Next morning Duane found that a moody and despondent spell had fastened
on him. Wishing to be alone, he went out and walked a trail leading
round the river bluff. He thought and thought. After a while he made out
that the trouble with him probably was that he could not resign himself
to his fate. He abhorred the possibility chance seemed to hold in store
for him. He could not believe there was no hope. But what to do appeared
beyond his power to tell.
Duane had intelligence and keenness enough to see his peril--the
danger threatening his character as a man, just as much as that which
threatened his life. He cared vastly more, he discovered, for what he
considered honor and integrity than he did for life. He saw that it was
bad for him to be alone. But, it appeared, lonely months and perhaps
years inevitably must be his. Another thing puzzled him. In the bright
light of day he could not recall the state of mind that was his at
twilight or dusk or in the dark night. By day these visitations became
to him what they really were--phantoms of his conscience. He could
dismiss the thought of them then. He could scarcely remember or believe
that this strange feat of fancy or imagination had troubled him, pained
him, made him sleepless and sick.
That morning Duane spent an unhappy hour wrestling decision out of the
unstable condition of his mind. But at length he determined to create
interest in all that he came across and so forget himself as much as
possible. He had an opportunity now to see just what the outlaw's
life really was. He meant to force himself to be curious, sympathetic,
clear-sighted. And he would stay there in the valley until its
possibilities had been exhausted or until circumstances sent him out
upon his uncertain way.
When he returned to the shack Euchre was cooking dinner.
“Say, Buck, I've news for you,” he said; and his tone conveyed either
pride in his possession of such news or pride in Duane. “Feller named
Bradley rode in this mornin'. He's heard some about you. Told about the
ace of spades they put over the bullet holes in thet cowpuncher Bain
you plugged. Then there was a rancher shot at a water-hole twenty miles
south of Wellston. Reckon you didn't do it?”
“No, I certainly did not,” replied Duane.
“Wal, you get the blame. It ain't nothin' for a feller to be saddled
with gun-plays he never made. An', Buck, if you ever get famous, as
seems likely, you'll be blamed for many a crime. The border'll make an
outlaw an' murderer out of you. Wal, thet's enough of thet. I've more
news. You're goin' to be popular.”
“Popular? What do you mean?”
“I met Bland's wife this mornin'. She seen you the other day when you
rode in. She shore wants to meet you, an' so do some of the other women
in camp. They always want to meet the new fellers who've just come
in. It's lonesome for women here, an' they like to hear news from the
towns.”
“Well, Euchre, I don't want to be impolite, but I'd rather not meet any
women,” rejoined Duane.
“I was afraid you wouldn't. Don't blame you much. Women are hell. I was
hopin', though, you might talk a little to thet poor lonesome kid.”
“What kid?” inquired Duane, in surprise.
“Didn't I tell you about Jennie--the girl Bland's holdin' here--the one
Jackrabbit Benson had a hand in stealin'?”
“You mentioned a girl. That's all. Tell me now,” replied Duane,
abruptly.
“Wal, I got it this way. Mebbe it's straight, an' mebbe it ain't. Some
years ago Benson made a trip over the river to buy mescal an' other
drinks. He'll sneak over there once in a while. An' as I get it he run
across a gang of greasers with some gringo prisoners. I don't know, but
I reckon there was some barterin', perhaps murderin'. Anyway, Benson
fetched the girl back. She was more dead than alive. But it turned out
she was only starved an' scared half to death. She hadn't been harmed.
I reckon she was then about fourteen years old. Benson's idee, he said,
was to use her in his den sellin' drinks an' the like. But I never
went much on Jackrabbit's word. Bland seen the kid right off and took
her--bought her from Benson. You can gamble Bland didn't do thet from
notions of chivalry. I ain't gainsayin, however, but thet Jennie was
better off with Kate Bland. She's been hard on Jennie, but she's kept
Bland an' the other men from treatin' the kid shameful. Late Jennie has
growed into an all-fired pretty girl, an' Kate is powerful jealous of
her. I can see hell brewin' over there in Bland's cabin. Thet's why
I wish you'd come over with me. Bland's hardly ever home. His wife's
invited you. Shore, if she gets sweet on you, as she has on--Wal, thet
'd complicate matters. But you'd get to see Jennie, an' mebbe you could
help her. Mind, I ain't hintin' nothin'. I'm just wantin' to put her
in your way. You're a man an' can think fer yourself. I had a baby girl
once, an' if she'd lived she be as big as Jennie now, an', by Gawd, I
wouldn't want her here in Bland's camp.”
“I'll go, Euchre. Take me over,” replied Duane. He felt Euchre's eyes
upon him. The old outlaw, however, had no more to say.
