Over the Border Part 26

"Goodness, child! don't bite me! I couldn't see the poor boy crushed into the face of the earth. Now listen." After detailing Gordon's confession, of the injured pride, anger, pique that he had tried to solace in Felicia's smiles, she concluded, "But you-after driving him to desperation go and make the vital mistake of your life."

"And you think that was the way of it? That he didn't really _mean_ anything?"

"Didn't he tell me so himself?"

"Well-" she pondered, looking at the widow in the gla.s.s, then suddenly collapsed on the other's warm shoulder. "Oh, I'm so glad! I-I _hate_ him!"

The widow, being a woman, quite understood these contradictions. "Of course you do." She gently fondled the fair head. "How much?"

The head rose in order to execute a vehement nod. "I hate him so much I-I could just _kill_ any other girl that tried to take him!" With a wild sob the face burrowed again into the soft shoulder.

"Well, they'll try, all right."

The head rose again, startled eyes, big and brown, staring from the gla.s.s. "Do you-really think so?"

"What do you expect-a nice boy like that to mope and pine for the rest of his life with ten million girls of marriageable age running loose in the United States? What brought him here, anyway-bolting to escape one girl's noose. Take my advice and rope him quick."

"But I'm promised, now, to Ramon."

"Call it off."

"Oh no." Sitting up straight, she shook her head. "I cannot ruin his life."

"Hum!" The widow coughed. "You cannot ruin his life? So you intend to bless it by devoting to his service affections that belong to another?

Also to cut him off from the greatest thing in the world-the real love of some other woman? Ruin his life, indeed? Lee, I always credited you with a little sense."

"There is something in that." She s.n.a.t.c.hed at the hope. "The best thing is to tell him I don't love him and leave it to him to decide."

"And he'll do it, have no fear!" The widow tossed her head. "Ramon's nice, but he cannot rise above his race, and you know very well there's neither reason nor justice nor the instinct of fairness in it. Fancy a Mexican giving up a girl because she loves another! He'd resent even the suggestion, take his revenge after marriage."

The gleam of hope had died. She sighed. "I can try."

"Oh, you little fool!" In her irritation the widow bestowed a smart slap on the girl's shoulder. But she spoiled the moral effect the next second by gathering her in her arms. "Don't you know that up in the States girls take on a new beau every Sat.u.r.day night and break the engagement the following Sunday?"

But the precedent produced only a second envious sigh. "I wish _I_ could do it. I guess I wasn't brought up right."

"'Tisn't training; it's heredity. You're your father over again; will go your own way. I wash my hands of you."

That charitable process known as "washing one's hands of anybody" was, however, the last thing Mrs. Mills was capable of. The a.s.sertion simply marked a change of plan which, rising early next morning, she inaugurated when she caught Bull on his way to the stables.

Though he had sat next to her during the long pleasant evening that followed supper last night, the others' presence had debarred private communications. Content to hear her voice running with Lee's in happy chatter-so content, indeed, that he forgot for the time being the impending trouble-Bull had smoked furiously in the dusk till they retired to bed.

He listened, now, in silence while the widow told of Lee's engagement.

But the sudden lowering of his black brows was far more dangerous than any threat. She laid her hand on his arm in sudden alarm.

"Easy, my friend. Don't be too quick. She isn't married yet, and won't be-if you leave it to me."

More powerful than the plea was her gentle pressure. Apart from certain accidental contacts, before mentioned, which had caused him such pleasurable embarra.s.sment, it was the first time she had actually touched him. Big, burly, black giant that he was, he still trembled like a school-girl; trembled so violently that she felt it and dropped both her hand and her eyes. Transferring the embarra.s.sment to herself, that helped him mightily. He was the first to break a confused but happy silence.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing, just now, except to let Gordon ride with me a piece of the way home."

It was impossible to overlook his sudden disappointment. With characteristic frankness she did not wait for him to tell it. "I'd rather have you; there are so many things I want to consult you about.

