PREPARATION
AFTER the dinner at the sheriff’s house, life meant much to The Orphan, for the dinner had done its work and done it well. Whatever had been missing to complete the good him and the others had been and by the time the was to for home, all had been and all down. With his he was in hearty, accord, and the of the had his own. With the his already had been of any qualities, and he that Shields was not only the man he had met, but also his best friend. He had more with the sheriff’s household, and for Mrs. Shields he had only love and respect.
With Helen his cup was full to overflowing, for he had managed to long talks with her 326during the afternoon, and to his mind he had nothing to his hopes. His had been opened as to what it was he had been for, and the knowledge him to his finger-tips. He was a red-blooded, clean-limbed man, direct of and purpose, in a joyous, surging, health, in with his surroundings; he was dominant, fearless, and he had a saving in his humor. To him came of the future, as the sunrise, rich in promise and as to a such as he only feel. Himself he was sure of, for he no failure on his part; as as he was it was won. Helen, he from what the day had him, would not him when the time came for her to decide, and his sent a song to his lips, which he to the sky as a war-cry, a of and a defiance.
As yet he nothing of the sheriff’s plans, and his his position in the did not to above that of of some ranch. To this end he would his with all the power of his trinity–heart, mind and body. He was too happy to think of failure, there would be 327none; had the word passed through his mind he would have laughed it into oblivion. His gave him confidence, for he was no and protected by any angel; to the contrary, he was the of a against which would have a less man; he was over himself and his enemies, a of conditions, a of his own path; his had been his best friends, and his long fight, his salvation. For ten years he had a against nature and man; and thirst, plots and had all played their parts, and he had out over all of them. He was young, and unafraid, and now that he was on the right he would every energy to there, and he would there, be the opposition what it might; and if the opposition should be man, and of a to him, he would it as he had others it. While now to use his gun on every he would upon it as on a of last resort–and its would be final.
He against no man save one, and that one was the man who had the rope 328about the of his father. He did not know that man’s name, and he did not know that he might not be among those who had already paid for that crime. But should he learn that he he would take payment in full be the cost what it might.
But he had no for strife, he only that the sun had been so bright, the sky so and the plain so full of life and as it was on this perfect day. Only one other day it–the day he had by the of a coach and had warm, soft his forehead. But, he told himself with joy, there would be days to come which would that.
He was from his by the approach of the foreman, who gave him a and at the happy on the puncher’s face.
“Well, you look like you had it rich!” Blake. “What is it, gold or silver?”
“Gold or silver!” The Orphan in at such cheapness. “By God, Blake, I wouldn’t sell my for all the gold and in this earth! Gold or silver! Why, man, I 329know where there is of both. Here,” he cried, his hand into his pocket, “look at this!”
The looked and and took the object into his hand, where he it critically. “By George, it’s the yellow metal, all right, and near pure!” He returned it to its owner and added: “That’s the stuff, Orphan.”
“Yes, it is,” the other as he the nugget. “And I know where it came from. There’s left that’s just like it, but I wouldn’t go after it if it was diamonds.”
“You wouldn’t!” Blake in surprise. “By George, I’d go to-morrow, to-night, if I knew. Gold like that ain’t to be at. It ranches, ease, plenty, anything you want. And you wouldn’t go for it?”
“No, I wouldn’t, and I won’t,” the puncher. “I’m going to right here on this range and make good with my hands and brains. I’m going to win the game with the cards I hold, and when I say win I it. There are times when gold is a thing to have, and this is one of them, as you’ll when I my hand. When I win I won’t need gold 330bad to go through and water for it and not to my claim, and it’s one hundred to one that I wouldn’t back, too. And if I lose, mind you, if, I won’t have any use for it. I that up in the middle of the God made, and when I got off it I was for a week. I won’t tell any friend of mine where it is I want my friends to go on their breath. I need my friends a whole lot, and that’s why I don’t tell you where it is. I was saving that for my enemies. Two have gone after it already, and haven’t been of since.”
