The Phantom Herd

by B. M. Bower

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THE LITTLE DOCTOR PROTESTS

  The Little Doctor stepped out upon the porch with the faint tracing of afrown upon her smooth forehead, and with that slight tightening of thelips which to her family meant determination; disapproval sometimes,tense moments always.

  She stood for a minute looking down toward the stables, and the wind thatblew down the coulee seized upon the scant folds of her skirt, andflapped them impishly against the silken-clad ankles that wereexceedingly good to look upon,--since fashion has now made it quitepermissible to look upon ankles. Her lips did not relax with the waiting.Her frown grew a trifle more pronounced.

  "Mr. Lindsay?" with a rising inflection.

  Luck turned his head, saw her standing there, waved his hand to show thathe heard, and started toward her with that brisk, purposeful swing to hiswalk that goes with an energetic disposition. The Little Doctor waited,and watched him, and did not relax a muscle from her determined attitude.Poor little Luck Lindsay hurried, so as not to keep her standing there inthe wind, and, not knowing just what was before him, he smiled his smileas he came up to her.

  I should have said, poor Little Doctor. She tried to keep her frown andthe fixed idea that went with it, but she was foolish enough to look downinto Luck's face and into his eyes with their sunny friendliness, and atthe smile, where the friendliness was repeated and emphasized. Before shequite knew what she was doing, the Little Doctor smiled back. Still, sheowned a fine quality of firmness.

  "Come in here. I want to have it out with you, and be done," she said,and turned to open the door.

  "Sounds bad, but I'm yours to command," Luck retorted cheerfully, andwent up the steps still smiling. He liked the Little Doctor. She was hiskind of woman. He felt that she would make a good pal, and he knew howfew women are qualified for open comradeship. He cast a side glance atthe kitchen window where the Kid stood with a large slice of bread andchokecherry jam balanced on his palm, and on his face a look of mentaldistress bordered with more jam. Luck nodded and waved his hand, and wentin where the Little Doctor stood waiting for him with a certain ominousquiet in her manner. Luck shook back his heavy mane of hair that wasgraying prematurely, squared his shoulders, and then held out his handmeekly, palm upward. Boys learn that pose in school, you know.

  "Oh, for pity's sake! If you go and make me laugh--and I am mad enough atyou, Luck Lindsay, to--to blister that palm! If you weren't any biggerthan Claude, I'd shake you and stand you in a corner on one foot."

  "Listen. Shake me, anyway. I believe I'd kinda like it. And while I'mstanding in the corner--on one foot--you can tell me all you're madat me for."

  The Little Doctor looked at him, bit her lip, and then found that hereyes were blurred so that his face seemed to waver and grow dim. And LuckLindsay, because he saw the tears, laid a hand on her shoulder, andpushed her ever so gently into a chair.

  "Tell me what's worrying you. If it's anything that I have done, I'llhave one of the boys take me out and shoot me; it's what I would deserve.But I certainly can't think of anything--"

  "Do you know that you have filled little Claude's mind up with storiesabout moving pictures till he's just crazy? He told me just now that he'sgoing with you when you go back, and act in your company. And if I won'tlet him go, he said, he'd run away and 'hit a freight-train outa DryLake,' and get to California, anyway. And--he'd do it, too! He'sperfectly awful when he gets an idea in his head. I know he'sspoiled--all the boys pet him so--"

  "Wait. Let's get this thing straight. Do you think for one minute, Mrs.Bennett, that I'd coax the Kid away? Say, that hurts--to have you believethat of me." There was no smile anywhere on Luck's face now. His eyeswere as pained as his voice sounded.

  Once more the Little Doctor weakened before him. She believed what hesaid, though five minutes before she had believed exactly the opposite.In her mind she had accused him of coaxing the Kid. She had fullyintended accusing him of it to his face.

