CHAPTER XIV
A PORTENTOUS INTERVIEW
Tresler was in no way blind to the quality of the armistice that hadbeen arranged between himself and Jake. He knew full well that thatpeaceful interim would be used by Jake to raise earthworks of theearthiest kind, and to train his guns with deadly accuracy upon hisenemy. Well, so he wanted. His purpose was to draw his adversary'sfire directly upon himself. As he had said, to do anything to help thegirl he loved, he must himself be in the fighting line. And from themoment of his doubtful compact with Jake he felt that he was not onlyin the fighting line, but that, if all he had heard on the subject ofRed Mask was true, he would become the centre of attack. There was apleasant feeling of excitement and uncertainty in his position, and hefollowed Jake all the more eagerly to the presence of the rancher,only wondering in what manner the forthcoming interview was to affectmatters.
Julian Marbolt had not left his bedroom when they arrived at thehouse. Diane, looking a little anxious when she saw these twotogether, showed them into her father's office. She was half disposedto refuse Jake's request that she should summon the blind man, but asmiling nod from Tresler decided her.
"Very well, Jake," she replied coldly. "You won't best please fatherunless the matter is important." This was said merely to conceal herreal knowledge of the object of the visit.
If Jake understood he gave no sign. But he had seen and resented thesilent assurance Tresler had given her. His angry eyes watched her asshe went off; and as she disappeared he turned to his companion, whohad seated himself by the window.
"Guess you ain't figgered on the 'old man' 'bout her?" he said.
"That, I think, is strictly my affair," Tresler replied coldly.
Jake laughed, and sat down near the door. The answer had no effect onhim.
"Say, I guess you ain't never had a cyclone hit you?" he askedmaliciously. "It'll be interestin' to see when you tell him.Maybe----"
Whatever he was about to say was cut short by the approach of therancher. And it was wonderful the change that came over the man as hesat listening to the tap-tap of the blind man's stick in the passage.He watched the door uneasily, and there was a short breathlessattention about him. Tresler, watching, could not help thinking of theapproach of some Eastern potentate, with his waiting courtiers andsubjects rubbing their faces in the dust lest his wrath should bevisited upon them. He admitted that Jake's attitude just now was histrue one.
At the door Julian Marbolt stood for a moment, doing by means of hiswonderful hearing what his eyes failed to do for him. And the marvelof it was that he faced accurately, first toward Tresler, then towardJake. He stood like some tall, ascetic, gray-headed priest, garbed ina dressing-gown that needed but little imagination to convert into acassock. And the picture of benevolence he made was only marred by thestaring of his dreadful eyes.
"Well, Jake?" he said, in subdued, gentle tones. "What trouble hasbrought you round here at this hour?"
"Trouble enough," Jake responded, with a slight laugh. "Tresler herebrings it, though."
The blind man turned toward the window and instinctively focussed theyounger man, and somehow Tresler shivered as with a cold draught whenthe sightless eyes fixed themselves upon him.
"Ah, you Tresler. Well, we'll hear all about it." Marbolt movedslowly, though without the aid of his stick now, over to the table,and seated himself.
"It's the old trouble," said Jake, when his master had settledhimself. "The cattle 'duffers.' They're gettin' busy--busy around thisranch again."
"Well?" Marbolt turned to Tresler; his action was a decided snub toJake.
Tresler took his cue and began his story. He told it almost exactly ashe had told it to Jake, but with one slight difference: he gave noundue emphasis to his presence in the vicinity of the house. AndMarbolt listened closely, the frowning brows bespeaking hisconcentration, and his unmoving eyes his fixed attention. He listenedapparently unmoved to every detail, and displayed a wonderfulpatience while Tresler went point for point over his arguments infavor of his suspicions of Anton. Once only he permitted his sightlessglance to pass in Jake's direction, and that was at the linking of theforeman's name with Tresler's suspicions. As his story came to an endthe blind man rested one elbow on the table, and propped his chin uponhis hand. The other hand coming into contact with a ruler lyingadjacent, he picked it up and thoughtfully tapped the table, while thetwo men waited for him to speak.
At last he turned toward his foreman, and, with an impressive gesture,indicated Tresler.
"This story is nothing new to us, Jake," he said. Then for a momenthis voice dropped, and took on a pained tone. "I only wish it were;then we could afford to laugh at it. No, there can be no laughinghere. Past experience has taught us that. It is a matter of thegreatest seriousness--danger. So much for the main features. But thereare side issues, suspicions you have formed," turning back to Tresler,"which I cannot altogether accept. Mind, I do not say flatly that youare wrong, but I cannot accept them without question.
