TO THE VALE OF AVALON
Slowly the sense of something terrible and menacing was borne in on
those who grouped themselves at the table. First there came a
diminishing of the sounds that filled the place. They died away like a
fading wind. Then the chill sweep of air from the door surged across
the room, like a great fear congealing the blood. In the sloppy mess
underfoot could be heard the sucking, splashing sound of feet moving,
as men all about drew back instinctively and rapidly to be out of the
way.
Solange felt what had happened rather than saw it. The fearful
convulsion of fright, followed by maniac rage that leaped to Banker's
face told her as though he had shouted the news. His companions and
allies were merely stupefied and startled.
With an impulse to cry out a warning or to rush to him and throw her
body between De Launay and these enemies, she suddenly whirled about
to face him. She saw him standing in the doorway, the night black
behind him except where the light fell on untrodden snow. Dim and
shadowy in the open air of the roadway were groups of figures. The
yelping and snarling of dogs floated into the place and she could see
their wolfish figures between the legs of men and horses.
De Launay stood upright, hands outstretched at the level of his
shoulders and resting against the sides of the doorway. He was open to
and scornful of attack. His clean features were set sternly and his
eyes looked levelly into the reeking interior, straight at Solange and
the three men grouped behind her.
"Monsieur de Launay!" she cried. His eyes flickered over her and
focused again on the men.
"Louisiana--at your service," he answered, quietly.
In some wild desire to urge him back she choked out words.
"Why--why did you come?"
He did not answer her direct but raised his voice a little, though
still without emotion.
"Jim Banker," he said, "I came for you. There are others out here who
have also come for you--but I am holding them back. I want you
myself."
Out of Banker's foaming lips came a snarling cry.
"Wh-what fer?"
Again the answer was not direct, and this time it was Solange he spoke
to, though he did not alter the direction of his gaze.
"Mademoiselle, you are directly in line with these--men. You had
better move aside."
But Solange felt the pressure of a gun muzzle at her back and the
snarl was in her ear.
"You don't move none! Stand where you be, or I'll take you fust and
git him next!"
Nevertheless she would have moved, had not De Launay caught the
knowledge of her peril. He spoke again, still calm but with a new,
steely note in his voice.
"Stand fast, mademoiselle, then, if they must have you for a shield.
But don't move. Shut your eyes!"
Hardly knowing why, she obeyed, oblivious of the peril to herself but
in an agony lest her presence and position increase his danger. De
Launay dominated her, and she stood as rigid as a statue, awaiting the
cataclysm.
But he was speaking again.
"The wolves dug up the body of Dave MacKay, Banker, and the men
outside found it. What you did to Wallace the other day he has
recovered sufficiently to tell us. What you tried to do to this young
woman I have also told them. Shall I tell her, and the others, who
killed French Pete nineteen years ago?"
Again came the whining, shrill snarl from behind Solange.
"You did, you----"
"So you have said before, Jim. But I have the bullet that killed Pete
d'Albret. I also have the bullet you shot at me when I came up to save
mademoiselle from you a week ago. Those two are of the same caliber,
Banker. It's a caliber that's common enough nowadays but wasn't very
common in nineteen hundred. Who shot a Savage .303, nineteen years
ago, and who shoots that same rifle to-day?"
There was a slow mutter of astonishment rising from the men crowded
about the walls and in front of the crude bar. It was a murmur that
contained the elements of a threat.
"I give you first shot, Jim," came the half-mocking voice of De Launay
beating, half heard, on Solange's ears, where the astounding reversal
of her notions was causing her brain almost to reel. Then she heard
the whistling scream of Banker, quite lunatic by now, as he lost all
sense of fear in his rising madness.
"By heaven, but you don't git me, Louisiana! Nobody gits old Jim. They
all die--all but old Jim!"
The shattering concussion of a shot fired within an inch or two of her
ear almost stunned her. She felt the powder burning her cheek. Almost
against her will her eyes flew open to see the figure in the door jerk
and sag a little. Triumphant and horrible came Banker's scream.
"They all die--all but old Jim!"
She was conscious of hasty movements beside her. The two other men,
awaking from their stupor and sensing their opportunity as De Launay
was hit, were drawing their guns.
"Stand still!" thundered De Launay and she stiffened automatically.
His hands had dropped from the doorway and now they seemed to snap
upward with incredible speed and in them were two squat and heavy
automatics, their grizzly muzzles sweeping like the snap of a whip to
a line directly at herself, as it seemed.
