CHAPTER XIX
THE WORD UNSPOKEN
The sun was high in the brilliant blue heavens and blazing hot upon thegray-green plain when the company came together in the grove the nextmorning to listen to speeches. One or another well-known resident of theTerritory was called forth, with applause and cheers, to mount animprovised rostrum, where he complimented the ladies, chaffed the men,told funny stories, submitted to guying from the audience and repaid itin kind, until he was able to turn a joke upon some one else so deftlythat he could retreat under cover of the hand-clapping and laughter andthe calls for the other man to step up and defend himself.
At dinner they spent a jovial hour. Half a dozen cowboys carried the bigplatters of roasted meat to the tables, where they were flanked bysmoking dishes of _frijoles_ and _chile con carne_, platters of bread,and piles of roasted potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Pails of lemonadeand bottles of beer, just brought from the ice house, were scattereddown the tables, and steaming pots of coffee and tea passed from hand tohand. Everybody was in the highest spirits; every jest or bit of fun wascaught, bandied back and forth, and passed on with new trimmings. Asthey gathered around the tables, Conrad asked Lucy Bancroft to save aseat for him beside her. She smiled at him without replying; but whenHomer presently came and asked for the vacant place she gave him agracious welcome.
Conrad, much occupied with his duties as host, soon saw that his brotherwas at her side, paying her devoted attention, and that apparently shewas quite happy. "It's all right," he thought. "He'll have time to lookout for her better than I could, anyway; she seems to be having a goodtime, and that's the main thing." Yet he was conscious of keendisappointment; he had seen so little of her--much less, he was suddenlyaware, than he wished. But he had been very busy. Notwithstanding theplanning beforehand, something new had been constantly cropping up anddemanding his attention. But Homer had been taking good care of her,and she seemed to be enjoying everything. That evening, after thefireworks, he could surely let things go for a little while, and ask herto walk with him in the moonlight to the top of the hill.
At that moment he was passing Mrs. Turner Castleton. With an invitingsmile she made room for him beside her. He sat down, poured her a glassof lemonade, and then, noticing that Emerson Mead and his wife were notcomfortably seated, went off to look after them. Mrs. Ned, who had seenher sister-in-law's manoeuvre, asked him to go into the house with herto see how the lemons were holding out. When they came out she protestedthat she was starving, that he must be too, and couldn't they sit rightdown and have something to eat? The seats she chose were at somedistance from Mrs. Turner, though directly in range of her eye. Theychanced also to be in plain sight from where Lucy was sitting. She,seeing them dining together on such friendly, jolly terms, was morecharming than ever to Homer Conrad. Her pique made the task she had setherself no easier; but she held to her determination, telling herselfthat, even if Curtis did not show her some attention that afternoon,she would try to see him in the evening. For they were to go home in themorning.
After dinner the games began. Cowboys of the ranch and others from smallneighboring ranches gave exhibitions of quick roping and throwing and ofbroncho busting. Curtis Conrad and Emerson Mead had a riding andshooting match. Jose Gonzalez, dressed in Mexican holiday attire ofstraw sombrero, braided jacket, and close-fitting trousers, showed hisskill as an expert lasso thrower. He made a picturesque figure as hestood in the roadway, striking graceful attitudes and making his ropeleap, run, circle, and swirl about him as if it were alive. The visitorscrowded to the edge of the grove, watching and admiring.
"He's a sure peach at the fancy racket," said Dan Tillinghurst, "but Ireckon Emerson Mead can flirt gravel faster than he can when it comes tothe real practical business. Say, Emerson," he called, "can't you giveus an imitation of the way you slipped out of Antone Colorow's rope andbroke his wrists before he had time to draw his noose? I reckon that wasa show sure worth seeing."
Those who knew the story added their voices, "Yes, Mead; show us howyou did it!" Others who had never heard of the incident wanted to knowabout it; and soon everybody was talking about how a cowboy once triedto rope Emerson Mead. Mrs. Turner Castleton was standing beside Curtis.
"Really, Mr. Conrad," she said, "is it true that they ever rope men? Andwhy do the men allow it?"
"Sometimes, Mrs. Castleton, when the men who are roped can't help it."With a sudden smile he threw back his head and his eyes flashed. "We'llshow you the game," he went on; "Jose shall try to rope me, and I'll seeif I can keep out of his way. Come, Jose, get your horse, and bringmine, and then do your best."
