Over the Border: A Novel

  XII: THE RECRUIT IS TRIED OUT--IN SEVERAL WAYS

  "Well, what do you-all think of him?"

  Bull's question emerged from the thick tobacco reek which invariablymitigated the severity of their evening deliberations.

  It pertained, of course, to the new recruit, concerning whose merits ordemerits Jake and Sliver had reserved judgment during this, his firstweek. When they had come from supper straight to the bunk-house, Gordonhad taken his pipe and gone for a stroll around the compound, which wasnever more interesting than when clothed in the mystery of a hot browndusk. The lights and fires, like golden or scarlet blossoms; the softbrown faces glimpsed in cavernous interiors by the rich glow of a_brasero_; the women's subdued chatter; laughter wild and musical as thecooing of wood-pigeons--all had for him perpetual fascination; and whilehe sauntered here and there, looking, listening, the Three held sessionon his case.

  "What do we think of him?" Jake slowly repeated the question. "It's abit soon to jedge, but if he's half as good as he looks, he orter do."

  Sliver, however, was more critical. "Too darned nice-looking fer me. Ihain't got much use for these pretty boys."

  "_Pretty_ yourself!" Bull swelled like a huge toad with indignation. "Heain't no pretty boy! You-all orter ha' seen him clan up that hotel lobbyin El Paso."

  "A _ho_-tel clerk, an' some bell-hops!" Sliver sneered. "Why, a goodcowman 'u'd jest about as soon think of hitting a lady. 'Fore I allowhim even a look-in with Lady-girl, he's gotter show me. If you-all ain'tafraid he'll spoil, jest send him an' me out together to-morrow."

  "All right, senor, he's your meat." Bull's grin, provoked by a suddenmemory of the thwack with which the hotel clerk had hit the lobby floor,was veiled by tobacco reek that reigned beyond the lamp's goldenglimmer. "Only, don't chew him. Kain't afford to have his scenerydamaged."

  "Nary a chew," Sliver agreed. "Twon't be necessary. I'll take him in twoswallows."

  In this wise was Gordon apprenticed to Sliver for the period of one day,to learn, in course thereof, such lessons in cow and other kinds ofpunching as it might bring forth. When they two rode out, armedcap-a-pie as it were, with rifles, saddle _machetes_, and a brace ofColt automatics, in addition to the usual cowman's fixings, it isdoubtful whether North America held a happier young man than he. Out ofthe thousand and one lovers who had awakened to the knowledge that thiswas their wedding-day, some might have been equally happy. But none moreso, for Gordon was also espoused--to Adventure, the sweetest bride ofreal men. It may be safely stated that no bride ever surveyed hertrousseau with more satisfaction than Gordon displayed in his "chaps,"spurs, guns, and _riata_.

  This enthusiasm, however, he cloaked with a becoming nonchalance. Hewasn't in any hurry to tell all he knew. His few questions were to thepoint, and between them he maintained a decent reserve. Also he adaptedhimself quickly to new requirements. Sliver observed with satisfactionthat, after one telling, his pupil abandoned the Eastern, high-trotting,park fashion in riding and settled down to a cowman's lope. In fact, soquiet and biddable was he, Sliver began to feel secret qualms at thecourse he had marked out for himself; had to steel his resolution withthoughts of Lee.

  "'Twon't do to have no pretty boys pussy-footing around her," he toldhimself. "He's gotter show me, an' if he don't--out he goes."

  Opportunity soon presented itself in the shape of a momentary relapse,on Gordon's part, into the old habit of riding. Sliver seized it withbrutal roughness.

  "Hey! that milk-shake business may go with missies in pants that ridethe parks back East, but if you-all expect to work this range you'llhave to try an' look like a man."

  Gordon stared. It wasn't so much the words as the accent thatestablished the insult. Just as Bull had seen in El Paso, his hazel eyeswere suddenly transmuted into hard blue steel flecked with hot brownspecks. Sliver felt sure he was going to strike; experienced suddendisappointment when he rode on.

  "_Santa Maria Marrissima Me!_" He swore to himself in sudden alarm. "Ishe a-going to swallow it?" But the next moment brought relief. Gordonwas rising in his stirrups with the regularity of a machine.

