CHAPTER XXII
THE INTERVENTION OF SWANSON
Hayes never changed his position, nor removed his eyes from Winston,his right hand still resting upon the butt of his "45," his lips set inrigid line. The engineer, the mist partially clearing from his brain,retained no thought except for Farnham, who remained motionless,staring over his head into the black, threatening muzzle of StutterBrown's levelled gun. These were Western men; they recognizedinstantly the potency of "the drop," the absolute certainty of death ifthey stirred a muscle. They could only wait, breathless, uncertain,the next move in this desperate game. To Winston it seemed an hour hehesitated, his mind a chaos, temptation buffeting him remorselessly.He saw the sheriff's face set hard, and resolute behind its iron-graybeard; he marked the reckless sneer curling Farnham's lips, the lividmark under his eye where he had struck him. The intense hatred he feltfor this man swept across him fiercely, for an instant driving out ofhis heart all thought of mercy. As suddenly he remembered the helplesswoman yonder, within easy view, possibly even then upon her knees insupplication. It was this conception that aroused him. He withdrewhis dull gaze from off that hateful, mocking face, his clenched handsopening, his mind responding to a new-born will. "Vengeance is mine; Iwill repay, saith the Lord"--like an echo, perhaps from the very prayerher lips were speaking, the solemn words came into his consciousness.With face white, and lips trembling, he stepped suddenly back, andflung up one hand.
"Don't fire, boys!" he commanded, his voice ringing clear andpurposeful. "Drop your guns; it's all right. This is my game, and Iintend to play it out alone."
Farnham laughed, the quick reaction possibly affecting even his ironnerves. Winston whirled and fronted him, the gray eyes blazing.
"Damn you, you sneaking, sneering brute!" he burst forth. "You thief,you woman-beater, you unspeakable cur! I surrender to the sheriff ofGulpin County, not to you. I 've got the evidence to send you to thepenitentiary, and I 'll do it, even though I stand myself in the shadowof death while I bear witness to your infamy. You think this arrestwill shut my mouth! You imagine this will render me harmless! But, byGod, it will not! I 'll fight you until the last breath leaves mybody. I 'll tear you out from the protection of law; I 'll show youthe kind of a man you have stacked up against. I don't know whetherthis murder charge is all a trick or not; I don't more than halfbelieve Jack Burke is dead. But be that as it may, I 'll pull youdown, Biff Farnham, not in any revenge for wrong done me, but to save awoman whom you know. I 'll do it, damn you, though it cost me my life!"
The sheriff's iron hand fell in restraint upon his shoulder, the burlybody interposed between them.
"You're all right," Hayes said quietly, his eyes pleasantly interested."You 've been squar' with me, young fellow, an' I 'm goin' ter besquar' with you. You kin bet on that. They 'll give you a chance downbelow to fight out your quarrel with Farnham."
Winston, his quick rage as instantly fading, drew one hand across hisface, the real danger of his present situation flowing back suddenly tomind.
"Where do you mean to take us?" he questioned.
"San Juan."
"Right away?"
"Wal, 'bout as soon as we kin git you back ter whar the hosses are,yonder."
"You promise us protection from that 'Independence' outfit?"
The sheriff nodded decisively.
"Never lost no prisoner yet to a mob," he replied confidently. "Ireckon thar'll be one hell of a fight before I do now. However, youdon't need to worry, young man. On second thought, I 'll have thehosses brought over here, an' we 'll go down this trail."
Winston glanced about into the faces of Hicks and the Swede. There wasno help forthcoming from either, but he had already reached a definitedecision for himself.
"Very well," he said calmly, "I 'll go with you quietly, sheriff, onlyI don't need any hand-cuffing."
"Never use 'em," and Hayes affectionately patted his gun. "I reckonthis yere instrument will do the business all right if anymisunderstandin' should arise atween us goin' down. However, I 'lltrouble yer to discard them weapons for the sake o' peace."
Without a word the engineer unbuckled his belt, tossed it over toHicks, and then slowly turned his body about to prove himself entirelydisarmed. Then he smiled, and extended his hand. The sheriff graspedit cordially.
"There need be no hard feeling between us, Hayes," he said pleasantly."You 're only doing your sworn duty; I understand that. But there 'ssomething rotten in this affair somewhere. All I ask is a square deal."
"An' yer kin bet you'll git it, Mr. Winston, er Sam Hayes will find outwhy. This yere 'Independence' outfit is no favorites o' mine, an' ifthe whole difficulty turns out ter be nothin' but a minin' squabble,the jury ain't likely ter be very hard on yer. That's my way o'figgerin' on it, from what little I know." He glanced keenly about,seeking to gain a clearer idea of their immediate surroundings. "Maybeyou an' Swanson better mosey back yonder to the cabin, where I can keepan eye on you easy, while I send after the hosses. Farnham, climb backon top of the dump there, an' give them boys the signal to come on."
