blazed and flickered in his eyes; hisface was pale--very pale--and it seemed to her that she could make outin the pallor the print of the fingers of Buck Daniels and that blowthose many days before. And she feared him as she had never feared himbefore--yet she blocked his way still with the outspread arms.
They could hear the crinkle of the cigarette paper as Buck rolled hissmoke.
"No," said Buck, his voice suddenly altered to an almost casualmoderation, "talk don't mean nothin' to you. Talk is human, and nothin'human means nothin' to you. But I got to tell you why you ought to die,Barry.
"I started out this mornin' hatin' the ground you walked on, but now Isee that they ain't no use to hate you. Is they any use hatin' amountain-lion that kills calves? No, you don't hate it, but you get agun and trail it and shoot it down. And that's the way with you."
They heard the scratch of his match.
"That's the way with you. I got my back to you right now because if Ilooked you in the eye I couldn't let you live no more'n I could let amountain-lion live. I know you're faster with your gun than I am andstronger than I am, and made to fight. But I know I'm going to kill you.You've done your work--you've left hell on all sides of you--it's yourtime to die. I know it! You been lyin' like a snake in the rocks withyour poison ready for any man that walks past you. Now your poison isabout used up."
He paused, and then when he spoke again there was a ring of exultationin his voice: "I tell you, Dan, I don't fear you, and I know that thebullet in this gun here on my hips is the one that's goin' to tear yourheart out. I _know_ it!"
Something like a sob came from the lips of Dan Barry. His hands movedout towards Buck Daniels as though he were plucking something from theempty air.
"You've said enough," he said. "You said plenty. Now turn around andfight!"
And Kate Cumberland stepped back, out of line of the two. She knew thatin what followed she could not play the part of the protector or thedelayer. Here they stood, hungry, for battle, and there was no power inher weak hands to separate them. She stood far back and fumbled with herhands at the wall for support. She tried to close her eyes, but thefascination of the horror forced her to watch against her strongestwill. And the chief part of that dreadful suspense lay in the even, calmvoice of Buck Daniels as he went on: "I'll turn around and fight soonenough. But Kate asked me to smoke another cigarette. I know what shemeans. She wants me to leave you the way I done in the saloon that day.I ain't goin' to leave, Dan. But I'm glad she asked me to turn away,because it gives me a chance to tell you some things you got to knowbefore you go west.
"Dan, you been like a fire that burns every hand that touches you." Heinhaled a long breath of smoke and blew it up towards the ceiling."You've busted the heart of the friend that follered you; you've bustedthe heart of the girl that loves you."
He paused again, for another long inhalation, and Kate Cumberland,staring in fearful suspense, waiting for the instant when Buck should atlast turn and when the shots should explode, saw that the yellow glowwas now somewhat misted in the eyes of Barry. He frowned, as onebewildered.
"Think of her, Dan!" went on Buck Daniels. "Think of her wasting herselfon a no-good houn' dog like you--a no-good wild _wolf_! My God A'mighty,she might of made some good man happy--some man with a soul and aheart--but instead of that God sent you like a blast across her--youwith your damned soul of wind and your heart of stone! Think of it! Whenyou see what you been, Barry, I wonder you don't go out and take yourown gun and blow off your head."
"Buck," called Dan Barry, "so help me God, if you don't turn your faceto me--I'll shoot you through the back!"
"I knew," said the imperturbable Daniels, "that you'd come to that inthe end. You used to fight like a man, but now you're followin' yourinstincts, and you fight like a huntin' wolf. Look at the brute that'sslinkin' up to me there! That's what you are. You kill for the sake ofkillin'--like the beasts.
"If you was a man, could you treat me like you've done? Your damned coldheart and your yaller eyes and all would of burned up in the barn theother night--you and your wolf and your damned hoss. Why didn't I letyou burn? Because I was a fool. Because I still thought they wassomething of the man in you. But I seen afterwards what you was, and Irode off to get out of your way--to keep your hands from gettin' redwith my blood. And then you plan on follerin' me--damn you!--onfollerin' _me!_
"So that, Dan, is why I've come to put you out of the world--as I'mgoin' to do now! Once you hated to give pain, and if you hurt people itwas because you couldn't help it. But now you live on torturin' others.Barry, pull your gun!"
And as he spoke, he whirled, the heavy revolver leaping into his hand.
Still Kate Cumberland could not close her eyes on the horror. She couldnot even cry out; she was frozen.
But there was no report--no spurt of smoke--no form of a man stumblingblindly towards death. Dan Barry stood with one hand pressed over hiseyes and the other dangled at his side, harmless, while he frowned inbewilderment at the floor.
He said slowly, at length: "Buck, I kind of think you're right. Theyain't no use in me. I been rememberin', Buck, how you sent Kate to mewhen I was sick."
There was a loud clatter; the revolver dropped from the hand of BuckDaniels.
