THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS.
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Uncle Fred," Adrian told him, realizing
what a struggle must be going on inside, when the other talked in this
strain. "Things can't be any worse for you than they seem right now; and
who knows what might turn up to bring about a change. Anyhow, I believe
in sticking it out. If it gets to the worst, why, between you and me
there might be a chance for you to run down to Arizona, and be the
overseer at the Mackay place; because I happen to know that his foreman,
Si Ketcham, is going to marry a girl who owns a ranch, and that he
expects to throw up his job with Donald's dad pretty soon."
"Oh! that would be just the thing, if only _she_ didn't know where I'd
gone!" exclaimed the other, eagerly; "but let's forget my troubles for a
while, Adrian, and talk of other things. You'll want to know all about
matters here, how many cattle have been carried off the last year, and
what's left. Come with me into this bunk house, where we can sit down,
and have it over with."
As they turned the corner of the long, low building they came upon a
crouching figure. It was Mr. Thomas, who started to limp away at their
approach.
"Who's this tramp?" asked Uncle Fred, quickly.
"He's a poor fellow," explained Adrian, "whose horse died under him
while he was on the way to see if he could get a job with you, taking
care of the ranch books. All he asks is his board in payment for his
services. I took him back of me on my pony, thinking we might keep him,
for a while anyhow, till he felt better. He's sick now, and badly off,
you see."
"I should say I was in a tough corner all around," mumbled the man; "and
p'raps it'd be better for me to go as soon as I'm able. Don't bother
about me; I c'n hang out around the bunk house here, and get a bite now
and then, till there's a wagon going off, when mebbe you'll let me ride.
I've changed my mind about wantin' to take up a job here; too much
excitement to suit me. I'm all of a tremble right now with hearing what
I did."
"Oh! all right, Mr. Thomas, please yourself," said Adrian, with a shrug
of his shoulders; "you can stay around awhile, and the first chance that
comes along make a shift of quarters. The boys'll see that you get
something to eat; or else ask the Chink cook."
As he and the deposed manager entered the building, he went on to
explain a little further, seeing that Uncle Fred looked curious.
"He's pretty much of a harmless fellow, I take it. All the way here he
kept telling of things he had done until you'd think he was a hero if
ever there was one; but I reckon it's all brag with him, and that he's
as timid as they make them. But let's sit down here, and have a good
chin, Uncle."
They were alone in the bunk house, as far as Adrian could see, so he did
not hesitate to speak freely concerning his plans, especially with
regard to having sent for the sheriff and his posse, with the idea of
opposing any hostile move the lawless Walkers might undertake, upon
finding how conditions had changed with the coming of the real owner of
Bar-S Ranch.
"It may pass off without open trouble," Adrian concluded, "but if half
I've been hearing about this Hatch Walker is true, I don't think he'll
stand by and see his sway of power over the section knocked out, without
making some sort of fight. He may not come into the open, but there are
lots of ways of burning ranch buildings, or running off stock, that
could be tried. One thing I'm determined on, and that is either I'm
going to be boss of my own outfit, or else there won't be any outfit
left on Bar-S Ranch!"
"Good! I like to hear that sort of talk. It's the stuff I used to put up
before I was so unfortunate as to run across a woman who was bent on
marrying me. There was where I made my one great mistake. The widow was
too much for me, and almost before I knew it we were spliced. You can
imagine how I felt later on when first I learned that Mrs. Smeed was
really the sister of Hatch Walker. Oh! well, here I am talking about my
personal affairs again, when I said I'd let them drop."
"First of all," said Adrian, "you must give me a list of the punchers
who are employed on the range here, and put a cross in front of every
name belonging to a man you have any reason to believe is connected with
the Walkers."
"Oh! I can do that easy, and right now," replied the other quickly. "I
know them all, for haven't they laughed at my orders of late, after they
learned how I was badgered by a woman, me who had always been a _man_
before. Shall I write them out now for you, son?"
"Yes, because I will want to weed out the goats from the sheep pretty
soon, and at that time a mistake might cost us dear. Only the faithful
shall be put on guard. The ones you black-ball will get their month's
pay, and be made to walk the plank by night-time, if possible; because
who knows what may happen once darkness comes along; and a traitor in
the camp is worse than three open foes."
"Right you are there, Adrian; and it tickles me to find you so clever at
sizing things up."
He busied himself with pencil and paper for several minutes; after which
he handed over the list he had made out.
"You see," Mr. Comstock presently said, as Adrian looked over the list,
"we've got ten punchers here just now, though time was when we needed
nearly twice that number; but then the herds ain't what they used to be,
what with two big hauls, and some hard luck last winter in a blizzard."
