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Overland Red: A Romance of the Moonstone Canon Trail, a novel by Henry Herbert Knibbs |
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Chapter 20. The Led Horse |
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_ CHAPTER XX. THE LED HORSE Anne Marshall had stepped from the porch to the living-room. Overland Red was alone with Louise. Facing her quickly, his easy banter gone, his blue eyes intense, untroubled, magnetic, he drew a deep breath. "They're waiting for me down the canon, about now," he said, and his tone explained his speech. Louise frowned slightly, studying his face. "That is unfortunate, just now," she said slowly. "Or most any time--for the other fella," responded Overland cheerfully. The girl gazed at the toe of her slipper. "I know you didn't speak because you were afraid. What do you intend?" "If I ain't oversteppin' the rules in invitin' you--why, I was goin' to say, 'Miss Lacharme, wouldn't you like to take a little buggy-ride in the Guzzuh, nice and slow. She's awful easy ridin' if you don't rein her too strong.'" "I don't know," said Louise pensively. "Your car can only hold two?" "Yes, ma'am." "I couldn't run away and leave Mrs. Marshall. Of course, you would go on--after--after we were in the valley. How could I get back?" "That's so!" exclaimed Overland, with some subtlety, pretending he had not thought of that contingency. "'Course Collie could ride down ahead with a spare hoss. You see the sheriff gent and Saunders--" "Saunders? Our man Saunders?" "Uhuh. Me and him ain't friends exactly. I figure he's rode down to tell the Tenlow man that I'm up here." "You are sure?" "Yes, Miss. I don't make no mistakes about him." "Then one of our men has gone to get the deputy to arrest you, and you are our guest." "Thanks, Miss, for sayin' that. It's worth gettin' pinched to be your guest." "I did intend to ride down for the mail. Boyar needs exercising." "So does the Guzzuh, Miss. It's queer how she acts when she ain't been worked every day." "I don't believe Anne would care to come, in the machine. I'll ask her." And Louise stepped to the living-room. Collie, who had been watching anxiously from the corrals, came across the yard to the veranda. He was dressed for riding, and he had a gun on his hip. Overland scowled. "You little idiot," he said, "when your Uncle Jack's brains get ossified, just give the sad news to the press. You're jest itchin' to get in a muss and get plugged. I ain't. I figure to ride down the Moonstone Trail, steerin' the Guzzuh with one hand and smellin' a bunch of roses in the other. Watch my smoke. Now, beat it!" Louise, coming blithely from the living-room, nodded to Overland. Her pensiveness had departed. Her cheeks were flushed. "Oh, Collie! Saddle Boyar--" she began, but Overland coughed disapprovingly. He did not wish Tenlow and Saunders to suspect that the led horse was for Louise. "Or--no. Saddle Sarko," said Louise, at once aware of Overland's plan. "And have him at the foot of the hill for me as soon as you can." "Yes, Miss Louise." And Collie departed for the corrals wonderingly. Overland was too much for him. They had luncheon and allowed Collie two hours to arrive at the valley level with the led pony. After luncheon Louise appeared in riding-skirt and boots. "Mr. Summers is going to take me for a ride in his new car," she said. "Don't worry, aunty. He is going to drive slowly. He finds that he has to leave unexpectedly." "I'm sorry you are going without seeing Mr. Stone and Dr. Marshall again," said Aunt Eleanor. "You'll be careful, won't you?" "So am I, ma'am.