Two shots again rocked her with their concussion. They seemed merely
echoes of the flaming roars from the big automatics as each of them
spoke. A man standing against the wall some feet away from De Launay
ducked sharply, with a cry. The shot fired by the Slugger had gone
wide, narrowly missing him. A chip flew from the door lintel near De
Launay's head. The man from Arkansas was shooting closer.
Solange was conscious that some one beside her had grunted heavily and
that some one else was choking distressingly. She could not look
around but she heard a heavy slump to her left. To her right something
fell more suddenly and sharply, splashing soggily in the muck. Then,
once more the powder burned her cheek and the eardrum was numbed under
an explosion.
"I got you, Louisiana!" came Banker's yell. She saw De Launay stagger
again and felt that she was about to faint.
"Stand still!" he shouted again. She knew she was sheltering his
murderer and that, from behind her, the finishing shot was already
being aimed over her shoulder. Yet, although she felt that she must
risk her life in order to get out of line and give him a chance, his
voice still dominated her and she stiffened.
One of the big pistols swept into line and belched fire and noise at
her. She heard the brittle snapping of bone at her ear and something
struck her sharply on the collar bone, a snapping blow, as though some
hard and heavy object had struck and glanced upward and away. Then the
second pistol crashed at her.
Again she heard the sound of something smashing behind her. There was
no other sound except the noise of something slipping. That something
then slid, splashing, to the floor.
De Launay's pistols were lowered and he was taking a step into the
room. Solange noted that he staggered again, that the deerskin
waistcoat was stained, and she tried to find strength to run to him.
She saw, as she moved, the huddled figures at her side where the dead
men lay, and she knew that there was another behind her. She heard the
slopping of feet in the mud as men closed in from all about her. She
heard awe-struck voices commenting on what had happened.
"Plumb center--and only a chunk of his haid showin' above the gal! If
you ask me, that's shore some shootin'!"
"An each o' the other two with a shot--jest a left an' a right!"
"Gets the gun with one barrel an' the man with the other. Did you-all
see it?"
Her feet were refusing to carry her, leaden and weighty as they
seemed. Her knees were trembling and her head swimming. Yet she
retained consciousness, for, in front of her, De Launay was crumpling
forward, and sinking to the muddy shambles in which he stood.
Friendly hands were holding her up and she swept the cobwebs from her
brain with her hands, determined that she would conquer her weakness.
Somehow she staggered to De Launay's side and, heedless of the mud,
sank to her knees.
"_Mon ami! Mon ami!_" she moaned over him, her hands folding over his
lean cheeks, still brown in spite of the pallor that was sweeping
them.
A man dropped to his knees beside De Launay and opposite her. She did
not heed his swift gesture in ripping back the buckskin vest. Nor did
she feel the hand on her shoulder where Sucatash stood behind her. The
crowding bystanders were nonexistent to her consciousness as she
raised De Launay's head.
Then his eyes fluttered open and met hers; were held by them as though
they were drawn down to the depths of her and lost in them. Over his
mouth, under the small, military mustache crept a smile.
"Morgan _la fée_!" he whispered.
Solange choked back a sob. She leaned nearer and opened her eyes
wider. De Launay's gaze remained lost in the depths of hers. But he
saw at last to the bottom of them; saw there unutterable sorrow and
love.
"Don't worry, fair lady!" he gasped. "It's been something--to live
for--once more! And the mine--you'll not need that--after all!"
His eyes slowly closed but he was not unconscious, for he spoke
again.
"It's nothing much. That rat couldn't kill--Louisiana!"
The man who was examining De Launay made an impatient gesture and
Sucatash drew her gently away. She rose slowly, bending dumbly over
the physician, as he seemed to be.
"Reckon he's right," said this man, grimly, as he bared De Launay's
chest. "Huh! These holes aren't a circumstance to what this hombre's
had in him before this. Reckon he's had a habit of mixing with cougars
or something like that! Here's a knife wound--old."
"A bayonet did that," said Solange.
"Soldier, eh! Well, he's used to bullet holes and it's a good thing.
Hand me something to bandage him with, some one. He's lost a heap of
blood but there ain't anything he won't get over--that is, if you can
get him out of this hole."
The man seemed competent enough, although, abandoning his practice to
join the gold rush, he had brought few of the tools of his trade with
him. He gathered handkerchiefs and Solange ripped open her flannel
shirtwaist and tore the lingerie beneath it to furnish him additional
cloth. She had collected herself and, although still shaky, was cool
and efficient, her nurse's experience rendering the doctor invaluable
aid. Together they soon stanched the bleeding and directed De Launay's
removal to a near-by tent where he was laid upon ample bedding.
