by Max Brand
40
The day passed and the night, but how very slowly for Nelly Lebrun; shewent up to her room early for she could no longer bear the meaningglances which Joe Rix cast at her from time to time. But once in herroom it was still harder to bear the suspense as she waited for thenoise to die away in the house. Midnight, and half an hour more went by,and then, at last, the murmurs and the laughter stopped; she alone waswakeful in Lebrun's. And when that time came she caught a scarf aroundher hair and her shoulders, made of a filmy material which would veilher face but through which she could see, and ventured out of her roomand down the hall.
There was no particular need for such caution, however, it seemed.Nothing stirred. And presently she was outside the house and hurryingbehind the houses and up the hill. Still she met nothing. If The Cornerlived tonight, its life was confined to Milligan's and the gamblinghouse.
She found Donnegan's shack and the one next to it, which the terriblecolonel occupied, entirely dark, but only a moment after she tapped atthe door it was opened. Donnegan, fully dressed, stood in the entrance,outlined blackly by the light which came faintly from the hooded lanternhanging on the wall. Was he sitting up all the night, unable to sleepbecause he waited breathlessly for that false tryst on the morrow? Agreat tenderness came over the heart of Nelly Lebrun.
"It is I," she whispered.
There was a soft exclamation, then she was drawn into the room.
"Is there anyone here?"
"Only big George. But he's in the kitchen and he won't hear. He neverhears anything except what's meant for his ear. Take this chair!"
He was putting a blanket over the rough wood to make it morecomfortable, and she submitted dumbly to his ministrations. It seemedterrible and strange to her that one so gentle should be the object ofso much hate--such deadly hate as the members of Nick's gang felt forhim. And now that he was sitting before her she could see that he hadindeed been wakeful for a long time. His face was grimly wasted; thelips were compressed as one who has endured long pain; and his eyesgleamed at her out of a profound shadow. He remained in the gloom; thelight from the lantern fell brightly upon his hands alone--meager,fleshless hands which seemed to represent hardly more strength than thatof a child. Truly this man was all a creature of spirit and nerve.Therein lay his strength, as also his weakness, and again the cherishinginstinct grew strong and swept over her.
"There is no one near," he said, "except the colonel and his daughter.They are up the hillside, somewhere. Did you see them?"
"No. What in the world are they out for at this time of night?"
"Because the colonel only wakes up when the sun goes down. And now he'sout there humming to himself and never speaking a word to the girl. Butthey won't be far away. They'll stay close to see that no one comes nearthe cabin to get at Landis."
He added: "They must have seen you come into my cabin!"
And his lips set even harder than before. Was it fear because of her?
"They may have seen me enter, but they won't know who it was. You havethe note from me?"
"Yes."
"It's a lie! It's a ruse. I was forced to write it to save you! Forthey're planning to murder you. Oh, my dear!"
"Hush! Hush! Murder?"
"I've been nearly hysterical all day and all the night. But. thankheaven, I'm here to warn you in time! You mustn't go. You mustn't go!"
"Who is it?"
He had drawn his chair closer: he had taken her hands, and she notedthat his own were icy cold, but steady as a rock. Their pressure soothedher infinitely.
"Joe Rix, the Pedlar, Harry Masters. They'll be at the shack at teno'clock, but not I!"
"Murder, but a very clumsy scheme. Three men leave town and commit amurder and then expect to go undetected? Not even in the mountaindesert!"
"But you don't understand, you don't understand! They're wise as foxes.They'll take no risk. They don't even leave town together or travel bythe same routes. Harry Masters starts first. He rides out at eighto'clock in the morning and takes the north trail. He rides down thegulch and winds out of it and strikes for the shack at the ford. At halfpast eight the Pedlar starts. He goes past Sandy's place and then overthe trail through the marsh. You know it?"
"Yes."
"Last of all, Joe Rix starts at nine o'clock. Half an hour betweenthem."
"How does he go to the shack?"
"By the south trail. He takes the ridge of the hills. But they'll all beat the shack long before you and they'll shoot you down from a distanceas you come up to it. Plain murder, but even for cowardly murder theydaren't face you except three to one."
He was thoughtful.
"Suppose they were to be met on the way?"
"You're mad to think of it!"
"But if they fail this time they'll try again. They must be taught alesson."
"Three men? Oh, my dear, my dear! Promise!"
"Very well. I shall do nothing rash. And I shall never forget thatyou've come to tell me this and been in peril, Nell, for if they foundyou had come to me--"
"The Pedlar would cut my throat. I know him!"
"Ah! But now you must go. I'll take you down the hill, dear."
"No, no! It's much easier to get back alone. My face will be covered.But there's no way you could be disguised. You have a way ofwalking--good night--and God bless you!"
She was in his arms, straining him to her; and then she slipped out thedoor.
And sure enough, there was the colonel in his chair not fifty feet awaywith a girl pushing him. The moonlight was too dim for Nelly Lebrun tomake out the face of Lou Macon, but even the light which escaped throughthe filter of clouds was enough to set her golden hair glowing. Thecolor was not apparent, but its luster was soft silver in the night.There was a murmur of the colonel's voice as Nelly came out of thecabin.
And then, from the girl, a low cry.
It brought the blood to the cheeks of Nelly as she hurried down thehill, for she recognized the pain that was in it; and it occurred to herthat if the girl was in love with Jack Landis she was strangelyinterested in Donnegan also.
The thought came so sharply home to her that she paused abruptly on theway down the hill. After all, this Macon girl would be a very strangesort if she were not impressed by the little red-headed man, with hisgentle voice and his fiery ways, and his easy way of making himself abrilliant spectacle whenever he appeared in public. And Nellyremembered, also, with the keen suspicion of a woman in love how weaklyDonnegan had responded to her embrace this night. How absent-mindedlyhis arms had held her, and how numbly they had fallen away when sheturned at the door.
But she shook her head and made the suspicion shudder its way out ofher. Lou Macon, she decided, was just the sort of girl who would thinkJack Landis an ideal. Besides, she had never had an opportunity to seeDonnegan in his full glory at Milligan's. And as for Donnegan? He waswearied out; his nerves relaxed; and for the deeds with which he hadstartled The Corner and won her own heart he was now paying the penaltyin the shape of ruined nerves. Pity again swelled in her heart, and aconsuming hatred for the three murderers who lived in her father'shouse.
And when she reached her room again her heart was filled with a singinghappiness and a glorious knowledge that she had saved the man she loved.
And Donnegan himself?
He had seen Lou and her father: he had heard that low cry of pain; andnow he sat bowed again over his table, his face in his hands and araging devil in his heart.