"Jake here has had suspicions of Anton. I know that, though he hasnever asserted them to me in so direct a fashion as apparently he hasto you." He paused: then he went on in an introspective manner. "I amgetting on in years. I have already had a good innings right here onthis ranch. I have watched the country develop. I have seen thesettlers come, sow the seeds of their homesteads and small ranches,and watched the crop grow. I have rented them grazing. I have soldthem stock. I have made money, and they have made money, and thecountry has prospered. It is good to see these things; good for me,especially, for I was the first here. I have been lord of the land,and Jake my lieutenant. The old Indian days have gone, and I havelooked for nothing but peace and prosperity. I wanted prosperity, forI admit I love it. I am a business man, and I do everything inconnection with this ranch on a sound business basis. Not like many ofthose about me. In short, I am here to make money. And why not? I ownthe land."
The last was said as though in argument. Tresler could not help beingstruck by the manner in which he alluded to the making of money. Therewas an air of the miser about him when he spoke of it, a hardnessabout the mouth which the close-trimmed beard made no pretense ofconcealing. And there was a world of arrogance in the way he said, "Iown the land." However, he was given no time for further observation,for Marbolt seemed to realize his own digression and came backabruptly to the object of his discourse.
"Then this spectre, Red Mask, comes along. He moves with the mysteryof the Wandering Jew, and, like that imaginary person, scourges thecountry wherever he goes, only in a different manner. Anton had beenwith me three years when this raider appeared. Since then there havebeen no less than twenty-eight robberies, accompanied more or less bymanslaughter." He became more animated and leaned forward in hischair, pointing the ruler he still held in his hand at Tresler as henamed the figures. His red eyes seemed to stare harder and his heavybrows to knit more closely across his forehead. "Yes," he reiterated,"twenty-eight robberies. And I, with others, have estimated the numberand value of stock that has been lost to this scoundrel. In roundfigures five thousand head of cattle, one hundred and fifty thousanddollars, whisked away, spirited out of this district alone in thecourse of a few years. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars; onehundred and fifty thousand," he mouthed the words as though hedelighted in the sound of so large a sum of money. Then his wholemanner changed. A fiend could not have looked more vicious. "And inall I have lost five hundred beeves to him. Five hundred," he cried,his voice high-pitched in his anger, "fifteen thousand dollars,besides horses, and--and some of my men wounded, even killed."
Again he ceased speaking, and relapsed into a brooding attitude. Andthe two men watched him. His personality fascinated Tresler. He evenbegan to understand something of the general fear he inspired. Hethought of Jake who had been so many years with him, and he thought heunderstood something of the condition he must inspire in any one of nogreat moral strength who remained with him long. Then he thought ofDiane, and moved uneasily. He remembered
Jake's allusion to a cyclone.
At Tresler's movement the blind man roused at once and proceeded withhis story.
"And he roams this country at large, unchecked, unopposed. Working hiswill whithersoever he fancies, unseen, unknown but for his sobriquet.And you claim he and Anton are one. This great man--for in his way heis great, head and shoulders above all other criminals, by reason ofthe extent of his exploits. Pshaw!"--his tone was scoffing--"let metell you, on three different nights when this monster was abroad,carrying destruction in his path, Anton was driving me. Or, at least,was with me, having driven me into Forks on one occasion, and twice inthe neighborhood of Whitewater. No, I am aware that Anton is ablack-leg, or has been one, but he has served me well and truly sincehe has been my servant. As for the saddle-marks," he leaned back inhis chair and his gentle smile returned slowly to his face. "No, no,Tresler, that is insufficient. Remember, Anton is a Breed, a youngman, and, as Breeds go, good-looking. There is a Breed camp in theneighborhood where they indulge in all the puskies and orgies nativeto them. We must question him. I expect he has taken French leave withmy horses."
"But you forget the Breed camp has gone," put in Jake quickly. "Sincethe comin' of the sheriff and his men to Forks they've cleared out,and, as yet, we ain't located 'em. I expect it's the hills."
"Just so, Jake," replied Marbolt, turning to the foreman coldly. "Iforgot that you told me of it before. But that makes littledifference. I have no doubt Anton knows where they are. Now," he wenton, turning again to Tresler, "I hold no brief for Anton inparticular. If I thought for a moment it were so," a sudden storm ofvindictiveness leapt into his tone, "I would hound him down, and benear while they hung him slowly to death on one of our own trees. Iwould willingly stand by while he was put to the worst possibletortures, and revel in his cries of agony. Don't mistake me. If youcould prove Anton to be the rascal, he should die, whatever theconsequences. We would wait for no law. But you are all on the wrongtrail, I feel sure."
He had dropped back into his old soft-spoken manner, and Tresler feltlike hating him for the vileness of the nature he displayed.
