CHAPTER 9 _STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER_
A silence had fallen upon those in the room. Joe Quigley shook rain dropsfrom his overcoat. Deliberately he took his time hanging the coat over achair in front of the cook stove. Then, still smiling in an ironic way,he faced Burmaster.
"I repeat," he challenged, "did you ever act in any manner except foryour own interest?"
"You are insulting! Insolent!" Mr. Burmaster snapped. "But I'll not bedrawn into an argument with you. Good morning!"
Quigley blocked the door. "Not so fast," he drawled. "Matter of fact, Iwas on my way to your house. Saw your car standing in Mrs. Lear's yard,so I figured you were here."
"If you have a telegram for me I'll take it."
"The only message I have is a verbal one," answered Quigley. "Our mayorfrom Delta, Bradley Mason, asked me to talk to you about the HuntleyDam."
"The subject doesn't interest me."
"It should interest every man, woman and child in this valley!" Quigleyretorted. "If the dam gives way flood waters will sweep straight down thevalley. Your house would be destroyed before you knew there was anydanger!"
"Really?" Mr. Burmaster's smile was a sneer. "Let me worry about my ownproperty."
"As a matter of record, I don't lose any sleep over you," Quigleyresponded heatedly. "But I am thinking about Mrs. Lear and the peopleliving in Delta. Not to mention the towns on down the line which would bein the direct path of the flood."
"If the good people of Delta are endangered why don't they repair the damthemselves?"
"For the reason that we can't raise the money. We've tried."
"Then the State should act in the matter. I'm willing to write mysenator--"
"Repairs are needed now, not three months later. Mr. Burmaster, you havethe money and you'd be doing the community a great service to lend help.We're not asking for a donation. It's as much to your interest as ours toprotect the valley."
"There's no danger," Burmaster said angrily. "Not a particle. It's only ascheme to shake me down for money."
Brushing past the station agent, the man went out into the rain. Indriving out of the yard he turned the car so sharply that it skidded onits wheels.
"Well, that's that," Quigley remarked with a shrug. "I should have savedmy breath."
"I'm glad _he's_ gone," Mrs. Lear announced tartly. "Will you have a biteo' breakfast, Joe?"
"No, thanks," the young station agent replied. "I'm due for my trick atthe Depot in twenty minutes. Have to run along."
The girls were sorry to see Joe Quigley go so soon for they had hoped tohave a long talk with him. After he had disappeared into the rain theytried without much success to draw more information from Mrs. Lear. Theold lady was in no mood to discuss the Burmasters, but she did have agreat deal to say about flood danger to the valley.
"'Tain't usual that we have so much rain," she declared. "Not at thistime o' year. Old Red River's floodin' to the brim, an keeps pourin' moreand more into the Huntley Lake basin. The dam there was built years agoand it wasn't much to brag on from the start."
"Haven't authorities inspected the dam recently?" Penny inquiredthoughtfully.
"Oh, some young whippersnapper come here a month ago and took a quicklook and said the dam would hold," Mrs. Lear replied, tossing her head.
"But he ain't livin' in the Valley. We want repairs made and we want 'emquick--not next year."
"Since Mr. Burmaster refuses to help is there nothing that can be done?"
"There's some as thinks a little piece in the city papers might help,"Mrs. Lear said, giving Penny a quick, shrewd glance. "Your pa's anewspaper owner, ain't he?"
"Yes, he owns the _Riverview Star_."
Penny gazed across the table at Louise. It struck both girls that Mrs.Lear was very well informed about their affairs. How had the old ladylearned that Mr. Parker was a newspaper man if not from Silas Malcom?More than ever Penny was convinced that she had been lured to Red Valley,perhaps for the purpose of interesting her famous father in the HuntleyDam project.
"You've been very kind, Mrs. Lear," she said, abruptly arising from thetable. "Louise and I appreciate your hospitality. However, we want to payfor our room and meals before we go."
"You don't owe me a penny," the old lady laughed. "Furthermore, you ain'tleavin' yet."
"We must. There's an afternoon train--"
"And there'll be another along tomorrow. Why, you'd catch your death o'cold ridin' hoss back all the way to Hobostein."
"The rain should let up soon."
