CHAPTER XI.
'TANA AND JOE.
"Just like a part in a play, captain--that's just the way it struck me,"said Mrs. Huzzard, recounting the affair for the benefit of the postmasterof Sinna Ferry. "The man a-sitting there like a statue, with only his eyeslooking alive, and that poor, scared dear a-falling down on the floorbeside him, and looking as white as milk! I never had a notion she was soeasy touched by people's troubles. It surely was a sorry story read fromthem three letters. I tell you, sir, men leave women with aching heartsmany's the time," and she glanced sentimentally toward her listener;"though if there is one place more heart-rending to be deserted in thananother, I think an Indian village would be the very worst. Just to thinkof that poor dear dying there in a place she didn't even know the nameof."
"Humph! I've an idea you are giving your sympathy to the wrongindividual," decided the captain. "It must be easier even to die in someunknown corner than for a living soul to be shut up in a dead body, afterthe manner of this Harris, or Hammond, or whatever his name is. I guess,from the looks of things, he must have collapsed when that second letterreached him; had a bad stroke, and was just recovering somewhat when hestrayed into this camp. Yes, madame, I've an idea he's had a harder rowto hoe than the girl; and, then, it doesn't look as though he'd deservedit so much."
"Mr. Dan is mightily upset over it, ain't he?"
"Mr. Dan is just as likely to get upset over any other vagabond who straysin his direction," grumbled the captain. "Folks are always falling in hisway to be looked after. He has the worst luck! He never did a bit of harmto this stranger--nothing but drop a hand on his shoulder; and all at oncethe man falls down helpless. And Dan feels in duty bound to take care ofhim. Then the girl 'Tana has to flop over in the same way, just when Ithought we were to get rid of her. And she's another charge to look after.He'll be wanting to hire your house for a hospital next thing, Mrs.Huzzard."
"And welcome he'd be to it for 'Tana," declared Mrs. Huzzard, valiantly."She's been a bit saucy to you at times, and I know it; but, indeed, it'sonly because she fancies you don't like her."
"Like her, madame! A girl who plays poker, and--and--"
"And wins," added Mrs. Huzzard, with a twinkle in her eyes. "Ah, now,didn't Mr. Max tell me the whole story! She is a clip, and I know it; butI think she only meant that game as a bit of a joke."
"A twenty-dollar joke, Mrs. Huzzard, is too expensive to be funny,"growled the captain, with natural discontent. "But if I could onlyconvince myself that the money was honestly won, I would not feel soannoyed over it; but I can't--no, madame. I am confident there was a trickin that game--some gambler's trick she has picked up among her promiscuousacquaintances. And I am annoyed--more than ever annoyed now that there isa chance of her remaining longer under Dan's care. She's a dangerous_protegee_ for a boy of his age, that's all."
"Dangerous! Oh, now, I've my doubts of that," said Mrs. Huzzard, shakingher head, emphatically. "You take my word for it, if she's dangerous as agirl to any one in this camp, it's not Mr. Dan's peace of mind she'sdisturbing, but that of his new friend."
"You mean Lyster? Ridiculous! A gentleman of culture, used to the bestsociety, give a thought to such an unclassed individual? No,madame!--don't you believe it. His interest about the school affair wasdoubtless to get her away from camp, and to keep her from being aresponsibility on Dan's hands."
"Hum! maybe. But, from all the dances he danced with her, and the way hewaited on her, I'd a notion that he did not think her a greatresponsibility at all."
This conversation occurred the morning after those letters had been read.The owner of them was installed in the best room Mrs. Huzzard had tooffer, and miners from all sections were cordially invited to visit theparalyzed man, in the vain hope that some one would chance to remember hisface, or help establish the lost miner's identity; for he seemed utterlylost from all record of his past--all but that he had loved a girl whom anunknown partner had stolen. And Overton remembered that he seemedespecially interested in the whereabouts of the renegade, Lee Holly.