  With the quick instinct of sturdy manhood, Sliver sensed the motive, thewise hesitancy of a new-comer in starting trouble. "Calculated it wouldget him in wrong with Lady-girl. He's putting it up to me!"

  Even more loath, now, to push than he had been to begin the quarrel,there was nothing left but to go on. So, riding alongside Gordon, hebegan to deliver himself of a forcible opinion concerning his mode ofriding. "Why, you blankety, blank, blank of a blank--"

  The rest of it was cut off by a crack between the eyes that toppled himout of the saddle. He was up again, hard eyes flashing, as Gordon leapeddown, and as he rushed, broad round body swaying above his short hairychaps, Sliver looked for all the world like a charging bear.

  A clever writer once described a terrific combat between two sailors intwo words, "Poor McNab!" Sliver was almost as terse in describing hisdefeat to Bull and Jake that evening.

  "Gentlemen, hush! He leaned over as I took my holt, grabbed me round thewaist from behind, straightened, an' away I flew over his shoulder an'kem down spread-eagled all over the grass, plumb knocked out."

  Returning to the combat: When Sliver gathered his shocked wits togetherand sat up, Gordon stood looking down upon him, hands on his hips,quiet, determined, yet with an inquisitive twinkle in his eye.

  Sliver answered the twinkle. "Say, that was sure a lallapaloo. I'vewrestled with bears an' once choked a cougar till he was gol-darnedanxious to quit. But I draw the line at earthquakes. If you-all 'llplease to tell how you done it, I'll shake han's an' call it squar'."

  "Done!" Gordon broke out in a merry laugh. "And I'll promise, on mypart, never to ride like that again."

  "For which I'll be greatly obliged; that hippity-haw, side-racking gaitdoes sure get on my nerves."

  Striking hands upon it, they mounted and rode on.

  They were heading for a mountain valley, enormous green bowl hemmed inon all sides, that could only be reached by a single rough trail.Watered by a running stream and knee-deep in lush grass, the difficultyof approach and sequestration rendered it almost raider-proof. But as itafforded pasture for barely a third of Lee's stock, it was their habitto send the animals out in relays to remain under charge of an _anciano_for a week at a time.

  As they rode along, Sliver's secret satisfaction revealed itself in manya stealthy glance. At first they expressed that feeling alone, butpresently there entered into them a leaven of doubt. Their way now ledalong the foot of the hog's back from the crest of which Sliver hadobtained his first view of the _fonda_ on the other side, the discoveryof which caused his first lapse from grace. The slight doubt wasexplained by the thought that accompanied his glance upward at theridge.

  "He's a fine upstan'ing lad an' kin take his own part. But that ain'tall. Supposing he drinks? We-all jest kedn't stan' for any young soakaround Lady-girl."

  In view of his own shortcomings, his grave shake of the head was rathercomical. Nevertheless, it was quite sincere; likewise his emendation:"'Course we wouldn't have him no canting prig. He orter be able to takehis two fingers like a gentleman, then leave it alone."

  Reining in suddenly, he asked, "D'you ever take a drink?"

  Gordon looked surprised. "Why, yes, on occasion. But you don't mean tosay--"

  "Come on!" Sliver's manner was quite that of the "mysterious stranger"of melodrama who demands absolute faith in those he is about tobefriend. It is feared, however, that both it and his thought, "It's afine chance to try him out," cloaked certain strong spirituous desires.

  Quarter of an hour's heavy scrambling up and down rutted cattle tracksbrought them out in the _fonda_ dooryard. From above Gordon had notedits golden walls nestling beside the stream in a bower of foliage. Hiseyes now went, first to the two _ancianos_, a wrinkled old man andwoman, who dozed in the shade of the _ramada_; then to the girl whoknelt by the stream pounding her soiled linen on its smooth boulders.Though he knew Spain only throu
gh pictures, the tinkling bells of amule-train going up the canon added the last touch, vividly raised inhis mind the country inns of the Aragonian mountains. But for her darkercolors the girl with her shapely poundage might easily have been one oftheir lusty daughters. She had risen at the sight of Sliver. Withunerring instinct she now walked inside, let down the wooden bar window,and set out a bottle of _tequila_.

