CHAPTER III
Bad News
Forest Blakeman's words gave Connie a strange feeling. For a moment ithad seemed to her that the foreman took satisfaction in knowing that shewas fighting with her back to the wall. It was almost as if he wished tosee her lose Rainbow Ranch.
She brushed aside the thought. After all, had not Blakeman gone withouthis salary for many months in an effort to stave off financial ruin? Itwas unjust of her to question his motives. But it would be hard for herto forgive him for trying to sell Silvertail.
Early the next morning Connie took the car and drove in to Red Gulch.She was waiting at the door of the First National Bank when it opened atnine o'clock.
"Come right in, Miss Carl," invited the president, leading the way tohis private office. Connie thought he glanced at her a bit appraisinglyas she seated herself opposite him.
She came straight to the point.
"Mr. Haynes, I wanted to talk to you about our note which is coming duein a few days."
"Oh, yes," murmured the banker. "On the sixteenth, I believe. I trustyou are prepared to pay it."
"Well, no, I'm not," Connie admitted. "But with a six months'extension----"
"I am afraid that is impossible, Miss Carl," the banker said quickly. "Ishould like to do it, of course, but I must think of my depositors."
"But Mr. Haynes, you don't realize what this will mean!" Connie cried."I'll lose my ranch--everything! If only I had a little more time, eventhree months----"
The banker smiled tolerantly but shook his head.
"If you had a year, Miss Carl, it would not help. Ranching is no longerthe profitable industry it was in your father's time."
"I could make it pay if only I had a little time," Connie insisteddesperately. "I'd take summer boarders--dudes from the city."
"I fear you haven't the capital for that," smiled the banker. "I knowexactly how you feel, Miss Carl, and I only wish I might help you."
Connie left the bank feeling discouraged and almost ill. Mr. Haynes'attitude had stunned her. She had never believed that he would refuse toextend the note.
"Somehow I must raise fifteen hundred dollars before the sixteenth ofthe month," she told herself grimly. "But how? There's no possible way."
Connie crossed over to the grocery store where she bought a box ofsupplies to take back to Rainbow Ranch. She chatted for a few minuteswith the genial owner, Joe Ferris, who had known her since she was achild. It was well after the noon hour when finally she started home.
The girl drove automatically, her mind absorbed with the problem whichbeset her. Upon reaching the ranch she avoided Blakeman, feeling thatshe could not bear to talk with him in her present mood.
Slipping out to the barn she saddled Silvertail and went for a runthrough the sage. The rush of cool air seemed to quiet her nerves. Sherode toward the vermilion cliffs, following an indistinct trail but onewhich Connie knew well.
Suddenly Silvertail shied. The girl was startled to see a man lying onthe ground ahead of her. Instantly she thought that it was someone inhiding, then she saw that he lay perfectly still.
Springing from the saddle, Connie ran to him and dropped on her knees.He was a lean young man, clean-shaven and pale. She had never seen himbefore.
"Are you hurt?" she gasped.
The man stirred, opened his eyes and tried to smile.
"Water," he mumbled.
Connie ran to get it from her canteen. She pressed the container to theman's lips and he drank thirstily.
"Not too much," she warned.
Tearing off the sleeve of her blouse she sopped it in water and spongedhis forehead.
"How did you get here?" she asked. "Where is your horse?"
"Haven't any," the man mumbled. "I walked from Red Gulch."
"You walked!" exclaimed Connie. "No wonder you had a touch of heat.You're a stranger around these parts, aren't you?"
"I guess maybe I am," the man admitted. "I'm looking for a job. Theytold me in Red Gulch I might get one out at Rainbow Ranch. I startedwalking but I couldn't find the place."
"Why, you're at Rainbow Ranch now," declared Connie. "But as for gettinga riding or cowboy job----"
"I can ride even if I don't own a horse," the man said quickly. "My nameis Jim Barrows."
"I'm real glad to meet you," replied Connie smiling.
She liked the young man but she doubted very much that he could ride orthat he knew anything about ranch work. A cowboy never would have triedto walk the distance from Red Gulch, nor would one accustomed to outdoorlife have been affected by the sun. Jim Barrows obviously was atenderfoot.
"Here, let me help you," she said kindly as the man tried to raisehimself. "If you're able to ride my horse I can get you to the ranchhouse. Or maybe it would be better to go for help."