"It should, but it won't," Mrs. Lear declared. "Why don't you stay untiltomorror anyhow? Then you could go to the barn dance tonight at Silas'place."
At the moment, the girls were not greatly intrigued at the prospect ofattending a barn dance. The steady rain had depressed them. Though thelong journey to Red Valley had proven interesting, it scarcely seemedworth the exhausting effort. They had learned very little about theso-called Headless Horseman and doubted that any truly valuableinformation would come their way.
"If you stay over maybe you'll git a chance to see that hoss-ridin'ghost," Mrs. Lear said slyly. "Seems like it's mostly on bad nights thathe does his prowlin'."
The girls helped with the dishes. They made the bed and watched Mrs. Learsew on a rag rug. At intervals they wandered to the windows. Rain fellsteadily, showing not the slightest sign of a let up.
"Didn't I tell you," Mrs. Lear said gleefully. "It's settlin' for a goodhealthy pour. You might jest as well calculate on stayin' another night."
"But our parents will be expecting us home," Louise protested.
"Send 'em a wire from Delta," Mrs. Lear urged. "Reckon this rain'll maybeslacken a bit come afternoon."
Throughout the long morning Louise and Penny wandered restlessly aboutthe house. Now and then they sought without success to draw informationfrom Mrs. Lear about the mysterious prankster. From the merry twinkle inher eyes they were convinced she knew a great deal. Pry it from her theycould not.
"Maybe that Headless Horseman ain't nobody human," she chuckled. "Maybeit's a real haunt. I mind the time somebody witched my cow. The stubborncritter didn't give no milk for eight days steady."
Penny and Louise weren't sure whether the old lady was serious or tryingto tease them. After awhile they gave up attempting to solve such anenigma. By noon they had reconciled themselves to staying another nightat Red Valley. However, scarcely had they made their decision to remain,than the sky cleared.
"We're stuck here anyway," Penny sighed. "We couldn't possibly ride ourhorses back to Hobostein in time to catch the afternoon train."
After luncheon the girls hiked across-fields to the picturesque littletown of Delta. There they dropped in at the depot to chat with JoeQuigley and send a telegram to their parents.
"If time's heavy on your hands why not take a little jaunt to the HuntleyDam?" the station agent suggested. "It should be well worth your time."
Penny and Louise decided to do just that. At Mrs. Lear's once more, theysaddled their horses and took the pike road to a well-marked trail whichled up into the hills. Ditches were brimming with fast running water, yetthere was no other evidence of flood.
"Do you suppose all this talk about the dam being weak is just talk?"Penny speculated as they rode along. "In case of real danger one wouldthink State authorities would step into the picture."
Soon the girls came to the winding Red River. Swollen by the fall rains,the current raced madly over rocks and stones. The roar of rushing waterwarned them that they were close to the dam. In another moment theyglimpsed a mighty torrent of water pouring in a silvery white ribbon overthe high barrier.
Men could be seen working doggedly as they piled sandbag upon sandbag tostrengthen the weakened structure.
Suddenly Penny noticed a man and woman who wore raincoats, watching theworkmen.
"Lou, there's Mr. and Mrs. Burmaster!" she exclaimed.
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p; They drove closer to the dam. Mr. and Mrs. Burmaster were talking soearnestly together that they did not observe the newcomers. The roar ofwater drowned the sound of hoofbeats. But the wind blew directly towardthe girls. Mrs. Burmaster's voice, shrill and angrily, came to themclearly:
"You can't do it, John! I won't allow it!" she admonished her husband."You're not to give the people of this valley one penny! The dam isperfectly safe."
"I'm not so sure," he said, pointing to the far side of the structure.
As he spoke a tiny portion of the dam seemed to melt away. The girls,watching tensely, saw several sandbags swept over the brink. Workmenraced to repair the damage. Mrs. Burmaster seemed stunned by the sight,but only for an instant.
"I don't care!" she cried. "Not a penny of our money goes into this dam!It will hold. Anyway, I'd rather drown than be bested by that hateful oldlady Lear!"
"But Matilda--"
"Don't speak to me of it again! Get her out of this Valley--tear down hershack! If you don't, I warn you, I'll take matters into my own hands!"
Turning abruptly, Mrs. Burmaster walked angrily down the trail.