CHAPTER XI
RICKER'S WARNING
Mason was up at sunrise the next morning and set out at once for thebunk-house. He had determined to have another talk with MacNutt andhave the man clear up a suspicion that was beginning to take shape inhis mind. He had been convinced all along that things were not rightat the Ricker ranch, and Waneda's late and unexpected arrival thenight before had clouded his mind with mystery. MacNutt's strangeactions in the last few days and his sister's startling revelationsconcerning his father had him sorely troubled. In this state of mindhe approached the bunk-house and found the cowboys forming in lineunder Bud Anderson's leadership. They made a fine spectacle as theysat mounted and at attention while Bud was tolling off the ones thatwere to ride the range this day, and the more fortunate ones that wereto remain to entertain the visitors. Mason's sharp glance failed tomake out MacNutt among the riders.
"I gave MacNutt leave to go to Trader's Post," Bud called in answer toan inquiry from Mason. The foreman's face wore a broad grin. "He isn'tany use to me and as we are going to do some trick riding to-day, Iwas glad to have him out of the way," the foreman added. Mason thankedhim for the information and started for the house. His face wore agrim smile. "No one seems to take that MacNutt person seriously butme," he mused softly, "but if I don't miss my guess, he's fooling themall."
Before he reached the house he met the girls coming his way, andwonder of all wonders, they were being escorted by Percy Vanderpoolhimself. The fop wore a different suit from the one he had on when hearrived at the ranch and it was even more loud and flashy, but whenMason saw that he also sported a cane, he groaned aloud.
"Why, I wouldn't be in his boots to-day for a million dollars," hetold himself, "what the cowboys won't say and do when he appears tothem in that rig will be a sin. But oh, a fool for luck, and just seethe girls hang on to him."
The girls had spied Mason, but were pretending to be wrapped inPercy's conversation, while he was strutting and braggingoutrageously.
Not to carry the farce too far the girls were slowly making their waytoward Mason.
"What time did you get up this morning, Sir Jack?" Josephine called tohim.
"Just about sunrise," he answered, quickening his stride to join them.
"But you don't look very good-natured for such a fine morning," hissister said in a bantering tone.
"I feel good enough," he returned shortly, giving her a sharp glance."It's a fact that fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
He was looking hard at Percy as he spoke. He never had liked thefellow any too well, and wanted to put a check to his bragging. At anyrate the words had no effect on Percy for he strutted and bragged asmuch as before. Josephine was laughing silently while trying to signalto Mason not to pay any attention to Percy. Finally she drew Masonaside and engaged him in conversation.
"You must not mind the way us girls carry on," she was sayingearnestly, "your sister is out here for a good time and Percy is acuriosity to us. We know he is a harmless creature with more moneythan brains, for didn't you say so yourself, Sir Jack?"
He looked a little sheepish.
"Come, now," she continued, "take us down to see the cowboys, we havea little time before breakfast and your sister is quite interested inBud Anderson. She thinks he is about right, and I want you to help mein showing her a good time while she stays at the ranch."
He stirred uneasily.
"Who is the more interested in Bud, you or Ethel?"
He put the question suddenly.
They had drawn a short distance away from Ethel and Percy. Josephineremained silent, her fingers busily toying with her handkerchief.
"You haven't answered my question," he continued relentlessly.
"That is for you to find out, Sir Jack," she answered naively, andbroke away from him to join Ethel and Percy.
"Come, Ethel, Sir Jack looks real blue and we're all going down to thecorral," she said.
Mason fell into step with Josephine and the girl seemed puzzled by hisabstracted manner.
"You are looking real gloomy this morning, Sir Jack. Please tell mewhat is worrying you."
He saw a look of concern come into her eyes.
"Well, little Princess, I'll tell you," he said gravely. "I wanted tosee MacNutt this morning to find out about the Spanish girl's case.MacNutt had gone to Trader's Post, so I didn't find out anything fromhim. Did you question the girl this morning as you intended to?"
"Yes," Josephine answered, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead ofher. "Waneda didn't tell me anything more than I found out last night,and I think we will have to look to MacNutt to explain the reason ofher coming here."
"Of course," she continued, "I am willing that the girl should stayhere just as long as she wants to, if I was sure that she is allright. Anyway, you seem to take a great interest in her."
He looked up at her in surprise.
"What makes you think that?"
"I should think," she answered, "that after a girl had brought you adecoy note as she did, that you couldn't trust her."
"I am still convinced that Waneda didn't know what that first notecontained," he protested warmly, "and that she had been made a tool bythe Ricker faction."
"Your faith is wonderful."
There was a touch of sarcasm in her voice.
He felt the sting of it keenly. They were now far in advance of Etheland Percy. Mason stopped and placed himself in her path.
