THE "KICKER" BECOMES AN INSTITUTION
It was mid-July--and hot. The sun shone continually; the nights were
uncomfortable, stifling. The dust was everywhere and grew deeper and
lighter as the days passed. Water grew scarce; cattle suffered, lowing
throughout the night, during the day searching the bogs and water holes
for drops of moisture. Men looked up at the clear, cloudless sky and
prayed--and cursed--for rain. The rain did not come. It was one long,
continuous nightmare of heat.
The _Kicker_ had appeared four times--on Saturdays--on time.
Telegraphic communication with the outside world had been established.
Potter had taken up his residence at the Circle Bar. War had been
declared between the _Kicker_ and the Lazette _Eagle_. Hollis
had written an argumentative essay on the virtues of Dry Bottom as a
town, dwelling upon its superiority over Lazette. The editor of the
_Eagle_ had replied with some bitterness, setting forth in detail
why Dry Bottom did _not_ compare with Lazette. As the editor of the
_Eagle_ mentioned population and civic spirit in his bill of
particulars the war promised to be of long duration--questions of
superiority between spirited persons are never settled. And Hollis had
succeeded in arousing the spirit of Dry Bottom's citizens. They began to
take some interest in the _Kicker_. Many subscribed; all read it.
From the "local" columns of the paper one might have discovered that
many public and private improvements were contemplated. Among these the
following items were of the greatest interest:
Steps are being taken by the government toward the erection of a
fence around the court house grounds. Judge Graney is
contemplating a lawn and flowers. When these improvements are
completed there will be no comparison between our court house and
the dilapidated hovel which disgraces the county seat of Colfax.
The Lazette _Eagle_ please notice.
* * * * *
William Dunn, the proprietor of the Alhambra eating house,
announces that in the near future he will erect a new sign.
Thereafter the Alhambra will be known as the Alhambra
Restaurant. This is a step forward. We have been informed that
there is no restaurant in Lazette. Good boy, Dunn.
* * * * *
Chet Miller's general merchandise store is to be repainted
throughout. Chet is public spirited.
Everybody of any importance in Dry Bottom received weekly mention of
some sort in the _Kicker_. Chet Miller was heard to say that the
_Kicker_ was a "hummer," and no one ascribed his praise of the
paper to thanks for the appearance of his name therein, for all who
would have criticized were silenced by the appearance of their own
names.
In the fourth issue of the paper appeared several new advertisements.
Judicious personal mention and lively news locals had aroused public
spirit to a point where it ignored thoughts of Dunlavey's displeasure.
Upon the Saturday which had marked the first issue of the _Kicker_
under Hollis's ownership he had employed a circulation manager. That
afternoon on the street near the _Kicker_ office he had almost
collided with a red haired youth of uncertain age who had bounded out
through the door of a private dwelling. In order to keep from knocking
the youth over Hollis was forced to seize him by the arms and literally
lift him off his feet. While in the air the youth's face was close to
Hollis's and both grinned over the occurrence. When Hollis set the youth
down he stood for an instant, looking up into Hollis's face and a grin
of amusement overspread his own.
"Shucks!" he said slowly. "If it ain't the tenderfoot editor!"
"That's just who it is," returned Hollis with a smile.
The youth grinned as he looked critically at Hollis. "You gittin' out
that there paper to-day, mister?" he questioned.
"Right now," returned Hollis.
"Bully!" exclaimed the youth. He surveyed Hollis with a frank
admiration. "They said you wouldn't have the nerve to do it," he said;
"but, say! I reckon they ain't got you sized up right!"
Hollis smiled, remembering that though the paper had been printed it was
not yet distributed. He placed a hand on the youth's shoulder.
"Have you got nerve enough to pass the _Kicker_ around to the
people of this town?" he questioned.
"I reckon," grinned the youth. "I was comin' down to ast you for the job
when you bumped into me. I used to peddle them for your dad. My name's
Jiggs Lenehan--mebbe you've heard of me?"