"No, I can make it," Jim Barrows insisted. "My head isn't so woozy now."
Connie helped him into the saddle, observing that he really did know howto mount. Then she led Silvertail down the trail.
"What made you think of getting a job at Rainbow Ranch?" she askedpresently.
"They told me in Red Gulch that the place was badly in need of a fewgood men. I guess the ranch has been run by a girl who lives in the Eastand she's let it go to pieces."
Connie bit her lip and avoided looking at Jim Barrows.
"I need a job mighty bad," the man went on. "Fact is, I've not had asquare meal in a week."
"I'll see that you get one as soon as we reach the house," Conniepromised.
"I'm sorry to put you to so much trouble, Miss. Say, do you live nearhere?"
"Yes, at Rainbow Ranch," the girl answered, laughing. "I neglected totell you my name. I am Connie Carl."
"Why, you're the girl who owns the ranch!"
"Yes."
"Say, I didn't mean anything----"
"Don't worry about that," said Connie quickly. "I know what people aresaying, and in a way it is true. I trusted too much in the ability of myforeman. About that job, I'll have Blakeman talk with you. We are shorthanded, but I'm afraid we can't pay very much even for a good cowhand."
"I'd be willing to work almost for my grub."
"In that case I think we should be able to come to some sort of deal,"Connie laughed.
Lefty and Alkali were working in the corrals when the girl led the horseinto the courtyard. They turned to stare at the stranger.
"Lefty!" Connie called. "Come here and help Mr. Barrows into the house.Tell Marie to give him all the food he can eat."
"You bet!" replied the cowboy.
Supported by Lefty, the stranger walked quite steadily into the kitchen.Connie went to find the foreman. He was not at the barn or in theleather shop, but when she returned a few minutes later to the house,she discovered him talking angrily with Lefty.
"Who is this stranger?" he demanded. "What's he doing here?"
"You'll have to ask Connie," returned Lefty with a shrug. "I don't knownothin' about it."
"I was just looking for you, Mr. Blakeman," said Connie. "I found theman lying on the trail. He's down on his luck and hasn't had a squaremeal in days. I brought him here. I thought you might find some work forhim to do."
"We can't pay the men we have now," the foreman snapped. "Anyway, Idon't like the looks of this fellow."
"I do," said Connie quietly. "My father never would have turned a manaway when he was hungry and half-sick."
"He's no more sick than you are," retorted the foreman. "I can tell whena guy is puttin' on."
"I don't agree with you at all," returned Connie. "What reason would hehave for pretending that he was ill?"
"I don't like him," said Blakeman stubbornly. "We ought to cut downexpenses wherever we can."
"A few dollars won't make any difference now. I wish you would hire him,Mr. Blakeman."
"We could use a herder," spoke up Lefty. "The cattle in that southeastsection have been gittin' out into the road. Another calf was killedye
sterday."
The foreman glared angrily at the cowboy and started to walk away.
"Just a minute," Connie called after him. "I'll tell Barrows that he ishired."
"It's your ranch," the foreman said sullenly. "But you're making amistake!"
Connie made no reply but went into the kitchen. Jim Barrows had justfinished the ample lunch which Marie had set before him.
"I couldn't help overhearing," he said to Connie. "Thanks for going downthe line to help me."
"We'll be glad to have you work here," smiled Connie.
"I hope you didn't get into trouble on my account."
Connie shook her head.
"Blakeman is only my foreman. I'm really the boss here, but he doesn'tseem to realize it. I guess maybe that's because he knows I'll probablylose the ranch in a short while."
Connie did not go on for she felt that she had told the stranger toomuch already. He regarded her curiously but did not ask leadingquestions.
"When do I start work?" he inquired presently.
"Why, whenever you feel able," Connie told him.
"I'm a lot better already," the man declared heartily. "I'll be ready togo to work in the morning."
After Connie had gone, Jim Barrows wandered outdoors. He went out to thecorrals and talked for a time with Lefty and Alkali. The foreman coldlyignored him, but the other cowboys tried to be friendly. It came to themby degrees that the stranger knew more about ranch work than they hadthought.
"There's something queer about that fellow," Lefty confided to Connielater on.
"How do you mean?" she asked quickly.
"Seems to me like I've seen him before, only I can't remember where,"the cowboy said, scratching his shaggy locks. "But I'm dead sure of onething. Jim Barrows ain't the greenhorn we took him to be."