The Land of Strong Men

  CHAPTER XXII

  BROTHER TO BROTHER

  Jean was left in ignorance as to the occurrences of the night. Nofurther attempts were made to interfere with the ditch; but the flumeitself sagged in the middle by natural subsidence of the loose soil, andmuch of it had to be set up again. Angus was sick at heart, for thedamage done by the combination of hot winds and lack of water wasirreparable. Much of his crop would not be worth cutting.

  And this, of all times, was the one chosen by Jean to re-open thequestion of Turkey's return to the ranch. She urged Angus to ask him.Angus flatly refused.

  "He is our brother--our younger brother," Jean urged.

  "If he were fifty times my brother, I would not. I tell you he has wornout my patience, and I am glad he went. He made trouble enough when hewas on the ranch, and now--"

  But suddenly recollecting himself he broke off. Jean's face was grave.

  "Angus," she said, "what has Turkey done?"

  "Nothing," he replied sullenly.

  "That is not the truth, Angus."

  "Then whatever he has done it is more than enough. Let it go at that. Iwill not talk about it to you or any one."

  "The black dog is on you," Jean told him. "I have seen it for days."

  "And if it is, your talk doesn't call it off," Angus retorted, and leftthe house. And that night, being in a worse mood than ever, he threw asaddle on Chief and rode away to have it out with his brother.

  Turkey dwelt alone in a log shack on the outskirts of the town. Angushad never visited him, but he knew the place well enough. There was alight in the shack, and after listening a moment to make sure there wasnobody else there, he knocked. Turkey's voice bade him enter.

  Turkey was lying on a bunk reading by the light of a lamp drawn upbeside him, and his eyebrows lifted as he recognized his visitor.

  "It's you, is it?" he said.

  "I have come to talk to you," said Angus.

  "Then you'd better sit down while you're doing it," said Turkey, as hegot out of his bunk.

  Angus sat down. There was but one room, in which Turkey ate and slept.The walls were decorated with pictures cut from magazines. A rifle andshotgun leaned in a corner with a saddle beside them. At the head ofTurkey's bunk hung a holstered six-shooter. The place was tidy enough,save for burnt matches and cigarette butts which Turkey had carelesslythrown down.

  "To save time," Angus began, "I'll tell you that this is a show-down."Turkey's eyes narrowed at his tone, and the old, latent hostility sprangto life in them.

  "Then spread your hand," he said. Angus took the knife from his pocketand tossed it on the table.

  "That's yours, isn't it?"

  Turkey picked up the knife, surprise in his face.

  "You ought to know it."

  "I do know it."

  Turkey shrugged his shoulders. "All right. Thanks. Say whatever you haveto say, and don't stall."

  "I can say that in a few words," Angus returned. "It is not because youare my brother, but only for Jean's sake that I keep my hands off you.Do you get that?"

  "I can tell you another reason," Turkey retorted, his young facehardening, "which is that I won't let you put your hands on me. You'llget hurt if you try it. Now go on."

  "I want the names of the men who were with you."

  "What men? With me when?"

  "You know mighty well," Angus accused him.

  "All right, have it your own way."

  "I want their names."

  "Then keep on wanting them," Turkey returned. "If you think I know whatyou mean, keep on thinking it. Keep on having your own way, same asyou've always had. Same as you had when you got me to quit the ranch.Now you can go plumb, understand?"

  "Before I leave here," Angus said, "you will tell me what I want toknow, or--"

  "Or what?" Turkey demanded.

  "Or you will lie in that bunk for a week and be glad to do it," Angusfinished grimly. His young brother's eyes closed down to mere slits.

  "Get one thing straight," he said. "I'll take no more from you now thanI would from a stranger. Remember what I told you about keeping yourhands off me. I mean it!"

  "And so do I," said Angus rising. "No more nonsense, Turkey. Will youanswer my question?"

  Turkey was on his feet instantly. He took a step backward. "No," hesaid; "I won't tell you one damned thing. Keep away from me, Angus. Keepaway, or by--"

  Unheeding the warning, Angus sprang forward. Turkey dodged, leaped back,and his hand shot for the gun hanging by his bunk. It came out of itsholster. Angus swung his arm against it, and it roared in his ear. Hegrasped it as the hammer fell a second time, and the firing pin piercedthe web of his hand between thumb and finger. He ripped the weapon fromTurkey's weaker hands and threw it away. Then he lost control of himselfand let his anger have full sway.