The Mexican stooped to coil his rope. As he rose his glance dartedacross the faces of the crowd under the trees until it met the eyes ofAlexander Bancroft, standing beside Dellmey Baxter, at the end of thelong group. Baxter saw the two pairs of eyes meet and hold each otherfor an instant, and his curiosity was aroused. But he seemed to noticenothing, and saying, "Come, Aleck, let's go and see what they're up tonow," he led the way to the upper end of the grove.
The two horsemen cantered out into the open and began theirmanoeuvres. The people crowded along at the edge of the shade, andsome of the men stepped out into the sunlight to get a better view.Emerson Mead was much interested and walked out farther than the rest.The snakey rings and lengths of the Mexican's rope were whistlingthrough the air, and the two men were wheeling, stopping, rushingforward, jumping sidewise, in graceful evolutions. The noose circledthrough the space between them, poised over Conrad's head, and darteddownward like some voracious bird of prey. An exclamation ran throughthe intent crowd, "He's got him! He's got him this time!" But thesuperintendent jerked his horse to its hind legs, swung it to one side,galloped a little way, and came back laughing. "Good! that was firstrate!" Emerson Mead called out.
Jose wound his rope for another trial, and cantered leisurely back andforth, making sudden feints of throwing and watching his employer'smovements of evasion. Suddenly he wheeled, charged, and threw the loopfrom a distance of only a few paces. He had calculated on the other'sspurring forward to escape; instead Conrad brought his horse to astandstill, and the noose fell over its ears. A cheer went up from thegrove, and Curtis turned to wave his broad-brimmed hat. In the one swiftglance he was aware of Lucy, watching so eagerly that she had steppedforward into the sunshine, and of his brother, raising a sunshade overher head.
Gonzalez also waved his sombrero to the company, and coiled his ropeanew. It darted out like a serpent's tongue, and this time it caughtConrad unawares; he had thought his antagonist would not throw so soonand for the instant was off his guard. The noose fell over his head justas his horse was at mid-bound. He heard it whistle as it dropped pasthis ears, and as quick as a flash jerked his pony backward to a suddenstop. Apparently Jose had expected the horse to leap forward, for, as hefelt the slacking of the rope, there was a dextrous turn of his wrist,and a dig of his spur that sent his pony dancing to one side. The noosetightened around Curtis's neck. Instinctively he clutched it, and hisfingers, caught against his windpipe, ground into his own throat.
"The greaser did that on purpose!" exclaimed Emerson Mead in a hard,swift undertone, as his hand gripped the revolver at his waistband. ButGonzalez was already beside Conrad, and lifting the noose from his neck.The American choked and gasped for breath once or twice.
"You--you caught me square that time, Jose," he said.
"We are even now, senor," replied the Mexican; "you gave me my lifeonce, and now I give you yours. It would have been only a second more;and it was plainly an accident; nobody would have known. I have paid mydebt."
The people were cheering. Both men faced toward the grove and wavedtheir hats. "You damned impudent coyote!" said Curtis through his teeth.Then he grinned, and added, "But I like your nerve, though."
At the grove side the manager threw his bridle to the Mexican, butturned impulsively and called, "Here, Jose, wait a minute. I want you toshow these people how you can throw the knife." A stride or two took h
imto Jose's side. "And I'll be your target, damn you!" he added in anundertone. He walked back where Lucy, Miss Dent, and his brother werestanding, humming a stave or two from a comic opera under his breath.Homer noticed that his face was rather pale and that his eyes wereblazing, but thought it due to his annoyance at having been roped.
Gonzalez came back from the corral, carefully testing with his fingerthe edge and point of his knife. Conrad, his head held high, a smile onhis face and exhilaration in his manner, was telling the company tostand a little to one side, to make sure they were out of the way of theknife. As Gonzalez came up, he stepped in front of the nearest tree,with the Mexican facing him ten or twelve paces distant. Judge Bankscalled to him to watch out for the knife himself, and he turned asmiling face for an instant as he answered gayly, "Oh, I'm all right!"In the same tone he called, "Start her up, Jose! And remember, you're todo your level best."
