11
"We've got a lot of work cut out for us," said Davy as he and Landywalked down the drive to the stables. "I want to talk to Potter, but Idon't want to show too much interest. I want to get some informationabout this Barrow resistance that's got 'em all stirred up. How big isthis Bar-O ranch anyhow? How much money does this receiver gent needto have to get in the clear? How much is owed on the grazingallotment? And how come that a sheriff's posse can't depose one oldman?"
"Old Jim and I were jist talkin' about this same thing," said Landy asthey paused at the yard gate.
"Does Mr. Lough know about it?" exclaimed the astonished midget."Adine didn't want him to know! Who tipped it off to him?"
Landy chuckled as he fingered the gate latch. "Old Jim's been 'round aright smart time, en he don't confer with young women on businessmatters. He read the leetle fine print legal ad in the papers en hesent his handyman, Joe Craig, to Logan, the receiver gent, en got allthe details."
"Does he want the ranch?" questioned Davy.
"Naw!" scorned Landy. "Old Jim says hit will be eight years before theranchin' business can git back on hits feet, en by that time he'll bemoulderin' dust en dry bones. Old Jim's still harpin' on that funeralbusiness. Now he plans to hold a big barbecue en send out invitations.Jim's got the money all right, but he wants to spend hit on a big,spread-eagle funeral."
"Adine should know about this. It will save her a lot of worry," saidDavy, and he hastened back to the house. Presently he rejoined hiscompanion, who was watching a party of horsemen coming down the laneback of the stables.
"Looks like a retreat," was Landy's comment. "I don't see eny scalpsa-hangin' on their spears."
"How big is this Bar-O affair, how many acres?" questioned the littleman.
"They don't measure in acres," said Landy, still watching theapproaching party. "Old Jim says hit's about eight sections, four wideand two deep."
"How big is this judgment? How much money would this receiver andgrazing master have to have to get 'em in the clear? What's thefriction that they can't get these resisting parties to see theinevitable?"
"Thar's Logan en Finch, with Flinthead en Hickory," exclaimed Landy,as the horsemen approached the far gate. "She's a water-haul. OldHulls has stood 'em off ag'in. Now about yer questions. If ya wouldput' em through the chute, one at a time, 'stead of pushin' 'em up indroves, I could answer better. On the money question, I git this fromold Jim. He gits hit from Joe Craig, en he got hit from Logan, so Iguess hit's right. The original note was three thousand dollars. Theyoverdrew en added some. The int'rest en costs runs hit to forty-twohundred. The grass bill is less'n three hundred. The whole biz is nearforty-five hundred."
"Why, a little performing elephant is worth that!" scorned the midget."The script of a good vaudeville act would sell for twice as much.What's the matter with the local moneychangers? What's the whole thingworth anyhow? Why doesn't some diplomat wheedle old Hulls off? Andwhy--"
"How much is yer little elephant earnin' now, eatin' his head off inwinter quarters?" interrupted Landy dryly. "Whar would ye show yervaudeville act with the show places all closed? Hit's the same here enall over.
"Ef I was a young man, I'd take a fling at this thing," said Landysoberly. "She's wuth about ten times the amount asked. Alice has aleetle money, not that much maybe, en she's purty tight, yit hit mightbe done. Old Jim Lough is cautious and reliable, but he's set thedate of the comeback too far off. Cattle is gittin' scarcer every dayand people must eat. I'm too old to mess in, but a youngster couldtake over en double his money in five years. In ten years he'd beasking ten times the price he'd paid. But with the banks closed eninvestors in a financial stampede, five thousand dollars can't bepicked outen the sage...."
"Why, Landy! I can have five thousand dollars here in five days,"interrupted Davy. "If there was any way to move Hulls and Maizie out,I would deal with 'em before they dismounted." Davy waved his hand inthe direction of the horsemen that had stopped at the farther corralto inspect the weaned calves.
"Hulls en Maizie woulda been out long ago if they'd quit snoopin'around and let Hulls peddle a few cows to git money to travel on. I'vegot a musty but reliable tip Hulls is itchin' to go. Hit's too long atale to tell without stim'lants, but Archie has sent fer Hulls enMaizie, wants 'em to come en he'p him with a roomin' house down inArizony, whar they're a-buildin' a big dam, en things are boomin'.Hulls is shore plannin' a git-away. He thinks he can drive through entake some plunder with him. He's traded off his ridin' hosses ferharness critters. He's contracted Ike Steele fer a light spring wagon.With a little money in his pocket, Hulls is ready. You buy this thing,Son! Slip Hulls a hundred en he's out en gone.
"Anyhow, let's listen to their talk. They've finished another failureen are worried. Sass 'em if ye want to, en kid 'em out of the hundredif ye can," was Landy's final caution as the party of horsemendismounted and loitered to hear Potter and Landy's caustic commentsbefore going to their car, parked outside the gate. Landy introducedDavy as a newcomer.