“Well, you are the man who told me that gold isn’t going after, and you have me that in your case you are right,” laughed the foreman.
“You wouldn’t have to be told if you that as I do,” The Orphan.
“How was the last night?” asked Blake. “Or didn’t you notice, being too much in your claim?”
The Orphan looked at him and then laughed softly: “He was the same as ever–the best man I knew. But how in do you know 331about my claim? How did you know what I meant? I that I had that well.”
Blake put his hand on his friend’s and looked at him: “Son, having eyes, I see; having ears, I hear; having brains, I think. If you have been that you are on a trail, just to this: There ain’t a man who you well that don’t know what you’re playing for, Bill had it all out the second time he saw you. And most of us wish you luck. You’re not a man who needs help, but if you do need it, you know where to come for it.”
“Thank you, Blake,” The Orphan, his with the air. “That’s why I ain’t for that gold–I’m too making my own.”
“Well, what I wanted to speak to you about is this,” said the foreman, as to how to say it. “Old man Crawford got me to promise that I’d up a of for him fall. Now, I would just as soon do it myself as not, but if you want to try your hand at it, go ahead. He wants about five thousand, to be delivered in five herds, a thousand each, at his corrals. He 332won’t pay any more than the regular price for them, and the more you can the price the he will like it, of course. They must be good, healthy and be delivered to him payment is made. What do you say?”
“I say that it’s a go!” The Orphan. “I’ve had some great luck lately!” he exulted. “I’m to go after them you say the word, to-night if you say so. And I’ll the right number and or know the why. And I’ll take a hand in the last to him myself. Good Lord, what luck!”
Blake talked a while longer about the trip, necessary about prices and where he would be likely to the herd, and then off in the direction of Ford’s Station for a with his friend, the sheriff.
“Hullo, Tom!” came from the stage office as he past. He his and then stopped, broadly.
“Why, hullo, Bill,” he replied. “Glad to see you. How are things? Had any trouble lately?”
“Nope, times are since that day in the defile,” Bill answered with a grin. “I saw Tex once at Sagetown, but he ain’t talking none these 333days, he’s too thinking. You see, I’ve got a me and nobody like starting it a-going, there ain’t no telling just where it’ll stop. The Orphant and the make a good team, all right.”
“None at any game, Bill,” Blake. “And you used the right word, too. They’re going to together from now on, in fact, the Star C will be in with them.”
“That’s the way to talk!” Bill enthusiastically. “I always said that Orphant was a white man, I saw him,” he said, much that he might be in accord. “He can call on me any time he needs me, you bet. He the twice with me, and I ain’t a-going to it. But say, what do you think of the sheriff’s sister, Helen? Ain’t she a winner, hey? Finest girl these parts have seen, all right, and her friend ain’t second by no length, neither.”
“Why, Bill,” Blake, a to his eyes, “you are not to captured, are you? That’s a game, like starting up The Orphan and the sheriff, for there’s no telling just where it will stop.”
“No, I ain’t myself captured,” 334sighed Bill. “I ain’t no fool. Bill Howland a thing or two, which he learned not more than a thousand years ago. I’ve got it all sized up. And since then I’ve a bang-up the for the sheriff’s house some regular twice a week. Nope, I’m a now and forever, long may I wave.”
“Say,” he continued, something. “What’s the up to now? Is he going to have a out on Crawford’s ranch? He asked me if he have the of the stage on an off day some time soon. Wants me to drive it for him out to the A-Y and back. I don’t know what his game is, and I don’t none. I’ll do it, all right. But what’s he going to do out there, anyhow?”
Blake laughed: “Oh, nothing bad, I reckon. You’ll learn all about it as soon as the of us. How do you me to know anything about it? Mebby he is going to have a out there for all we know. The A-Y is a good place for one, ain’t it?”