Hollis smiled. "The question of delivering the _Kicker_ was one of
the details that I overlooked," he said. "But fortunately it is arranged
now. Henceforth, Jiggs, you are the _Kicker's_ official circulation
manager. Likewise, if you care to add to your income, you can help
Potter around the office."
So it had been arranged, and Jiggs entered upon his duties with an
energy that left little doubt in his employer's mind that he would prove
a valuable addition to the force.
In Hollis's "Salutatory" to the people of Dry Bottom he had announced in
a quiet, unostentatious paragraph that while he had not come to Dry
Bottom for a free fight, he would permit no one to tread on his toes.
His readers' comprehension of the metaphor was complete--as was
evidenced by the warm hand-clasps which he received from citizens who
were not in sympathy with the Dunlavey regime. It surprised him to find
how many such there were in town. He was convinced that all this element
needed was a leader and he grimly determined to step quietly into that
position himself.
The second issue of the _Kicker_ was marked by a more aggressive
spirit--a spirit engendered by the sympathetic reception of the first
issue. In it he stated concisely his views of the situation in Union
County, telling his readers that the best interests of the community
demanded that Dunlavey's evil influence be wiped out. This article was
headed: "Dry Bottom's Future," and won him many friends.
The third issue contained stronger language, and the fourth was
energetically aggressive. As he had decided before the first appearance
of the paper, he took a certain number of copies of each issue, folded
them neatly, stamped and addressed them, and mailed them to a number of
newspapers throughout the country whose editors he knew. He also
directed copies to a number of his friends in the East--to the president
of his college, and last, to the Secretary of the Interior at
Washington, who had formerly resided near him in Boston, and with whom
he had a long acquaintance. There had been a change of administration
the fall previous and he was certain that the new administration would
not ignore the situation. To the Secretary, and also to a number of his
friends, he wrote personal letters, explaining in detail the exact
condition of affairs in Union County.
He had not seen Dunlavey since the day the latter had come to the
_Kicker_ office to negotiate for the purchase of the paper. On
several of his rides to and from the Circle Bar ranch he had seen signs
of life at the Circle Cross; once or twice he thought he saw someone
watching him from a hill on the Circle Cross side of the Rabbit-Ear, but
of this he was not quite certain, for the hill-top was thickly wooded
and the distance great.
He had been warned by Norton not to ride too often over the same trail
lest Dunlavey send someone to ambush him.
Hollis had laughed at the warning, though thanking Norton for it. He
told his range boss that he did not anticipate any immediate trouble
with Dunlavey.
"It all depends on how Big Bill feels," returned Norton with a grim
smile. "If you've got him mad there's no telling. And there are plenty
of places between here and Dry Bottom where a man might be shot from
ambush. And nobody'd ever know who done it. I wouldn't ride the Dry
Bottom trail every day. There's the old Coyote trail, that takes you
past the Razor-Back and through Devil's Hollow to Little Canyon an'
along the hills to the other side."
He laughed. "There's only one thing you need to be afraid of if you take
the Coyote trail, an' that's Ed Hazelton. Ed gets spells when he's plum
crazy. He's Nellie Hazelton's brother--her that Dunlavey was pesterin'
when you slammed him." He laughed again, significantly. "Though if Ed
knowed you was the man who took his sister's part you wouldn't need to
be much scared of him--I've heard that he's got a pretty good memory for
his friends--even when he's off."
Hollis had not told Norton of his experience in Devil's Hollow, nor did
he tell him now. But he followed his advice about taking the Coyote
trail, and the following day when he made the trip to Dry Bottom he
returned that way. About half way between Dry Bottom and the Circle Bar
he came upon a little adobe cabin snuggling an arroyo through which
trickled a small stream of water.
It was an ideal location for a small rancher, and Hollis observed that
the buildings were in order--evidently Nellie Hazelton and her brother
were provident. He saw some cattle grazing on the edge of a small grass
plateau which began at the slope of the arroyo through which the stream
of water ran. A shout reached his ears as he sat motionless in the
saddle looking about him, and he saw Ed Hazelton on the plateau among
the cattle, waving a hand to him. The young man began to descend the
side of the plateau, but before he had fairly started Nellie Hazelton
had come out of the front door of the cabin and stood on the edge of the
small porch, smiling at him.