"You plead well for Anton, Mr. Marbolt," he could not help saying,"but after what I heard last night, I cannot believe he is not inleague with these people."
It was an unfortunate remark, and brought the biting answer that mighthave been expected.
"I plead for no man, Tresler. Most certainly not for a Breed. I showyou where you are wrong. Your inexperience is lamentable, but youcannot help it." He paused, but went on again almost at once. "Since Icannot persuade you, go with your story to the sheriff. Let him judgeof your evidence, and if a man of Fyles's undoubted skill andshrewdness acts upon it, I'll pay you one hundred dollars."
Tresler saw the force of the other's reply, but resented the tone,while he still remained utterly unconvinced of Anton's innocence.Perhaps the blind man realized his unnecessary harshness, for hequickly veered round again to his low-voiced benignity. And Jake,interested but silent, sat watching his master with an inscrutablelook in his bold eyes and a half smile on his hard face.
"No, Tresler," he said, "we can set all that part of it on one side.You did quite right to come to me, though," he added hastily; "I thankyou heartily. From past experience we have learned that yourapparition means mischief. It means that a raiding expedition isafoot. Maybe it was committed last night. I suppose," turning to Jake,"you have not heard?"
"No." Jake shook his head.
"Well, we are forewarned, thanks to you, Tresler," the other went ongravely. "And it shan't be my fault if we are not forearmed. We mustsend a warning round to the nearest homesteads. I really don't knowwhat will happen if this goes on much longer."
"Why not take concerted action? Why not resort to what was recentlysuggested--a vigilance party?" Tresler put in quickly.
The other shook his head and turned to Jake for support. But none wasforthcoming. Jake was watching that strong sightless face, gazing intoit with a look of bitter hatred and sinister intentness. This changeso astonished Tresler that he paid no attention to the rancher'sreply.
And at once Marbolt's peculiar instinct asserted itself. He faced fromone to the other with a perplexed frown, and as his red eyes fellfinally upon the foreman, that individual's whole expression wasinstantly transformed to one of confusion. And Tresler could not helpcalling to mind the schoolboy detected in some misdemeanor. At firstthe confusion, then the attempt at bland innocence, followed by doggedsullenness. It was evident that Jake's conscience blinded him to thefact of the other's sightless gaze.
"What say you, Jake? We can only leave it to the sheriff and be on ourguard."
The foreman fumbled out his reply almost too eagerly.
"Yes," he said, "sure; we must be on our guard. Guess we'd better sendout night guards to the different stations." He stretched himself withan assumption of ease. Then suddenly he sat bolt upright and apeculiar expression came into his eyes. Tresler detected the halfsmile and the side glance in his own direction. "Yes," he went on,composedly enough now, "partic'larly Willow Bluff."
"Why Willow Bluff?" asked the rancher, with some perplexity.
"Why? Why? Because we're waitin' to ship them two hundred beeves tothe coast. They're sold, you remember, an' ther's only them twoBreeds, Jim an' Lag Henderson, in charge of 'em. Why, it 'ud be pie, adead soft snap fer Red Mask's gang. An' the station's that lonesome.All o' twenty mile from here."
Julian Marbolt sat thinking for a moment. "Yes, you're right," heagreed at last. "We'll send out extra night guards. And you'd bestdetail two good, reliable men for a few days at Willow Bluff. Onlythoroughly reliable men, mind. You see to it."
Jake turned to Tresler at once, his face beaming with a maliciousgrin. And the latter understood. But he was not prepared for theskilful trap which his archenemy was baiting for him, and into whichhe was to promptly fall.
"How'd it suit you, Tresler?" he asked. Then without waiting for areply he went on, "But ther', I guess it wouldn't do sendin' you. Youain't the sort to get scrappin' hoss thieves. It wants grit. It'stough work an' needs tough men. Pshaw!"
Tresler's blood was up in a moment. He forgot discretion andeverything else under the taunt.
"I don't know that it wouldn't do, Jake," he retorted promptly. "Itseems to me your remarks come badly from a man who has reason toknow--to remember--that I am capable of holding my own with most men,even those big enough to eat me."
He saw his blunder even while he was speaking. But he was red-hot withindignation and didn't care a jot for the consequences. And Jake cameat him. If the foreman's taunt had roused him, it was nothing to theeffect of his reply. Jake crossed the room in a couple of strides andhis furious face was thrust close into Tresler's, and, in a voicehoarse with passion, he fairly gasped at him--
"I ain't fergot. An' by G----"
But he got no further. A movement on the part of the rancherinterrupted him. Before he realized what was happening the blind manwas at his side with a grip on his arm that made him wince.
