IX
THE PRISONER
The prairie was shining white in the moonlight with the first frost whenTorrance, Hetty, and Miss Schuyler drove up to Allonby's ranch. They werelate in arriving and found a company of neighbours already assembled inthe big general room. It was panelled with cedar from the Pacific slope,and about the doors and windows were rich hangings of tapestry, but thedust was thick upon them and their beauty had been wasted by the moth.Tarnished silver candlesticks and lamps which might have come from Englanda century ago, and a scarred piano littered with tattered music, were inkeeping with the tapestry; for signs of taste were balanced by those ofneglect, while here and there a roughly patched piece of furnitureconveyed a plainer hint that dollars were scanty with Allonby. He was fromthe South, a spare, grey-haired man, with a stamp of old-fashioneddignity, and in his face a sadness not far removed from apathy and which,perhaps, accounted for the condition of his property.
His guests, among whom were a number of young men and women, were,however, apparently light-hearted, and had whiled away an hour or two withsong and badinage. A little removed from them, in a corner with the greatdusty curtain of a window behind her, sat Hetty Torrance with Allonby'snephew and daughter. Miss Allonby was pale and slight and silent; but hercousin united the vivacity of the Northerner with the distinction that isstill common in the South, and--for he was very young--Hetty found amischievous pleasure in noticing his almost too open admiration for FloraSchuyler, who sat close beside them. A girl was singing indifferently, andwhen she stopped, Miss Allonby raised her head as a rhythmical soundbecame audible through the closing chords of the piano.
"Somebody riding here in a hurry!" she said.
It was significant that the hum of voices which followed the music ceasedas the drumming of hoofs grew louder; the women looked anxious and the menglanced at one another. Tidings brought in haste were usually of momentthen. Torrance, however, stood up and smiled at the assembly.
"I guess some of those rascally rustlers have been driving off a steeragain," he said. "Can't you sing us something, Clavering?"
Clavering understood him, and it was a rollicking ballad he trolled outwith verve and spirit; but still, though none of the guests now showed itopenly, the anxious suspense did not abate, and by and by Miss Allonbysmiled at the lad beside her somewhat drily.
"Never mind the story, Chris. I guess we know the rest. That man is ridinghard, and you are as anxious as any of us," she said.
A minute or two later there was a murmur of voices below, and Allonby wentout. Nobody appeared to notice this, but the hum of somewhat meaninglesstalk which followed and the strained look in one or two of the women'sfaces had its meaning. Every eye was turned towards the doorway untilAllonby came back and spoke with Torrance apart. Then he smiledreassuringly upon his guests.
"You will be pleased to hear that some of our comrades have laid handsupon one of the leaders in the attack upon the jail," he said. "They wantto lodge him here until they can send for the Sheriff's posse, and ofcourse I could only agree. Though the State seems bent on treating ussomewhat meanly, we are, I believe, still loyal citizens, and I feel quitesure you will overlook any trifling inconvenience the arrival of theprisoner may cause you."
"Doesn't he put it just a little curiously?" suggested Flora Schuyler.
"Well," said Christopher Allonby, "it really isn't nice to have one of ourfew pleasant evenings spoiled by this kind of thing."
"You don't understand. I am quite pleased with your uncle, but there'ssomething that amuses me in the idea of jailing one's adversary frompatriotic duty."
Christopher Allonby smiled. "There's a good deal of human nature in mostof us, and it's about time we got even with one or two of them."
"Find out about it, Chris," said Miss Allonby; "then come straight backand tell us."
The young man approached a group of his elders who were talking together,and returned by and by.
"It was done quite smartly," he said. "One of the homestead boys who hadfallen out with Larry came over to us, and I fancy it was Clavering fixedthe thing up with him. The boys didn't know he had deserted them, and theman he took the oats to believed in him."
"I can't remember you telling a tale so one could understand it, Chris,"said Miss Allonby. "Why did he take the oats to him?"
The lad laughed. "They have their committees and executives, and when aman has to do anything they send a few grains of oats to him. One can'tsee much use in it, and we know 'most everything about them; but it makesthe thing kind of impressive, and the rustler fancied our boy was squarewhen he got them. He was to ride over alone and meet somebody from one ofthe other executives at night in a bluff. He went, and found a band ofcattle-boys waiting for him. I believe he hadn't a show at all, for theman who went up to talk to him grabbed his rifle, but it seems he managedto damage one or two of them."
"You don't know who he is?" asked Miss Allonby; and Flora Schuyler noticeda sudden intentness in Hetty's eyes.
"No," said the lad, "but the boys will be here with him by and by, and I'mglad they made quite sure of him, any way."
Hetty's eyes sparkled. "You can't be proud of them! It wasn't veryAmerican."