"Ye should have had my podner here with ye this mornin'," badgeredLandy. "His size en power mighta skeered Hulls en made him quit."
Logan laughed as he pictured the midget in a contest with shaggy HullsBarrow. "Maybe we could deal with Hulls," he said, "if we could gethim away from the woman. If your young friend has a way with women,could lure Maizie out of hearing for a few moments, we could sure usehim."
"Well, I've never won any medals in contests for women's favors," saidDavy, "but I've found that a bouquet of flattery sometimes helps. Haveyou tried the Rose-Chrysanthemum method?"
"That's what we were trying today," said Logan resignedly, "butinstead of roses and posies it turned out to be brickbats andcabbages. You see, we left the sheriff at home and took along the menfrom here, hoping to get past the guard line and count up what cattleis left on the place. But it was no use. The yard fence was thedeadline. Maizie was right at Hull's elbow, commanding her one-manarmy to fire at will. Not being armed, we fell back to consolidatelosses instead of gains. Have you any suggestions or plans?" Logan'sreply and question was directed at Landy. Like others, in their firstcontact with midgets, he was giving Davy the status of a child. Hecould not credit him with experience or expect counsel from thatsource. Landy's reply was not comforting.
"Wal, hit does look like a couple o' killin's en the expense of twofunerals 'fore ye can git action. Old Matt, the daddy of 'em, isreported as havin' a private graveyard, scattered eround somewhar. Hitmight come in handy in this emergency. In yer gaddin' around have yeever seen enything like hit?" concluded Landy, turning to Davy.
"I never did!" said the midget emphatically. "It's got moreentanglements than the time Solly Monheim took the bankrupt law toescape bankruptcy. That's the way Solly explained it after his showwent on the rocks at Lincoln. And anyhow," he added to Logan, "whydon't you peddle the thing to someone else and let them take the griefand do the slaughtering?"
"There's no slaughtering, as you call it, involved," said Logan withmuch dignity. "It's a lawful proceeding. If anyone is killed it willbe done legally and in due process of enforcing the law."
"So you left the law out of it, left the sheriff at home, and wentprowling on your own. If the old belligerent had cut down on one ofthese cow hands this morning, everything would have been legal andorderly?"
Davy's sarcasm struck home. Logan's face flushed. He realized that hewas talking to an adult, not a child. He resented the criticism. Butfor the fact that the little man was a friend of Landy Spencer hewould have made a harsh reply or ignored him entirely.
"Well, just what is your interest in the matter?" he questioned. "Idon't see your name on the list of bank stockholders. Maybe you arekin to the Barrows, sort of looking after their interests?"
"No, I am not related to the Barrows. Never had the pleasure of everseeing one of 'em. I don't know where they live, couldn't find theplace without a guide. Wouldn't know how big it was after I'd seen it.I'm just an innocent bystander with big ears and a lot o
f curiosity.There is a rumor abroad that the ranch is in the hands of a receiver,that it's for sale, that the receiver is having some trouble aboutpossession. If I could get just a few facts and find this receiver,I'd make him a proposition to buy it 'as is,' as the auctioneerssometimes say."
"You have never seen the ranch?" questioned the astonished Logan. "Youwould bid sight-unseen for a property that you don't know where it'slocated--would accept a deed without possession? Young man, you need aguardian."
"I had one once," retorted the midget, "and in the eight months of hismanagement he turned over quite a lot of money to me, enough to gambleon, to buy a block of blue sky or a pig in a poke. Maybe there'senough to make a bid on a ranch, a property with a crazy man on it,armed with a gun and threatening to shoot intruders. If you are thereceiver, I want to make a bid for the Bar-O ranch, as it is."
"No bids are solicited," said Logan severely. "The judgment is forforty-two hundred dollars. I bid it in for that, and must account forthat amount. Then there are expenses and costs being added from timeto time--"
"Now you've hit center," interrupted the midget. "You've pricked thesore spot. There are costs being added, and time being frittered, andnothing accomplished. It might run on this way for months, and youhoping to have the collection cleaned up and get the bank opened soonthereafter.
"Now I'm wanting to help, wanting to get on the payroll. Here's how.Between now and next Thursday I'll pay you four thousand dollars for adeed to the Bar-O ranch. You make the consideration the full forty-twohundred and show, in your report, an expense of two hundred in gettingpossession. Then it's up to me to get old Shells, or Hulls, or what'shis name, to move out. It might cost me the two hundred, it might costa lot more; that's my lookout. Maybe the old guy won't move at all.But in any event, I shall not resort to law, won't call the sheriff toget killed or get action. With winter coming on and a woman mixed upin the case, it would be too bad to set 'em out in the snow withoutshelter or money."