Then the doctor turned to Solange and Sucatash, who hovered around her
like a satellite.
"I've done what I can," he said. "But he'll not stand much chance if
he's left up here. You'd better risk it and get him down to the Falls
if it can be done."
"But how can we take him?" cried Solange. "Surely it would kill him to
ride a horse."
"No, he can't," agreed the doctor. "But there is the dog team that
came in to-night. You ought to get him to Wallace's with that and he
can probably stand it."
Solange turned at once and ran out to seek the driver of the dog team.
The dogs lay about in the road but the man was not visible. She
hastily burst into the saloon again in the hope of finding him there.
The signs of conflict had been removed and men were once more lined up
before the rude bar, discussing the fight in low voices.
They fell silent when Solange entered and most of them took off their
hats, although they had all been puzzled to explain her connection
with the event and her actions before it had come off.
She paid no attention to them but swept the crowd looking for the
newcomer. He saved her the trouble of identifying him by coming
forward.
"Ma'am," he said, with great embarrassment, "I'm Snake Murphy and I
was grubstakin' that ornery coyote that Louisiana just beefed. I come
in to-night with that dog team and I reckon that, accordin' to law,
this here claim of Jim's belongs to me now that he's dead. But I wants
to say that I ain't robbin' no women after they come all the way
across the ocean to find this here mine and--well--if half of it'll
satisfy you, it's yours!"
Solange seized him by the arm.
"You are the man with the dogs?" she cried.
"Yes ma'am."
"Then--you keep the mine--all of it, I do not want it. But you will
let us have the dogs that we may take Monsieur de Launay to the
hospital? We must have the dogs. The mine--that is yours if you
agree!"
Snake Murphy broke into a grin. "Why, ma'am, shore you're welcome to
the dogs. This here Louisiana shot me up once--but damned if I stands
fer no one shootin' him from behind a woman that a way. Come on, and
we'll fix the sled!"
A few minutes later Solange had resumed her watch beside De Launay
while, outside, Sucatash and Murphy were busy unloading the sled and
getting it ready for the wounded man.
De Launay slept, apparently. Solange sat patiently as the long hours
passed. At intervals he muttered in his sleep and she listened.
Fragments of his life formed the subject of the words, incoherent and
disconnected. She caught references to the terrible years of existence
as a légionnaire and later snatches of as terrible scenes of warfare.
Once he spoke more clearly and his words referred to her.
"Morgan _la fée_!--promised to be something interesting--more than
that--worth living, perhaps, after all."
She dropped her hand over his and he clutched it, holding fast. After
that he was quiet, sleeping as easily as could be expected.
In the morning the doctor examined him again and said that the trip
might be taken. De Launay awoke, somewhat dazed and uncertain but
contented, evidently, at finding Solange at his side. He had fever but
was doing very well.
Solange gave him broth, and as he sipped it he looked now and then at
her. Something seemed to be on his mind. Finally he unburdened
himself.
"I was planning to save you the divorce," he said. "But I probably
will get well. It is too bad!"
"Why too bad?" asked Solange, with eyes on broth and spoon.
"After this even a Nevada divorce will mean notoriety for you. And
you've lost the mine."
"I have not lost it," said Solange. "Monsieur Murphy gave me half of
it--but I traded it away."
"Traded it?"
"For a team of dogs to take you out. As for a divorce, Monsieur de
Launay, there is a difficulty in the way."
"A difficulty! What's that? All you have to do is establish a
residence. I'm still an American citizen--at least I never took steps
to be naturalized in France. Perhaps that's why they demoted me.
Anyhow, such a marriage of form wouldn't hold a minute if you want to
have it annulled."
Solange blushed a little.
"But you forget. I cannot blame you for I hardly recalled it myself
until recently. I am a Catholic--and divorce is not allowed."
"But--even a Catholic could get an annulment--under the circumstances,
if she wished it."
"But----" said Solange, and stopped.
"But what?"
"Be quiet, please! If you twist that way you will spill the broth. If
I wished--yes, perhaps."
"Solange!"
"But I--do not wish!"
De Launay lay still a moment, then:
"Solange!"
"Monsieur?"
"_Why_ don't you wish it?"
She stole a glance at him and then turned away. His face was damp and
the fever was glittering in his eyes but behind the fever was a great
hunger.
"Husbands," said Solange, "are not plentiful, monsieur."
He sank back on the bed, sighing a little as though exhausted.
Instantly Solange bent over him, frightened.