"Well, we can't afford to be too particular, considering what we have atstake; though it might have sounded nicer if they had managed itdifferently. You don't sympathize with the homestead boys, MissTorrance?"
"Of course not!" said Hetty, with a little impatient gesture. "Still, thatkind of meanness does not appeal to me. Even the men we don't like woulddespise it. They rode into the town without a cartridge in their rifles,and took out their friends in spite of the Sheriff, while the crowd lookedon."
"It was Larry Grant fixed that, and 'tisn't every day you can find a manlike him. It 'most made me sick when I heard he had gone over to therabble."
"You were a friend of his?" asked Flora Schuyler.
"Oh, yes;" and a little shadow crept into Allonby's face. "But, that'sover now. When a man goes back on his own folks there's only one way oftreating him, and it's not going to be nice for Larry if we can catch him.We're in too tight a place to show the man who can hurt us most muchconsideration."
Hetty turned her head a moment, and then changed the subject, but notbefore Flora Schuyler noticed the little flush in her cheek. The music,laughter, and gay talk began again, and if anyone remembered that whilethey chased their cares away grim men who desired their downfall toiledand planned, no sign of the fact was visible.
Twenty minutes passed, and then the thud of hoofs once more rose from theprairie. It swelled into a drumming that jarred harsh and portentousthrough the music, and Hetty's attention to the observations of hercompanions became visibly less marked. One by one the voices also seemedto sink, and it was evidently a relief to the listeners when a girl roseand closed the piano. Somebody made an effort to secure attention to awitty story, and there was general laughter, but it also ceased, and animpressive silence followed. Out of it came the jingle of bridles andtrampling of hoofs, as the men outside pulled up, followed by voices inthe hall, and once more Allonby went out.
"They're right under this window," said his nephew. "Slip quietly behindthe curtains, and I think you can see them."
Flora Schuyler drew the tapestry back, the rest followed her andChristopher Allonby flung it behind them, so that it shut out the light.In a moment or two their eyes had become accustomed to the change, andthey saw a little group of mounted men close beneath. Two of themdismounted, and appeared to be speaking to some one at the door, but therest sat with their rifles across their saddles and a prisoner in front ofthem. His hat was crushed and battered, his jacket rent, and FloraSchuyler fancied there was a red trickle down his cheek; but his face wasturned partly away from the window, and he sat very still, apparently withhis arms bound loosely at the wrists.
"All these to make sure of one man, and they have tied his hands!" shesaid.
Hetty noticed the ring in her companion's voice, and Allonby made a littledeprecato
ry gesture.
"It's quite evident they had too much trouble getting him to take anychances of losing him," he said. "I wish the fellow would turn his head. Ifancy I should know him."
A tremor ran through Hetty for she also felt she recognized that tatteredfigure. Then one of the horsemen seized the captive's bridle, and the manmade a slight indignant gesture as the jerk flung off his hands. FloraSchuyler closed her fingers tight.
"If I were a man I should go down and talk quite straight to them," shesaid.
The prisoner was sitting stiffly now, but he swayed in the saddle when oneof the cattle-men struck his horse and it plunged. He turned his head ashe did so, and the moonlight shone into his face. It was very white, andthere was a red smear on his forehead. Hetty gasped, and Flora Schuylerfelt her fingers close almost cruelly upon her arm.
"It's Larry!" she said.
Christopher Allonby nodded. "Yes, we have him at last," he said. "Ofcourse, one feels sorry; but he brought it on himself. They're going toput him into the stable."
The men rode forward, and when they passed out of sight Hetty slipped backfrom behind the curtain, and, sat down, shivering as she looked up at MissSchuyler.
"I can't help it, Flo. If one could only make them let him go!"
"You need not let any of them see it," said Miss Schuyler, sharply. "Sitquite still here and talk to me. Now, what right had those men to arresthim?"
The warning was sufficient. Hetty shook out her dress and laughed, thoughher voice was not steady.
"It's quite simple," she said. "The Sheriff can call out any citizen tohelp him or send any man off after a criminal in an emergency. Of course,being a responsible man he stands in with us, and in times like these thearrangement suits everybody. We do what seems the right thing, and theSheriff is quite pleased when we tell him."
Flora Schuyler smiled drily. "Yes. It's delightfully simple. Still,wouldn't it make the thing more square if the other men had a good-naturedSheriff, too?"
"Now you are laughing at me. The difference is that we are in the right."
"And Larry, of course, must be quite wrong!"
"No," said Hetty, "he is mistaken. Flo, you have got to help me--I'm goingto do something for him. Try to be nice to Chris Allonby. They'll send himto take care of Larry."