"Josephine," he spoke rapidly, "I don't care for Waneda or any girl,only you."
She drew herself up haughtily.
"Please let us not continue this subject," she said, eyeing himcoldly, "there is Bud just ahead of us and I wish to talk with him."
Before he could prevent her she had passed swiftly by him while hestood staring blankly after her.
"Now, what have I said to offend her?" he demanded angrily of himself.
Bitterly condemning himself for having said something out of the way,and racking his brains in vain to think what it was, he made his wayto the corral in a disturbed frame of mind.
"Josephine must think I am a clumsy brute, and I don't know as I blameher. Jack, you always did have a fool way of putting your blunderingfoot in bad with the women, but this girl, oh hell, but I have made amess of things."
Thus harshly denouncing himself, he paused at the corral. Josephine'sfavorite horse, Fleet, caught his eye, and leaping the bars he took alump of sugar from his pocket and held it out temptingly to theanimal. Fleet gave a whinny of delight and raced over to him.
"Anyway, I can keep on good terms with you, can't I, old top?"
The horse munched the sugar and tried to put his soft nose intoMason's pocket.
"No more, Fleet," he said gently, "or I will be winning you away fromJosephine, and then she would have another chance to get sore at me."
From where he stood he could see Josephine and his sister; they weretalking gaily with Bud, while Percy was staring at the cowboys from asafe distance.
They were gathered in a small group and as Mason watched, one of themstarted to walk past his comrades, imitating Percy's walk andmannerisms.
Mason's good nature returned with a burst of humor.
The cowboy was really a good actor and he imitated Percy's ways toperfection. Evidently the cowboys had planned on a fake fight forPercy's benefit. The cowboy paused in his walk and a violent quarreltook place between him and one of the men.
Percy was staring at them with horror in his eyes.
Suddenly one of them pulled his gun and firing from his hip broughtthe quarrel to an end. The other cowboy sank to the ground as thoughmortally wounded. Percy gave one look and fled to the house.
The incident caused a hearty laugh from all the men, but Josephinecautioned the cowboy not to repeat the performance. Soon after thebreakfast bell rang and Mason joined his sister and Josephine on theirway to the house.
"You missed the fun, Sir Jack," Josephine said, her eyes sparklingwith mischief.
"No, I
didn't," he retorted, vaguely wondering at her change ofmanner. "I was in the corral and saw all that took place, and believeme, it was amusing."
"I will have to square myself with Percy, he will think we are allroughnecks out here," she said, a little frown wrinkling her face.
"Nonsense," he laughed, "I'll just go right up to Percy and say,'What's the matter, old chappie, don't let a little thing like thatfrighten you, old chap. It's a common occurrence out here, old top,dontcherknow, or don't you know?'"
"You will do nothing of the kind," Josephine cried, eyeing himseverely; "why, you would scare the poor fellow away."
"Small loss," he answered, smiling again as he thought of theincident.
Josephine disdained to answer him. There was an appetizing breakfastawaiting them at the house, and for once Mason was as hungry as awolf. Josephine made all hands wait, however, until she had her mothergo to Percy's room and drag him from his lair. It was evident that shehad succeeded for the party could hear him following her downstairs.Percy was soon made to feel at ease for all acted as though theincident was forgotten. In the course of an hour they all assemblednear the corral where the cowboys were beginning to show off theirvarious stunts. Ethel was especially struck with the way one cowboy,running his horse at full speed, swept another man off the ground withapparent ease and swung him in front of him, his horse keeping up histerrific rush with scarcely a break. She clapped her hands inadmiration at this feat of horsemanship. Percy seemed awestruck at thereckless daring of the riders and when the men passed in review afterthe sport was over, his eyes were held as fascinated at the sight ofthe guns sticking out of the cowboys' belts. Bud Anderson had orderedhis men to go armed since the Ricker faction had showed such openhostility of late.
Mason had noticed MacNutt during the cowboy games, but the man did nottake part in any of the riding.
"MacNutt didn't go to Trader's Post after all," he mused thoughtfully,"now where did the fellow go?" Happening to look over in Josephine'sdirection, Mason saw that she was carrying the field glasses that hehad presented to her. The girl evidently took delight in them for sheoccasionally swept the trail and far off mountains with them. He waswalking slowly over to join her when he heard her give a startledexclamation.
"What is it?" he questioned, hastening to her side.
"Riders coming this way, and quite a body of them," her voice seemedlost in wonder as she answered him.
"Oh, they are Ricker's cowboys," she continued, "run and tell Dad andBud, quick!"
Mason quickly informed Bud and the ranch owner of Josephine'sdiscovery.
Bud hastily gathered the cowboys around him.
