CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
FLYING COMES HIGH
Johnny Jewel reined his horse on a low ridge and stared dully down intothe little valley where a scattered herd of horses fed restlessly, theiruneven progress toward Sinkhole Creek vaguely indicated by the generaldirection of their grazing. The pendulum of his spirits had swung fartherand farther away from his ecstasy of the morning, until now he hadplumbed the deepest well of gloom. That he had flown to the Rolling Rranch and back without wrecking his airplane or killing himself did notcheer him. He was in the mood to wish that he had broken his neck insteadof coming safely to earth.
Johnny was like a sleeper who has dreamed pleasantly and has awakened tofind the house falling on him--or something like that. He had dreamedgreat things, he had lulled his conscience with promises and reassurancesthat all was well, and that he was not shirking any really importantduty. And now he was awake, and the reality was of the full flavor ofbitter herbs long steeped.
The forenoon had been full of achievement. Johnny had, for safety's sake,removed the propeller from his airplane and carried it home with him, inthe face of Bland Halliday's bitter whining and vituperation, whichreminded Johnny of a snake that coils and hisses and yet does not strike.It had been an awkward job, because he had been compelled to thrash Blandfirst, and then tie his hands behind him to prevent some treacherous blowfrom behind while he worked. Johnny had hated to do that, but he feltobliged to do it, because Bland had found the buried gasoline and hadtaken away the full cans and hidden them, replacing them with the emptycans. If Bland had not shown a town man's ignorance of the tale a man'stracks will tell, Johnny would never have suspected anything.
Bland had also threatened to wreck the plane for revenge, but Johnny didnot worry about that. He had retaliated with a threat to starve Blanduntil he repaired whatever damage he wrought--and Bland had seen thepoint, and had subsided into his self-pitying whine.
Johnny felt perfectly easy in his mind so far as the airplane wasconcerned. He had explained to Bland that he meant to keep his promise assoon as he could and be square with his boss, and Bland had at the lastresigned himself to the delay--no doubt comforting himself with somecunning plan of revenge later, when he had gotten Johnny into the city,where Bland felt more at home and where Johnny would have all the oddsagainst him, being a stranger and--in Bland's opinion--a "hick."
The forenoon, therefore, had been all triumph for Johnny. All triumph andall glowing with the rose tints of promise. The afternoon was a differentmatter.
Johnny had ridden out on the recaptured Sandy. When he had time to thinkof it, that glimpse of the horsemen and the loose horses over beyond thered hill nagged him with a warning that all was not well on the Rolling Rrange. He had headed straight for the red hill, and he had noticed manylittle, betraying signs that had long escaped him in his preoccupationwith his own dreams and ambitions.
The horses were wild, and ducked into whatever cover was nearest when heapproached. Johnny knew that they had lately been chased and frightened,and that there was only one logical reason for that, because none of theRolling R boys had been down on the Sinkhole range since the colts werebranded and these horses driven down for the summer grazing.
Johnny rode to where he had seen the horseman, picked up the tracks ofshod hoofs and followed them to the fence. Saw where two panels of wirehad been loosened and afterwards refastened. Some one had dropped acouple of new staples beside one post, and there were fresh hammer dentsin the wood. Johnny had not done it; there was only one other answer tothe question of the fence-mender's reason. There was no mystery whatever.Johnny looked, and he knew.
He looked out across the fence and knew, too, how helpless he was. He hadnot even brought his rifle, as Sudden had told him to do. The rifle hadbeen a nuisance, and Johnny conveniently forgot it once or twice, andthen had told himself that it was just a notion of old Sudden's--and whatwas the use of packing something you never would need? He had not carriedit with him for more than three weeks. But if he had it now, he knew thatit would not help him any. The thieves had hours the start of him. It hadbeen just after sunrise that he had seen them--he, a Rolling R man,sailing foolishly around in an airplane and actually _seeing_ a bunch ofRolling R horses being stolen, without caring enough to think what thefellows were up to! Self-disgust seized him nauseatingly. It was there atthe fence he first wished he had fallen and broken his neck.
He turned back, rode until he had located a bunch of horses, made a roughcount, and went on, heavy-hearted, steeped in self-condemnation. Helocated other horses, scattered here and there in little groups, and kepta mental tally of their numbers. Now, while the sun dipped low toward thewestern hills, he watched this last herd dismally, knowing how completelyhe had failed in his trust.
Square with his boss! He, Johnny Jewel, had presumed to prate of it thatday, with half the horses stolen from Sinkhole. For so did consciencemagnify the catastrophe. He had dared to assume that his presence thereat Sinkhole was necessary to the welfare of the Rolling R! Johnnylaughed, but tears would have been less bitter than his laughter.
He had been proud of himself, arrogantly sure of his ability, his nerve,his general superiority. He, who had shirked his duty, the work that wonhim his food and clothes and money to spend, he had blandly consideredhimself master of himself, master of his destiny! He had fatuouslybelieved that, had belittled his work and thought it unworthy his timeand thought and ability--and he had let himself be hoodwinked and robbedin broad daylight!