Miss Schuyler looked steadily at her companion. "You tried to make mebelieve you didn't care for the man."
A flush stole into Hetty's cheek, and a sparkle to her eyes. "Can't you doa nice thing without asking questions? Larry was very good to me foryears, and--I'm sorry for him. Any way, it's so easy. Chris is young, andyou could fool any man with those big blue eyes if he let you look athim."
Flora Schuyler made a half-impatient gesture, and then, sweeping her dressaside, made room for Christopher Allonby. She also succeeded so well withhim that when the guests had departed and the girls came out into thecorral where he was pacing up and down, he flung his cigar away andforsook his duty to join them. It was a long ride to Cedar Range, andTorrance had decided to stay with Allonby until morning.
"It was very hot inside--they would put so much wood in the stove," saidHetty. "Besides, Flo's fond of the moonlight."
"Well," said Allonby, "it's quite nice out here, and I guess Miss Schuylerought to like the moonlight. It's kind to her."
Flora Schuyler laughed as they walked past the end of the great woodenstable together. "If you look at it in one sense, that wasn't pretty. Youare guarding the prisoner?"
"Yes," said the lad, with evident diffidence. "The boys who brought himhere had 'bout enough of him, and they're resting, while ours are out onthe range. I'm here for two hours any way. It's not quite pleasant toremember I'm watching Larry."
"Of course!" and Miss Schuyler nodded sympathetically. "Now, couldn't youjust let us talk to him? The boys have cut his forehead, and Hetty wantedto bring him some balsam. I believe he used to be kind to her."
Allonby looked doubtful, but Miss Schuyler glanced at him appealingly--andshe knew how to use her eyes--while Hetty said:
"Now, don't be foolish, Chris. Of course, we had just to ask your uncle,but he would have wanted to come with us and would have asked so manyquestions, while we knew you would tell nobody anything. You know I can'thelp being sorry for Larry, and he has done quite a few nice things foryou, too."
"Miss Schuyler is going with you?"
"Of course," and Hetty smiled mischievously as she glanced at hercompanion. "Still, you needn't be jealous, Chris. I'll take the best careshe doesn't make love to him."
Flora Schuyler looked away across the prairie, which was not quite whatone would have expected from a young woman of her capacities; but thelaughing answer served to banish the lad's suspicions, and he walked withthem towards the door. Then he stopped, and when he drew a key from aninner pocket Hetty saw something twinkle in the moonlight at his belt.
"Chris," she said, "stand still for a minute and shut your eyes quitetight."
The lad did as he was bidden, for a few years ago he had been thecomplaisant victim of Hetty's pleasantries, and felt a light touch on hislips. Then, there was a pluck at his belt, and Hetty was several yardsaway when he made a step forward with his eyes wide open. She was laughingat him, but there was a pistol in her hand.
"It was only my fingers, Chris, and Flo wasn't the least nearer than sheis now," she said. "If you dared to think anything else, you would make metoo angry. We'll bring this thing back to you in five minutes, but youwouldn't have us go in there quite defenceless. Now you walk across thecorral, and wait until we tell you."
Allonby was very young, and somewhat susceptible. Hetty was also verypretty, and, he fancied, Miss Schuyler even prettier still; but he had afew misgivings, and when they went in closed the lower half of the doorand set his back to it.
"No," he said decisively, "I'm staying right here."
The girls made no demur, but when they had crossed a portion of the longbuilding Miss Schuyler touched her companion. "I'll wait where I am," shesaid drily, "you will not want me."
Hetty went on until she came to where the light of a lantern shone faintlyin a stall. A man sat there with his hands still bound and a wide redsmear upon his forehead. His face flushed suddenly as he glanced at her,but he said nothing.
"I'm ever so sorry, Larry," said the girl.
The man smiled, though it was evident to Hetty, whose heart beat fast,that it was only by an effort he retained his self-control.
"Well," he said, "it can't be helped, and it was my fault. Still, I neversuspected that kind of thing."
Hetty coloured. "Larry, you mustn't be bitter--but it was horribly mean. Icouldn't help coming--I was afraid you would fancy I was proud of them."
"No," he said, sternly. "I couldn't have fancied that. There was nothingelse?"
"Your head. It is horribly cut. We saw you from the window, and I fanciedI could tie it up for you. You wouldn't mind if I tried, Larry? I havesome balsam here, and I only want a little water."
For a moment Grant's face was very expressive, but once more he seemed toput a check upon himself, and his voice was almost too even as he pointedto the pitcher beside him. "There is some ready. Your friends don't treattheir prisoners very well."
The girl winced a little, but dipping her handkerchief in the pitcher shelaved his forehead, and then would have laid the dressing on it; but hecaught her hand.