--Yes, I'll run slow." "But how will you come back?" queried Anne. "Collie has gone ahead with a spare pony. Good-bye, aunty." "I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for Billy. I am so glad he's well and strong again. We never could manage him. Good-bye, and tell Billy he must come over and see us right away." "You'll drive carefully?" queried Aunt Eleanor again. "Jest like I was goin' to get pinched," said Overland, bowing. * * * * * As Collie rode down the last pitch, leading the restive Sarko, Dick Tenlow stepped from the brush. "'Morning, Collie. Out for a little pasear?" "Shouldn't wonder, Dick." "Horses are lookin' good. Feed good on the hills yet?" "Pretty good." "I hear you got company up to the Moonstone." "Yep. Eastern folks, doctor and his wife." And Collie looked the deputy hard in the eye. "Oh, that was their machine I heard coughin' up the canon last night, eh?" "I didn't ask them about that," replied Collie. "You're improvin' since you first come into these hills," said Tenlow, with some sarcasm. "I'm holdin' down a better job than I did then," said Collie good-naturedly. "Well, I ain't. I'm holdin' the same job, which you will recollect. It ain't much of a job, but it's good to requisition that cayuse you're leadin'." "What you kiddin' about?" "Straight goods," said Tenlow, reaching for Sarko's reins. "Just hand over your end of that tie-rope." "I guess not, Dick. You're on the wrong trail. What do you think I am?" "Same as I always thought." "Then you want to change your opinion of me," said Collie, relinquishing the tie-rope. "I ain't breaking the law, but you are going to hear more about this." "I'll risk that. You can ride right along, pronto." "And you keep Sarko? I guess not! I'll stick." "You can't throw no bluff this morning," said Tenlow, irritated by the youth's persistence. "I guess you know what I mean." "You got the horse, but I don't leave here without him," said Collie stubbornly. And there was an underlying assurance about Collie's attitude that perplexed the deputy, who was satisfied that the led horse was for Overland Red's use. Saunders, hiding back in the brush, cursed Tenlow's stupidity. To have let Collie go on and have followed him under cover would have been the only sensible plan. Rapidly approximating the outcome of this muddle, Saunders untied his pony and rode back toward the ranch, taking an unused and densely covered bridle-trail. From up in the canon came the thunder of the racing-car. Far above them Tenlow and Collie could see it creeping round a turn in the road. It disappeared in a dip, to reappear almost instantly, gliding swiftly down the long slant toward the valley. The staccato drumming of the exhaust echoed along the hillside. Overland's silk hat shone bravely in the sun. Beside the outlaw was the figure of a woman. Tenlow foresaw complications and muttered profanely. Down the next ditch rolled the car, rocking to the unevenness of the mountain road. Overland opened the throttle, the machine shot forward, and in a few seconds drew up abreast of the deputy. "Thank you so much, Mr. Summers," said Louise, stepping from the car. "How are you, Mr. Tenlow." "How'do, Miss Lacharme." "Good-bye, Mr. Summers. I enjoyed the ride very much." "Just a minute--" began the deputy. "Where's my pony, Collie? He didn't get away, did he?" "No, ma'am. Mr. Tenlow 'requisitioned' him. Thought I'd wait till you came along so I could explain." "Requisitioned my pony! What do you mean?" "It's this way, Miss Lacharme. That man there in the machine is wanted. He--" "What has that to do with my pony, please?" "I guess you know who he is. I figured he was layin' to get away on that pony." "You want to go back to school, pardner, and learn to figure correct," said Overland, his foot on the accelerator pedal of the throbbing car. "One minus one is nothin'." "Hold on there!" cried Tenlow, striding forward. Louise stood between the deputy and the car. "My horse, please," she said quietly. As she spoke the car roared, jumped forward, and shot down the smooth grade of the valley road. "Now, Mr. Tenlow, I wish you would explain this to me. And then to Uncle Walter. I sent one of our men with a horse. He was to wait for me here. What right have you to interfere with him?" "I guess I got as much right as you have to interfere with me," said Tenlow sullenly. "Hold on there!" cried Collie, jumping forward. "Collie, I'll talk with him." "Take my horse, Miss Louise," said Collie, flushing. "No, indeed. I'll ride Sarko." "I'll get him," said Collie. "No. Mr. Tenlow will get him, I am sure." "A woman can make any deal look smooth--if she is interested," said Tenlow, turning toward the brush. He came out leading the pony. "Thank you. Collie, you may get the mail, please." Collie stood watching her as she rode away. Then