Higher she held the glass. Jim had turned in amazement. Her eyes met
his.
"Mr. Jim Carston." Her voice rang clear and vibrant this time.
"And every son of a gun in this hole drinks to that, or we'll know the
reason why--eh, boys?" Bill jubilantly cried. Their boss had brought
glory to them that day.
"Jim Carston! Jim Carston!" The name rang through the place, and the
toast was drunk with enthusiasm. In the midst of it all the centre door
was thrown open and the conductor's big voice bawled:
"All passengers for the Overland Limited--all aboard!"
*CHAPTER XVII*
The tooting and whistling of the train began. The men filed outside.
In the crush Cash Hawkins, who had been drinking steadily until he was
now in a decided state of inebriation, slunk down to the other end of
the platform. Henry and Sir John assisted Diana to the car. The
cow-boys swarmed along the platform--Jim alone stood in the deserted
saloon.
Before he was aware of what was happening--that the train was about to
carry away this tie of his former life--he heard Diana's voice call
"Jim." She slipped from the lower step on which she stood and ran
towards him.
"Diana!" He seized her out-stretched hands--he must say something to
her, but she would not let him speak.
"I shall always thank God for this day, Jim, I couldn't believe you
were--I never have. Now I know the sacrifices you have made for me--now
I know I have the right to ask God to bless you and keep you and make
you happy." Her voice broke; tears were falling on his hand.
Lady Elizabeth or Henry would never discuss the cause of Jim's
departure. She had always persistently defended him to the world, and
to-day her intuition had told her that for her sake Jim had shielded his
cousin--her husband! How could she accept it?
"And you, Diana--tell me you are happy."
"Happy?" Her eyes told him that it was only possible for her to be
happy now that she knew the truth. "I sha'n't mind the future now so
terribly, because I can respect somebody."
Dan passed the open door. "All aboard, lady," he briskly called.
"Good-bye, Jim. God bless you!" She felt herself being helped aboard
by Dan; she tried to wave her hand to Jim. The car moved, the whistling
and ringing of the bell told of their departure.
It was Henry who led her to a chair and left her there. That day he
paid in full for his life's misdeeds.
Jim never attempted to see the receding car; he could hear the noise of
the departing train and the cries of the boys as they hooted their
good-byes.
"Kiss the baby for me." It was big Bill's voice.
"What a baby Bill is himself!" Jim found himself saying.
"Tell Sadie to write," called Shorty.
"Und say--say for me too, you bet." The voice of the German was drowned
in the roar from the rest of the boys. Only Grouchy, in silence, looked
on contemptuously.
From down the platform came the yells of the men. Even Nick had deserted
his bar. Still, Jim did not move. He could hear it all; he knew what
was happening--that the train was steaming away. He found himself
watching flies settle on a beer-glass. Then he fell into a chair, let
his head slip on to his arms that lay across the table, his back to the
big entrance and to the smaller one at the other side of the room. There
was no movement from him that told of the agonies he was enduring. The
flies buzzed at will about the place.
The door at the side swung silently open and Nat-u-ritch slipped into
the room. In her soft moccasins her steps made no sound. She crept
towards Jim, amazed to see him lying thus. She shook her head--she
could not understand this mystery. She was about to move closer to Jim
when she heard some one coming.
Through the door at the back she could see the crowds returning from the
departed train, while from the other direction came Cash Hawkins--she
could see him clearly. Closer came his steps. Quickly she slid behind
the door, and from without peered into the saloon. Cash, aflame with
passion and liquor, entered and saw that Jim was alone.
He drew both his guns. With an evil smile he advanced upon Jim. "Damn
you, I've got you!" he hissed; but before he could pull the trigger
there was a flash, a report, and Cash's hands were thrown up in a
convulsive movement while he pitched forward on his face. Dazed,
bewildered, Jim got to his feet and mechanically pulled his gun; then,
before he was aware of what had happened, he was bending over the body
of Hawkins.
The report was followed by an excitable rush of the crowd into the
saloon. The gamblers and cattlemen were headed by Bud Hardy, the County
Sheriff. Big Bill, Andy, Grouchy, and Shorty went at once to Jim, who
still stood close to the prostrate figure cf Cash Hawkins. Pete quickly
knelt beside the body, and turned Cash over to examine him. Bud Hardy
stood in the centre of the room.
"Hold on there! Nobody leaves without my permission." Then to Pete,
"How is he?"
"He's cashed in, Sheriff. Plumb through the heart. Don't think I ever
see neater work." He laid the body on its back and crossed the arms
over the breast.