13
Adine Lough had high rating in the community affairs of Adot. Her zealfor higher education, her church work, and her general deportment gaveher contact with the better element that was trying to modernize--tryingto lift a community up and out of the rawness of frontier days. But ifthe critics, the estimators of social standing, had seen her and herassociates on this fine October afternoon, they would have moved herdown several rungs on the social ladder.
She was in close conference with a midget, an ex-circus man, out ofwork and advertised widely to give a talk at the warehouse Saturdaynight! (They would hear this talk before making a final estimate.) AndAdine's other conferee was old Landy Spencer, a notorious resister ofprogress, who spoke in the language of other days, whoseappearance--from battered hat to narrow bootheels--simply pictured theundesirable past; his associates, when he came to town, were of therabble--the lower stratum. Very true, in other days, the bank hadgiven him a rating as not needing endorsers if he sought a loan. Verytrue, Judge Sample had stated publicly that he would accept LandySpencer's word without the formalities of being sworn, but as a socialfactor in the community, Landy didn't know where the social ladder waslocated, let alone about reaching the lower rung. And all afternoonAdine Lough was in close conference with such as these!
Landy returned to Jode's place sooner than he was expected. There wasa sheepish grin on his weathered face. "They beat me to hit," he saidin a low voice as Jode went back to the stove for his steak andpotatoes. (His companions were munching wafers and drinking chocolatemilk.) "Ike had already been en done hit."
Being served, and with Jode in the kitchen, the aged courier disclosedthe results of his mission. "Ye don't tell Ike what's on yer mind;jist give him rope, git him started, en he'll come from under cover. Iwent to his shop en he wasn't workin'. Seemed to be waitin'. I proddedin, en he unfolded that he was waitin' for Logan. Our Logan, yeunderstand. Hit whetted my int'rest; I prodded ag'in, en with results.Ike said that Logan came to his shop Tuesday. He'd seen Ugly Collinsa-hangin' 'round Ike's place, en he wanted a quick move by Ugly. Heslipped Ike two new twenty-dollar bills en told him to loan 'em toUgly if he made a quick git-away. Ike did as d'rected. Ugly come engot the wagon this atternoon. Promised that he'd load tonight en be onthe road by midnight.
"Well! That settled the coffee! I didn't keer to hang eround eny more.But I did want a whit more information. Did Logan know that old Hullsen Maizie were included? 'Naw,' scorned Ike, 'Logan didn't even knowthat Ugly knew 'em--didn't know that Ugly had ever been at the Bar-O.Logan didn't know about the wagon. Thought the forty was about rightfor train fare. He jist wanted Ugly out of the country en I got hitdone,' says Ike.
"I didn't keer to meet Logan--then. I remembered that I had some bootsat Billy's fer half solin', en I slipped Ike a five spot with thecaution that he was to say nothin' in his report to Logan about whowas in Ugly's party. Ike wanted me to stay en listen to his ideas asto why Logan wanted a quick move by Ugly, but I already had my notionsabout that. I slipped away fast. But in comin' here I remembered thatI hadn't left eny boots with Billy."
Landy finished his steak and story about the same time.
"Well, do you think they will get away tonight?" asked Davy eagerly."Is there any way that we can hang around and find out? Why wouldLogan want this Ugly party to get out of the country? Why can't we--"
"Thar ye go! Crowdin' the question-chute. Son, ye orta number 'em, enI could answer by number. Anyhow, let's git goin'! Hit's a long wayshome--with a change of cars at the B-line, en the last lap ain't fitfer night ridin'. We can talk while we ride. Out thar, Jode won't behangin' around, shufflin' the dishes en tryin' to get an earful. Let'sgo."
