Another hour went by before the town really started gathering. Then,
with what amounted to a holiday spirit, heightened by the aura of
mystery involved, the crowd followed Cecil Bates up the street to Dan
Parker's bungalow. And the closer they came, the greater was Cecil
Bates' sense of self-importance. Without analyzing, he knew he was
happier than he'd been in many years. This was the way a sheriff should
act--how the job should be. Walking up the street to investigate
rascality with the town coming respectfully along behind. They were
depending on him and he wouldn't let them down....
* * * * *
Dan Parker was finishing his breakfast. He scowled into his coffee and
said, "What did she have to pull a trick like this for? If she doesn't
get back I'll have to go look for her. I'll be late to work."
"Why should you have to do that?" Jane asked. "She knows the country.
There's nothing to hurt her. She has Buck with her."
"Jane, sometimes I don't understand you. Your own kid wandering around
in the desert and it doesn't bother you."
"I don't think it bothers you either. You're more worried about being
inconvenienced--being late to work."
"Now listen here--!"
"Oh, Dan! Let's not fight. It makes me a little sick to fight now.
Don't you realize that last night something wonderful happened?
Something we don't understand but wonderful all the same. Biddy was
healed--and here we are the next morning growling at each other like
a cat and a dog." Jane ignored the fact that Dan was doing all the
growling and added, "Besides, I'm sure she's all right. I--I feel it
somehow."
"You _feel_ it! You've gotten almighty sensitive--"
"Dan--please--" Jane stopped suddenly, caught by the sound of pounding
feet--the rumble of the crowd. "Someone's coming."
They went out on the front porch and saw the townspeople swarming into
the front yard. Cecil Bates was in the forefront with fat little Tom
Schultz, the mayor of Sage Bend beside him.
Jane's hands were gripped tight together and her heart was a dead
weight in her breast. "What's happened? What's the matter? Have you
found Biddy?"
"No, we ain't, Mrs. Parker," Bates said, then turned his words on
Dan. "This morning I saw her riding that burro out of town. And I saw
something else. She wasn't crippled at all. Never has been. Now we want
to know what kind of a shenanigan you're pulling, Dan Parker! Let's
have it straight."
Jane said, "It's true--it's true that Biddy's leg has been healed but
it was done yesterday by--"
"I know. She gave me that story about a man up in the ridges--something
Dan told her to say, prob'ly. But now we want the truth!"
"But you know as much as we do. We've told the truth--as much as we
know!"
"Now we ain't as big fools as you think, Mrs. Parker--"
"I tell you we've--"
Dan Parker pushed forward. His eyes were slitted and ugly. "Don't tell
him anything, Jane. Not another damned word." Dan pushed close to Bates
and the latter fell back a step from his eyes. "I want to ask you just
one question--are you calling my wife a liar?"
Bates hesitated and turned to Schultz for help. He had not expected
quite this show of belligerence. Schultz refused to become involved
however. He said, "Now wait a minute, Ceec. I don't know anything about
this. Besides it isn't my job. Mayor here's nothing but an honorary
office anyhow." Having stated his case, he backed away also as Dan
Parker moved forward and pressed Cecil Bates back against the crowd.