"After all, it has been absurdly like the fake attack and repulse of
bandits in a musical comedy, except--except for Phil," Courtlandt
thought two hours later. "And here's where the female portion of the
audience would adjust hats and grope under the seats for missing
articles," he added, as from the platform of the train he watched a
splotch of darkness move slowly up the main street of Slippy Bend, en
route for the jail. The act had lacked none of the usual colorful stage
setting. There had been a starry heaven overhead, the dim outlines of
the rocky gap for a back-drop, clumps of cottonwoods and aspens for side
wings and for the crowning touch, two green rockets had sped skyward.
The attacking party had boarded the train with just the right amount of
theatrical bravado, but something went wrong. Someone must have
hopelessly mixed the cues, for instead of towering over their shrinking
victims the bandits had found themselves staring dumbly along the
snub-noses of Colts in the trigger-quick hands of veterans. Denbigh's
list had been checked off and, save for Ranlett and Marks, every man
named on it was now being personally conducted up the silent street.
Phil had made good, gloriously good, Courtlandt exulted as he made his
way to the baggage-car where Denbigh lay on the floor, his eyes closed,
his face flushed with fever. Steve knelt beside him, and laid a cool
hand on his forehead, but the wounded man did not move. Nelson climbed
into the car.
"They've brought the stretcher, Steve. I'll attend to moving him while
you get the girl off the train. I've sent for a doctor."
With his pulses hammering Courtlandt knocked at the door of the
compartment in which he had left Jerry asleep. There was no answer. Had
she gone? He knocked again, this time with a peremptoriness augmented by
the fear in his heart.
"Come in!" a cool voice answered.
Steve entered the compartment. From across the small room Jerry, dressed
as she had been when she flagged the train, contemplated him with
unfriendly eyes. Her blouse and linen breeches showed stains of mud and
weather but they had been mended and pressed. Her boots, with the big
rowels still attached, had been cleaned. Her hair, brushed till it shone
like satin, had been coiled in place; even the scratch on her cheek had
been reduced in color if not in length. Her lips were disdainful, her
face curiously colorless as she challenged:
"Well!"
"We are back at Slippy Bend. We must leave the train at once. There has
been----"
"I know. The maid told me of the hold-up and that--that someone was
hurt. I feared--I feared"--even her lips whitened--"I--I've been so
anxious----" She caught her breath in a strangled sob. "She said that it
wasn't one of the train-hands or--or--a soldier, and I--I thought----"
"Don't worry, it wasn't Greyson," Courtlandt cut in brusquely; his eyes
flamed a warning. "It--it was Phil Denbigh."
"Phil Denbigh! You don't mean the man Felice married?"
"Yes--alias Bill Small, the range-rider at the B C."
"And he--a man like that--was one of the gang?"
"No, no! Phil was in it to get information, to give warning. He is
entitled to an honorable discharge from his conscience now. His
testimony will rid this part of the country of about twenty
undesirables, the missing Marks and Schoeffleur among them."
She looked up in dumb incredulity for a moment, then she laughed.
"So--o, the treasure would have been saved anyway without--without----"
There was another irrepressible ripple of mirth before she asked, "Has
Bruce--has--Mr. Greyson been told?"
Her laughter, her reference to Greyson snapped Courtlandt's
self-control, which was already strained to the limit of endurance. Even
his lips were white as he caught her by the shoulders.
"I don't know what Greyson has been told, but he'll get it straight from
me that you are mine--mine----" With sudden savage ruthlessness he
caught her in his arms and kissed her shining hair, her throat, her
eyes. He let her go. "Now perhaps _you_ understand it too," he announced
huskily.
Jerry shrank as far away from him as the narrow space would allow. The
color burned in her cheeks, her eyes blazed.
"You--you have no right to--to do that!" she reminded breathlessly.
"Haven't I?"
"Don't stand there looking like a lion ready to spring. I--I won't have
it! You promised----"
"That is humorous. When you ran away with Greyson were you keeping your
promise? At least, you'll acquit me of making love to--another woman.
I----" The door was thrown open violently and Nelson shouted:
"Get that girl off quick, Steve! We leave in five minutes." The last
words died in the distance as he hurried along the corridor.
"Come!" Courtlandt commanded, and with a curious look up into his eyes
Jerry preceded him from the compartment. As she stepped from the train
she fell almost into her sister's arms.
"Peggy!" she gasped in astonishment.
"Where the dickens did you drop from, Peg-o'-my-heart? Why are you at
Slippy Bend at this unholy hour?" Steve demanded peremptorily.