Jose's teeth shone in a gleaming smile as he replied significantly, "Ishall, Don Curtis!" He took an alert, graceful posture, one foot setback and head thrust slightly forward. The muscles of his arm were stillrelaxed as his knife slid along his wrist and nestled into place. Conraddrew himself up tensely and his eyes narrowed as he fixed them upon theMexican's. For an instant they eyed each other; then, like a flash,Jose's arm swung back.
Not until that moment did any member of the company understand thatCurtis was deliberately making himself a target; even then many did notrealize the significance of the game with death he had set himself toplay. Ned Castleton's face went white, and his voice died in his throatas he tried to call to Jose to stop. Alexander Bancroft stared withdevouring eyes, his breath coming hard. The overmastering desire forfreedom and safety was upon him, and he could not take his gaze from theMexican's poised figure. Louise Dent, beside him, drew one gaspingbreath and covered her face with her hands. Afterward she knew that shehad not done this so much to shut from her eyes the next moment'sexpected sight as to hide from her soul's vision the glimpse she hadcaught of the desire springing to life in her own heart.
"LIKE A FLASH JOSE'S ARM SWUNG BACK, ... AND CURTISSPRANG LIGHTLY ASIDE AS THE KNIFE STRUCK DEEP INTO THE TREE"]
Homer Conrad, sitting beside Lucy, his attention fixed upon some smalldamage to her fan which he was trying to repair, did not see what wasgoing on until a sudden stiffening of her attitude and a sharp, indrawnbreath made him look up. She was leaning forward, with face white andeyes staring and hands clenched against her breast. He followed hergaze and saw the knife flash from Jose's hand. His heart went sick andhe sat powerless to move as his eyes marked the long blade, dark againstthe sunshine, but with little sparkles on its edge, through what seemedan interminable flight.
Then Curtis sprang lightly aside as the knife struck deep into the treeat the level of his throat, pulled the weapon out, waved it at Gonzalez,and called out triumphantly, "Try again, Jose; and be quicker nexttime!"
Ned Castleton sprang forward, with Turner close behind, and grasped hisarm. "Are you crazy, Curt?" he exclaimed. "This is fool's play! We don'twant any more of it!"
"There's no danger," Conrad replied jauntily. "I knew I could jumpquicker than he could throw, and I wanted to prove it to him. There'snot a bit of danger; I can do it every time. But if you don't like itwe'll have something else. Hello, kid!" he said as Homer rushed up andseized his arm; the young man's face was pale and tears stood in hiseyes. "You've no reason to be frightened," Curtis went on easily. "All Ihad to do was to watch his eyes. If there had been any real danger Iwouldn't have tried it."
Lucy Bancroft sat quite still for a few moments, her eyes on the ground,but presently she started toward the house, contriving to pass Conradwhen there was no one beside him. She touched his arm and he wheeledtoward her as if he had felt an electric shock. "It was a most foolishthing to do," she said in a low voice, "but--you are the bravest man Iever saw," and hastened on without giving him time to reply.
At night there were fireworks and dancing. After the knife-throwingepisode Curtis tried again and again to have speech with Lucy, butwhenever he came near she seemed not to see him, and was so interestedin conversation with her admirer of the moment that he could find noopportunity. Homer attended her like her own shadow. The hours hurriedpast, and still, piqued and wilful, she postponed making the opportunityfor her revelation.
Conrad was master of the fireworks; while he was busy setting offsky-rockets and mines Lucy and Homer called to him that they were goingto the top of the hill beyond the alfalfa field to see how the displaylooked from there. It was the very walk Curtis had intended to ask herto take with him, and he glanced after them, keenly disappointed. Buthe said to himself that as soon as he could get the fireworks out of theway there would be nothing to demand his attention for the rest of theevening, and then he could surely get a little time with her.
Half an hour later he saw her, through a glare of red fire, setting offfire-crackers with his brother and Pendleton. Dan Tillinghurst had justjoined them, and she turned to him with a laughing threat, a lightedcracker in her hand. He called to Pendleton, whose pockets were bulgingwith packs of the crackers, to see fair play and give him weapons ofdefence. The cool night wind was tossing her brown curls, her brightface was full of animation, and the red light enveloped her in a rosysheen. He looked at her, his face aglow with admiration, then turnedback to the sky-rockets. As he stooped over the box he heard a scream ina girlish voice, followed by the stern command, "Sit down! Sit down!" inDan Tillinghurst's heavy tones. Springing up, he saw a white heapsinking to the ground amid leaping tongues of flame and the three menstripping off their coats and beating the fire. He rushed forward,taking off his coat as he ran, and in a moment they had whipped theflames down to a ring of charred muslin and flickering sparks. A dozenothers had hurried to the spot, but it was Curtis's outstretched handthat Lucy took as he bent anxiously over her, his arm upon which sheleaned as she staggered to her feet. She went at once into the housewith Miss Dent, and did not reappear that evening. When Louise returnedshe explained that Lucy had gone to bed, but that, except for thenervous shock, she had suffered no harm.