The unknown Lee Holly's name had suddenly attained the importance of agruesome ghost to Overton. He had stared gloomily at the paralytic, asthough striving to glean from the living eyes the secrets held close bythe silenced lips. 'Tana and Monte and Lee Holly!--his little girl andthose renegades! Surely these persons could have nothing to do with eachother. Harris was looney--so Overton decided as he stalked back and forthbeside the house, glancing up once in a while to a window above him--awindow where he hoped to see 'Tana's face; for all one day had gone, andthe evening come again, yet he had never seen her since he had lifted herunconscious form from beside the chair of Harris. Her words, "I know now!Joe--Joe Hammond!" were yet whispering through his senses. Did those wordsmean anything? or was the child simply overwrought by that tragedy told inthe letters? He did not imagine she would comprehend all the sadness of ituntil she had fallen in that faint.
The night he had talked with her first in Akkomi's tepee, and afterward inthe morning by the river, he had promised to be satisfied with what shechose to tell him of herself, and ask no questions of her past. But sincethe insinuations of Harris and her own peculiar words and manner, hediscovered that the promise was not easy to keep--especially when Lysterbesieged him with questions; for 'Tana had spent the day utterly alone,but for the ministrations of Mrs. Huzzard. She would not see even thedoctor, as she said she was not sick. She would not see Overton, Lyster,or any one else, because she said she did not want to talk; she was tired,and that reason must suffice. It did for Lyster, especially after he hadreceived a nod, a smile, and a wave of her hand from her window--acircumstance he related hopefully to Overton, as it banished the lingeringfear in his mind that her exile was one caused by absolute illness.
"I candidly believe, Dan, that she is simply ashamed of having faintedbefore us last evening--fancies it looks weak, I suppose; and she doespride herself so on her ungirlish strength. I've no doubt she willemerge from her seclusion to-morrow morning, and expect us to ignore hersentimental swoon. How is your other patient?"
"Better."
"Much?"
"Well, just the difference of turning his eyes quickly toward a thing,instead of slowly, as at first. The doctor just told me he is able to movehis head slightly, so I guess he is not to go under this trip. But he'llnever be a well man again."
"Rather heavy on you, old fellow, that you feel bound to look after him. Ican't see the necessity of it. Why don't you let the rest of the camp--"
But Overton had turned away and resumed his walk. Lyster stared at him inwonder for a moment and then laughed.
"All right, Rothschild," he observed. "You know the depth of your ownpurse best. But, to tell the truth, you don't act like your ownresponsible self to-day. You go moping around as though the other fellow'sstroke had touched you, too. You are a great fellow, Dan, to take otherpeople's loads on your shoulders; but it is a bad habit, and you'd betterreform."
"I will, when I have time," returned Overton, with a grim smile. "Just nowI have other things to think of. Don't mind me."
"I sha'n't. I confess I don't mind any of you very much since I saw thecheery vision of your _protegee_ at the window--and waving her hand to me,too; the first bit of sunshine I've seen in camp to-day. For the averagespecimen I've run across has looked to me like you--glum."
Receiving no reply whatever to this criticism, he strolled away after asmiling glance upward to 'Tana's window. But no girlish hand wavedgreeting to him this time, and he comforted himself by humming, "My Loveis but a Lassie Yet." This was a mischievous endeavor to attract Overton'sattention and make him say something, even though the something shouldprove uncomplimentary to the warbler.
But it was a failure. Overton only thrust his hands a little deeper in hispockets as he stared after the handsome, light-hearted fellow. Of course,it would be Max to whom she would wave her hand; and he was glad somebodyfelt like singing, though he himself could not. His mind was too muchtormented by the though
ts of those two who formed a nucleus for thehospital already contemptuously alluded to by the captain.
And those two?
One sat almost motionless, as he had been for the twenty-four hours. Butas Mrs. Huzzard and the captain left his room, each spoke hopefully of hisappearance. Mrs. Huzzard especially was very confident his face showedmore animation than she had observed at her noonday visit; and the factthat he could move his head and nod in reply to questions certainly didseem to promise recovery.