  _Angus swung his arm against it, and it roared in hisear._]

  Turkey was a strong, active young fellow, but against his brother'sthews and bulk he was helpless. Angus did not strike him; he poured hisstrength in a flood upon the body in his grasp, shaking and worrying itas a great dog might worry a fox. But as the tremendous handling shookaway the last of Turkey's power of resistance, the door opened, therewere voices, a rush of feet, a hard fist came against Angus' ear, and anarm shot around his neck.

  With this assault sanity came to him. He caught the wrist of the arm andtwisted it, and he heard a yell of pain. He thrashed himself free,leaping back against the wall.

  The newcomers were Garland, Blake French, Gerald, Larry and two youngmen strangers to Angus. Blake French, nursing a twisted wrist, cursedhim.

  "By ----, he was trying to murder Turkey!" he declared.

  The younger Mackay swayed forward, his face white in the lamplight.

  "Shut up!" he said. "Don't talk damned foolishness!"

  "He was choking you," Garland cried. "Somebody used a gun. The room'sfull of powder smoke."

  "If you don't like smoke the air's good outside," Turkey told him.

  Angus stared at his young brother in amazement. He had expecteddenunciation.

  "This isn't your put in--any of you," Turkey declared.

  "But--"

  "But--nothing!" Turkey snapped. "Mind your own business, can't you! Whoasked you to horn in?"

  Gerald grinned, a certain admiration in his lazy eyes.

  "All right, Turkey, I get you completely. See you later. Come on, boys."

  When the door closed behind them Turkey dropped into a chair, shoved hishands into his pockets and stared at his brother.

  "You're a husky devil!" he said after an interval of silence. "What wereyou trying to do--kill me?"

  "I don't know," Angus admitted.

  "If you had been just a shade slower," said Turkey, "I would have blownyour head off. So I can't blame you much. Well--what happens now?"

  "Nothing," Angus replied. "I'll be going." Getting up he walked to thedoor, his anger replaced by shame and disgust. At the door he turned. "Iam sorry," he said, "and ashamed of myself. To prove it I will say whatI never thought to say, meaning it: Will you come back to the ranch?Jean wants you. Maybe we can make a fresh start."

  Turkey stared at him in amazement for a moment.

  "You didn't come here to say that, did you?"

  "No," Angus admitted. "But Jean wanted me to."

  "Oh, Jean!" said the younger man. "I get on with Jean all right. Butyou're doing it not because Jean wants you to, but to square yourselfwith yourself. You always were a sour, proud devil, so I know what itcosts you. I won't crowd you, though. I'm getting along all right thisway, and so are you. No, I won't go back."

  "Suit yourself," said Angus. Turkey nodded.

  "I wouldn't go back on a bet. Some day you can buy out my share of theranch cheap--that is if I have any share. That's up to you."

  "When I can afford it, I will pay you what your share is worth," Angustold him. "Father left me all he had, because I was the eldest and heknew I would deal fairly. I think it would be fair if we took a thi
rdeach. That is what I have always intended."

  "More than fair," Turkey admitted. "You have done most of the work. I'llhand you that much. So when the time comes, split my third two ways.I'll take one, and you and Jean can take the other."

  "You can do what you like with your share," Angus told him, "but ofcourse I will not touch one cent of it. Meanwhile the ranch isincreasing in value."

  "I know all that," Turkey replied. "Don't tell me you're working forme."

  "I will tell you this," said Angus, "anything that injures the ranchinjures you."

  Turkey eyed him for a moment.

  "Well?"

  "Well--remember it."

  "I'll try," said Turkey. "We don't get along well together. Best way isnot to be together. So after this you keep plumb away from me, and I'llkeep away from you. Does that go?"

  "Yes," said Angus. "And mind you keep to that, you and your friends. Letme alone, and let the ranch alone!"

  Turkey stared at him, frowning, and half opened his mouth in question,but let it go unuttered. Without another word Angus left him and rodehome through an overcast night. As he turned in at the ranch gate a dropstruck his hand. As he stabled Chief it began to rain softly andsteadily. Angus Mackay turned his face to the sky, and out of thebitterness of his heart cursed it and the rain that had come too late.