MERRIWELL'S METHOD.
It was not easy for such men to understand Frank Merriwell. Hop Anson
was as much astonished as was Jim Tracy. He entered the cabin at Frank's
command, and Merriwell proceeded to wash and examine the wound.
"You'll have to lose two fingers and part of another one," said
Merriwell. "I can do the job for you right here, if you say so. Or I'll
patch them up, stop the bleeding, and let you get to a regular
saw-bones."
"You go ahead," said Anson.
So Frank opened a trunk which sat behind a curtain in one corner of the
room, bringing out a case, which, on being opened, revealed a complete
set of surgical instruments. These he spread out on the rough table, and
soon he was ready to operate on Hop Anson's mangled hand.
Jim Tracy, his hands on his hips and his feet rather wide apart, stood
looking on in silence.
Frank spent the greater part of an hour about his task, impressing Tracy
as an assistant, and when he had finished two of the ruffian's fingers
and a part of the third were gone, but the amputation and dressing had
been done in a manner that was anything but bungling. Frank had been as
careful as possible to preserve cleanliness about his work.
"Well, you're certain a wonder!" exclaimed Tracy admiringly. "But you
makes a big mistake in wastin' so much trouble on a dog like this."
Anson did not retort, save with a sullen flash of his treacherous eyes
in the direction of the foreman.
"Permit me to know my business, Tracy," said Merry shortly. "You may go
now, Anson."
"What? You're not going to let him go where he likes?"
"Yes."
So Hop Anson walked out of the cabin, picked up his rifle, and
disappeared.
"I don't want to criticise you, Mr. Merriwell," said the foreman. "You
know I am devoted to your interests. But I feel confident that you will
be very sorry you treated that man in such a decent way and then let him
off. He's a snake. I still believe he crept up to the door to shoot you
in the back."
"Perhaps he did," nodded Frank, cleansing his instruments with the
utmost coolness. "If so, he got the worst of it."
"But would you let him off like that if you knew it was so?"
"No. He swore it was not. I had no proof, so I let him go."
"You're altogether too easy with your enemies," asserted Tracy. "Just
you turn them over to me. I'll take care of them, and they'll never
bother you again, be right sure of that."
"I'll think about it," smiled Frank, returning the instruments to the
case.
"You came mighty near being killed by that greaser because you were easy
with him."
"And my life was saved by Big Monte because I had been easy with him.
That balances things, I fancy. In fact, for me, it more than balances
things. I'd rather let a dozen bad men escape punishment than strike one
who is innocent."
"But neither Big Monte nor Pinto Pede was innocent."
"And Pinto Pede provided a subject with which to start a graveyard here.
Big Monte seemed repentant. Pede would have knifed me, but Monte shot
him just as he was ready to strike."
"Well, where's Big Monte now?"
"I don't know," confessed Frank.
"He skipped out."
"Sure thing. He took a walk the first chance he got."
"And it's certain he's gone back to his pals. When they strike at you
ag'in, if they do, Monte will be with 'em."
"All right. Perhaps he has an idea he'll be fighting fair that way."
"And he may kill you yet."
"Possibly."
"Well," said Tracy, "I must admit that I don't understand you none
whatever! Hop Anson left his work, got a rifle and came sneakin' up to
your door. You shoots him in the hand, then doctors him and lets him go.
That's right peculiar. But I have him to deal with somewhat, and I
propose to deal. If you hear before night that Hop has hopped the divide
don't be any surprised."
Tracy seemed about to depart.
"Look here," said Frank, "before you go, I have some things to say.
Unless Hop Anson gives you good and sufficient cause, you are not to
lift your hand against him. I don't want any shooting to get started
here at the mine. I want these men to dwell together peaceably. The
first shooting is likely to lead to other work in the same line."
"You're too much against such things," said Tracy; "and still I notice
you don't hesitate any whatever to use a gun at times."
"When forced to it; never at any other time. I am decidedly against it.
It would be dead easy to start an affair here that would lead to
disturbances that might get the men to quarreling. That would put the
men in condition to revolt, and an assault upon the mine would find us
weakened. I trust you, Tracy, to be careful about this matter. Much
depends on you. You have proved satisfactory in every way."
"Thankee," said the foreman, somewhat awkwardly. "I've tried to do my
best, sir."
"That is all I ask of any man. That is all any man can do. You should
understand why I wish no disturbance. But, at the same time, let me
warn you to watch Hop Anson closely--for your own benefit. If you have
to do any shooting, well and good."
"I think I understand," said Tracy, as he walked out. At the door he
paused and half-turned, as if to say something more. Already Frank was
facing the little mirror on the wall, ready to resume his shaving. He
stood exactly as he had stood when he shot at Anson, and his revolver
lay on the shelf beneath the mirror.
Tracy went on.