“You just it is,” Bill. “Your is all right, Blake, but I like the A-Y better. It’s got and everything. Finest near 335the ranch-house that I saw, and I’ve some in my time. Old man Crawford a good thing when he saw it, all right. Here comes Charley Winter like he had all day to go nowhere–he’s got a good job with the Cross Bar-8, but I wouldn’t have it for a gift–no, sir, money wouldn’t me to be one of that outfit. But I it’s some out there than it once was since the and The Orphant its fingers. Hullo, Charley,” he as the rein. “I was just telling Blake what a good job you have got with Sneed.”
“Hullo, you old one-hoss driver,” Charley. “Hullo, Tom,” he cried. “Looking for the sheriff?”
“Hullo, Charley,” said the foreman, hands with Sneed’s puncher. “Yes, I am. Do you know where he is?”
“He’s out at the Cross Bar-8, Sneed a talking to,” Charley answered. “Bucknell and got again last night, h–l in town and out of it all the way home. He he wanted to shoot up The Orphan, so he was some primed. Jim is telling Sneed to him to water and peace unless he wants to him. He’ll 336be in soon, though. How’s The Orphan on out at your place?”
“Fine!” answered Blake, his a frown. “But I’m some sorry about that Bucknell, though. He may on a some day and The Orphan. I don’t want any more gunplay, and if that him and to up his gun another hole, there’ll be some lead. If he on Star C ground, and I catch him there, I’ll up the earth with him, and when you see him, just tell him what I said, will you? It ain’t no joke, for I will.”
“Shore I’ll tell him,” Charley. “When will that of be on hand–I’m to jobs.”
Blake him a and to the question by the subject, but it was too late, for Bill was curious.
“What is that, Charley?” asked the driver in interest.
“Oh, some that I’m going to of Blake for Sneed,” Charley easily.
“What in all out Sneed want with any Star C cows?” Bill asked in surprise. “He’s got 337plenty of of his own, unless The Orphant a whole more than I he did.”
“I don’t know, Bill,” Charley. “I didn’t ask him, it being none of my business.”
Bill his head: “No, I not,” he doubtfully.
“Here comes Shields now,” said Blake suddenly. “I I’ll off and meet him. So long, Bill.”
“So long,” Bill. “Be sure to tell The Orphan I was about him. So long, Charley.” He and entered the stage office: “I don’t it,” he muttered. “There’s something in the wind that I can’t onto nohow. He has got me some, all right.”
The the paper and stared: “Well, that’s too d––d bad, now ain’t it?” he asked sarcastically. “You ought to object, that’s what you ought to do! What right has to keep about their own when you want to know, hey? If I wanted to know everybody’s as as you do, I’d h–l, I would. Why don’t you it out of 338him, up the earth with him? Go out right now and give him a piece of your mind.”
“Oh, you would, would you! You’re smart, now ain’t you? You work too hard–your nerves are away,” Bill as he up the paper. “Sitting around all day with your on the table and a pipe in your mouth that you’re too lazy to light, like the very trying to time to do the company’s business, which there ain’t none to do. Ain’t you to go to bed?–it must take a of to your at night after it and it all day. What would you do for a if I to the paper with me some day, hey? You ain’t got to want to know what is going on in this little world of ours, you––”
“You out of here, right now, too!” the clerk. “I don’t want you around me, you pest! Get out of here right now, I up and you out! Do you me!”
Bill his legs, pushed his sombrero, the page and then remarked, “I four cow-punchers, men, last 339month. One right after the other, and I was near all in, too.” He at the next page disinterestedly, at a on the of the box and then added and with great deprecation, “I’m to-day, so good in my life, but I need more exercise–I’m two over weight right now.”
The and awe: “Weight?” he asked. “What is your weight?”
Bill looked up aggressively: “Fighting weight?” he asked, his eyebrows. “My weight is something over nine hundred pounds, when I’m mad. Ordinarily, one hundred and eighty. Why?”
“Oh, nothing,” the clerk, out of the window.