In the adjoining room, close to the very thin partition, 'Tana lay withears strained to catch each word of the conversation. But when her doorwas opened by Mrs. Huzzard, all semblance of interest was gone, and shelay on the little bed with closed eyes.
"I'm right glad she's taking a nap at last," said the good soul as sheclosed the door softly. "That child scarce slept a bit all night, and Iknow it. Curious how nervous she got over that man's troubles. But, ofcourse, he did look awful at first, and nigh about scared me."
'Tana lay still till the steps died away on the stairs, and the voiceswere heard more faintly on the lower floor. All the day she had waited forthe people to leave the stranger in the next room alone; and, for thefirst time, no voice of visitors broke the silence of the upper floor.
She slipped to the door and listened. Her movements were stealthy as thatof some forest animal evading a hunter. She turned the knob softly, andwith still swiftness was inside the stranger's room, and the door closedbehind her.
He certainly was more alert, for his eyes met hers instantly. His look wasalmost one of fear, and she was trembling visibly.
"I had to come," she said, nervously, in a half whisper, "I heard theletters read, and I have to tell you something I've thought all night--allday--and I have to tell you. Do you understand? Try to understand. Nodyour head if you do. Do you?"
Her speech was rapid and impatient, while she listened each moment lest astep sound on the stairs again. But in all her eagerness to hear she neverlooked away from his face, and she uttered a low exclamation of gladnesswhen the man's head bent slowly in assent.
"Oh, I am so glad--so glad! You will get well; you must! Listen! I knowyou now, and why you looked at me so. You think you saw me up atRevelstoke--I think I remember your face there--and you don't trust me.You are looking for that man--the man that took her away from you. Youthink I could find a trail to him; but you are wrong. He is dead, and Iknow she is--I _know_! Your name was the last word she said--'Joe.' Shewanted you to forgive her, and not cross _his_ path. You don't believe me,perhaps; but it is all true. I went to the camp with--with the boy shewrote of. She talked of you to me. I had word to give you if we ever met.But how was I to know that Jim Harris was the man--the same man? Do youhear--do you believe me?"
Those burning eyes--eyes in which all of life in him seemedconcentrated--looked out on her from the pale, strange face; looked on heruntil her own cheeks grew colorless, for there was something awful in thesearching regard of the man who was but half alive.
"See!" she said, and slipped from her belt a package in which paperrustled, "I've had that plan of the gold find ever since--since she died.She gave it to me, in case you should be--as you are, and no one to lookafter it for you. Or, if you should go under, she said, I was to look itup. And I started to look it up--yes, I did; but things were against me,and I let it go for a while. But now, listen! If you get well, it meansmoney must do it. See? Dan hasn't very much--not enough to float you long.Now, I've thought it all out. You give up the notion of looking for thatman, who wasn't worth a shot of powder when he was alive, and worth lessnow. It's that notion that's been eating the life out of you. Oh, I'vethought it all out! Now you just turn honest prospector, like you was whenthat man Ingalls first spotted you. I'm only a girl, but I'll try to helpmake amends for the wrongs he did you. I'll go partners with you. Look!here is the plan; and I'm almost sure I know where the two little streamsmeet. I've thought of it a heap; but the face of--of that dead girl, keptme from doing anything till I had either found you or knew you weredead. No one knows I have the plan--though _he_ would have cut throats forit. Now do you trust me?"
She held the plan up so he could see it--a queer puzzle of lines and dots;but a glance sufficed, and he turned his eyes again to the face of thegirl. Her eagerness, her intensity, awakened him to trust and sympathy. Helooked at her and nodded his head.
