Louisiana Lou Part 31

"What's he done?" he asked, with cold fury.

De Launay did not move. Solange answered dully.

"He is the man who--married me--when he was the man who had murdered my father!"

But Sucatash made no move toward the pistol. He merely gaped at her and at De Launay. His expression had changed from anger to stupidity and dazed incomprehension.

"What's that? He murdered your father?"

"He is Louisiana!"

"He? Louisiana! I allowed he was an old-timer. Well, all I can say is--heaven's delights!"

Solange put out her hand to the edge of the bunk as though she could not support herself longer unaided. Her eyes were half closed now.

"Will you kill him, monsieur? If you do, you may have--of me--anything--that you ask!"

The words were faltered out in utter weariness. For one instant De Launay's eyes flickered toward her, but Sucatash had already sprung to her side and was easing her to a seat on the edge of the bunk. Her head drooped forward.

"Ma'am," said Sucatash, earnestly, "you got me wrong. I can't kill him--not for that."

"Not for that?" she repeated, wonderingly.

"Never in the world! I thought he'd insulted you, and if he had I'd a taken a fall out of him if he was twenty Louisianas. But this here notion you got that he beefed your father--that's all wrong! You can't go to downin' a man on no such notions as that!"

"Why not?" asked Solange, in a stifled voice.

"Because he never done it--that's whatever. You'd never get over it, mad'mo'selle, if you done that and then found you was wrong! And you are wrong."

Slowly, Solange dragged herself upright. She was listless, the lightness had gone out of her step. Without a word, she reached out and lifted her leather coat from the nail on which it hung. Then she dragged her leaden feet to the door. Sucatash silently followed her.

In the other room she spoke once.

"Will you saddle my horse for me, monsieur?"

"There ain't no place for you to go, ma'am."

"Nevertheless, I shall go. If you please----"

"Then I'll go with you."

She followed him to the door, putting on her coat. Outside, she sat down on a log and remained stonily oblivious as Sucatash hastily caught up several horses and dragged saddles and _alforjas_ into position. The westering sun was getting low along the rim of the crater and he worked fast with the knowledge that night would soon be upon them. Inside the cabin he heard De Launay moving about. A moment later as he entered to gather Solange's equipment, he saw the soldier seated at the rough table busy with paper and fountain pen.

As Sucatash went past him, carrying an armload of blankets and a tarpaulin, De Launay held out a yellow paper.

"She will want this," he said, and then bent over his writing.

Again, when Sucatash came in for more stuff, De Launay stopped him. He held out the pen, indicating the sheet of paper spread upon the table.

"This needs two witnesses, I think, but one will have to serve. She is my wife, after all--but it will make it more certain. Will you sign it?"

Sucatash glanced hastily at the doc.u.ment, reading the opening words: "I, Louis Bienville de Launay, colonel and late general of division of the army of France, being of sound and disposing mind, do make, declare, and publish this my Last Will and Testament----"

His eye caught only one other phrase: "I give, bequeath, and devise to my dearly beloved wife, Solange----"

With an oath, Sucatash savagely dashed his signature where De Launay indicated, and then rushed out of the room. The soldier took another piece of paper and resumed his writing. When he had finished he folded the two sheets into an envelope and sealed it. Outside, Sucatash was heaving the lashings taut on the last packs.

De Launay came to the door and stood watching the final preparations.

Solange still sat desolately on the log.

Finally Sucatash came to her and a.s.sisted her to rise. He led her to her horse and held the stirrup for her as she swung to the saddle. He was about to mount himself when De Launay caught his eye. Instead, he stepped to the soldier's side.

"Take this," said De Launay, holding out the envelope. "Give it to her to-morrow. And--she needn't worry about the mine--or Banker."

"She's not even thinkin' about them!" growled Sucatash.

He turned and strode to his horse. In another moment they were riding rapidly toward the rim of the crater.

De Launay watched them for some time and then went into the cabin. He came out a moment later carrying saddle and bridle. On his thighs were now hanging holsters on both sides, and both were strapped down at the bottoms.

He caught and saddled his horse, taking his time to the operation.

Then, searching the darkening surface of the crater wall, he found no trace of the two who had ridden away. But he busied himself in getting food and eating it. It was fully an hour after they had gone before he mounted and rode after them.

By this time Solange and Sucatash had reached the rim and were well on their way through the down timber. More by luck than any knowledge of the way, they managed to strike the game trail, and wound through the impeding snags, the cow-puncher taking the lead and the girl following listlessly in his wake. Before dark had come upon them they had gained the level bench and were riding toward the gulch which led into the canyon.

After a while Sucatash spoke. "Where you aimin' to camp, ma'am?"

"I am going down to these miners," she said flatly.

"But, mad'mo'selle, that camp ain't no place for you. There ain't no women there, most likely, and the men are sure to be a tough bunch. I wouldn't like to let you go there."

"I am going," she answered. To his further remonstrances she interposed a stony silence.

He gave it up after a while. As though that were a signal, she became more loquacious.

"In a mining camp, one would suppose that the men, as you have said, are violent and fierce?"

"They're sure likely to be some wolfish, ma'am," he agreed. In hope that she would be deterred by exaggeration, he dwelt on the subject.

"The gunmen and hoss thieves and tinhorn gamblers all come in on the rush. There's a lot of them hobos and wobblies--reds and anarchists and such--floatin' round the country, and they're sure to be in on it, too. I reckon any of them would cut a throat or down a man for two bits in lead money. Then there's the kind of women that follows a rush--the kind you wouldn't want to be seen with even--and the men might allow you was the same kind if you come rackin' in among 'em."

Solange listened thoughtfully and even smiled bleakly.

"These men would kill, you say, for money?"

"For money, marbles or chalk," said Sucatash. He was about to embellish this when she nodded with satisfaction.

"That is good," she said. "And, if not for money, for a woman--one of that kind of woman--they would shoot a man?"

Sucatash blanched. "What are you drivin' at, ma'am?"