Adine Lough, more deeply interested in the outcome than any otherperson present, had come from the house to join the little party nowcongregated in front of Potter's little office building. She heardDavy's final proposition. She saw tough, seasoned old Landy Spencerfurtively reach down and pat the little man on the back.
"What about the cattle?" asked Finch, breaking the tension.
"Are any cattle left, and how many?" Davy countered promptly.
"I don't know," replied Finch sheepishly. "We didn't get to count 'emthis morning. There's probably thirty or forty old cows with unweanedcalves and a bull or two. Then there's a bunch of wild, unbrandedyearlings, probably twenty or thirty, over on that pasture by thecliffs. He's got no feed, no hay put up, and has probably been sellingoff some of the better cows and calves."
"How much are you set back in this debacle?" asked the midget,dropping his bantering tone.
"The Bar-O ranch owes me, not the government; I have always advancedthe money. Two hundred and eighty dollars. You see," Finch hastened toexplain, "the government has an area in there that's ratherinaccessible. They've been holding it for settlement. It's more thanthe Bar-O folks need, but there's no one else, unless I bring in sheepmen and open up an old controversy. So, in the years past, I'vehaggled money out of the Barrows, just a little at a time, but we'vekept friendly until now. Now, it looks like I'm up against the iron."
"You're not so bad off," chuckled Davy, "you've had a fine lot ofexperience. Here's my proposition on your case. If the receiveraccepts my offer of a deed without possession, I'll give you a hundreddollars. If I get possession in the next two years, and you allot methe grazing rights to that area, I'll pay you the balance. If I don'tget possession in that time, you can charge off the balance due. Do Ihear any takers?" said the little man, simulating the call of anauctioneer.
"Well, I'm a taker," said Finch resignedly. "It's a rough road, but itseems the only way. What's your reaction, Logan? Are you a taker?"
"I'm a taker, when there's anything to take. How are you to get themoney in here?" he asked of Davy. "Without a bank, we can't handlechecks or drafts. How do you plan the payment?"
"Is there a telegraph station in Adot? No? Well, that's too bad. Ifthere was a commercial pay station there, I could have the money herethis afternoon. As it is, I suppose I would have to have the actualcurrency shipped by express to Laramie or Cheyenne. Where do you dobanking?" he asked of Logan.
"I have an account with the Guaranty at Laramie and with the FirstNational at Cheyenne. I hope to have our bank here opened by theholidays."
"The holidays would be too late. Hulls might kill somebody, orvoluntarily move out and spoil the trade. Also, I'll have to haveadded money--have to open an account to get funds with which toappease Hulls or to live on, while I am working at it. I have neverbeen in Laramie and I nearly got killed in Cheyenne, so I'll open anaccount at Cheyenne. If you say you'll trade, I'll get on the phoneand have the cash or an acceptable draft in Cheyenne as soon as themail can get it there."
"Well, I guess I'll trade," said Logan resignedly. "This Barrow thingis the last outstanding debt due the bank. I hope the judge willapprove my report of the matter, so that I can get the bank opened byChristmas. We will have to go to town and draw up a contract. Can yougo today?"
"Well, I will have to go somewhere to get on a long distance telephoneabout sending the money. Where to and how much. With the winterweather approaching, I may have to wallow through snowdrifts to get toCheyenne, but that's a risk incident to the business."
"We'll get you over to Cheyenne," interrupted Potter, who had showndeep interest in the conversation, "we'll get you over if we have touse a snow plow. Maybe you've got the magic to get this row settled.At any rate, it's worth a trial."
"I have a telephone in my office at Adot," said Logan. "I am using theback room of the bank as an office. I've kept the phone."
"Is there an extension on it?" asked Davy eagerly. "Yes? Fine. When Iget this banker on the phone, I want you to listen in. It's aneducation to any man to hear Ralph Gaynor talk. He's the boss of theDollar Savings Bank in Springfield. It isn't a big bank, just a stoutone. And now all the others are looking to him for advice. Of coursehe'll razz me about making a venture in these hazardous times, but itwill be worth your time to hear him do it."
"How are we to get back from Adot?" asked the midget abruptly ofLandy.
"I'll take you over and bring you back," interposed Adine Lough. "Iwant to hear that man sass you over the phone, if he can get in a wordedgewise, and you on the other end of the line."
Davy laughed with the others. "Well, the parade starts promptly ateleven, the doors to the Big Show open at one, let's git goin'," saidthe little man, simulating a circus announcer.
Adine went to the house for her hat. Potter maneuvered her roadsterout to the driveway, after checking the gas and oil. Then a flushedgirl, a midget man, and an aging Nestor of other days drove away on amission that pleased them all.