On the way home, Adine Lough was the happy one of the trio. Therevealing incidents of the day had cleared away the threatening darkfinancial cloud. Now if her father could only be brought home with theassurance of his getting well, her cup of happiness would beoverflowing. Just now, she was planning an added chapter to herthesis, "Welfare Work in Rural Communities." She would touch on thesubject of "Aid from Unexpected Sources," for she had experienced justthat! In the events of the day, it was revealed that a little, unknownmidget of a man, with a doubtful background, was indeed a man,mentally, morally, and financially. Back of his cynicism--oftenexpressed in the jargon of the underworld--was an alert mind thatcould lead an inquisitor into a maze of unaccomplishments.
Too, in said thesis, she would make some radical changes in theparagraphs touching on "influences of pioneer habits and traits incommunity upbuilding, etc." The recent conduct and tactfulaccomplishments of Landy Spencer were the reasons for such a change.Heretofore, she had welcomed old Landy as a visitor to the B-line forthe reason that Grandaddy liked him, wanted to confab and badger aboutthe old days. She had casually learned that Landy had had to work as aboy, as a youth, and as a young man, that he had accumulated enough sothat he could now enjoy the play-days once denied him. Yes, she wouldchange her notes to say: "uncouth verbiage and slatternly dress areoften assets in gaining information and are no hindrance in grantingloyalty and devotion."
The journey home, despite the uncertainties pending, was a joy-ridefor the two. Landy, as was his wont, clutched the armrest of the carand said nothing. Time was, when safe in a saddle, he had thrown reinsto the wind "en allowed that critter a spell of fancy worm-fencebuckin', but a-ridin' a auto wuz dangerous business."
Arriving at the B-line stables, the party paused for a finalconference. Tomorrow would be Friday. In the early hours Davy andLandy would make a furtive visit to the Bar-O ranch to see if UglyCollins had carried out his plans to evacuate the resisters. "Maybethey set fire to the house or poisoned the cattle," suggested Davy.Landy poo-pooed the idea.
"They're on a slow train," he explained. "In that outfit they can't doover six miles an hour. A fire would announce their malice, en asheriff would overtake 'em before they reached North Gate. They don'tknow about cattle-pizen--thar's no loco weed around here."
Saturday was the date of the entertainment in Adot. Davy and Landywould ride over to the B-line and go to town in Adine's roadster. InAdot, Davy would again contact Logan and fix the date to meet him inCheyenne on Monday. "That check--the draft thing--will be there bythat time," was Davy's opinion. "I hope I can pry Welborn loose fromhis digging and delving long enough to take me over that road again."
"You don't have to do that," interposed Adine. "I'll drive you toCheyenne. I'm as anxious as anyone to get this thing settled. ThisBar-O thing has been a neighborhood problem, an obsession, a thorn inthe flesh, ever since Grandaddy was a young man. I want to be a partyin removing the thorn. I'll have Joe and Myrah to look afterGrandaddy, and I'll have Mister Potter to look after Joe and Myrah andeverything will be all right.
"But you'll have to meet me at Carter's filling station," shecautioned. "I'll have to drive through Adot and around that way. Ican't drive across the valleys and ridges as you horsemen ride them.So we'll meet at the filling station at seven-thirty. We will be inCheyenne long before noon."
"Hi ya, Potter," called Landy as they were saddling the horses. "Iwant you to order a set of shoes for this colt."
"I've got a set. I tried 'em; they fit. But he won't need shoes thiswinter; he's better off without 'em. If a bunglin' mechanic over tharwill leave his feet alone he'll be all right till spring."
Landy regarded the gibe as irrelevant. The saddle invited. Once aboardand before they reached the Ranty he was detailing answers to some ofDavy's questions.
"This Logan party ain't exactly crooked but thar's some noticeablebends in his career. When they baptized him they ought to have givenhim another dip. 'Course, he gits his money by pinchin' en scrougin'en this Ugly Collins affair goes a leetle beyond the limit.
