The Long Dim Trail

by Forrestine C. Hooker

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  The morning that Traynor was due at the ranch with his family, the menand Fong were up long before daybreak. Inside and out, the ranch hadbeen scrutinized mercilessly, to see if everything was in perfect order.Fong's pigtail jerked like an expiring rattlesnake, as he rushed hereand there, putting the final touches to a meal which was to be theculinary achievement of his life.

  When the carriage was finally driven into the stable, the men crowdedaround, talking and laughing, asking questions but not waiting replies,until Traynor piloted his wife and baby into the house; Jamie lingeredwith his friends.

  There was a joyful reunion between the child and the greyhounds whichhad been shut in the corral. Then, surrounded by the leaping, yelpingpack, Jamie and the men turned to Gov'ner's stall. The door was openedby Limber, and they all stood waiting till Jamie called to the horse,"Gov'ner! I'm back home again!"

  Gov'ner's head flung up alertly, his nostrils distended, his eyes shone;then as he saw the little chap outside the stall the horse whinnied,tossed his head and pranced through the door. The proud head lowered asthe horse reached the child, and the lips nipped playfully at Jamie'scoat, while the boy laughed in delight, petting the satiny neck, as hesaid triumphantly, "You see, he didn't forget me while I was away."

  It was a new Jamie that had come back to them. For sometime Powell hadbeen studying the cause of the boy's retarded recovery, and had finallyconcluded it was due to other reasons than the tubercular tendency. Hehad not suggested this to Traynor until consultation with two notedspecialists, had confirmed his diagnosis. After the operation which wasfound necessary, the lad's improvement was astonishing; so when hereached the Diamond H, nothing more was necessary than outdoor life inthe high, dry climate and plenty of nourishing food, to make him anormally healthy boy.

  Traynor joined the boys as they watched the reunion of Gov'ner and thechild. Then he asked, "Don't you boys intend to come in and meet the newBoss and his mother? They're expecting you."

  Without hesitation the men followed him into the living room where theyoung mother, with the baby on her lap, waited the homage she knew wouldbe accorded freely by these loyal friends.

  Cautiously they all approached and regarded the small atom of humanitythat gazed back at them with serene eyes.

  "Feel how heavy he is," offered Nell, holding the infant toward them.Each one shrunk back a bit and their eyes shifted to each other.

  "Take him, Bronco. He won't bite;" laughed Nell.

  Bronco edged back of Limber, as he replied, "Limber's the foreman. He'sgot the first throw!"

  Limber's arms went out, and the little mother laid the child carefullyupon them, fussing with the dainty white dress, and smiling down intothe baby face against the blue flannel shirt. As she stepped back, shecaught a passing expression on Limber's face, and her eyes grew misty.Though he did not know it, she glimpsed Limber's soul in that moment.

  The baby blinked up, then a quivering, uncertain little smile touchedhis lips.

  "Gee! Look at him," ejaculated Bronco. "Say, he's made friends withLimber already. Isn't he the smart little geezer, though?"

  Gaining courage the rest of the men pressed closer, and Bronco put out ahorny finger to touch the pink palm. Like the leaves of a sensitiveplant, the fingers curled tightly around the cowboy's digit, then pulleddeterminedly toward a puckering mouth, while Bronco's eyes opened inconsternation.

  "Say, you don't want to eat me, do you? That ain't a stick of candy!" hepulled gently but firmly until he managed to rescue the threatenedfinger, and the other men chuckled in unison.

  "Ain't he got a dandy grip! He'll be able to hang onto a steer when hegets it roped, you bet!" Roarer's squeak asserted.

  "Smartest baby I ever seen," Holy pronounced oracularly, ignoring thefact that it was the first time in his life he had ever been near ayoung baby.

  Fong hovered in the doorway, and as they looked up they saw a cake withgorgeous white icing. It was Fong's only way of expressing his fealtyand congratulations. He deposited the cake on the table, and Nell beamedon him.

  "We'll make baby cut his own cake, Fong!" Then she turned, "Limber,won't you call Allan?"

  Traynor joined them, and the entire outfit stood in admiration, whileNell held the tiny hand about the big butcher knife and thrust it intothe heart of the lacy design of icing. Fong's eyes blinked rapidly, andhe kept saying, over and over, "Velly fline blaby! Him velly flinebloy!"

  Once again Traynor brought champagne, and the glasses were lifted as hegave the toast, "To the Boss of the Diamond H and his mother. God blessthem both!"

  After that Nell got the teething-ring, and when the child grasped andthrust it into its open mouth, the men all grinned. "He sure knows whatthat is made for," chortled Bronco, "an' that's more'n we knowed tillFong tol' us."

  They bombarded Nell with questions regarding his weight, how soon hewould acquire real teeth, and how long before he would be wearingtrousers. They were thirsting for information regarding infantiledevelopment, and when Roarer, in an off-hand manner, referred to his"sister's twins in Texas," they looked at him with envious eyes. Roarerdid not disclose that said twins were almost as old as himself. Hedilated on various events in their careers, which he remembered hearingthe aforesaid twins relate themselves. He cudgeled his brain forhistoric data.

  The boys were feeling very much at home, when the baby began to squirmuneasily in its mother's arms. Its face screwed up, its eyes squintedand disappeared entirely, and the boys looked anxiously at Nell.

  "Does he have fits?" inquired Bronco solicitously. "I know its allright for puppies to have 'em, but does babies?"

  The infant answered for himself with a sneeze, and Nell looked around atthe open window. This gave the men an excuse to plead work, and tiptoefrom the room.

  Once in the stable they halted, and Bronco, still seeking information,faced Roarer. "Say, Roarer, did your sister's twins in Texas have fits?"

  "Sure," answered Roarer cheerfully. "They was so uster havin' 'em thatwe never paid no attention at all when one come on. It's just likepuppies, you know. 'Twouldn't be noways natural if thar wasn't fits--an'fleas. Don't do no hurt. Jest look at all the people that lives to growup, anyways!"

  But that night Roarer borrowed the big book, telling "How to be Your OwnDoctor," which was the Court of Final Appeal for everything from cookingrecipes to getting rid of bedbugs, lawsuits and other worries, togetherwith a complete list of the "ills to which the human flesh is heir," andinfallible remedies for all.

  The men did not know that he was studying assiduously every bit of dataobtainable regarding the diseases of infants. They wondered afterwardsat Roarer's unfailing supply of information about babies, well or ill;but he ascribed his knowledge entirely to his associations with theTexas Twins.

  Once more the interrupted routine of ranch life was resumed and Limberdivided his time between the Diamond H and the Hot Springs. Though thecowpuncher passed the Circle Cross at intervals he never dismounted.Chappo and Juan kept in touch with each other, and through them Limberand Powell knew that Glendon's wife found life more bearable since theanxiety about Donnie had been removed. Yet she never suspected the partthat Doctor Powell and Limber had taken in forcing Glendon'sacquiescence to her wishes and plans for the boy.