"Oh, I knew you would!" she breathed, thankfully. "And I'll stand byyou--you'll see! I've wanted a chance like this--a chance to make up forsome of the devilment he's done to folks--and some he's made me help at.You know who I am, but none of the rest do--and they sha'n't. I'm a newgirl now. I want to make up for some of the badness that has been. It'sall over; but sometimes I hate the blood in my veins because--you know!And if I can only do _some_ good--"
She paused, for the eyes of the paralyzed man had moved from her face, andwere resting on something back of her.
It was Overton! He entered and closed the door, and stood looking doubtfuland astonished, while 'Tana rose to her feet trembling and a little pale.
"How long--were you there?" she demanded, angrily.
He looked at her very steadily before making reply--such a curious,searching look that she moved uneasily because of it; but her faceremained defiant.
"I just now opened the door," he said at last, speaking in a slow,deliberate way. "I slipped here as quietly as I could, because they toldme you were asleep, and I must not make a noise. I got here just as youwere telling this man that no one but him should know who you werebefore you came among us--that is all, I guess."
She had sat down on a seat close to Harris, and dropped her face in herhands.
Overton stood with his back against the door, looking down at her. In hiseyes was a keen sorrow as she sat down in that despairing fashion, andcrept close to the stranger as though for refuge from _him_.
"I might have avoided telling what I heard," he continued; "but I don'tthink that would be quite square among friends. Then, as I see you havefound a new acquaintance here, I thought maybe you would have something totell me if you knew what I heard you say to him."
But, kindly as his words were, she seemed to shrink from them.
"No; I can't. Oh, Mr. Dan, I can't--I can't," she muttered, with her headstill bowed on the arm of the chair occupied by Harris. "If you can'ttrust me any more, I can't blame you. But I can't tell you--that's all."
"Then I'll just go down stairs again," he decided, "and you can finishyour talk with Harris. I'll keep the rest of the folks from interruptingyou as I did. But if you want me, little girl, you know I'll not be faraway."
The tears came in her eyes. His persistent kindness to her made her bothashamed and glad, and she reached out her hand.
"Wait," she said, "maybe I have something to tell you," and she unfoldedthe paper again and showed it to Harris.
"Shall I tell him? Would you rather he would be the man to do thebusiness?" she asked. "You know I'm willing, but I don't know enoughmyself. Do you want him to be the man?"
Harris nodded his head.
With a look of relief on her face, she turned to Overton, who watched themwonderingly.
"What sort of man is it you want? or what is it you want to tell me?"
"Only that I've found a plan of the ground where he made that rich findthe letter told of," she answered, with a bit of a tremble in her voice."He's never been able to look after it himself, and was afraid to trustany one. But now--"
"And you have the plan--_you_, 'Tana?"
"Yes, I have it. I think I even know where the place is located.But--don't ask me anything about how I got the plan. He knows, and issatisfied--that is all."
"But, 'Tana, I don't understand. You are giving me surprises too thickthis evening. If he has found a rich yield of ore, and has taken you intopartnership, it means that you will be a rich woman. A streak of pay orecan do more for you than a ranger like myself; so I guess you can affordto drop me."
Her face fell forward in her hands again. Th
e man in the chair looked ather and then turned his eyes pleadingly to the other man, who remainedstanding close to the door.
Overton recognized the pleading quality of the glance, and was filled withamazement by it. Witchery seemed to have touched the stranger whenparalysis touched him, else he would not so quickly have changed from hissuspicion of the girl into that mute pleading for her.
She was trying so hard to keep back the tears, and in the effort her jawswere set and her brows drawn together stormily. She looked to him as shehad looked in the lodge of Akkomi.
"You don't trust me," she said at last; "that's why you won't help us. Butyou ought to, for I've never lied to you. If it's because I'm in it thatyou won't have anything to do with the mine, I'll leave. I won't botheryou about that school. I won't bother you about anything. I'll help locatethe place if--if Joe here is willing; and then you two can be partners,and I'll be out of it, for I can trust you to take care of him, and seethat the money does what it can for him. I can trust you if you can't me.So you are the one to speak up. What is your answer?"