"No," he said, "take mine instead."
"You needn't be quite too horrid, Larry," and there was a quiver in hervoice. "It wouldn't hurt you very much to take a little thing like thatfrom me."
Grant smiled very gravely. "I think you had better take mine. If theyfound a lady's handkerchief round my head, Allonby's folks would wonderhow it got there."
Hetty did as he suggested, and felt a curious chagrin when he failed tolook at her. "I used to wonder, Larry, how you were able to think ofeverything," she said. "Now I have brought you something else; but youmust promise not to hurt anybody belonging to Allonby with it."
&nbs
p; Grant laughed softly, partly to hide his astonishment, when he saw apistol laid beside him.
"I haven't grown bloodthirsty, Hetty," he said. "Where did you get it?"
"It was Chris Allonby's. Flo and I fooled him and took it away. It was sodelightfully easy. But you will keep it?"
He shook his head. "Just try to think, Hetty."
Hetty's cheeks flushed. "You are horribly unkind. Can't you take anythingfrom me? Still--you--have got to think now. If I let you go, you willpromise not to make any more trouble for my father and Allonby, oranybody?"
Grant only looked at her with an odd little smile, but the crimson grewdeeper in Hetty's cheek. "Oh, of course you couldn't. I was sorry the lasttime I asked you," she said. "Larry, you make me feel horribly mean; butyou would not do anything that would hurt them, unless it was quitenecessary?"
"No," said the man drily, "I don't think I'm going to have anopportunity."
"You are. I came to let you go. It will be quite easy. Chris is quitefoolish about Flo."
Grant shook his head. "Doesn't it strike you that it would be very roughon Chris?"
Hetty would not look at him, and her voice was very low. "If anyone mustbe hurt, I would sooner it was Chris than you."
He did not answer for a moment, and the girl, watching him in sidelongfashion, saw the grim restraint in his face, which grew almost grey inpatches.
"It is no use, Hetty," he said very quietly. "Chris would tell themnothing. There is no meanness in his father or him; but that wouldn't stophim thinking. Now, you will know I was right to-morrow. Take him back hispistol."
"Larry," said the girl, with a little quiver in her voice, "you are rightagain--I don't quite know why you were friends with me."
Grant smiled at her. "I haven't yet seen the man who was fit to brush thedust off your little shoes; but you don't look at these things quite as wedo. Now Chris will be getting impatient. You must go."
Hetty turned away from him, and while the man felt his heart throbbingpainfully and wondered whether his resolution would support him muchlonger, stood very still with one hand clenched. Then she moved backtowards him swiftly, with a little smile.
"There is a window above the beams, where they pitch the grain-bagsthrough," she said. "Chris will go away in an hour or so, and the otherman will only watch the door. There are horses in the corral behind thebarn, and I've seen you ride the wickedest broncho without a saddle."
She whisked away before the man, who felt a little, almost caressing,touch upon his arm; and heard something drop close beside him with arattle, could answer, and in less than a minute later smiling at ChrisAllonby gave him back his pistol.
"Do you know I was 'most afraid you were going to make trouble for me?" hesaid.
"But if I had you wouldn't have told."
The lad coloured. "You have known me quite a long time, Hetty."
Hetty laughed, but there was a thrill in her voice as she turned to MissSchuyler. "Now," she said, "you know the kind of men we raise on theprairie."
As they moved away together, Flora Schuyler cast a steady, scrutinizingglance at her companion. "I could have told you, Hetty," she said.
"Yes," said Hetty, with a little nod. "He wouldn't go, and I feel so meanthat I'm not fit to talk to you or anybody. But wait. You'll hearsomething before to-morrow."
It was not quite daylight when Miss Schuyler was awakened by a murmur ofvoices and a tramp of feet on the frozen sod. Almost at the same momentthe door of her room opened, and a slim, white figure glided towards thewindow. Flora Schuyler stood beside it in another second or two, and feltthat the girl whose arm she touched was trembling. The voices below grewlouder, and they could see two men come running from the stable, while oneor two others were flinging saddles upon the horses brought out in haste.
"He must have got away an hour ago," said somebody. "The best horseAllonby had in the corral isn't there now."
Then Hetty sat down laughing excitedly, and let her head fall back onFlora Schuyler's shoulder when she felt the warm girdling of her arm. Inanother moment she was crying and gasping painfully.
"He has got away. The best horse in the corral! Ten times as many of themcouldn't bring him back," she said.
"Hetty," said Miss Schuyler decisively, "you are shivering all through. Goback at once. He is all right now."
The girl gasped again, and clung closer to her companion. "Of course," shesaid. "You don't know Larry. If they had all the Cedar boys, too, he wouldride straight through them."