Curtis Conrad went on sending off sky-rockets and Roman candles in theamaze of a new knowledge. That moment of Lucy's peril, brief as it was,had revealed to him the love that, unconsciously to himself, had beenbourgeoning in his heart throughout the Spring. So absorbed had he beenin his own grim purpose that he had not realized the meaning of hisliking for Lucy and his enjoyment of her society. But in the light ofthe flames by which he had seen her circled her dearness had flashedupon him its real significance. When she leaned upon him as she arose,it had demanded all his self-control to keep from taking her in hisarms. His nerves were thrilling yet with the slight pressure of herbody upon his arm as she regained her footing. So sudden and forcefulwas the rush of his emotion that it swept him from his accustomedmoorings, and filled heart and mind to the exclusion of every otheridea. Lucy--Lucy--Lucy--he said her name over and over in his innermostthought, even while he danced with Mrs. Turner, strolled with MissWhittaker to the hilltop,--as he had wished to do with Lucy,--talkedwith Martinez, or listened to Judge Harlan's stories. The thought of herwas constantly with him, enveloped in a wonderful tenderness; his memorywas incessantly recalling images of her as she looked leaning againstthis tree, seated beside that table, walking across the road. He hoveredaround Miss Dent until she, to escape from his attention and hissolicitude about Lucy, which intensified the aversion and resentment shealready felt, retired to the house early in the evening.
But, when all the merrymakers had gone to bed and quiet had settled uponthe ranch, Conrad began to feel a violent wrenching of his heart. Whenhe stretched himself upon the roof of the house and gazed into thesilvery violet sky his lifelong purpose reasserted itself. For so manyyears it had been his habit, as he composed himself for sleep, to thinkover his plans for the pursuit of Delafield and feed his heart with thedesire for revenge that he quickly felt its tyranny. For a moment allemotion ceased and his mind stood back,
aghast at itself, bewildered.Then the old idea took possession again, and he said to himself, almostwith anger, "What business have I to fall in love?" To think of Lucy inconnection with his own dark and bloody aims was repellent, and histhoughts turned away in quick reaction. Then came the remembrance ofHomer's devotion to her and of how welcome, apparently, had been hisattentions. So, for that time at least, Lucy and love were turned out ofhis heart and his last waking thoughts were of his plan to go toAlbuquerque and Santa Fe within a few days, there to run down the clewsthat promised most.
Because of all that had gone on in his mind and heart as he lay on theroof that night Conrad's manner toward Lucy the next morning was graverand more restrained than usual. He was keenly alive to the magic of herpresence, but for that he rebuked himself and went near her no oftenerthan he could help. Lucy tried in vain to find an opportunity forprivate speech with him. And so the time came for their departure andthe fateful words had not been said. "Well," she consoled herself, "hewill come to see us in Golden before long, and I will tell him then."
As they drove away the house was filled with the bustle of leave-taking.The guests who had come by rail were being driven to the station atWhite Rock to catch the forenoon train. Others were leaving by horse orcarriage for Golden or Randall. As the dust from the last of thedeparting vehicles rose in thin gray stains against the vivid blue ofthe sky Ned Castleton called to his wife from the shade of the treebeside the gate. She had been saying good-bye to the Bancrofts and hadstopped in the sun beside the adobe wall to play with a horned toad thatGonzalez had caught for her.
"Fanny," he said, "I know I haven't got horns, but if you'll come herein the shade I'll prove that I can be just as interesting as that toad."
She came, holding the weird little creature on her palm. "Look at him,Ned! Isn't he cunning? He's the dearest thing I ever saw--except you."
