CHAPTER XXI
AGAINST TIME
Dixon's prediction proved correct. When I was brought into court asecond time there was still no news of Wilkins, and after furthertestimony of no importance the case was again adjourned. This time,however, bail was allowed, and Boone and Rancher Gordon stood surety forme. The latter was by no means rich, and had, like the rest of us,suffered severe losses of late. Dixon was the first to greet me when Iwent forth, somewhat moodily, a free man for the time being.
"You don't look either so cheerful or grateful as you ought to be," hesaid.
"You are wrong in one respect. I am at least sincerely grateful for yourefforts."
Dixon, in defiance of traditions, smote me on the shoulder. "Then what'sthe matter with the cheerfulness?"
"It is not exactly pleasant to have a charge of this description hangingover one indefinitely, and I have already lost time that can never bemade up," I said. "Lane will no doubt produce his witness when heconsiders it opportune, and there is small encouragement to work in theprospect of spending a lengthy time in jail while one's possessions goto ruin."
"You think Lane had a hand in his disappearance?" Dixon askedthoughtfully; and when I nodded, commented: "I can't quite say I do. Myreasons are not conclusive, and human nature's curious, anyway; but I'mnot sure that Wilkins will, if he can help it, turn up at all. However,in the meantime, the dinner we're both invited to will put heart intoyou."
He slipped his arm through mine, and led me into the leading hotel,where, as it was drawing near the time for the six o'clock supper,every man turned to stare at us as we passed through the crowded bar andvestibule. I was making for the general dining-room when Dixon said: "Gostraight ahead. It was not easy to manage, but our hosts were determinedto do the thing in style."
He flung a door open, and Boone and Gordon greeted me in turn, while Ihad never seen a menu in a Western hostelry to compare with that of thefollowing meal. Perhaps Gordon noticed my surprise, for he said: "It wasAdams who fixed up all this, and came near having a scrimmage with thehotelkeeper about the wine. 'This comes from California, and I prefer itgrown in France. Those labels aren't much use to any man with a sense oftaste,' says he. This brand, wherever they grew it, is quite good enoughfor me, but I'm wondering where Adams learned the difference."
Boone smiled at me. "I have," he said, "a good memory, and learned anumber of useful things during a somewhat varied experience."
The meal was over and the blue cigar smoke curled about us, when Iturned to Gordon: "There are two things I should like to ask you. First,and because I know what losses you have had to face, how you raised themoney to liberate me in the generous way you did; and, second, how manyacres are left unsown at Crane Valley?"
The gaunt rancher fidgeted before he answered: "You have said 'Thankyou' once, and I guess that's enough. You're so blame thin in the hide,and touchy, Ormesby; and it wasn't I who did it--at least not much ofit."
Dixon appeared to be amused, and when Gordon glanced appealingly atBoone the latter only smiled and shook his head; seeing which, I saidquietly: "In short, you sent round the hat?"
There was no doubt that the chance shot had told, for Gordon rose, veryred in face, to his feet. "That's just what I didn't. Don't you know usyet? Send round the hat when the boys knew you were innocent and justhow I was fixed! No, sir. They came right in, each bringing his roll ofbills with him, and if I'd wanted twice as much they'd have raised it.And now I've given them away--just what they made me promise not to."
I had anticipated the answer, but it stirred me, nevertheless, and whileGordon stared at me half angry, half ashamed of his own vehemence, Ifilled a wine-glass to the brim. "Here's to the finest men and stanchestcomrades on God's green earth," I said, looking steadily at him.
It was Dixon who brought us down to our normal level, for, setting hisglass down empty, he commented: "You're not overmodest, Ormesby,considering that you are one of them. Still, I think you're right.People in the East are expecting a good deal from you and the goodcountry that has been given you."
Gordon joined in the lawyer's laugh, but I broke in: "You have notanswered my second question."
"Well!" and the rancher smiled mischievously. "You're so mightyparticular that I don't know what to say. Still, things looked prettytolerable last time I was down to Crane Valley."
Dixon accompanied us to the station when it was time to catch the train,and as he stood on the car platform said to me: "It's probably no use totell you not to worry, but I'd sit tight in my saddle and think aslittle as possible about this trouble if I were you."
He dropped lightly from the platform, cigar in hand, as the train pulledout, and, though most unlike the traditional lawyer in speech oragility, left me with a reassuring confidence in his skill.