In the afternoon Euchre set off with Duane, and soon they reached
Bland's cabin. Duane remembered it as the one where he had seen the
pretty woman watching him ride by. He could not recall what she looked
like. The cabin was the same as the other adobe structures in the
valley, but it was larger and pleasantly located rather high up in a
grove of cottonwoods. In the windows and upon the porch were evidences
of a woman's hand. Through the open door Duane caught a glimpse of
bright Mexican blankets and rugs.
Euchre knocked upon the side of the door.
“Is that you, Euchre?” asked a girl's voice, low, hesitatingly. The tone
of it, rather deep and with a note of fear, struck Duane. He wondered
what she would be like.
“Yes, it's me, Jennie. Where's Mrs. Bland?” answered Euchre.
“She went over to Deger's. There's somebody sick,” replied the girl.
Euchre turned and whispered something about luck. The snap of the
outlaw's eyes was added significance to Duane.
“Jennie, come out or let us come in. Here's the young man I was tellin'
you about,” Euchre said.
“Oh, I can't! I look so--so--”
“Never mind how you look,” interrupted the outlaw, in a whisper. “It
ain't no time to care fer thet. Here's young Duane. Jennie, he's no
rustler, no thief. He's different. Come out, Jennie, an' mebbe he'll--”
Euchre did not complete his sentence. He had spoken low, with his glance
shifting from side to side.
But what he said was sufficient to bring the girl quickly. She appeared
in the doorway with downcast eyes and a stain of red in her white cheek.
She had a pretty, sad face and bright hair.
“Don't be bashful, Jennie,” said Euchre. “You an' Duane have a chance to
talk a little. Now I'll go fetch Mrs. Bland, but I won't be hurryin'.”
With that Euchre went away through the cottonwoods.
“I'm glad to meet you, Miss--Miss Jennie,” said Duane. “Euchre didn't
mention your last name. He asked me to come over to--”
Duane's attempt at pleasantry halted short when Jennie lifted her lashes
to look at him. Some kind of a shock went through Duane. Her gray eyes
were beautiful, but it had not been beauty that cut short his speech. He
seemed to see a tragic struggle between hope and doubt that shone in her
piercing gaze. She kept looking, and Duane could not break the silence.
It was no ordinary moment.
“What did you come here for?” she asked, at last.
“To see you,” replied Duane, glad to speak.
“Why?”
“Well--Euchre thought--he wanted me to talk to you, cheer you up a bit,”
replied Duane, somewhat lamely. The earnest eyes embarrassed him.
“Euchre's good. He's the only person in this awful place who's been good
to me. But he's afraid of Bland. He said you were different. Who are
you?”
Duane told her.
“You're not a robber or rustler or murderer or some bad man come here to
hide?”
“No, I'm not,” replied Duane, trying to smile.
“Then why are you here?”
“I'm on the dodge. You know what that means. I got in a shooting-scrape
at home and had to run off. When it blows over I hope to go back.”
“But you can't be honest here?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Oh, I know what these outlaws are. Yes, you're different.” She kept the
strained gaze upon him, but hope was kindling, and the hard lines of her
youthful face were softening.
Something sweet and warm stirred deep in Duane as he realized the
unfortunate girl was experiencing a birth of trust in him.
“O God! Maybe you're the man to save me--to take me away before it's too
late.”
Duane's spirit leaped.
“Maybe I am,” he replied, instantly.
She seemed to check a blind impulse to run into his arms. Her cheek
flamed, her lips quivered, her bosom swelled under her ragged dress.
Then the glow began to fade; doubt once more assailed her.
“It can't be. You're only--after me, too, like Bland--like all of them.”
Duane's long arms went out and his hands clasped her shoulders. He shook
her.
“Look at me--straight in the eye. There are decent men. Haven't you a
father--a brother?”
“They're dead--killed by raiders. We lived in Dimmit County. I was
carried away,” Jennie replied, hurriedly. She put up an appealing hand
to him. “Forgive me. I believe--I know you're good. It was only--I live
so much in fear--I'm half crazy--I've almost forgotten what good men are
like, Mister Duane, you'll help me?”
“Yes, Jennie, I will. Tell me how. What must I do? Have you any plan?”
“Oh no. But take me away.”
“I'll try,” said Duane, simply. “That won't be easy, though. I must
have time to think. You must help me. There are many things to consider.
Horses, food, trails, and then the best time to make the attempt. Are
you watched--kept prisoner?”
“No. I could have run off lots of times. But I was afraid. I'd only have
fallen into worse hands. Euchre has told me that. Mrs. Bland beats me,
half starves me, but she has kept me from her husband and these other
dogs. She's been as good as that, and I'm grateful. She hasn't done it
for love of me, though. She always hated me. And lately she's growing
jealous. There was' a man came here by the name of Spence--so he called
himself. He tried to be kind to me. But she wouldn't let him. She was
in love with him. She's a bad woman. Bland finally shot Spence, and
that ended that. She's been jealous ever since. I hear her fighting with
Bland about me. She swears she'll kill me before he gets me. And Bland
laughs in her face. Then I've heard Chess Alloway try to persuade Bland
to give me to him. But Bland doesn't laugh then. Just lately before
Bland went away things almost came to a head. I couldn't sleep. I wished
Mrs. Bland would kill me. I'll certainly kill myself if they ruin me.