  Through all, her big dusky eyes never left Gordon. With what would havebeen brazenness in a white girl she studied him. But her gaze was wideand curious as the stare of a deer, and caused him no offense. Whentheir eyes met, she smiled, but, unskilled in the ways of her kind, hemissed both its invitation and question till Sliver put it in words.

  "She wants to know who you are an' all about you," he translated herrapid Spanish, in which her small hands, satin arms and shoulders playedas large a part as her tongue. "She says her father an' mother are aboutready to cash in. If you'll stay here an' be her man, you'll stan' rightin line for the _fonda_."

  It was sprung so suddenly, Gordon gasped. "Cash in?--the _fonda_? Say!You're fooling?"

  Sliver raised his right hand. "Take my oath!"

  "Then _she's_ fooling."

  "Nary!" Sliver grinned. "She's serious as a New England housewife inchase of a bedbug."

  Now Gordon's merry laugh rang out. "Is this leap year, or does this sortof thing go all the time down here? Her proposal calls for a priest, Isuppose, and a marriage license?"

  "Nary." Sliver grinned again. "Ladies of her class get along very nicelywithout them artificial aids to marriage. All she wants is for you tosettle down here with her to housekeeping."

  "Why--but--" He still half believed that Sliver was joking; but, lookingat the girl, he saw for himself the smoldering flame in her dusky eyes.This time his laugh was a little confused. "Please tell her that I'mdreadfully sorry, that I appreciate the high compliment, and if itwasn't for the fact that I don't expect to stay long in this country Iwould give her nice offer my most distinguished consideration."

  Any further doubts that he might have entertained would have beeneffectually dispersed by her dark disappointment when Sliver translated.A touch of pity mingled with his amusement; moved him to add, "I hopethat you put it nicely."

  "Sure," Sliver breezily answered. "I told her that you said for her togo to hell."

  "Oh, well"--Gordon recovered his breath again--"at least that puts thewhole business beyond further doubt."

  "Don't you believe it." Sliver gave a third and last grin. "She saysthat you-all kin always find her here if you happen to change yourmind."

  "Now that's very nice." Really pleased under his amusement, Gordonbrought the little comedy to a graceful end. Unsnapping the leatherwatch-fob that bore his initials worked in gold, he laid it in thegirl's hand. "A fellow doesn't get a proposal of marriage every day.Tell her for a little remembrance."

  "And now for another drink."

  But as Sliver reached for the bottle Gordon seized his arm, and anydoubts as to his sobriety were removed then and there from the cowman'smind. "You've had two already, and I'm not going to stand by and see youburn your stomach out. Come on, gol darn you! or I'll hand you one."

  His smiling good humor removed the offense. Nevertheless, the curiousbrown specks were floating again in the blue of his eye.

  Sliver knew the threat was real. "Just this one?"

  "Well, if you'll down it quick and come on."

  With feelings that had hovered between gratification at Gordon'ssobriety and regret for his own, Sliver drank, bade the girl "Adios,"and mounted again. Standing in the doorway, her glance followed them,enwrapping Gordon's upright figure with its dark caress. Just as theycrossed the stream at the foot of the path, her face lit with suddenremembrance. Turning at her call they saw her coming at a breathlessrun.

  "Kain't bear the parting," Sliver interpreted the action.

  But his grin faded as he listened to her voluble talk. "She says thatfour strange Mexicans stayed here last night. They didn't belong to thiscountry, an' they questioned her closely about the different haciendas.They were 'specially curious about our horses. Us being gringos an' herMex, they naturally concluded she'd be ag'in us, and they would havebeen right but for the fancy she's taken to you. So they opened rightup; asked all about the mountain pastures an' whether we kep' a closeguard. She says they was heading for there. While I go after 'em, youride like the mill tails o' hell an' bring out Bull an' Jake."

  That crude but strong expression accurately described Gordon's progresshomeward. While his beast scrambled like a cat up one side of theravine, slid like a four-footed avalanche down the other, and streakedlike a shooting star up and down the long earth rolls, he learned moreof horsemanship than during all his previous years. Lee, who saw himcoming from the upper gallery above the _patio_, nodded her approval.Such haste, of course, had but one interpretation--raiders; and by thetime Gordon dashed into the compound she was already mounted and a freshbeast waiting for him.