with much deliberation he tied his own pony Apache to a clump of greasewood. He unbuckled his belt and flung it, with gun and holster, to the ground. "Now," he said, his face blazing white with suppressed anger. "I'm going to make you eat that speech about any woman making things look smooth--if she's interested." "You go on home or I'll break you in two," said Tenlow. Collie's reply was a flail-like blow between Tenlow's eyes. The deputy staggered, gritted his teeth, and flung himself at the younger man. The fight was unequal from the beginning. Apache snorted and circled as the bushes crashed and crackled. A few minutes later, Tenlow strode from the brush leading his pony. He wiped the blood and sweat from his face and spat viciously. * * * * * Louise, riding homeward slowly, heard a horse coming behind her. She reined Sarko and waited. Collie saw no way out of it, so he rode up, grinning from a bruised and battered face. "Why, Collie!" The young man grinned again. His lips were swollen and one eye was nearly closed. Dismounting, Louise stepped to the ford. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she cried. "Your face is terribly bruised. And your eye--" She could not help smiling at Collie's ludicrous appearance. "I took a fall," he mumbled blandly. "Apache here is tricky at times." Louise's gaze was direct and reproachful. "Here, let me bathe your face. Stoop down, like that. You don't look so badly, now that the dirt is off. Surely you didn't fall on your eye?" Collie tried to laugh, but the effort was not very successful. Tenderly she bathed his bruised face. Her nearness, her touch, made him forget the pain. Suddenly he seized her hand and kissed it, leaving a stain of blood where his lips had touched. She was thrilled with a mingled feeling of pride and shame--pride in that he had fought because of her, as she knew well enough, and shame at the brutality of the affair which she understood as clearly as though she had witnessed it. She was too honest to make herself believe she was not flattered, in a way, but she made Collie think otherwise. He evaded her direct questioning stubbornly. Finally she asked whether Mr. Tenlow "had taken a fall," or not. "Sure he did!" replied Collie. "A couple or three years ago--tryin' to outride Overland Red. Don't you remember?" "Collie, you're a regular hypocrite." "Yes, ma'am." "And you look--frightful." "Yes, ma'am." "You're not a bit ashamed." "Yes, ma'am, I am." "Don't say 'Yes, ma'am' all the time. You don't seem to be ashamed. Why should you be, though. Because you were fighting?" "No, Miss Louise. Because I got licked." Louise mounted Sarko and rode beside Collie silently. Presently she touched his arm. "But did you?" she asked, her eyes grave and her tone conveying a subtle question above the mere letter. "No! By thunder!" he exclaimed. "Not in a hundred years!" "Well, get some raw meat from the cook. I'll give your explanation to Dr. and Mrs. Marshall, for you will have to be ready for the trip to-morrow. You will have to think of a better explanation for the boys." While riding homeward, Louise dropped her glove. Collie was afoot instantly and picked it up. "Can I keep it?" he said. The girl looked curiously at him for a moment. "No, I think not, Collie," she said gently. Collie rode up to the corrals that afternoon whistling as blithely as he could considering his injuries. He continued to whistle as he unsaddled Apache. At the bunk-house Brand Williams looked at him once, and bent double with silent laughter. The boys badgered him unmercifully. "Fell off a hoss!--Go tell that to the chink!--Who stepped on your face, kid?--Been ridin' on your map, eh?--Where was the wreck?--Who sewed up your eye?" "S-s-h-h, fellas," said Miguel, grinning. "If you make all that noise, how you going to hear the tune he is whistling, hey?" Collie glanced at Saunders, who had said nothing. "Got anything to offer on the subject, Silent?" he asked. "Nope. I take mine out in thinkin'." "You're going to have a chance to do a whole lot more of it before long," said Collie; and he said it with a suggestiveness that did not escape the taciturn foreman, Brand Williams. _ |
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