Duane, you must be quick if you'd save me.”
“I realize that,” replied he, thoughtfully. “I think my difficulty will
be to fool Mrs. Bland. If she suspected me she'd have the whole gang of
outlaws on me at once.”
“She would that. You've got to be careful--and quick.”
“What kind of woman is she?” inquired Duane.
“She's--she's brazen. I've heard her with her lovers. They get drunk
sometimes when Bland's away. She's got a terrible temper. She's vain.
She likes flattery. Oh, you could fool her easy enough if you'd lower
yourself to--to--”
“To make love to her?” interrupted Duane.
Jennie bravely turned shamed eyes to meet his.
“My girl, I'd do worse than that to get you away from here,” he said,
bluntly.
“But--Duane,” she faltered, and again she put out the appealing hand.
“Bland will kill you.”
Duane made no reply to this. He was trying to still a rising strange
tumult in his breast. The old emotion--the rush of an instinct to kill!
He turned cold all over.
“Chess Alloway will kill you if Bland doesn't,” went on Jennie, with her
tragic eyes on Duane's.
“Maybe he will,” replied Duane. It was difficult for him to force a
smile. But he achieved one.
“Oh, better take me off at once,” she said. “Save me without risking so
much--without making love to Mrs. Bland!”
“Surely, if I can. There! I see Euchre coming with a woman.”
“That's her. Oh, she mustn't see me with you.”
“Wait--a moment,” whispered Duane, as Jennie slipped indoors. “We've
settled it. Don't forget. I'll find some way to get word to you, perhaps
through Euchre. Meanwhile keep up your courage. Remember I'll save you
somehow. We'll try strategy first. Whatever you see or hear me do, don't
think less of me--”
Jennie checked him with a gesture and a wonderful gray flash of eyes.
“I'll bless you with every drop of blood in my heart,” she whispered,
passionately.
It was only as she turned away into the room that Duane saw she was lame
and that she wore Mexican sandals over bare feet.
He sat down upon a bench on the porch and directed his attention to the
approaching couple. The trees of the grove were thick enough for him to
make reasonably sure that Mrs. Bland had not seen him talking to Jennie.
When the outlaw's wife drew near Duane saw that she was a tall,
strong, full-bodied woman, rather good-looking with a fullblown, bold
attractiveness. Duane was more concerned with her expression than with
her good looks; and as she appeared unsuspicious he felt relieved. The
situation then took on a singular zest.
Euchre came up on the porch and awkwardly introduced Duane to Mrs.
Bland. She was young, probably not over twenty-five, and not quite so
prepossessing at close range. Her eyes were large, rather prominent, and
brown in color. Her mouth, too, was large, with the lips full, and she
had white teeth.
Duane took her proffered hand and remarked frankly that he was glad to
meet her.
Mrs. Bland appeared pleased; and her laugh, which followed, was loud and
rather musical.
“Mr. Duane--Buck Duane, Euchre said, didn't he?” she asked.
“Buckley,” corrected Duane. “The nickname's not of my choosing.”
“I'm certainly glad to meet you, Buckley Duane,” she said, as she took
the seat Duane offered her. “Sorry to have been out. Kid Fuller's lying
over at Deger's. You know he was shot last night. He's got fever to-day.
When Bland's away I have to nurse all these shot-up boys, and it
sure takes my time. Have you been waiting here alone? Didn't see that
slattern girl of mine?”
She gave him a sharp glance. The woman had an extraordinary play of
feature, Duane thought, and unless she was smiling was not pretty at
all.
“I've been alone,” replied Duane. “Haven't seen anybody but a
sick-looking girl with a bucket. And she ran when she saw me.”
“That was Jen,” said Mrs. Bland. “She's the kid we keep here, and she
sure hardly pays her keep. Did Euchre tell you about her?”
“Now that I think of it, he did say something or other.”
“What did he tell you about me?” bluntly asked Mrs. Bland.
“Wal, Kate,” replied Euchre, speaking for himself, “you needn't worry
none, for I told Buck nothin' but compliments.”
Evidently the outlaw's wife liked Euchre, for her keen glance rested
with amusement upon him.
“As for Jen, I'll tell you her story some day,” went on the woman. “It's
a common enough story along this river. Euchre here is a tender-hearted
old fool, and Jen has taken him in.”
“Wal, seein' as you've got me figgered correct,” replied Euchre, dryly,
“I'll go in an' talk to Jennie if I may.”