  "I don't mean coax, perhaps. But--"

  "Listen. If the Kid has got that notion, I'm more sorry than you canguess. Of course, I think pictures and I talk pictures; I admit I makethem in my sleep. And the boys are interested. Those that are going backwith me and those that are not are always sicking me at the subject. Iadmit that I sick easy," he added with a whimsical lightening of theeyes. "And the Kid and I are pals. I like him, Mrs. Bennett. He's got thestuff in him to make a real man--and I wouldn't call him spoiled,exactly. He's always been with grown-ups, and his mind has developed awayahead of the calendar; you see what I mean? He's nine, he tells me--"

  "Only eight. He always tries to make himself older than he is," theLittle Doctor corrected quickly.

  "Well, he's some boy! And kids somehow take to me; I guess it's becauseI'm always chumming with them. He's been taking in everything that hasbeen said; I could see that. But I surely never talked to him in the wayyou mean."

  The Little Doctor looked at him and hesitated; but she was a frank youngwoman, and she could not help speaking her mind. "You mustn't take itpersonally at all," she said, "if I tell you that I am disappointed inthe boys; in Andy and Rosemary especially, because they ought toappreciate the little home they have made, and stay with it. One sort ofexpects Pink and Big Medicine and Weary to do outlandish things. Theyhaven't really grown up, and they never will. But I am disappointed, justthe same, that they should want to go performing around and shootingblank cartridges and making clowns of themselves for moving pictures.Still, that's their own business, of course, if they want to be sillyenough to do it. But now little Claude has taken the fever--and I wish,Mr. Lindsay, you could do something to--" She stopped, but not becausewhat she said was hurting Luck's feelings. She did not know that she hurthim at all.

  "It seems to be worse, in your estimation, than exposing the Kid toyellow fever," Luck observed quietly.

  "Well, of course you can understand that I should not want a boy ofmine to--to be all taken up with the idea of acting cowboy parts for amoving picture."

  "Still, there are some fairly decent people in the business," Luckpointed out still more quietly, and got upon his feet. He had no smilenow for the Little Doctor, though he was still gentle in his manner. "Isee what you mean, Mrs. Bennett. I understand you perfectly. I shall dowhat I can to repair the damage to the Kid's character and ideals, and Iwant to thank you for coming to me in this matter. Otherwise I might havegone against your wishes without knowing that I was doing so." For twobreaths or three he held her glance with something that looked out of hiseyes; the Little Doctor did not know what it was. "You see, Mrs. Bennett,you don't quite understand what you are talking about," he added. "Youhave not had the opportunity to understand, of course. But I agree withyou that the Kid's place is at home, and I shall certainly have a talkwith him."

  He moved to the door, laid a fine, well-kept hand upon the knob, andlooked at her with a faint smile that had behind it a good deal thatpuzzled the Little Doctor. "Don't worry one minute," he said, droppinghis punctilious politeness of the minute before, and becoming again theintensely human Luck Lindsay. "I 'heap sabe.' I've certainly corruptedthe morals and ambitions of some of the boys--looking at it the way youdo--but I promise to check the devastation right where it's at, and saveyour only son." He turned then and went out.

  The Little Doctor paid him the tribute of hurrying to the window whereshe could watch him go down the path. In his walk, in the set of hishead, there was still something that puzzled her. She hoped that he wasnot offended, and she thankfully remembered a good deal that she had leftunsaid. She saw him turn and beckon, and then wait until the Kid hadjoined him from the kitchen. She saw the greeting he gave the Kid, andthe adoration on the Kid's face when he looked up at Luck. The two wentaway together, and the Little Doctor watched them dubiously. What if theKid should run away? He had done it once, and it was well within theprobabilities that he might do it again, if this present obsession of hiswere not handled just right. The Kid, she had long ago discovered, couldnot be driven,--and
there were times when he could not be coaxed.