It was early morning when I rode alone towards Crane Valley, feeling, inspite of Dixon's good advice, distinctly anxious. It is true that Thornand Steel were both energetic, but no man can drive two teams at once,and it was my impression that, having more at stake, I could doconsiderably more in person than either of them. I had small comfort inthe reflection that, after all, the question how much had beenaccomplished was immaterial, because there was little use in sowingwhere, while I lay in jail, an enemy might reap, and I urged my horsewhen I drew near the hollow in which the homestead lay, and then pulledhim up with a jerk. Gordon had said things had been going tolerablywell, but this proved a very inadequate description. The plowed land hadall been harrowed and sown, and beyond it lay the shattered clods offresh breaking, where I guessed oats had been sown under the sod newlytorn from the virgin prairie. Ten men of greater endurance could nothave accomplished so much, and I sat still, humbled and very grateful,with eyes that grew momentarily dim, fixed on the wide stretch of blacksoil steaming under the morning sun. It seemed as though a beneficentgenie had been working for my deliverance while I lay, almostdespairing, in the grip of the law.
Then Steel, springing out from the door of the sod-house, came up at arun, with Thorn behind him. It was strangely pleasant to see the elationin their honest faces, and Steel's shout of delight sent a thrillthrough me.
"This is the best sight I've seen since you left us," he panted,wringing my hand. "Thorn's that full up with satisfaction he can't evenrun. We knew Dixon and Adams would see you through between them."
"Has Dixon been down here?" I asked, for the lawyer had not told me so;and Thorn, who came up, gasped: "Oh, yes; and a Winnipeg man he sentdown went round with Adams 'most everywhere. Say, did you strike Nivenfor compensation?"
"No," I answered, a trifle ruefully. "I am only free on bail, and notacquitted yet."
Steel's jaw dropped, and his dismay would have been ludicrous had it notbetrayed his whole-hearted friendship, while Thorn's burst of sulphurouslanguage was an even more convincing testimony. Again I felt a curioushumility, and something enlarged in my throat as I looked down at them.
"If I can't stand Lane off with you two and the rest behind me I shalldeserve all I get, and we must hope for the best," I said. "But if youcould handle three teams each you could not have done all this."
Thorn, who was not usually vociferous in expressing his sentiments,appeared glad of this diversion, and, after a glance at the plowed land,strove to smile humorously. "Think you could have done it any betteryourself?"
"It's a fair hit," I answered. "You know exactly how much I can do. Letme down easily. How did you manage it?"
"We didn't manage anything," said Thorn. "No, sir. The boys, they did itall. Everybody came or sent a hired man, and blame quaint plowing someof them cow-chasers done. Put up a dollar sweepstake and ran races withthe harrows, they did, and Steel talked himself purple before he stoppedthem. They've busted the gang-plow, and one said he ought to have been adentist by the way he pulled out the cultivator teeth."
"And where did you come in?" I asked, and duly noted the effort it costSteel to follow his comrade's lead.
"We just lay back and turned the good advice on,"
he said. "Tom, he ledthe prayer meeting when, after supper, they turned loose on Lane. Oh,yes, we rode in and out for provisions. Sally, she would have the bestin the settlement, and sat up all night cooking. Don't know how you'llfeel when you see the grocery bill."
"I can tell you now," I said. "I feel that there's nothing in the wholeDominion too good for them--or you--and I'd be glad, if necessary, tosell my shirt to pay the bill."
We went on to the house together, and Sally, hiding her disappointment,plunged with very kindly intentions into a spirited description of hervisitors' feats. "That's a testimonial," she said, pointing through thewindow to an appalling pile of empty tins. "I just had to get them whensome of the boys brought their own provisions in. I set one of thempeeling potatoes all night to convince him."
"Peeling potatoes?" I interpolated; and Steel, smiling wickedly,furnished the explanation.
"Sally was busy in the shed when he came along, and wanted to help herconsiderable. 'Feel like peeling half a sackful?' says Sally; and whenthe fool stockman allowed he'd like it better than anything, says she,'Then, as I'm tired, you can.' She just left him with it, while shetalked to the other man; but there was grit in him, and he peeled awayuntil morning. Wanted to marry her, too, he did."
Sally's glance foreboded future tribulation for the speaker, and Thornfrowned; but Steel, disregarding it, concluded gravely: "Dessay he mighthave done it, but he heard Sally turn loose on me one day, and tookwarning."
In spite of the shadow hanging over me, it was good to be at home, andperhaps the very uncertainty as to its duration made the somewhat sordidstruggle of our life at Crane Valley almost attractive. Lane, it seemedonly too probable, would crush us in the end, but there was satisfactionin the thought that every hour's work well done would help us to prolongour resistance. So the days of effort slipped by until I received anotice to present myself at court on a specified date, and, there beingmuch to do, I delayed my departure until the last day. Steel insisted onaccompanying me to the railroad, but protested against the time ofstarting. "One might fancy you were fond of jail by the hurry you're into get back to it," he said. "We could catch the cars if we left hourslater."
"It's as well to be on the right side," I said; for I had been in astate of nervous impatience all day. Wilkins had been found, and nowthat a decision appeared certain, I grew feverishly anxious to learn thebest--or the worst.