The musical voice of Dan Barry murmured again: "And I remember how youstood up to Jim Silent, for my sake. Buck, what's come between us sincethem days? You hit me a while back, and since then I been wantin' yourblood--but hearin' you talk now, somehow--I feel sort of lost andlonesome--like I'd thrown somethin' away that I valued most."
Buck Daniels threw out his great arms and his voice was broken terribly.
"Oh, God A'mighty, Dan," he cried, "jest take one step back to me andI'll come all the way around the world to meet you!"
He stumbled across the floor and grasped at the hand of Barry, for amist had half-blinded his eyes.
"Dan," he pleaded, "ain't things as they once was? D'you forgive me?"
"Why, Buck," murmured Dan Barry, in that same bewildered fashion, "seemslike we was bunkies once."
"Dan," muttered Buck Daniels, choking, "Dan----" but he dared not trusthis voice further, and turning, he fairly fled from the room.
The dazed eyes of Dan Barry followed him. Then they moved until theyencountered the face of Kate Cumberland. A shock, as if of surprise,widened the lids. For a long moment they stared in silence, and then hebegan to walk, very slowly, a step at a time, towards the girl. Now, ashe faced her, she saw that there was no longer a hint of the yellow inhis eyes, but he stepped closer and closer; he was right before her,watching her with an expression of m
ute suffering that made her heartgrow large.
He said, more to himself than to her: "Seems like I been away a longtime."
"A very long time," she whispered.
He drew a great breath.
"Is it true, what Buck said? About you?"
"Oh, my dear, my dear!" she cried. "Don't you see?"
He started a little, and taking both her hands he made her face the dulllight from the windows.
"Seems like you're kind of pale, Kate."
"The colour went while I waited for you, Dan."
"But there comes a touch of red--like morning--in your throat, andrunnin' up your cheeks."
"Don't you see? It's because you've come back!"
He closed his eyes and murmured: "I remember we was close--closer thanthis. We were sittin' here--in this room--by a fire. And then somethingcalled me out and I follered it."
"The wild geese--yes."
"Wild geese?" he repeated blankly, and then shook his head. "How couldwild geese call me? But things happened. I was kept away. Sometimes Iwanted to come back to you, but somehow I could never get started. Wasit ten years ago that I left?"
"Months--months longer than years."
"What is it?" he asked. "I been watchin' you, and waitin' to find outwhat was different in you. Black Bart seen something in you. I dunnowhat. Today I sort of guessed what it is. I can feel it now. It'ssomething like a pain. It starts sort of in the stomach, Kate. It's likebein' away from a place where you want to be. Queer, ain't it? I ain'tfar from you. I've got your hands in mine, but somehow you don't feelnear. I want to walk--a long ways--closer. And the pain keeps growin'."
His voice fell away to a murmur, and now a deadly silence lay betweenthem, and it seemed as if lights were varying upon their faces, so swiftand subtle were the changes of expression. And they drew closer byimperceptible degrees. So his arms, fumbling, found their away abouther, drew her closer, till her head drooped back, and her face was closebeneath his.
"Was it true," he whispered, "what Buck said?"
"There's nothing true except that we're together."
"But your eyes are brimful of tears!"
"The same pain you feel, Dan; the same loneliness and the hurt."
"But it's going now. I feel as if I'd been riding three days withoutmore'n enough water to moisten my tongue every hour; with the sand whitehot, and my hoss staggerin', and the sun droppin' closer and closer tillthe mountains are touched with white fire. Then I come, in the evenin',to a valley with cool shadows beginning to slip across from the westernside, and I stand in the shadow and feel the red-hot blood go smashin',smashin', smashin' in my temples--and then--a sound of runnin' watersomewhere up the hill-side. Runnin', cool, fresh, sparkling waterwhispering over the rocks. Ah, God, that's what it means to me to standhere close to you, Kate!
"And it's like standin' up in the mornin' on the top of a high hill andseein' the light jump up quick in the east, and there lies all the worldat my feet, mile after mile of it--they's a river like silver away offyonder--and they's range after range walkin' off into a blue nothing.That's what it's like to stand here and look down into them blue eyes ofyours, Kate--miles and miles into 'em, till I feel as if I seen yourheart beneath. And they's the rose of the mornin' on your cheeks, andthe breath of the mornin' stirrin' between your lips, and the light ofthe risin' sun comes flarin' in your eyes. And I own the world--I ownthe world.'
"Two burnin' pieces of wood, that's you and me, and when I was away fromyou the fire went down to a smoulder; but now that we're close a windhits us, and the flames come together and rise and jump and twinetogether. Two pieces of burnin' wood, but only one flame--d'you feelit?--Oh, Kate, our bodies is ashes and dust, and all that's worth whileis that flame blowin' up from us, settin' the world on fire!"
