CHAPTER VII
TWO MESSAGES
Because Dick had always lived a clean, outdoor life he ralliedmagnificently from the relapse into which his indiscretion had thrownhim. For a few days Dr. Watson was worried by reason of the danger ofblood-poisoning, but the splendid vitality of his patient quickly swepthim out of danger. Soon he was hobbling round with a cane, and shortlyafter was able to take long rides over the country with his friend.
On one of these occasions, while they were climbing a hill trail, Davisbroke a long silence to say aloud to himself: "There's just one way toaccount for it."
"Then it can't be a woman you're thinking of," Dick laughed; "for as faras I can make out there's always several ways to account for them, andthe one you guess usually ain't right."
"You've said it, son. It's a woman. I been doing some inquiring aboutthis Miss Valdes, and from all telling she's the prettiest ever."
"I could have told you that. It ain't a secret."
"I notice you didn't tell me."
"You didn't ask, you old geezer."
"Sho! You ain't such a clam when it comes to pretty girls. You didn'ttalk about her, because your haid's been full of her. It don't take amind-reader to know that."
"You're ce'tainly a wizard, Steve," came back his partner dryly.
"I know you and your little ways by this time."
"So I'm in love, am I?"
"You're there, or traveling there mighty fast. Course I don't know aboutthe lady."
"What don't you know about her?" asked Dick, who was by way of beingboth amused and pleased that the subject had been broached.
"How she feels about the proposition. She had you kicked out of thehouse. That looks kinder as if your show was slim. She did send overright often to see how you was getting along, but I reckon she didn'twant to feel responsible for your turning up your toes. Women are thatway, even when they hate a man real thorough."
"You're quite an expert. I wonder you know so much about them, and younever married."
To this sarcastic reminder Steve made philosophic reply. "Mebbe it wasbecause I knew so much about them I never married."
"You're surely a wise old rooster. You think she hates me, then?"
Davis covered a grin. He knew from his friend's tone that the barb hadpierced the skin.
"Well, looking at it like a reasonable man, there ain't any questionabout it. Soon as you begin to mend she quits taking any interest inyou; don't know you're on the earth any more. A reasonable man----"
"A reasonable goat!" Dick reined up till the other horse was abreast ofhis, then dived into his pocket and handed Steve a letter. "She's quittaking any interest in me, has she? Don't know I'm on the earth, you oldowl? Looks like it, and her sending me a letter this very day."
Steve turned the square envelope around and weighed it in his hand.
"Am I to read this here _billy doo_?" he wanted to know.
"Yes, sir."
Gravely the old miner opened and read the following:
"Miss Valdes begs to inform Mr. Gordon that she has reason to fear Mr. Gordon's life is not safe in the present feeling of the country. Out of regard for her people, whom she would greatly regret to see in trouble, Miss Valdes would recommend Mr. Gordon to cut short his pleasure trip to New Mexico. Otherwise Miss Valdes declines any responsibility for the result."
"Can't be called very affectionate, can it?" was Mr. Davis's comment."Ain't it jest a leetle mite--well, like she was writing with a pokerdown her back?"
"I didn't say it was affectionate," snorted the young man.
"Oh, I allowed you thought she was in love with you."
"I didn't say or think anything of the kind," protested Dickindignantly. "I said she hadn't forgotten me."
"Well, she ain't, if that's any comfort."
With which, Mr. Davis handed back the letter. "What did you answer tothe _billy doo_?"
"I said that Mr. Gordon presented his compliments and begged to replythat he had large business interests in this part of the country thatnecessitated a visit of some length, and probably in the end a permanentresidence here; and that he would very fully absolve Miss Valdes of anyresponsibility for his remaining."
"Both of you used up a heap of dictionary words; but that wasn't so bad,either," grinned Steve. "You got back at her, all right, for the'pleasure trip' part of her letter, but I expect you and she woulddisagree as to what that 'permanent residence' means. I hope it won't bemore permanent than you think."