"This Ugly was borned here. His right name is Clarence, but earlysomeone branded him Ugly, en because he resented hit, the name stuck.He wasn't so ugly--jist ornery. His daddy died; his mother lived on alittle place in town, up-crick from the bridge. Ugly wasn't a roarin'succe
ss as a producer--jist idled and fuddled until he got to be aman. Then he got indicted with others fer robbin' a little tannerythat was operatin' down the crick. This tannery was mostly out ofdoors. They was charged with stealin' leather, but in the testimony itshowed that Ugly didn't steal leather--jist knives en other plunder.He was flung loose. He left the country. That was twelve years ago. Inall these years, no one in Adot was compelled to look on Ugly Collins.Not till last week did the public know he was alive. Even then tharwas no gineral rejoicin'--nobody killed a fatted calf.
"Now Ugly's mother died three years ago. A dear, uncomplainin' oldsoul, the funeral was conducted by Romine, the undertaker, and wasattended by many. Of course Romine would have to be paid. He got Loganto administer the estate. He had had Logan to do this in other cases.They understood each other very well.
"They found but little personal property. Although Ann Griggs, aneighbor, said the old lady Collins had been savin' funeral money feryears--had it hidden in a fruit jar, no sich fund was found. The realestate would have to be sold to pay the claim.
"Except fer Ugly, they was no heirs, en Ugly didn't answer roll-call.By order of the court, Ugly was pronounced dead. Simmy Gordon, thevillage cut-up, said hit was a cheap funeral fer Ugly en goodriddance. But Simmy was wrong, as usual. The home was sold--by fineprint--hit was bid in by Romine fer about the price of his bill andthe costs. Later Romine deeded hit to another, who in turn deeded hitto Logan, who now owns hit, en the yearly income would pay a funeralbill--with flowers.
"Ugly's return at this critical time rather upset Logan's plans. Hitwould interfere with his gittin' a bank opened and himself back on thepayroll. If Ugly had been flush with funds, had employed lawyerGregory to git Ugly's death-order rescinded, en pried into the detailsof the old lady's estate, hit would have blowed the lid off. Hit wouldhave shore been bricks and cabbages fer Logan, right when he'splannin' a posie shower.
"Forty dollars was none too big to fend off the disaster. But whereLogan missed the gap in the fence was that he didn't inquire as todetails. He knew Ugly come in by train. He thought the forty would beexpended in the same way."
The two reached the Gillis home as the lady was lighting the lamp andsetting out the evening meal. "Why, you and that girl must bepreparing a lengthy address," she said to Davy jestingly.
"That gal and I have surely had a busy day. We've certainly upset someprecedents, broken some rules, and maybe some laws. Your brother herewas a full participant, a co-conspirator, and was awarded the Medal ofIntrigue by Mister Potter, when the meeting closed. But excuse me,"said the now jovial midget as he walked away. "I just can't look atthose baking-powder biscuits without grabbing one; I'm that wolfish."
During the meal, Davy invited Landy to tell of the day's happenings."Yer new boarder here bought the Bar-O ranch--trouble en all," saidLandy quietly. "En he's plannin' to promote the circus business byraisin' a lot more lions, tigers, hyenas, en sich. He's got a goodstart now, en he plans a glorious finish."
The news electrified the Gillises. It provoked much discussion andrequired many explanations. It allowed Davy time to eat a hearty meal.Finishing, he pushed back his chair to state some final conditions.
"And I'll not complete the final contract, not pay down a cent andthrow up the whole thing, unless Mister Landy Spencer, here seated,pledges that he will join in with me in working the thing out to afinal victory. No, I don't mean that he's to pay out anything, I'llpay all, but he's to say that he will stay with me, that he'll managethe thing, plan production, hire the help, and get things going. Andwe'll divide the profits. This depression can't last. Already the wiseones are hearing the death rattle and last gasp. But it will take sometime to recover and we must be ready when the bulge comes. Maybe thereare some old cows over there that Landy says are dear at ten dollars ahead. There are some unweaned calves, and a few unbranded yearlingsthat will just about pay the cost of their roundup. But that's thefoundation on which we are to build. What do you say, podner? Are youwith me?"
