Payne stalked back to where Higgins and his negroes were slashing into
the elderberry brush.
"Call 'em off," he said abruptly. "We're going to build a fence.
They've served their first notice; I'm going to shoot one back at them."
"Shoot is right," said Higgins, picking up one of the 30-30 carbines
which had been a part of his first load. Payne had armed himself
similarly. "When you get ready you'll probably give me a hint of
what's happened."
As they led the crew over to the western line and started them at work
on the post holes Payne related the story of the fight.
"I went on the fence job alone because I wanted to reason with them if
they came to stop me," he said. "I thought they could be made to
understand that a new day has dawned down here. Apparently I was
mistaken. There'll be no more attempt at friendliness on my part."
"Free-range cattlemen!" said Higgins. "The same all over the world! A
fence makes them see red. Barb wire is to 'em like a new steel trap to
a wolf. Wonder if it was one of Garman's men?"
"I don't know whether Garman's activities include cattle. What
difference does it make? Our job is to put this fence up. The next
move is up to them."
"Here comes their first move!" said Higgins presently.
Payne turned swiftly. The engineer's keen eyes had picked out three
small specks bobbing up and down out on the prairie and even at the
distance he knew them for easily riding horsemen.
"It didn't take him long to tell his friends," said Payne. "Hig, you
go down to the other side of the boys. My guess is that they'll try to
terrorize our labor. If they drive this bunch off the news will
spread. Negroes won't come to work down here where they hear any white
men are out against them. If they're like the first pup they'll try to
ride the boys down."
"Yep; that's a favorite method."
"Kill the horse under the first man who tries it, if he's down your
way. If he's up here I'll do it. Then stop. Stop absolutely. No
words. I talked too much to that other hound. Just wait for their
next move."
"Well--I've heard they carry guns down here, Payne, and use them well,
too, sometimes," said Higgins questioningly.
"Well," replied Payne dryly, "I don't think I'll try to tell you what
to do in that case."
The three riders were still far away and their approach was a slow,
leisurely canter. They made no apparent effort to hurry their mounts,
nor did they maintain a straight course. At times they were lost from
view hidden behind the islets of palmetto scrub, or in one of the rare
clumps of pine or cypress with which the prairie was dotted.
"Looks like they're getting a little chilled below the ankles," called
Higgins. "Do they think we're such damn fools they can fool us by
coming slow?"
The riders disappeared behind one of the small thick clumps of old
cypress trees draped with great curtains of Spanish moss, which mark
the presence of a water hole on the Florida prairie. When they emerged
their course was altered toward the northward.
"Looks like they're turning back."
"No."
The three horses suddenly broke into a gallop. Payne reached for his
field glasses, but before he could bring them to bear the cavalcade had
disappeared behind a cluster of cabbage palms on a small hammock
probably five hundred yards away.
The negroes stopped work suddenly, eyeing their masters for
instructions, but ready to run the next instant if the instructions
were not forthcoming.
"Lie down! Right where you are." Payne's orders seemed to drop the
blacks in their tracks. Relieved at having a white man think for them
they stretched their great bodies in the grass, their eyes not on the
menace of the hammock, but upon Payne. Payne and Higgins remained
standing, their carbines lying across their left arms.
"If they can hit anything at that distance they've got to be pretty
good shots, Hig."
"I'll say they have. Got to have pretty good tools, too; and most of
the rifles I've seen round here are the old forty-fours."
"If they are Garman's men they'll have up-to-date rifles all right."
"Sure. The best money can buy." Higgins shrewdly estimated the range
to the palms. "Say, Payne, if they've got Springfields or something as
good, and can use them, we're making a fool play standing here."
"Lie down, there."
"Down hell! What I mean is we ought to get closer to 'em so we'd have
an even break with these little 30-30s."
"Then we'd be off our land. They've got to come to us."
"I see. What in the devil are they waiting for? Put your glasses on
those palms and see what you can see."
"Can't see a thing," reported Payne after a careful scrutiny of the
hammock. "The palms shut out the sun and hide them."
"They knew what they were doing when they went there, didn't they?"
said Higgins. "Nice, dark hiding place where they can lay safe and
have their targets out in the sun. You can do what you please, Payne,
but the first shot out of there I start for the hammock. There's a big
bunch of palmetto scrub south of it. I'll get in there and give 'em
hell-for-breakfast."
Payne was holding his glasses upon the palms. He had gotten the
perfect focus now and saw that a broad wagon trail led through the
middle of the hammock. Out of this opening presently came the three
riders, riding abreast at a walk. Payne started. A hot flush of
embarrassment flooded his face.
"Higgins; for heaven's sake, put down your gun. Put it down quick, I
say! Hide it. Get up and go to work, men. Hustle. It's all right.
Get a-going!"
He hid his rifle hurriedly, picked up a digger and set to work, grimly
ignoring Higgins' frantic demands for an explanation. He was working
furiously and the crew was following his example, when the three
riders, who were Garman, Mrs. Livingstone and the girl, came cantering
up to the fence line.
It was a different Garman than had faced Roger across the camp fire on
Deer Hammock; and it was a different girl than had ridden away from
Flower Prairie. Only Mrs. Livingstone seemed to be as Roger recalled
her, cold, affected; arrogant, and extremely conscious of the
importance of her position as chaperon.
Garman for the nonce was the courtier, the artistic idler, the
dilettante in the art of luxurious living; and Payne, conscious of his
dirt-smudged overalls, envied him the elegance with which he played the
rôle. That Garman was interested in the crudities of business seemed
an improbability; that he was connected with things dark and hidden, a
thought to ridicule. His purpose in life just then was that of the
luxurious idler, to escort two ladies of his class for a leisurely
ride, to serve them gracefully as their chevalier. And yet, beneath
the silken coat of manners the tiger force of him was evident. From
where he stood Payne could feel the hypnotic power of the man's mere
presence.
As he looked at the girl he saw that she too had felt it--saw that it
was Garman's nearness that wrought the change in her. She seemed under
an influence which subdued yet excited her as might some subtle drug.
Her normally calm, frank eyes were heavy and mysterious with a drowsy
languor. Her tall, vibrant figure likewise seemed to droop drowsily,
the budding lines of her body tremulous with young life and womanhood.
Her hands hung languidly upon the saddle horn. Only her rich young
lips were firm and straight, as if her mind and will power were
fighting resolutely against the desire to yield to the subtle influence
which was steeping her through and through.
"Are you fencing off Flower Prairie--that garden of dreams come true?"
she said with a careless laugh.
"Yes," said Payne, "but I'm going to put a gate in there."
"Kind of him, isn't it?" said Mrs. Livingstone, turning to Garman with
the empty, affected laugh of her kind. "Shall we be permitted to
continue our rides to Flower Prairie? Are persons permitted to place
such obstructions in such places?"
Garman smoothed his tawny mustache, playfully bowing to her, as if
loathe to interrupt with a reply.
Payne was breathing hard.
"Yes; they are," he said hoarsely, and checked himself.
"Ye-es," purred Garman. "If they own the land."
Payne turned on him.
"Where's Willy Tiger?" he snapped out. "What did you do to him?"
"Come, Annette," said Mrs. Livingstone. "It is too warm to stand
still. We will ride back slowly."
"Aunty----" began the girl, and then, as Garman moved his horse toward
her, she bowed her head and pulled her mount away from Garman's. "Very
well, aunty," she said nervously, and there was relief in her bearing
as she drew away from Garman.
This time, as she cantered away she looked back. And in her eyes was a
look of appeal, and a promise that she would come again.