"And you seem to have put a cross in front of just five out of the ten
names; so it looks as though you couldn't trust half your force," the
boy remarked.
"Just so, Adrian," came the reply. "She let some of my best men go
because they wouldn't take orders from her. In time p'raps the rest of
the decent ones'd have been weeded out too; they were always in hot
water with the missus, and threatening to throw up their jobs, only I
begged them to stand by me, or I'd quit too. You can depend on the five
through thick and thin."
"One of them is Frank Bowker, the man you sent to town, so that leaves
just four on deck right now; with my three new hands that makes seven of
the right sort; and then the three of us boys adds up ten, just enough
to handle things if we have to."
"And count me in with you, because I'm not too old to throw a rope or
ride the wickedest cayuse in the bunch; fact is, there's only one thing
on the face of this earth I seem to be afraid of. I won't mention names,
son, because you know what that is without my saying it."
"Supposing now that those four rustlers made a bee line for home as soon
as the one we had with us part of the way here could get back to his
mates, and set them free, what do you expect would happen?" Adrian
inquired.
"Well," said Mr. Comstock, "if Hatch Walker was home the chances are the
first thing he'd do would be to knock those unlucky punchers sky-high.
Depend on it the next time you come across any one of that bunch you'll
notice black eyes in plenty."
"And then what else?" continued the boy.
"You see, Hatch, he's run things so long around here now, at his sweet
will, that like as not he'll think of that bunch of cattle as belonging
to him. And getting a lot of his boys together he'll even come swinging
along this way to try to run 'em off the second time, and in broad
daylight, too."
"Well, he certainly is a bold one for a fact, and it's about time he had
his wings clipped!" declared the boy, surprised at the condition of
affairs in the region that had, during the lifetime of his father, been
a peaceful community, stirred up only once in a while when some herder
of sheep angered the cow-punchers, and a little shooting followed.
"I'm wondering if I could manage to get into my room through the window
without Josie seeing me," Uncle Fred continued.
Then seeing the boy's look of astonishment he went on to explain.
"You see, I came running out so fast I hadn't time to think of picking
up my belt, and putting it on; so my gun is in there. And the worst of
it is, I can't enter my room without passing through the one _she_
occupies. That's how she manages all the time. Just now I wouldn't like
to let her get hold of me. I never yet struck a woman in all my life,
and no matter what happens I'm getting too old now to begin on a new
tack. So, there you see what a fix I'm in, son."
"Oh!" laughed Adrian, "you could borrow a gun from one of the boys who
might happen to own an extra one. Don't have anything to do with Aunt
Josie until we see how things turn out here. Perhaps there'll be a big
change come along, and the situation will take on a new phase. But
suppose the Walkers do make a daylight raid, what about the other herds
that are out on the range?"
Mr. Comstock jumped to his feet excitedly.
"There's two big lots, and they'd get 'em as easy as falling off a log,
that's dead sure!" he exclaimed; "and to think of me sitting here taking
things easy when I ought to be outside hustling every puncher off to
drive the balance of our cattle into the corrals, where we could stand
guard over them tonight, or till the sheriff comes, anyway."
"But there must be some system about what you do, Uncle Fred,"
interposed Adrian.
"Yes, sure there must, but what do you mean by that, son?"
"There are fourteen punchers all told, and five of them you can't depend
on to do the right thing; is that so?" continued the boy.
"Yes, and now I see what you mean, Adrian; we must fix it so that the
greater part of each bunch of drivers will be our stand-by men," the
deposed manager said, hastily.
"Yes, if two gangs go out let three of the suspects accompany the one
that has five of our fellows along, so that if they desert, or try any
tricks, they'll be at least outnumbered. Billie needn't do any riding
because I reckon he's nearly played out. That would leave two others to
go with me and a couple of the Walker sympathizers; and depend on it
I'll keep an eye on that pair good and hard. If they try any funny
business they'll be sorry, that's all. So fix things that way, Uncle
Fred; and chances are we'll get all the cattle safely home before the
Walkers come along."
"You're a great hand to plan things, son; and I'll do that same; only I
hope I can get the loan of a spare gun, if I'm to be left at home when
the rest of you go off. I'd be afraid of my life otherwise, I give you
my solemn word for it."
They left the bunk house after that. As they did so a face showed up at
one of the windows further on, proving that some one had taken the
trouble to listen, in hopes of hearing what plans they made; and it was
the face of one of the suspects, in the bargain.