  Luck had been just three days at the Flying U. In those three days he hadfitted himself into the place so well that even old Patsy, the cook,called him "Look" as easily as though he had been doing it for years; andPatsy, you must know, was fast acquiring the querulousness of an old agethat does not sweeten with the passing years. Patsy had discovered thatLuck liked his eggs fried on both sides, and thereafter he painstakinglyturned three eggs bottomside up in the frying pan every morning; threeand no more, though Cal Emmett remarked pointedly that he had alwaysliked his eggs fried and flopped.

  Three days, and the Old Man frequently left his big, soft-cushionedchair, and went slowly down to the bunk-house whence came much laughter,and listened to the stories that Luck told so well,--with one arm aroundthe unashamed Kid, very likely, while he talked.

  True, they had ranches of their own, those boys of the Flying U. But ifyou wanted to find them in a hurry, it were wise to ride first intoFlying U coulee. That was headquarters, and that was home and alwayswould be; even Andy Green, who was happily married, brought his wife andstayed there days at a time, with small excuse for the coming.

  In three days, then, Luck had chosen his men from among the Happy Family,and had convinced them that their future welfare and happiness dependedupon their going back with him to Los Angeles. In three days he hadaccomplished a good deal; but then, Luck was in the habit of crowding hisdays with achievement of one sort or another. As a matter of fact, thethird day he had looked upon as one given solely to the pleasure ofstaying at the Flying U while the boys completed their arrangements forleaving with him. He had done all that he had planned to do, and he wasin a very good humor with the world, or he had been until the LittleDoctor had made his pride writhe under her innocent belittlement of hisvocation. To have her boy work in pictures would be a calamity in hereyes; in Luck's eyes it would be an honor, provided he did the right kindof work in the right kind of pictures.

  Luck's own personal opinion, however, did not weigh in this case. He hadpromised the Little Doctor that he would erase the impression he had madeupon the Kid's too vivid imagination; so he led him to a retired placewhere they would be sheltered from the wind by a great stack of alfalfahay, and he began in this wise:

  "Old-timer, you're the luckiest boy I've seen in all my travels,--growingup here on the Flying U, with a mother like you've got, and a dad likeChip, and a ranch like this to get the swing of while you're growing; sothat in another five years I expect you'll be running it yourself, andyour folks will be larking around having the good time they've earnedwhile they were raising you. I'll bet--"

  "So Doctor Dell went and got around you, did she? I knew that was why shecalled you into the sett'n room. Forget it, Luck." The Kid spat manfullyinto the trodden hay, and pushed his small-size Stetson back so that hiscurls showed, and set his feet as far apart as was comfortable. "I knewshe would," he added with weary wisdom in his tone. "Doctor Dell can getaround anybody when she takes a notion."

  Luck held his face from smiling. He looked surprised, and disappointed inthe Kid, and sorry for the Kid's parents. At least, he made the Kid feelthat he was thinking all these things, which proves how well one maymaster the art of facial expression. He did not say a word; therefore heput the Kid upon the defensive and set his young wits to devisingarguments in his favor.

  "A woman never knows when a fellow begins to grow up. Doctor Dell is thenicest girl in the world, but she needn't think I'm a baby yet. I canride a buckin' horse, and I went on round-up last spring--and made ahand, too! I can swing a rope as good as any of the bunch; you seen mewhirl a loop and jump through it, and there's more stunts than that Ican do--it was dinner time, so I had to quit before I showed you." TheKid paused. He had not yet produced any effect whatever upon thatsurprised, pitying, disappointed look in Luck's face, and the Kid beganto feel worried.