Dear me!" Her little vexed face was very comforting; it expressed such sincere feeling. "These young folks certainly do make one a lot of trouble. Betty wanted you _so_ badly at my party-and so did I; but we just had to ask Gordon to help Lee out. But I'm going to settle this business right quick. And when it is all over-you will come and make us a real visit, won't you?"

Wouldn't he? His nod and effulgent grin expressed happiness in the prospect beyond the powers of his slow tongue. Satisfied, she proceeded.

"So let me have him this once. Lee is going to ride a few miles with us, and before she comes back-"

But the matter of her communication is covered by her talk with Gordon, whom she caught coming out of the bunk-house five minutes later.

"I argued with her half the night," she told him, walking along at his side. "Goodness me, young man, you don't know what you are up against!

Such obstinacy! Lucky for you that it is balanced by a sweet temper and strong sense of justice. All I gained was her promise to beg off from Ramon. She plans to go over and see him some time this week, and if she does-well, with Isabel loving her to death, the old man tendering sage advice, and Ramon pa.s.sionately pleading his cause, they'll have her to the priest and married before she has time to think. She mustn't go."

"But if she is so obstinate-" Gordon began.

"I'll take care of that. I shall call on Ramon on the way home and explain the true state of his lady's heart. Of course he'll raise Cain and probably d.a.m.n me for a black-hearted liar, but I can stand it. The point is-he will come right over here. In the mean time you must get busy. A declaration in hand is worth two suspected, and though I've hinted very strongly that you are not altogether indifferent to her sweet self, it will make Ramon's task ten times harder if she hears it from your lips. Now listen!"

The rest was plot, dark and devious. Lee had promised to ride with her a few miles on the homeward journey, and Bull would detail him, Gordon, for her escort. Coming back, he would have all the time in the world.

XXIII: IN WHICH THE WIDOW GOES AND SLIVER COMES

As thus arranged, the program was carried out after breakfast. Very artfully Bull waited till the party was almost out of sight before he sent Gordon galloping after. Even then the plot was endangered when, turning at the sound of hoof-beats, Lee saw him coming. Her face clearly expressed her determination to send him back, but in the nick of time the widow spoke.

"Oh, let him come! The poor fellow is suffering enough."

Lee's nod and faint smile, riding on, revealed a queer mixture of happiness and apprehension, which was wiped out by amused astonishment when, just as Gordon came up, a lone figure hove in sight, coming from the opposite direction.

"Why-it's Sliver!"

And Sliver it was-though difficult to recognize by reason of a complex embroidery of scratches, b.u.mps, and bruises. His own broad grin broke through, however, when Lee inquired after his wife.

"She was fine an' dandy when I seen her last, which, was in the shank of the evening two nights ago." Lovingly fingering a huge b.u.mp that occupied a central position in his altered scenery, he went into the intimate details of his matrimonial venture. "Till then it had all been lovely. She'd sorter cut up a bit, at first, me an her padre having fixed up the match without any of her 'sistance. But after I'd given her a fair larruping with a saddle strap, jest to show who wore the pants, as the saying goes, she come right into camp; snuggled in like a kitten.

Sure, she behaved real domestic till Fernando, that hawk-nosed arriero from San Ramon, blew in with his mules two nights gone. I orter 'a'

suspicioned him, he was that free in handing out drinks. But I didn't-leastways not till Felicia laid me out with one whack of a cordwood stick from behind. The rest I got from the mirror an' the padre when I woke next morning and found him doctoring my map. She an'

Fernando had gone off together."

"She's gone!" Lee gave a little hysterical laugh. "For good?"

"An' then some-they're off to the wars." Gently ma.s.saging the b.u.mp, Sliver added: "She'll stay there if she's wise. It'll be a 'tarnation sight less risky than coming back. She was for cutting my throat, but neither the padre nor Fernando would stan' for that, they being afraid of 'The Black Devil' an' 'The Python,' which they call Bull an' Jake.

'For I knew, senor, that they would follow us to the ends of the earth if any harm came to thee,' the old fellow tol'. But they made her free of my map, an', as you see, she done a good job."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I must go back and care for your face."