The gambler removed his hat, running one hand carelessly through hishair, his thin lips sufficiently parted to reveal his white teeth.
"I hardly think we are exactly done yet, Mr. Sheriff," he saidsarcastically. "I 'm not very much worried regarding your suddenlyexpressed sympathy for this fellow, or your desire to get him offunscratched; but I feel compelled to insist upon receiving all the lawallows me in this game we 're playing. There 's another warrant inyour pocket for Winston."
"By thunder, yes; I 'd clear forgot it," fumbling at his papers.
"Well, I had n't; matter of some personal importance to me," the voicetaking on a lazy, insolent drawl. "Of course, the fellow is underarrest all right, but that murder business is only part of it--I wantmy wife."
Winston started forward, crouching as though he would spring directlyat the other's throat.
"Your wife?" he exclaimed madly, his voice choking. "Your wife? You've sworn out a warrant for me on account of your wife?"
"Something of that nature, I believe," gazing at him insolently."Abduction I think the lawyers call it, and I notice you 've got thelady hidden away back yonder now." He pointed across the other'sshoulder. "Caught with the goods. Oh, you 're a fine preacher ofmorals, but I 've got you dead to rights this time."
Winston stood as though carven from stone, his face deathly white, hislips compressed, his gray eyes burning, never wavering from thatmocking face. With all his strength of will he battled back the firstmad impulse to throttle the man, to crush him into shapeless pulp. Forone awful moment his mind became a chaos, his blood throbbing fire. Tokill would be joy, a relief inexpressible. Farnham realized theimpulse, and drew back, not shrinking away, but bracing for thecontest. But the engineer gripped himself in time.
"Hayes," he ejaculated hoarsely, "let the lady decide this. If shesays no, then, by God, I 'll fight you all single-handed before he everputs touch upon her!"
Old Bill Hicks was beside him in a single stride, his face blazing.
"I 'm damned if yer will!" he growled madly. "I 'm in on this deal,law er no law. The whole blame thing is a bluff, an' I 'll not stan'fer it no longer. Yer step back thar, Sam Hayes, er else Gulpin Countywill be lookin' 'round fer another sheriff. I 've got plumb ter thelimit o' patience in this game."
Winston grasped the old man's uplifted arm, whirling him sharply around.
"No," he exclaimed almost wearily, "it 's not to be a fight yet;let--let her decide between us."
She was already coming, walking alone directly across the open spacetoward them. The eyes of the bewildered men were upon her, marking thewhite face, rendered more noticeable by its frame of dark, uncoveredhair, the firm, womanly chin, the tightly compressed lips, theresolute, unwavering eyes. She walked firmly, confidently forward, herhead proudly uplifted, a stately dignity about her bearing which couldnot be ignored. If she perceived either
Winston or Farnham in thatgroup she gave no sign, never halting until she stood directly beforeSam Hayes. Involuntarily, unconscious of the act, the sheriff pulledoff his hat, and stood twirling it in his hands.
"Is it indeed true," she asked, her voice thrilling with suppressedfeeling, "that you possess a warrant sworn out by Biff Farnham,charging Mr. Winston with the abduction of his wife?"
"Yes, ma'am," and the man changed the weight of his body to the otherfoot. "I 'm sorry ter say it 's true."
She lifted one hand suddenly to her forehead as though in pain.
"And you intend to serve it?"
"I have no choice, ma'am; I 'm an officer of the law."
There followed a pause, seemingly endless, the eyes of the men turnedaway. She lifted her head, sweeping her gaze swiftly across the faces,and a flush crept into the white cheeks.
"Gentlemen," her voice low and clear, but with a slight falteroccasionally yielding peculiar power to the words, "it is true I amthat man's wife." She looked directly at him, apparently oblivious ofhis attempt at smiling indifference. "By the laws of God and men I amhis wife. I neither deny this, nor have ever sought to escape from itsobligations. To me, the vows of marriage were sacred when firstassumed; they remain no less sacred now. This man is fully aware ofhow I feel in this regard; he knows I have proved true in spirit andletter to my vows; he knows exactly why I am not living with him; why Iam earning my own living in the world; why I am here in this positionto-day. He knows it all, I say, because the desertion was his, notmine; and his present deliberate, cowardly attempt to besmirch mycharacter by doing an injury to another is an unbearable insult, anoutrage more serious than if he had struck me a physical blow. The oneI might forgive, as I have before forgiven, but the other is beyond thelimits of pardon, if I would retain my own self-respect. I am a woman,an honorable woman, and my reputation is more to me than life."