"Is that all?" she heard him mutter.
Slowly she stooped until her glimmering hair swept around his face and
her lips met his.
"_Méchant!_" she breathed, softly. "That is not all. There is
also--this!"
Her lips clung to his.
Finally she straightened up and arranged her hair, smiling down at
him, her cheeks flushed delicately and her eyes wonderfully soft.
"Morgan _la fée_!" said De Launay. "My witch--my fairy lady!"
Solange kissed him lightly on the forehead and rose.
"We must be getting ready to go," she said. "It will be a hard trip, I
am afraid. But we shall get you down to the town and there is enough
money left to keep you in the hospital until you are well again. And
I shall find work until everything is all right again."
De Launay stared at her. "Hasn't Sucatash given you that note?"
"But what note?"
He laughed out loud.
"Call him in."
When the cow-puncher came in he held the note in his hand and held it
out to Solange.
"I done forgot this till this minute, ma'am. The boss told me to give
it to you to-day--but I reckon it ain't needed yet."
"Open it," said De Launay.
Solange complied and took out the two inclosures. The first she read
was the will and her eyes filled at this proof of De Launay's care for
her, although she had no idea that his estate was of value. Then she
unfolded the second paper. This she read with growing amazement.
"But," she cried, and stopped. She looked at him, troubled. "I did not
know!" she said, uncertainly.
His hand groped for hers and as she took it, timidly, he drew her
closer.
"Why," he said, "it makes no difference, does it, dear?"
She nodded. "It makes a difference," she replied. "I am not one
that----"
"You are one that traded a mine worth millions that I might have dogs
to take me out," he interrupted. "Now I will buy those dogs from you
and for them I will pay the value of a dozen gold mines. If you will
kiss me again I will endow you with every oil well on my father's
ancestral acres!"
Solange broke into a laugh and her eyes grew deep and mysterious again
as she stooped to him while the embarrassed Sucatash sidled out under
the tent flap.
"You will make yourself poor," she said.
"I couldn't," he answered, "so long as Morgan _la fée_ is with me in
Avalon."
Sucatash called from outside, plaintively:
"I got the dogs fed and ready, mad'mo'selle--I mean, madame! Reckon we
better carry the gen'ral out, now!"
Solange threw back the flap to let him enter again.
"We are ready--for Avalon," she said.
"Wallace's ranch, you mean, don't you?" asked Sucatash.
"Yes--and Avalon also."
Then, as the stalwart Sucatash gathered the wounded man and lifted
him, she took De Launay's hand and walked out beside him.
THE END
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious spelling and punctuation errors repaired and noted.
Chapter I
page 36 - "when I had ambition"
Corrected typo: "ambiton"
page 48 - "the ex-légionnaire shepherding"
Corrected typo: "ex-legionnaire"
- "Pyrenean wild cat"
Corrected typo: "Pyreneen"
Chapter II
page 52 - "_mariage de convenance_"
Corrected (French) typo: "marriage"
Chapter V
page 86 - "seemed to emanate from"
Corrected typo: "eminate"
Chapter VI
page 102 - ""A mad'mo'selle?" they echoed."
Original "mad'moselle" is inconsistent
with rest of text.
Chapter VII
page 104 - "since fourteen ninety-two, I reckon."
Original had a full-stop after "ninety-two"
Chapter VIII
page 115 - "in her metallic voice"
Corrected typo: "metalic"
Chapter IX
page 123 - "disillusioned De Launay"
Corrected typo: "dissillusioned"
page 126 - "were dully insistent"
Corrected typo: "insistant"
page 132 - "the raft gyrated"
Corrected typo: "girated"
page 134 - "meet hers squarely"
Corrected typo: "her's" (N.B. apostrophe)
Chapter X
page 141 - Added double-quote to start of chapter.
page 149 - "Other places had been warned"
Corrected typo: "beeen"
Chapter XI
page 154 - ""Remember the feller's singin', Jim?""
Added double-quote before 'Remember'
Chapter XII
page 161 - "another motor car northward bound"
Corrected typo: "nothward"
page 166 - "direction of my brother."
Corrected typo: "directon"
Chapter XVI
page 212 - "one whose brain"
Corrected typo: "who's"
Chapter XVII
page 236 - "subterranean forces"
Corrected typo: "subterrannean"
Chapter XXII
page 283 - "Rows of grommets"
Corrected typo: "grommetts"
page 283 "indiscreet familiarities"
Corrected typo: "familiarites"
Chapter XXIII
page 309 - "get an annulment"
Corrected typo: "annullment"