From the rocks above came the sound of an exploding rifle. Dick's hatwas lifted from his head as by a gust of wind. Immediately after theycaught sight of a slim, boyish figure dodging among the rocks.
"There he goes," cried Dick; and he slid from his saddle and took up thechase.
"Come back. There may be several of them up there," called the oldminer.
Gordon paid no attention; and Steve had nothing left to do but followhim up the rocky hillside.
"He'll spoil that game leg of his again, first thing he knows," theold-timer growled as he followed in the rear.
Presently a second shot rang out. Davis hastened forward as fast as hecould.
At the top of the ridge he came on his companion sitting behind a rock.
"Lost him in these rocks, did you?" he asked.
A sardonic smile lit up the face of his friend.
"No, Steve, I found him; but he persuaded me I oughtn't to travel sofast on this leg. You see, he had a rifle, and my six-gun wasoutclassed. I couldn't get into range, and decided to hunt cover, afterhe took another crack at me."
"I should think you'd know better than to go hunting bear with atwenty-two."
"It ain't a twenty-two; but, for a fact, it don't carry a mile. I gotwhat I want, though. I know who the gentleman is."
"Sure it wasn't a lady, Dick?"
"Don't you, Steve," warned Gordon. "She's a lady and a Christian. Youwouldn't say that if you knew her. Besides, she saved my life."
"Who was it? That Pesky fellow?"
"No. He's hot-blooded; but he wouldn't strike below the belt. He's agentleman. This was one of the lads on her home-place, aneighteen-year-old boy named Pedro. He's in love with her. I saw it soonas I set eyes on him the day I went there. He worships her as if shewere a saint. Of course, he loves her without any hope; but that doesn'tkeep him from being jealous of me. He's heard about the row, and hethinks he'll do her a service by putting me out of the game."
"Sort of fix you up with that permanent residence you were talkingabout," suggested Steve.
"He didn't make good this time, anyhow. I'll bet a hat he'd catch it ifMiss Valdes knew what he had been doing."
"She may be a Christian and all you say, Dick, but she don't run aSunday school on her ranch and train these young greasers proper. Idon't like this ambushing. They might git the wrong man."
"I'm not partial to it, myself. That lead pill hummed awful close tome."
They had by this time returned to the road, and Dick picked up his hatfrom the dust. There were two little round holes in the crown, and onein the brim.
"If he had shot an inch lower I would have qualified for that permanentresidence, Steve," Dick laughed.
"Hmp! Let's get out of here _pronto_, Dick. I'm darned if I like to bethe target at a shooting gallery. And next time I go riding there'sgoing to be a good old Winchester lying over my saddle-horn."
Now, as very chance would have it, Miss Valdes, too, rode the hill trailthat afternoon; and every step of the broncos lessened the distancebetween them.
They met at a turn of the steep path. Davis was in the lead, and thegirl passed him just in time to meet Dick's bow. It was a veryrespectful bow; but there was a humorous irony in the gray eyes that methers, which hinted at a different story. She made as if to pass him,but, on an impulse, reined in. His ventilated hat came off again, as hewaited for her to speak.
For an instant she let her gaze rest in his, the subdued crimson of hercheeks triumphant over the olive. But the c
olor was not ofembarrassment, and in her eyes shone the spirit of a descendant of oldDon Alvaro de Valdes y Castillo. She sat her mount superbly; as jimp anderect as a willow sapling.
"You received a message from me this morning, sir," she said haughtily.
"Yes, Miss Valdes; I received a message from you this morning andanswered it. This afternoon I received one from one of your friends; butI haven't answered that yet."
As he spoke he let his eyes fall upon the hat in his hand.
Hers followed his, and she started in spite of herself.
"Did--did--were you shot at?" she asked, with dilating eyes.
"Oh, well! He didn't hit me. It's not worth mentioning."
"Not worth mentioning? Who did it, sir? I demand to know who did it?"
He hesitated as he picked his words.
"You see--well--he was behind a rock, and not very close, at that."