She paused, breathing heavily, her head flung back, Her hands clenchedas though in desperate effort at self-control.
"You--you!" the words seemed fairly forced from between her lips,"there has never been a time when I would not have gone to you at aword, at your slightest expressed desire. However I may have despisedyou in my secret heart, I remained loyal outwardly, and would have goneto you in response to the call of duty. There is no such duty now.You have openly insulted and degraded me; you have accused me beforethe world; you have dragged my name in the muck; you have attempted todethrone my womanhood. The past is over; it is over forever. The lawmay continue to hold me as your wife, but I am not your wife. Therecords of the church may so name me, but they are false. A God oflove could never have linked me to such a brute--the very thought isinfamy. Do not touch me! Do not speak to me! I believe I could killyou easier than I could ever again yield to you so much as a word."
She reeled as though about to fall, her hand pressed against her heart.Before an arm could be out-stretched in support, she had rallied, andturned away. With head lowered, her face shadowed by her hair shewalked slowly toward the cabin. No man in the group stirred until shehad disappeared. Then the sheriff fumblingly replaced his hat, hiseyes wandering in uncertainty from Farnham to Winston.
"By God!" he exclaimed, as though in relief, catching his breathquickly and wiping his forehead. "By God! but that was fierce."Recalling his own duty he reached out his hand and laid it heavily uponthe shoulder of the man standing next him. It chanced to be the Swede.
"Go on into the cabin," he commanded, a returning sternness in theorder.
The surprised man stared at him in dull bewilderment.
"Vat for Ay go--hey?"
"Because you 're under arrest."
"Vat dot you say? I vas arrest? Maybe you not know me, hey? Ay tellsyou vat Ay vas mighty quick. Ay ban Nels Swanson; Ay ban Lutheran; Ayban shovel--"
"Oh, shut up; ye 're under arrest, I tell you--move on now."
"Vat vas dis under arrest?" the blue eyes losing their mildness, thedrooping moustache beginning to bristle. "Ay no understand 'bout disarrest. Vat Ay do, hey?"
"Helped to kill Jack Burke."
The startled Norseman stared at him, gulping, his eyes fairlyprotruding from his face, his breath hissing between his gritted teeth.The wild berserker blood was surging hot through his veins.
"Ut vas von lie! You kill me so! By tamn, no!"
That instant, insane with fright, he grasped the astonished officer inthe vise of his great hands, swung him into the air, and dashed himdown headlong upon the rocks. Uttering a yell like that of some wildanimal, the fellow was off, striking against Winston with his body ashe passed, leaping recklessly across the rocks, heading straight towardthe nearest thicket. It was all the work of a moment. Farnham whirledand sent one shot after him; then, as suddenly remembering his ownperil, wheeled back to face the others, the smoking revolver in hishand. Amid the quick turmoil old Mike sprang to the summit of the rockrampart, his face flaming with enthusiasm.
"Go it, Swanska!" he yelled, encouragingly. "Go it, ye crazywhite-head! Be the powers, but it's the foinest runnin' Oi 've sanefer a whoile. Saints aloive! but wud ye moind thim legs! 'Twas akangaroo, begorry, an' not a monkey he come from, or Oi 'm a loiar. Goit, Swanny, ould bye! Howly St. Patrick! but he 'll be out o' theState afore dhark, if he only kapes it up. It 's money Oi 'm bettin'on the Swade!"
Winston stepped swiftly across to the motionless sheriff, and kneltdown beside him, his face gravely anxious. The unfortunate man layhuddled up, breathing heavily, his head bleeding freely from twoplainly visible wounds. The engineer turned him over, one hand feelingfor his heart. Slowly the young man rose to his feet, standing besidethe body, his gray eyes fastened upon Farnham. Here was a condition ofaffairs he must decide upon for himself, decide instantly, decide inspite of law, in spite of everything.
"He appears to be rather badly hurt; not seriously, I think, but theman is unconscious, and in no condition to be removed," he said,managing to hold his voice to a strange quiet. "I consider myself hisprisoner, and shall remain with him until he becomes fit to travel.Farnham, I do not acknowledge your deputyship, and if you attempt toarrest me it will be at your peril. There are four of us here againstyou, but we 'll give you a chance--go back to your own! Not a word, ifyou care to live! Go, damn you--go!"
They stood and watched him, until his slender figure disappeared behindthe fringe of cedars. Then Hicks and Winston, neither man speaking aword, tenderly lifted the wounded sheriff from off the rocks, and borehim back into the shelter of the cabin.