It was a day in early summer when we set out and pushed on at a goodpace, though already the sun shone hot. Steel, indeed, suggested therewas no need for haste, but after checking my beast a little, I shotahead again. "It might be your wedding you were going to!" he said.
We had covered part of the distance left to traverse on the second daywhen a freighter's lumbering ox-team crawled out of a ravine, and Steelpulled up beside him. "I don't know if you're mailing anything East, butyou're late if you are," said the teamster.
"Then there's something wrong with the sun," said Steel. "If he'skeeping his time bill we're most two hours too soon."
"You would have been last week," answered the other; while a suddenchill struck through me as I remembered the promised acceleration of thetranscontinental express. "They've improved the track in the Selkirkssooner than they expected, and they're rushing the Atlantic hummerthrough on the new schedule this month instead of next."
Before he concluded I had snatched out my watch and simultaneouslytouched the beast with the spurs. The next moment the timepiece wasswinging against my belt, and, with eyes fixed on the willows before me,I was plunging at a reckless gallop down the side of the ravine. Thehorse was young and resented the punishment, but I had no desire to holdhim, and the further he felt inclined to bolt the better it would pleaseme. So we smashed through the thinner willows, and somehow reeled downan almost precipitous slope, reckless of the fact that there was a creekat the bottom, while the trail wound round towards a bridge, until thehoofs sank into the soft ground, and we came floundering towards thetall growth by the water's edge. There the spurs went in again, and thebeast, which knew nothing of jumping, rather rushed than launched itselfat the creek. There was a splash and a flounder, a fountain of mire andwater shot up, and green withes parted before me as we charged throughthe willows on the farther bank. The slope was soft and steep beneaththe climbing birches, and by the time we were half way up the beast hadrelinquished all desire to bolt; but my watch showed me that go he must,and it was without pity I drove him at the declivity. Meantime, a thudof hoofs followed us, and when, racing south across the levels, we hadleft the ravine two miles behind, Steel came up breathless.
"Can you do it, Harry?" he panted.
"I'm afraid not," I shouted. "Still, if I kill the horse under me, I'mgoing to try. He's carrying a good many poor men's money."
A hurried calculation had proved conclusively that if the train werepunctual I should miss it by more than an hour, and there was, ofcourse, not another until the following day. Still, it was a long climbfrom Vancouver City up through the mountains of British Columbia to theKicking Horse Pass in the Rockies, and there then remained a widebreadth of prairie for the mammoth locomotives to traverse. Sometimes,when the load was heavy, they lost an hour or two on the wild up-gradethrough the canyons. I was ignorant of legal procedure, but greatlyfeared that my non-appearance in the court would entail the forfeitureof the sureties, and, as the session was near an end, postpone the trialindefinitely. Therefore the train must be caught if it were in the powerof horseflesh to accomplish it, and I settled myself to ride as for mylife.
"Wouldn't the Port Arthur freight do?" shouted Steel.
"No," I answered. "It's the Atlantic Express or nothing! You can pickthose things up on your homeward journey."
Without checking the beast I managed to loosen the valise strappedbefore me, and hurled it down upon the prairie. It contained all Ipossessed in the shape of civilized apparel except what I rode in, andthat was mired all over from the flounder through the creek; but thehorse already carried weight enough. It was now blazing noon, and in theprairie summer the sun is fiercely hot. Here and there the bitter dustof alkali rolled across the waste, crusting our dripping faces and thecoats of the lathered beasts. My eyelashes grew foul and heavy, blurringmy vision, so that it was but dimly I saw the endless levels crawl upfrom the far horizon. A speck far down in the distance grew into thealtitude of a garden plant, and, knowing what it must be, I pressed myheels home fiercely, waiting for what seemed hours until it shouldincrease into a wind-dwarfed tree.
It passed. There was nothing but the dancing heat to break the greatmonotony of grass, while the gray streak where it cut the sky-linerolled steadily back in mockery of our efforts to reach it. Yet I wassoaked in perspiration, and Steel was alkali white. There was a steadytrickle into my eyes, and the taste of salt in my mouth, while thedrumming of hoofs rose with a staccato thud-thud, like distant riflefire, and the springy rush of the beasts beneath us showed how fast wewere traveling. Steel shook his head as we raced up a rise which hadtantalized me long, stirrup to stirrup and neck to neck, while the clotsfrom the dripping bits drove past like flakes of wind-whirled snow.
"If you want to get there, Ormesby, this won't do," he said. "You'dbreak the heart of the toughest beast inside another hour."
"The need would justify a worse loss," I panted, snatching out my watch."We have pulled up thirty minutes, but are horribly behind still. Menwho can't afford to lose it have put up the stakes I am riding for."