"Ye gods! Don't ask me why! For information apply to Ito. I only know
that while I was walking the floor at the Double O, wild with anxiety,
that Jap tragedian appeared and announced that he must see the excellent
Mr. Benson. When I succeeded in convincing him that I couldn't produce
the excellent Mr. Benson, he explained that he must take me to Slippy
Bend to meet Mrs. Courtlandt, by order of his honorable master."
"His master!" Jerry and Courtlandt echoed in unison.
"That was what he said. He did deign to explain that he had been told to
telephone, but that as all lines were out of order he came himself to
give the message to Mr. Benson. When he found that Tommy wasn't there he
insisted upon bringing me to Slippy Bend himself."
"Where is Tommy?"
"Don't snap, Steve. I don't know. I'm one little walking encyclopedia of
ignorance to-night," with a sob which she valiantly tried to strangle at
its birth. "Jerry, where have you been? That Chinese woman of yours met
Tommy and me when we returned from our ride with some incoherent stuff
about your having gone off with a gun. That sent Tommy in a mad rush
after you. All I could get out of the Oriental while I was waiting was,
'Missee tlell Ming Soy when she see little Missee and Mr. Tommee Blenson
she bleat glong.' If I hadn't locked her into the pantry she'd be
beating it yet." She snuggled her arm under her sister's as she asked
again, "Where have you been, Jerry?"
"I'll tell you all about it, honey, while we are riding home; that is,
if we are going home." With tantalizing daring she looked up at Steve
and asked with exaggerated humility, "Am I to be permitted to return to
the Double O in the care of Bruce--of Mr. Greyson's man, Mr.
Courtlandt?"
He flushed darkly, but without answering led the way to the big touring
car. The Jap sat behind the wheel in bronze immobility. When Courtlandt
had laid the rug over the knees of the two girls in the back seat he
closed the door and gave Ito his order.
"Drive Mrs. Courtlandt and Miss Glamorgan to the Double O as quickly as
you can with safety. Jerry, in some way get word to Gerrish that I need
him at Slippy Bend as soon as he can get here. I'll try 'phoning from
the hotel as well; the lines may be in order now."
"Aren't you coming with us, Steve?" Peggy's tone was aggrieved.
"No. I have Blue Devil here; I'll ride out. Good-night!"
He watched the red light on the departing automobile until it became a
mere spark in the distance. Then he returned to the train. He was still
puzzling over the message Greyson had tried to get to Benson when Nelson
hailed him. He was near the step of the last car.
"Oh, Steve, get a hustle on! I've been waiting for you." Then as
Courtlandt stood beside him he added in a grave voice, "It's about
Denbigh. When we lifted him he--he went out like a candle. Never saw
anything like it. They've taken the--him to the hotel. You'll have to
notify the authorities, Steve. Simms shot him, and I hope they make that
surly brute pay the piper. I'll give my testimony when they want it. Now
I must get on with this train." He sprang to the step of the car and
seized the rail. Brakeman and conductors stood rigidly awaiting his
signal. Courtlandt stepped back.
"Just a minute, Steve! Lord, I almost forgot to tell you. There is just
one glint of humor in this infernally tragic night. It seems that
Lochinvar is Greyson of the X Y Z ranch. Don't know where that is;
perhaps you do. His lady friend got the dope about this hold-up, too.
She rode to his place for help and the two flivvered down the track to
stop the train, she standing on the seat grabbing his hair with one hand
while with the other she waved that fool lantern. Can't you see the
picture? I'll say she's some little sport."
"But--but the elopement?"
"Lord-ee, Steve, don't take this whole rotten business so to heart.
You're livid. That elopement stuff is the glint. The girl had been told
that there were traitors on the train. She knew Greyson's reason for
flagging it mustn't be suspected; just there the elopement excuse
flashed into her mind. Said she reckoned that elopers were the only
people who would do such a fool stunt. She told the maid about it after
things had quieted down. I'll say she's a peacherino. If I hadn't a
perfectly good wife at home she could have me. Happen to know who she
is?"
"Yes. I happen to know. She is--she is Mrs. Stephen Courtlandt." Nelson
almost fell off the step.
"For the love of Mike! I don't wonder you're white. She--she was so
darned convincing." With a chuckle he swung forward and gave the signal
to the waiting crew. In a fairly successful imitation of Jerry's voice
he called softly:
"Go on, Mr. Brakeman. We--we want to get to the coast."