He remembered the days when he had compromised with his work, had riddento a certain pinnacle that commanded a wide view of the range, and hadlooked out over the country from the top--and had hurried back to theniche to work on the airplane, calling his duty to the Rolling R done forthat day. He might better have stolen those horses himself, Johnnythought. He would at least have the satisfaction of knowing that he hadaccomplished what he had set out to do; he would not have to bear thissickening feeling of failure along with his guilt.
But staring at the horses the thieves had left would not bring back theones they had stolen, so Johnny rode back to camp, caught the gentlest ofhis two bronks and turned Sandy loose in the pasture. He had formed thehabit of riding over to the airplane before he cooked his supper;sometimes eating with Bland so that he might the longer gaze upon histreasure. But to-night he neither rode to the niche nor cooked supper. Hedid not want to eat, and he did not want to see his airplane, that hadtempted him to such criminal carelessness.
The telephone called him, and Johnny went dismally to answer. It was oldSudden, of course; the full, smooth voice that could speak harsh commandsor criticisms and make them sound like pleasantries. Johnny thought thevoice was a little smoother, a little fuller than usual.
"Hello. The boys tell me that they had quite a lot of--excitement--thismorning when they were rounding up a bunch of horses. An aeroplaneswooped down on them with--er--somewhat unpleasant results. Yes. Thehorses stampeded, and--er--the boys were compelled to do some hardriding. Yes. Tex was thrown--that makes two of the boys that are laid upfor repairs. They haven't succeeded in gathering the horses so far. Knowanything about it, Johnny?"
"Yes, sir." Johnny's voice was apathetic. What did a little thing like astampede amount to, in the face of what Sudden had yet to hear?
"Oh, you do?" Sudden was plainly expectant. He did not, however, soundparticularly reassuring. "Where did that aeroplane come from? Do youknow?"
"Yes, sir. It's one I--salvaged from Mexico. I--was trying it out."
"Oh. You were? Trying it out on the stock. Well, I don't believe I careto work my stock with flying machines. Aviators--come high. I prefer justplain, old-fashioned riders."
He paused, quite evidently waiting to hear what Johnny had to say. ButJohnny did not seem to have anything at all to say, so Sudden spokeagain.
"How about the horses down at Sinkhole? Are they broken to aeroplaneherding, or have they all stampeded like these up here?"
Here was escape, reprieve, an e
xcuse that might save him. Johnnyhesitated just long enough to draw his breath deeply, as a man doesbefore diving into cold water.
"They haven't stampeded. I never had the plane in the air till thismorning, and then I flew--toward the ranch. These horses down here havebeen stolen. About half of them, I should say. I was gone for nearlythree days, getting that airplane from across the line. A greaser told meabout it, and took me where it was. And when I got back I didn't ride therange the way I should have done--the way I did do, at first. I wasworking on the airplane, all the time I possibly could. I ran across afellow that's been an aviator, and brought him down here, and he helped.And so the horses were stolen--a few at a time, I think. I believe I'dhave missed them if they had gone all at once."
Johnny could feel the silence at the other end of the line. It lasted solong that he wondered dully if Sudden were waiting for more, but Johnnyfelt as though there was nothing more to add. Of what use would it be toprotest that he was sorry? Bad enough to rob a man, without insulting himwith puerile regrets.
"Now--let's get this thing straight." Sudden's voice when it came wasfuller than ever, smoother than ever. It was a bad sign. "You say--abouthalf of the horses on that range have been stolen? Have you countedthem?"
"No. I'm just guessing. I don't think I've lost more than half. I justmade a rough tally of what I found to-day."
"You say not _more_ than half, then. But you're guessing. Now, when didyou first miss them?"
"To-day. I was all taken up with that damned airplane before, and Ididn't pay much attention. This morning the fellow here took me for aflight, and we went east. Beyond the red hill I happened to see fourriders driving a few horses. They were inside our fence. I didn't thinkwhat it meant then, because Bland was climbing in a spiral and my mindwas on that. But I rode over there this afternoon, and I saw where they'dlet down the fence and then put it back up again. And they'd tried tocover up the tracks of horses going through. So I rode all afternoon,making a sort of tally of what horses ranged over that way. A lot of'em's gone. I missed some of the best ones--some big geldings that Ithink I'd know anywhere."
"You say they went through the fence on the east line?"
"Yes, sir. It was just after sunrise that I saw them."
"And it was afternoon, you say, before it occurred to you that they mightpossibly have been stealing my horses. In the meantime, you were up thisway, playing hell with the round-up."
"Yes, sir, that's about the way it stacks up."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. Try and get back what horses I can, I guess." Johnny didnot speak as though he had much faith.
"Going to go out and round them up with your flying machine, I suppose!That sounds practical, perfectly plausible. As much so as the rest of thestory."