  "Well, I was just bluffing when I said I'd run away--if she told youthat." He stopped; the look was still there, only it now seemed to havecontempt added to it. "I don't say I know more'n anybody on the ranch,and I don't say I'm boss of the ranch yet. I do what they tell me, evenwhen I know there ain't any sense in it. I humor Doctor Dell a wholelot!" Could he never get that look off Luck's face? The Kid searched hissoul anxiously. You couldn't go on arguing with that kind of a look; itmade you feel like you'd been stealing sheep. "Oh, well, if you won'ttalk to a feller--" The Kid did not turn away quite soon enough to hidethe quiver of his lips. Luck reached out and took a small, grimy handand pulled the Kid nearer; near enough so that his arm could go aroundthe Kid's quivering body. He held him close, and the Kid did notstruggle. He dropped his face against Luck's shoulder, and began tofight back his tears.

  "Listen, pardner," said Luck softly, one hand caressing the Kid's cheek."You and I ought to sabe each other better than most folks, because we'repals. Now, I want you to go with me a heap more than you want to go; justtuck that away in your mind where you won't lose it. I want you, but Iwouldn't have you without Doctor Dell's free and willing consent. I needyou for my pal; and I could teach you a lot that would be useful to you.But they need you a whole lot worse than I do. They've been taking careof you and loving you and planning for you all these eight years, justwatching you grow, and being proud of you because you're what they wantyou to be: husky and healthy and good all the way through. You couldn'tgo off and leave them now; it wouldn't be right. And, pard, you need themeven worse than they need you. I know,--because I had to grow up withoutany one to love me and look after me; and believe me, old pal, it isn'tany cinch. It's just pure luck that I didn't get killed off or go bad.Now, I'd be good to you, if I had you with me, and so would the boys; butwe couldn't take the place of Doctor Dell and Daddy Chip.

  "I've talked pictures too much to you. I didn't know how it was hittingyou, or how much you wanted to go. But listen. If I had the chance you'vegot here,--if I had a ranch like this, and cattle, and horses, and afather and mother and uncle like you've got,--I never would look a camerain the eye again as long as I live. That's straight, old-timer. Why, I'mworking my head off trying to get enough ahead so that I can have a ranchof my own! So I can slap a saddle on a horse that carries my brand, andride out after my cattle, and haze them into my corral; so I can have ahome that is mine. I never did have one, pardner,--not since I was a heapsmaller than you are now,--and a home of his own is what every man wantsmost, down deep in his heart.

  "It looks fine to be traveling around, and making moving pictures. It isfine if you are cut out for that kind of work, and have got to be workingfor somebody else to get your start. But remember, pard, I am working andscheming and planning to get just what you've got already. You, a kideight years old, stand right where I'd give all I've got to stand. You'llown your own ranch and your own home. You've got folks that love you--notbecause you hand out the pay envelope on a certain day of the week, butbecause you belong to them, and they belong to you. Kid, I'm thirty-twoyears old--and I've never known what that felt like. I have never knownwhat it was like to have some one plan for me and with me, unless theywere paid for it."

  The Kid stood very still. "You could live here," he lifted his head tosay gravely after a little silence that was full of thought. "This can beyour home. You can be one of the Happy Family. We'd like to have you."

  There was something queer in Luck's voice when he murmured a reply. Therewas something in his face which no one but the Kid had ever seen. TheKid's arm crept around Luck's neck, and tightened there and stayed.Luck's hand went up to the curls and hovered there caressingly. And theytalked, in tones lowered to the cadence of deep-hidden hopes and longingsrevealed in sacred confidence.

  The Little Doctor, shamelessly eavesdropping because she was a motherfighting for her fledgling, tiptoed away from the corner of the stack,and went back to the house, wiping her eyes frequently with the corner ofher handkerchief that was not embroidered. She went into her room andstayed there a long while, and before she came out she had recourse torosewater and talcu
m and other first aids to swollen eyelids.

  Whatever she may have thought, whatever she may have overheard beyondwhat has been recorded, her manner toward Luck was so unobtrusivelytender that Chip looked at her once or twice with a puzzled, husbandlyfrown. Also, the Kid felt something special in his Doctor Dell'sgood-night kiss; something he did not understand at all, since he had notyet told her that he was going to be a good boy and stay at home and takecare of her and the ranch.