"So you did come, after all?" was her greeting.
Hollis spurred his pony closer and sat smiling down at her. "I don't
think anything could have stopped me after your invitation," he returned
quickly.
"Oh!" she said. The sudden color that came into her face told of her
confusion. It betrayed the fact that she knew he had come because of
her. Her brother's invitation in Devil's Hollow had been merely formal;
there had been another sort of invitation in her eyes as she and her
brother had left him that day.
"Won't you get off your horse?" she said while he still sat motionless.
"It's quite a while before sundown and you have plenty of time to reach
the Circle Bar before dark."
He had determined to discover something of the mystery that surrounded
her and her brother, and so he was off his pony quickly and seating
himself in a chair that she drew out of the cabin for him. By the time
her brother had reached the porch Hollis was stretched comfortably out
in the chair and was answering several timid questions concerning his
opinion of the country and his new responsibilities.
She was glad he liked the country, she said. It was wonderful. In the
five years they had been here they had enjoyed it thoroughly--that was,
of course, barring the trouble they had had with Dunlavey.
Of their trouble with Dunlavey Hollis would hear much later, he told
himself. At present he was more interested in discovering something
about her and her brother, though he did not wish to appear inquisitive.
Therefore his voice was politely casual.
"Then you are not a Westerner?" he said.
She smiled mournfully. "No," she returned; "we--Ed and I--were raised in
Illinois, near Springfield. We came out here five years ago after--after
mother died." Her voice caught. "Sometimes it seems terribly lonesome
out here," she added; "when I get to thinking of--of our other home.
But"--she smiled bravely through the sudden moisture that had come into
her eyes--"since Ed got hurt I don't have much time to think of myself.
Poor fellow."
Hollis was silent. He had never had a sister but he could imagine how
she must feel over the misfortune that had come to her brother. It must
be a sacrifice for her to remain in this country, to care for a brother
who must be a great burden to her at times, to fight the solitude, the
hardships, to bear with patience the many inconveniences which are
inevitable in a new, unsettled country. He felt a new admiration for her
and a profound sympathy.
"I think that you must be a very brave young woman," he said earnestly.
"Oh!" she returned with a sudden, illuminating smile. "It isn't hard to
be brave. But at times I find it hard to be patient."
"Patience is one of the cardinal virtues," declared Hollis, "but it
takes bravery of a rare sort to remain in this country, surrounded with
the care----"
Her fingers were suddenly over her lips warningly, and he saw Ed
Hazelton nearing the porch.
"I wouldn't have him know for the world," she said rapidly. "It isn't a
care to look after someone you love."
Hollis smiled grimly at the reproach in her voice and rose to greet her
brother.
The latter seemed to be quite recovered from the attack he had suffered
in Devil's Hollow and talked freely and intelligently of affairs in the
country. Hollis found that on the whole he was a well informed young
man--quiet, modest, and apparently well able to give a good account of
himself in spite of his affliction. He was bitter against Dunlavey and
thanked Hollis warmly for his defense of his sister.
At sundown Hollis departed, telling the Hazeltons that since he was
their neighbor he would not neglect to see them occasionally. As he rode
away into the dusk Nellie Hazelton stood on the porch smilingly waving
her hand at him. As he threaded his way through the rapidly growing
darkness he felt an unaccountable satisfaction over the fact that he had
elected to remain in Union County; that henceforth his fortunes were to
be linked with those of a brave young woman who had also accepted the
robes of sacrifice and who was committed to war against their common
enemy--Dunlavey. Curiously, during the past few days he had felt a
decided change in his attitude toward life. His old ambition was no
longer uppermost in his mind--it had been crowded out of his existence.
In its place had been erected a new pinnacle of promise. A seat among
the mighty was a worthy goal. Yet the lowly bench of sacrifice was not
without its compensations.