"In yer listin' of assets, ye haven't invoiced Maizie," said Landy."Early this afternoon, I heard ye pricin' her to Logan at a thousanddollars a week. En ye haven't catalogued Hulls en the bulls, mebbethey're wuth more than all the rest. Shore I'll he'p ye. Hit'll be apleasure to hear ye try to mesmerize Maizie like ye did Logan, tellin'her of this Coony Island place en the fortune tellers. We'll go overthar in the mornin' early en I'll watch ye hypnotize her en Hulls,like ye did Logan. 'Course, if they're gone, that's our loss. We'llinvoice the remnants en leavin's, en take a fresh start."
Davy was early to bed but his rest was broken in trying to picture theprobable conduct of two persons he had never seen. In his dreams, oldHulls and his threatening gun was a commonplace figure. But back ofhim, and in command, was the garish image of a black-haired,copper-complexioned virago, whose imperious death-dealing edictsrecalled his early readings of Sir Walter and his vivid picturings ofHelen, wife of Rob Roy, in her judgments of the fate of a commonenemy. He was glad that daylight came to dispel the mental mirage.
"I never saw Landy so interested," said Mrs. Gillis, as she placedDavy's high chair at the table. "He was out feeding the horses longbefore Jim did the milking, and that's unusual. Landy likes you--likesto do the things you plan. Of course Landy has earned a rest, butthere's too many that rust out when they rest up. Landy is that kind.He needs to be interested in something. He's had a lot of experiencein the cattle business, and with your energy and planning and hisexperience, you ought to make a lot of money when this depression isover."
"Well, I'm not so interested in the money-making as I am in making asuccess out of this liability. Of course I want it to pay its own way,pay for improved livestock, buildings, fencing, and the like. But I'mnot much interested in piling up useless money in a resisting bank. Ofcourse, when Ralph Gaynor comes out to visit us--he's the gent thatintroduced me over the phone--when Ralph comes out, he'd like to see afat bank account and talk woozy stuff of safety margins, earnedincrements and that crazy rot, but I yearn to show him a goingconcern, a likeable thing, prideful of its upbuilding.
"Landy and I will get along all right. He's the only one of you thatsasses back, offers objections, overrules plans. He won't like it atall if I'm out with the colt and a couple of beagle hounds chasingjack rabbits when there's hay to put up, but that's the way we'll getalong.
"Landy will fuss if we can introduce electricity on the ranch, but hewill weaken a little when he finds that it grinds the feed,refrigerates a whole beef, and cooks a meal without splittingkindling. And if a little surplus money accumulates, he would totallyveto the plan of laying out a Spanish patio enclosing fine whitebuildings with red tile roofs and fancy grilles--"
"Why, that would be fine!" exclaimed the listener. "Would you dothat?"
"Naw," said the midget, "but if the occasion arises, I will introducethe subject just to see my old mentor paw around and fling dirt. Itwill keep him from rusting out, as you call it."
"Do you plan moving over there--if you get possession?"
"No, I will live, or rather headquarter, with Welborn as long as helets me. Landy says that a rough, hazardous trail just back of ourhouse leads directly to the near corner of the property. It's theroute of the old proposed road to the Tranquil Meadows. We're to trythat trail this morning, and I will have to stop and tell Welborn whatI am doing. He will be surprised, but not interested. Welborn isself-centered on getting some 'quick' money. When he gets that donehe's going to be busy using it, either to straighten out his ownfinancial affairs or to down or suppress some financier that hasbusted in on his plans. In either event, we will lose him. Welborndoesn't belong out here. He belongs in the jam, the crush, the mob,where they strive only for personal gain--either in bulking up a lotof money or acquiring personal rank or status. He's young, industriousand impetuous; he might get it done. It's a great game, I'm told; itengenders some joy and a lot of grief. Personally, I'd rather put inthe time handling a pup or growing a clutch of chickens."
Landy's
appearance with the saddled horses interrupted the discussion.