"Stop it!" he cried fiercely. "Stop it, you fool! Another word and,blind as I am, I'll----" Jake struggled to release himself, butMarbolt held him with almost superhuman strength and slowly backed himfrom his intended victim. "Back! Do you hear? I'll have no murder donein here--unless I do it myself. Get back--back, blast you!" And Jakewas slowly, in spite of his continued struggles, thrust against thewall. And then, as he still resisted, Marbolt pushed the muzzle of arevolver against his face. "I'll drop you like a hog, if youdon't----"
But the compelling weapon had instant effect, and the foreman'sresistance died out weakly.
The whole scene had occurred so swiftly that Tresler simply stoodaghast. The agility, the wonderful sureness and rapidity of movementon Marbolt's part were staggering. The whole thing seemed impossible,and yet he had seen it; and the meaning of the stories of this man hehad listened to came home to him. He was, indeed, something to fear.The great bullying Jake was a child in his hands. Now like a whippedchild, he stood
with his back to the wall, a picture of hate and fury.
With Jake silenced Marbolt turned on him. His words were few butsufficient.
"And as for you, Tresler," he said coldly, "keep that tongue of yourseasy. I am master here."
There was a brief silence, then the rancher returned to the subjectthat had caused the struggle.
"Well, what about the men for Willow Bluff, Jake?"
It was Tresler who answered the question, and without a moment'shesitation.
"I should like to go out there, Mr. Marbolt. Especially if there'slikely to be trouble."
It was the only position possible for him after what had gone before,and he knew it. He glanced at Jake and saw that, for the moment atleast, his hatred for his employer had been set aside. He was smilinga sort of tigerish smile.
"Very well, Tresler," responded the rancher. "And you can choose yourown companion. You can go and get ready. Jake," turning to the other,"I want to talk to you."
Tresler went out, feeling that he had made a mess of things. He gaveJake credit for his cleverness, quite appreciating the undying hatethat prompted it. But the thing that was most prominent in histhoughts was the display the blind man had given him. He smiled whenhe thought of Jake's boasted threats to Diane; how impotent theyseemed now. But the smile died out when he remembered he, himself, hadyet to face the rancher on the delicate subject of his daughter. Heremembered only too well Jake's reference to a cyclone, and he madehis way to the bunkhouse with no very enlivening thoughts.
In the meantime the two men he had just left remained silent until thesound of his footsteps had quite died out. Then Marbolt spoke.
"Jake, you are a damned idiot!" he said abruptly.
The foreman made no answer and the other went on.
"Why can't you leave the boy alone? He's harmless; besides he's usefulto me--to us."
"Harmless--useful?" Jake laughed bitterly. "Pshaw, I guess yourblindness is gettin' round your brains!"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it 'ud have been better if you'd let me--wipe him out. Betterfor us--for you."
"I don't see; you forget his money." The blind man's tone was verylow. "You forget he intends to buy a ranch and stock. You forget thathe has twenty-five thousand dollars to expend. Bah! I'll never make abusiness man of you."
"And what about your girl?" Jake asked, quite unmoved by the other'sexplanation.
"My girl?" Marbolt laughed softly. "You are always harping on that. Hewill leave my girl alone. She knows my wishes, and will--shall obeyme. I don't care a curse about him or his affairs. But I want hismoney, and if you will only see to your diabolical temper, I'll--we'llhave it. Your share stands good in this as in all other deals."
It was the foreman's turn to laugh. But there was no mirth in it. Itstopped as suddenly as it began, cut off short.
"He will leave your girl alone, will he?" he said, with a sneer. "Say,d'you know what he was doin' around this house last night when he sawthose hoss-thief guys, or shall I tell you?"
"You'd better tell me," replied the rancher, coldly.
"He was after your girl. Say, an' what's more, he saw her. An' what'sstill more, she's promised to be his wife. He told me."
"What's that? Say it again." There was an ominous calmness in theblind man's manner.
"I said he was after your girl, saw her, andshe's--promised--to--be--his--wife."
"Ah!"
Then there was a silence for some minutes. The red eyes were frowningin the direction of the window. At last the man drew a deep breath,and Jake, watching him, wondered what was coming.
"I'll see her," he said slowly, "and I'll see him--after he comes backfrom Willow Bluff."
That was all, but Jake, accustomed to Julian Marbolt's every mood,read a deal more than the words expressed. He waited for what elsemight be coming, but only received a curt dismissal in tones so sharpthat he hurried out of the room precipitately.
Once clear of the verandah he walked more slowly, and his eyes turnedin the direction of the bunkhouse. All the old hatred was stirredwithin him as he saw Tresler turn the angle of the building anddisappear within its doorway.
"Guess no one's goin' to see you--after Willow Bluff," he muttered."No one."