  "They are up in the Canon del Norte," she answered his inquiry for Bulland Jake. "Come on!"

  "You are surely not thinking of--"

  Before he could finish, however, she shot under the gate arch; was offat a speed that kept him galloping his hardest to keep her in sight. Notuntil she slowed down on the rough trail that led into the canon, withinsight of Bull and Jake, who had just roped a foal for branding, did hecatch her. But it was just as well, for that which he would have saidcame with more authority from the lips of Bull.

  "All right, Missy. There's on'y four, so you don't need to be skeered.You kin go right back home with Gordon an' leave us to take keer ofthem."

  "Indeed I won't!" she exclaimed, hotly. "I'm going, too! I am! I am!"She cut off his remonstrance. "I am! I am! _I am!_"

  It was the first time their wills had clashed. Bull glanced at Jake, whoshook his head--not that he required support or intended to waste timein fruitless argument. "You mean that?" His glance, grave with sterndisapproval, came back to Lee.

  It hurt her. But though her lips quivered, she answered, doggedly: "Ido! I _won't_ go back."

  "Very well. We've no time to waste. Ride on while I cut this foalloose." But as she obeyed, with one flick of the wrist he roped herabove the elbows from behind. Then, in spite of angry protests thatended in tears, he cinched her little feet from stirrup to stirrup.

  "Now take her home." Handing the lead rope to Gordon, he leaped into thesaddle and galloped after Jake.

  Till they disappeared, Lee looked after, wavering between anger andtears. Tears won. Bowing her fair head, she wept unreservedly for fullya minute. Realizing then that she was gaining nothing but swollen eyesand a red nose, she stopped crying and turned to Gordon with a littlelaugh.

  "Isn't this ridiculous? Please untie me."

  But now she found herself gazing into the sullen face of a young manwho, through her, had been cut out of a real fight. He shook his head.

  "You _won't_?"

  "No."

  "Why?"

  "You'd go after them."

  They looked at each other. Her eyes were now gleaming brightly above twored spots; but he met their gaze with stubborn obstinacy.

  "You mean to say that you are going to take me home tied up like a vealcalf?"

  He nodded.

  Biting her lips, she looked at him again. "Do you realize, sir, that younever set eyes on me till a week ago?"

  "Sure!"

  "Also that you are my hired man?"

  He nodded again.

  "Very well, you're fired! Now untie this rope, then get off my land!"

  But even this was turned against her. "I don't have to. I'm no longeryour servant. I'll get off your land, yes--after I've delivered you atyour home."

  If looks could kill, to use that hackneyed but still expressive term, hewould have died there and then. But they don't, and, masking his owndisappointment with a hypocritically cheerful whistle, he turned hisbeast and rode down the canon, towing her behind.

  It was dre
adfully humiliating, and, being a girl, she cried somemore--this time for sheer anger. But soon her tears dried and she fellinto deep musing. Soon a small smile restored its softness to her mouth.Her voice, seductively pleasant, mingled with the tramp of hoofs. "Won'tyou _please_ untie me? The rope is hurting my arms."

  He stopped, pulled her horse up alongside, and as he began to fumblewith the ropes she turned her head so that he could not see her smile.It was transmuted into a flash of fury when, finding the rope a littleloose, he drew it tighter.

  "I thought you were a gentleman!" she shot it viciously at his back ashe rode on. "Gentlemen don't tie up ladies!"

  "Ladies don't fire men for obeying orders. You needn't think I'menjoying this. Just because you shoved in where you were not wanted, Ihave to go back."

  She did not like that, either. What girl would? Once more she bit herlip, yet, for all her anger, a touch of respect mingled with herresentment. Concerned principally with his own disappointment, he rodeon without looking back and so missed the little persistent wriggles bywhich she gradually freed one hand. Soon she was able, by leaningforward, to reach and draw her saddle _machete_. Indeed, she worked withsuch caution that he got his first warning when, with one slash, she cutthe rope between them. By the time he had swung his beast around she wasgoing like the wind back up the canon.

  Her mocking laughter came floating back.