“Certainly. Go ahead. Jen calls you her best friend,” said Mrs. Bland,
amiably. “You're always fetching some Mexican stuff, and that's why, I
guess.”
When Euchre had shuffled into the house Mrs. Bland turned to Duane with
curiosity and interest in her gaze.
“Bland told me about you.”
“What did he say?” queried Duane, in pretended alarm.
“Oh, you needn't think he's done you dirt Bland's not that kind of a
man. He said: 'Kate, there's a young fellow in camp--rode in here on the
dodge. He's no criminal, and he refused to join my band. Wish he would.
Slickest hand with a gun I've seen for many a day! I'd like to see him
and Chess meet out there in the road.' Then Bland went on to tell how
you and Bosomer came together.”
“What did you say?” inquired Duane, as she paused.
“Me? Why, I asked him what you looked like,” she replied, gayly.
“Well?” went on Duane.
“Magnificent chap, Bland said. Bigger than any man in the valley. Just a
great blue-eyed sunburned boy!”
“Humph!” exclaimed Duane. “I'm sorry he led you to expect somebody worth
seeing.”
“But I'm not disappointed,” she returned, archly. “Duane, are you going
to stay long here in camp?”
“Yes, till I run out of money and have to move. Why?”
Mrs. Bland's face underwent one of the singular changes. The smiles and
flushes and glances, all that had been coquettish about her, had lent
her a certain attractiveness, almost beauty and youth. But with some
powerful emotion she changed and instantly became a woman of discontent,
Duane imagined, of deep, violent nature.
“I'll tell you, Duane,” she said, earnestly, “I'm sure glad if you mean
to bide here awhile. I'm a miserable woman, Duane. I'm an outlaw's wife,
and I hate him and the life I have to lead. I come of a good family in
Brownsville. I never knew Bland was an outlaw till long after he married
me. We were separated at times, and I imagined he was away on business.
But the truth came out. Bland shot my own cousin, who told me. My family
cast me off, and I had to flee with Bland. I was only eighteen then.
I've lived here since. I never see a decent woman or man. I never hear
anything about my old home or folks or friends. I'm buried here--buried
alive with a lot of thieves and murderers. Can you blame me for being
glad to see a young fellow--a gentleman--like the boys I used to go
with? I tell you it makes me feel full--I want to cry. I'm sick for
somebody to talk to. I have no children, thank God! If I had I'd not
stay here. I'm sick of this hole. I'm lonely--”
There appeared to be no doubt about the truth of all this. Genuine
emotion checked, then halted the hurried speech. She broke down and
cried. It seemed strange to Duane that an outlaw's wife--and a woman
who fitted her consort and the wild nature of their surroundings--should
have weakness enough to weep. Duane believed and pitied her.
“I'm sorry for you,” he said.
“Don't be SORRY for me,” she said. “That only makes me see the--the
difference between you and me. And don't pay any attention to what these
outlaws say about me. They're ignorant. They couldn't understand me.
You'll hear that Bland killed men who ran after me. But that's a lie.
Bland, like all the other outlaws along this river, is always looking
for somebody to kill. He SWEARS not, but I don't believe him. He
explains that gunplay gravitates to men who are the real thing--that it
is provoked by the four-flushes, the bad men. I don't know. All I know
is that somebody is being killed every other day. He hated Spence before
Spence ever saw me.”
“Would Bland object if I called on you occasionally?” inquired Duane.
“No, he wouldn't. He likes me to have friends. Ask him yourself when he
comes back. The trouble has been that two or three of his men fell in
love with me, and when half drunk got to fighting. You're not going to
do that.”
“I'm not going to get half drunk, that's certain,” replied Duane.
He was surprised to see her eyes dilate, then glow with fire. Before
she could reply Euchre returned to the porch, and that put an end to the
conversation.
Duane was content to let the matter rest there, and had little more to
say. Euchre and Mrs. Bland talked and joked, while Duane listened.
He tried to form some estimate of her character. Manifestly she had
suffered a wrong, if not worse, at Bland's hands. She was bitter,
morbid, overemotional. If she was a liar, which seemed likely enough,
she was a frank one, and believed herself. She had no cunning. The thing
which struck Duane so forcibly was that she thirsted for respect.
In that, better than in her weakness of vanity, he thought he had
discovered a trait through which he could manage her.
Once, while he was revolving these thoughts, he happened to glance into
the house, and deep in the shadow of a corner he caught a pale gleam
of Jennie's face with great, staring eyes on him. She had been watching
him, listening to what he said. He saw from her expression that she had
realized what had been so hard for her to believe. Watching his chance,
he flashed a look at her; and then it seemed to him the change in her
face was wonderful.
Later, after he had left Mrs. Bland with a meaning “Adios--manana,” and
was walking along beside the old outlaw, he found himself thinking of
the girl instead of the woman, and of how he had seen her face blaze
with hope and gratitude.