"Oh, thanks; it's kind of you not to put me in the same class. As areward I'll tell you some news. Your little scheme for balking Lena'sdesigns on Conrad has succeeded perfectly. Turner has just told me thatshe has suddenly decided she wants to go to Santa Barbara at once, andthey're leaving this afternoon. I told him to go ahead, and I'd stayhere a few days longer and finish things up with Curt."
"That's just splendid, Ned! We'll have some lovely rides, won't we? Andit will be such a rest not to have to keep an eye on Lena. I felt surelast night that she was going to give up the game and pretend she hadn'tbeen playing, because she suddenly lost all interest in the cattlebusiness."
"Of course you know, Francisquita, that you have been behavingshamelessly; but I'll forgive you, because you've saved our modelsuperintendent for us."
"Ned, you know very well that I didn't do a thing but just help Mr.Conrad make it pleasant for all the people--except, perhaps, Lena. I'mafraid she'd have had a better time if I hadn't been here. But I've beenthinking this morning, Ned, that maybe it wasn't necessary for me tohelp quite as hard as I did. What do you think about it?"
"I think I don't know what you're talking about. As the cowboys say,you've flung gravel along the road a little too fast for my gait."
"Ned, you're the blindest thing! What could I mean except that Mr.Conrad didn't need to be distracted from Lena, especially as her methodsare so broad?"
"Well, go on, dear. We'll get there after a while."
"Go on! Why, Ned, that's all! Isn't that enough? Why should a man wantmore than one pretty girl to protect him from the designs of a ladywho--well--who wants to shave him? You never needed anybody but me."
"True, Fanny! But you always were equal to an army in yourself, and nowyou are equal to two--which is only another way of saying that you growmore fascinating every day. And now I think you might be gracious enoughto tell me what you're talking about."
"Why, Ned, I'm afraid Miss Bancroft didn't enjoy it any more than Lena.I wasn't quite sure of it until this morning; but I really think, Ned,that Lena would have been left out in the cold just the same if Ihadn't--hadn't helped Mr. Conrad entertain the people quite so much."
Castleton laughed. "Oh, I begin to see! You are feeling the pangs ofremorse because you've been putting snags in the course of true love.But you needn't worry, dear. Curt isn't the sort of man, if he caresanything about her, to let a little thing like that make anydifference."
"But he'll be too busy with you to go over to Golden and see her againfor a long time, won't he?"
"Oh, we can get through this week, I think."
"Good! Then we can leave on Saturday, and on Sunday he can gallop overto Golden, and by that time she'll want awfully to see him and she'll bevery sorry she flirted so outrageously with Don Homer. And next Fallwe'll send them a wedding present, and they'll come to see us on theirwedding journey,--she's a dear, sweet girl, Ned, and I like her,--andI'll explain to her why I--why I helped Mr. Conrad make things pleasantat the barbecue, and we'll have a jolly laugh over it. There he is now,Ned! Do go right along and begin your work, so we'll be sure to leave onSaturday."
When Conrad bade the Castletons good-bye at the railway station at theend of the week, Francisquita said to him:
"When you see that pretty Miss Bancroft again--" here she gave him asignificant glance and then demurely lowered her eyes--"please tell herthat I hope to see her again, and that if she ever comes to SanFrancisco she must let me know--you can give her our address. We'd bedelighted, Ned and I, to help her have a good time. She's a dear, lovelygirl and I'd really like to know her better."
Curtis drove home, declaring to himself that Mrs. Ned was one of themost charming women he knew. He would ride over to Golden to-morrowafternoon and deliver her message. He lingered fondly over the image ofLucy's slender figure standing at the top of her veranda steps andsmiling upon him a gay and gracious welcome, and a strong desire rose inhis heart to know just how glad she really would be to see him. But therecollection of his plans for the ensuing week came crashing through hispleasant thoughts like a runaway horse through a flower garden. For amoment the purpose that held his life in thrall seemed strangelyunworthy. But presently he jammed his hat down on his head and, withcompressed lips, said savagely to himself:
"No; the Delafield affair is my first love, and I'll stay with it." Ashe thought over his plans and hopes for the immediate future his heartgrew hot again with the old indignation over all that ruin and struggle,and the old purpose regained its accustomed vigor.
After a little, nevertheless, he decided that he would ride over to theBancrofts' the next day and deliver Mrs. Castleton's message. It woulddo no harm for him to see Lucy occasionally, in the friendly way inwhich they had always met.
The Delafield Affair Page 19