Johnny was too utterly miserable and hopeless to squirm at the sarcasm.
"Well, we don't want to be hasty. In fact, you have not been hasty sofar, from what I can gather. Except in the matter of indulging yourselfin aircraft at my expense. Don't leave the cabin. I shall probably wantto talk about this again to-night."
That was all. It was enough. It was like Sudden to withhold condemnationuntil after he had digested the crime. Johnny did not think much aboutwhat Sudden would do, but he had a settled conviction that condemnationwas merely postponed for a little while. It would come. But Johnny satalready condemned by the harshest judge a man may have--the harshness ofhis own youthful conscience.
He sat brooding, his palms holding his jaws, his eyes staring at thefloor. What was he going to do? Sudden had asked him that. Johnny hadasked himself the same question; indeed, it had drummed insistentlyin his brain since he had inspected the fence that afternoon and hadknown just what had befallen him. The bell rang--Sudden was callingagain. He got up stolidly to answer more questions.
"Oh--Skyrider! I can only talk a minute. Mom's in the kitchen, and dad'sgone to hunt up Bill Hayden. Is it true, Johnny, that a lot of horseshave been stolen?"
"Yes."
"I heard dad talking. Oh, I wish I could help hunt them, but I'm in anawful mess, Skyrider! Bill Hayden knew I'd taken Jake, because my saddlewas gone, and none of the other horses were. I never _saw_ any one somean and suspicious! And he knows Jake got away from me, too, because Iwas trying to catch him when Bill rode up, just perfectly furious overthe horses stampeding. And Bill told dad--he certainly is the _meanest_thing! And now dad won't let me go out of sight of the house unless he ormom are with me. And mommie never goes anywhere, it's so hot. And dadonly goes to town. But they don't know it was us in the aeroplane--andI'm just glad of it if we did scatter their old herd for them.Everybody's so mean to me! And I was planning how you'd teach me to fly,and we'd have the duckiest times--and now--"
She hung up so abruptly that Johnny knew as well as though he had beenin the room with her, what had happened. She had heard her dad coming.Before Johnny had sat down again to his brooding, Sudden called him.
"You spoke about a greaser telling you about an aeroplane, and that youwent with him and got it." Sudden's voice was cool and even--aninexorable voice. "Do you remember my telling you not to let a greaser onthe Rolling R range if you could help it?"
"Yes, sir. This one's brother came first. He was just a kid, and hewanted--a drink." It struck Johnny quite suddenly that Tomaso's reasonfor coming had been a very poor one indeed. For there was water muchnearer Tucker Bly's range, which was to the east of Sinkhole. And Tomasoshould have had no occasion whatever to be riding to Sinkhole.
"Oh. He wanted a drink, did he? Where did he come from?"
"He works for Tucker Bly. So he said. And he told me about the airplanethat had been lost, across the line. His brother had found it."
"And you went to see his brother?"
"His brother came to see me. The kid told him I was--interested."
"You went after the flying machine when? Over two weeks ago, eh? And youwere gone--I see. Approximately two days and two nights--nearer threedays. Who answered the telephone while you were gone? It happens that Ihave not missed calling you every night; did the man have a cold?"
"I--I don't know. I didn't know anybody--" Johnny frowned. It would bejust as well, he felt, to keep Mary V out of it.
"You didn't know the 'phone was answered in your absence. Well, it was.By a man with a bad cold, who represented himself to be you. Did younotice any signs of any one being there while you were gone?"
"N-no, I can't say I did. Well, the string was tied different on thedoor, but I didn't think much about that."
"No--you wouldn't think much about that." Sudden's tone made a mentallash of the words. "You had your own affairs to think about. You weremerely being--_paid_ to think of my affairs."
"Yes, sir--that's the kind of a hound I've been."
Johnny's abject tone--he who had been so high-chested in the past--mayhave had its effect upon the boss. When Sudden spoke again his voice wasalmost kind, which is unusual, surely, for a man who has been robbed.
"Well, I shall have to investigate those greasers, I think. It looks tome as though they had used that flying machine for a bait to get you outof the way, and that looks to me too clever for greasers. It looks to meas though some one knew what bait you would jump at the quickest, youngman. Do some thinking along those lines, will you? The horses are gone;but there might be some slight satisfaction in catching the thieves."
"Yes, sir. What shall I do to-morrow? Am I fired, or what?"
"You are--_what_!" Sudden was sarcastic again. "I believe, since you havebeen doing pretty much as you please down there, I shall expect you to goon doing as you please. I don't see how you are going to do any moredamage than you have already done. On the other hand, I don't see how youare going to do much good--unless I could take those horses out of yourhide!"
Johnny stared round-eyed at the 'phone, even after Sudden had hung up hisreceiver.
"Good golly!" he muttered, with a faint return of his normal spirit. "OldSudden oughta been a lawyer." Then he
went back to holding his jaws intwo spread palms, and brooding over the trouble he was in.