As he made his way along the street in the starlight Courtlandt felt as
though he were traveling with his double. It was as if his shadow had
suddenly developed a mind which occupied itself exclusively with
thoughts of Jerry, leaving his own brain free to concentrate on the
business ahead. In a spirit of detachment he turned over and over her
reason for the elopement announcement, pictured her ride, her furious
indignation when the flesh and blood Steve had held her in his arms.
There was nothing shadowy in Courtlandt's reaction to that memory.
The foyer of the small, ramshackle hotel was filled with men, tobacco
smoke, and the hum and buzz of excited voices, all but the space near
one closed door. When they looked in that direction men spoke in
whispers, many of them dragged off their hats. It was as if the
insensate wood had an aura of mystery and tragedy into which no person
in the room cared or dared penetrate. Greyson was the first person to
whom Courtlandt spoke.
"Bruce--I know now----" With a smile the elder laid his hand on the
younger man's shoulder.
"Forget it, Steve. Had I been in your place I couldn't have carried off
the situation as well, I am glad that I stand exonerated of that
unspeakable treachery. I--I only hope that later when you learn----" he
cleared his throat and went on irrelevantly, "Who's to tell Mrs. Denbigh
about her husband? After all, he was her husband. You were his friend.
She'll take it better from you, Steve."
A furious protest rose to Courtlandt's lips but he looked at the closed
door and answered instead:
"Somebody's got to do it. I'll ride over to the X Y Z in the morning.
There is no use in consulting her about any of the arrangements here.
Has anyone wired Denbigh's mother for instructions?"
"No, we waited for you. You'd better get her on long distance. A train
goes East at two A. M."
"I understand. While I'm doing that try to get the Double O on the
'phone, will you? Tell them to get Gerrish here as soon as possible."
"I will. The sheriff wants to see you at the jail when you can manage
it. He's sent a posse after Ranlett. He's in or near that shack in
Buzzard's Hollow, that is, he was."
"He's there, all right. I signaled with the rockets as Phil directed. He
may be getting a little uneasy at the non-arrival of his bad men by
this time though. How the dickens did you know about it?"
"Beechy put a bullet into his leg. Jerry will tell you----"
"Beechy and Jerry!"
"Don't look like that, Steve. Jerry is safe and Beechy has made good,
gloriously good. Get the little girl to tell you about it. She--she's a
wonder! Meantime the sheriff waits. He wants to talk to you about Simms.
There can be no doubt that he shot Denbigh. He wants your deposition.
Perhaps it is a cold-blooded way to look at it, but I can't help
thinking that with Simms out of the way his wife and kids will have a
chance at real living. That's an awful indictment of a man, isn't it?"
It was morning when Courtlandt dismounted in the corral of the Double O.
Slowman hurried up to take Blue Devil. The two men talked in low tones
while dawn streaked the sky in rosy peaks and the stars paled. The grass
glittered with diamond-like dew, the fairies had spread their squares of
gossamer everywhere. The boys had come in with the shorthorns, the
corral boss reported, not one missing. The outfit had got news of the
affair at Devil's Hold-up and were fit to tie that they hadn't had a
chance to clean up Ranlett and his gang.
After the turmoil of the last few hours the ranch-house seemed weirdly
quiet as Courtlandt entered the living-room. The night air had been keen
and a few coals, like observant red eyes, glowed at him from the hearth.
Scherherazade, the white Persian cat, occupied the wing-chair. She
opened her topaz eyes wide as Steve approached the mantel; she watched
unblinkingly as he laid his arms upon it and looked up at the portrait
above him. He spoke softly as though he and the smiling woman were
comrades and confidants.
"They said that Phil went out like a candle, Mother. Where did he go?
Where are you? It can't be the end. If it were I shouldn't feel as
though you were with me wherever I am. Was I a brute to Jerry? Will she
ever forgive me? Would you if you were in her place?" The tender eyes
must have reassured him for with a husky, "Good-night, Betty Fairfax!"
he straightened his shoulders and turned away. For an instant he stood
looking across the room. As he went toward his own door he whistled
softly his favorite "Papillions." Scherherazade craned her ruffed white
neck to follow the sound, her eyes narrowed to ruby slits. The coals on
the hearth crumbled and fell. She sprang to the back of the chair and
listened. Across the room a door had latched softly.
Out in Buzzard's Hollow a white-faced, haggard-eyed man was turning over
his three prisoners to the deputy sheriff. Overhead a great bird hung
motionless for an instant as it glared down at the curious creature with
mammoth outspread wings that lay below.