Steel made a gesture of comprehension, but once more shook his head. "Mybeast's the better, and he's carrying a lighter weight, but he'll neverlast at the pace we're making. Save your own a little, and when he'sdead beat I'll let up and change with you. I'll hang on in the meantimein case one of them comes to grief over a badger-hole. It's your onechance if you're bent on getting through."
I would at that moment have gladly sold the rest of my life for thecertainty of catching the train. To give my enemy no advantage was agreat thing, and I felt that absence when my name was called
wouldprejudice the most confiding against me. But that was, after all, atrifle compared with what I owed the men who had probably strippedthemselves of necessities to help me, and I felt that if I failed them ashame which could never be dissipated would follow me. Nevertheless,Steel's advice was sound, and I tightened my grip on the bridle with asmothered imprecation. Then my heart grew heavier, for the horse neededno pulling, and responded with an ominous alacrity.
We were still leagues from the railroad, and the miles of grassesflitted towards us ever more slowly. The last clump of birches took halfan hour to raise, and the willows which fled behind us had been fivelong minutes taking the shape of trees. My watch was clenched in onehand, and, while bluff and ravine crawled, its fingers raced around thedial with an agonizing rapidity in testimony of the feebleness of fleshand blood when pitted against steel and steam. The clanging cars hadswept clear of the foothills long ago, and the track ran straight andlevel across the prairie, a smooth empty road for the Accelerated tosave time on in its race between the Pacific and the Laurentianwaterway. When the prairie grew blurred before us, as it sometimes did,I could see instead the two huge locomotives veiled in dust and smokethundering with a pitiless swiftness down the long converging rails,while the drumming of hoofs changed into the roar of wheels whose speedwould brand me with dishonor. Yet we were doing all that man or beastcould do, and at last a faint ray of hope and a new dismay came upon me.The difference in time had further lessened, but my horse was failing.
"Go on as you're going," shouted Steel, edging his whitened beastnearer. "I'm riding a stone lighter, and this beast has another hour'swork left in him."
I went on, the horse growing more and more feeble and blundering in hisstride, until at last, when it was a case of dismount or do murder, Idropped stiffly from the saddle. Steel was down in a second, and inanother my jacket and vest were off, and I laid my foot to the stirrupin white shirt and trousers, with a handkerchief knotted around mywaist.
"You'll startle the folks in Empress, and you can't strip off muchmore," said Steel.
"I'd ride into the depot naked sooner than rob the boys," I said; andwas mounted before my comrade could reopen his mouth. When he did so his"Good luck!" sounded already faint and far away.
Steel's horse had more life left in him--one could feel it in hisstride; but now that there was some hope of success I rode with morecaution, sparing him up the low rises, and trying, so far as one mightguess it, to keep within a very small margin of his utmost strength. Sowe pressed on until all the prairie grew dim to me, and my only distinctsensation was the rush of the cool wind. Then a flitting birch bluffroused me once more to watch, and minute by minute I strained my eyesfor the first glimpse of the tall poles heralding the railroad track. Atlast a row of what looked like matches streaked the horizon, and grew insize until something that rose and fell with the heave of the prairiesea became visible beneath. Then, as we topped one of its grassy waves,a cluster of distant cubes loomed up, and a glance at the watch's racingfingers warned me that I was already behind the time that the train wasdue to reach the settlement. It might have passed; and a new torture wasadded until, when in an agony of suspense, I strained my eyes towardsthe west, a streak of whiteness crept out of the horizon.
The run of the Accelerated was at that time regarded as a nationalexploit, forming, as it did, part of a new link binding Japan andLondon--the East and the West; and I knew the conductor would hardlyhave waited for one of his own directors. The white streak rapidly grewlarger; something sparkled beneath it, and there was flash of twinklingglass through the dust and steam. I fixed my eyes on the station, andtaxed every aching sinew in hand and heel, for the weakening beast mustbring me there in time or die. A smoke cloud, with bright patchesbeneath it, rolled up to the station when I was nearly half a mile away.The horse was reeling under me, the power had gone out of the leadenhands on switch and bridle, and--for the tension had produced avertigo--my sight was almost gone.
Hearing, however, still remained, and shouts of encouragement reachedme, while I could dimly see the station close ahead, and shapelessfigures apparently waving hats and arms. The clang of a big bell rang inmy ears, the twin locomotives snorted, and I fell from the saddle,sprang towards the track, and clutched at the sliding rails of a carplatform. I missed them; the car, swaying giddily, so it seemed, rolledpast, and I hurled myself bodily at the next platform. Somebody clutchedmy shoulder and dragged me up, and I fell with a heavy crash against thedoor of a vestibule.
"Just in time," said a man in uniform. "Say, are you doing this for awager, or are some mad cow-chasers after you?"