"But you knew him. I demand his name. He shall be punished. I myselfwill see to that."
"I'll do what punishing needs to be done, Miss Valdes. Much obliged toyou, just the same."
Her eyes flashed.
"You forget, sir, that they are my people. I gave orders--the verystrictest orders. I told them that, no matter what you did or how faryou went, you were not to be molested."
"How far I went? You've been served with a legal notice, then? I thoughtyou must have by this time."
"Yes, sir, I have. But neither on that nor any other subject do I desireany conversation with you."
"Of course not, me being a spy and all those other things youmentioned," he said quietly.
"I stopped to tell you only one thing. You must leave this country.Prosecute your suit from a distance. My people are wrought up. You seefor yourself now." Her gauntlet indicated the hat.
"They do seem to be enthusiastic about hating me," he agreed pleasantly."I suppose I'm not what you would call popular here."
She gave a gesture of annoyance.
"Can't you understand that this is no time for flippancy? Can't you makehim see it, sir?" she called to Davis.
That gentleman shook his head.
"He'll go his own way, I expect. He always was that bull-headed."
"Firm--I call it," smiled Gordon.
"I ask you to remember that he has had his warning," the girl called toSteve.
"I've had several," acknowledged Dick, his eyes again on the hat. "Therewon't be anybody to blame but myself."
"You know who shot at you. I saw it in your face. Tell me, and I willsee that he is punished," she urged.
Dick shook his head imperturbably.
"No; I reckon that wouldn't do. I'm playing a lone hand. You're on theother side. How can I come and ask you to fight my battles for me? Thatwouldn't be playing the game. I'll attend to the young man that mistookme for a rabbit."
"Very well. As you like. But you are quite mistaken if you think I askedon your account. He had disobeyed my orders, and he deserved to pay forit. I have no further interest in the matter."
"Certainly. I understand that. What interest could Miss Valdes have in aspy and a cheat?" he drawled negligently.
The young woman flushed, made as if to speak, then turned away abruptly.
She touched her pony with the spur, and as it took the outside of theslanting, narrow trail, its hoof slipped on loose gravel and went overthe edge. Dick's arm went out like a streak of lightning and caught therein.
For an instant the issue hung in doubt whether he could hold the broncoand save her a nasty fall. The taut muscles of his lean arm and bodygrew rigid with the strain before the animal found its feet and thepath.
"Thank you," the young woman said quietly, and at once disengaged therein from his fingers by a turn of the pony's head.
Yet a moment, and she had disappeared round a bend in the trail. Gordonhad observed with satisfaction that there had been no sign of fear inher eyes at the danger she faced, no screaming or wild clutching at hisarm for help. Her word of thanks to him had been as cool and low as therest of her talk.
"She's that game. Ain't she a thoroughbred, Steve?" demanded Dick, withdeep delight in his fair foe.
"You bet she is. It's a shame for you to be annoying her this way. Whydon't you come to an agreement with her?"
"She ain't ready for that yet. When the time comes I'll dictate theterms of the treaty. Don't you think it's about time for us to beheading back home?"
"Then we'll meet your lady of the ranch quicker, won't we?" chuckledDavis. "Funny you didn't think about going back till after she hadpassed."
But if Dick had hoped to see her again he was disappointed for that day,at least. They reached Corbett's with never another glimpse of her; norwas there any sign of her horse in front of the post office and generalstore.
"Must have taken that lower trail that leads back to the ranch,"hazarded Gordon.
"I reckon," agreed his friend. "Seems funny, too; her knowing you was onthe upper one."
"Guy me all you like. I can stand it," returned Dick cheerfully.
For he had scored once in spite of her. He had saved her from a fall, ata place where, to say the least, it would have been dangerous. She hadannounced herself indifferent to his existence; but the very fact thatshe had felt called upon to say so gave denial to the statement. Shemight hate him, and she probably did; at least, she had him on her minda good deal. The young man was sure of that. He was shrewdly of opinionthat his chances were better if she hated him than if she never thoughtof him at all.