"Now, boys," he said in clear, concise tones, "Ricker is coming hereand I don't know for what purpose, but if he and his men are lookingfor trouble we will give it to them quick enough. Don't none of youmen draw until you see me draw first. Is that clear to you?"
His eyes took on a steely glint as he spoke the last words. There wasa murmur of assent from the men, but Tex stepped forward with an airof defiance.
"I don't allow we're going to stand by and see you get plugged firstby Ricker," he growled sullenly, "we all know Ricker is the quickestman in this part of the country that ever throwed a gun, and Bud, wedon't aim to stand by and give him a chance to throw his gun first."
Bud listened calmly, the muscles of his face hardening.
"You will do just as I ordered, Tex."
The words were spoken so low and without any trace of passion, thatMason could scarcely hear him. Then Bud placed his men aftercautioning them again.
Mason could see he held marvelous control over them, and he began tounderstand why the ranch owner had made him foreman.
Waneda, the Spanish girl, had crept up to Mason while Bud wasaddressing his men, and she seemed strangely agitated at the news thatRicker and his men were coming.
Mason felt sorry for this poor waif of the plains and wished thatJosephine would be more kind to her. It wasn't Josephine's nature tobe harsh with anybody, he reasoned, but he could see that she seemedto hold a strong dislike for Waneda, and he couldn't understand thereason for her dislike.
Josephine still had her field glasses trained on the riders. They werenear enough now so she could make out Ricker in the lead with about adozen cowboys.
"I thought at first that they were old man Gaylor's cowboys instead ofthese swine," the ranch owner burst out wrathfully.
In answer to an inquiring look from Mason he explained, "Gaylor owns aranch just across the valley from here. His place is sixty miles frommy ranch and sometimes he and his cowboys pay me a visit. They areright fine people and I thought at first this bunch of riders were hismen."
Ricker and his men were now riding up to the corral at top speed. Theymade a fine appearance, and Mason had to admit they were superbhorsemen. When Ricker caught sight of Bud with his men drawn up inback of him, he flung up one hand and his cowboys came to a halt. Twoof his men seemed to have trouble in controlling their plunginghorses, and Bud watched them narrowly to guard against a trick.
Ricker was the first to speak.
"Anderson, I've come to repay that visit you and your men made at myranch a short time ago"; his tone was sneering and his face workedwith passion as his eyes fell on Waneda and Mason.
"That's nice," Bud answered coolly, "is that all you have on your mindto-day?"
"Not by a damned sight!" Ricker burst out furiously. The sight ofMason seemed to madden him. "I've come for that girl there," pointingto Waneda. "Mason, did you have anything to do with getting her tothis ranch, you damned----"
"Better not say it," Mason cut in sharply, while taking a stepforward. He turned around and looked at Waneda.
"Do you wish to go back with this man, Waneda?" he questioned her.
"No," the girl gasped in fear.
"That settles it," Mason said grimly, "Ricker, I guess your quarrel iswith me. Now, I want to tell you something. Any man that will bulldozea helpless girl has got a yellow streak, and if you'll get down offyour horse I'll prove it. You've threatened my father in the past andI know you're out to get me. Now, I have no weapon about me and I wantto know if you are man enough to get down off your horse."
The sudden turn of affairs caused surprise among Ricker's cowboys,while Bud and his men sat staring at Mason in amazement. Ricker wasfairly choking with rage as he was put in a bad light before his men,and he could only sit and glare at Mason.
"I will agree to let you take Waneda back with you if I don't proveyou have got a yellow streak," Mason continued scornfully; "you cameover here to pick a quarrel with me and you know it."
"That is fair enough, Ricker," Bud spoke up suavely. His voice seemedto have almost a purr in it. "The boy has called your turn. I will seethat my men behave themselves, if you will promise your men will begood, but remember I'm watching you all."
Ricker spoke a few sharp words to his men and they fell back leavinghim face to face with Mason.
"I'm going to take some of the conceit out of you, you young upstart,"he said with pitying smile as he drew his guns and handed them to Bud."You're going up against a full grown man and I'm going to break you."
Mason knew he would have a tough job on his hands as Ricker was of thebrute type and outweighed him by forty pounds. Mason fell back to joinhis mother and sister as they were calling frantically to him.
They both appealed to him not to fight Ricker, Josephine and the ranchowner joining in with them.
"I intend to get revenge for Dad's sake," he told them simply, andthey knew it was useless to argue with him further.
Bud went over and had a talk with Ricker. Soon he came back and drewMason to one side.
"Ricker says he won't stand for any rules to this fight, lad," he saidkindly, "the best man to win at any style he likes best."
"That suits me," Mason answered with a laugh; "I'll box with him everyminute."
Ricker announced that he was ready, and the two combatants began tocircle around, each looking for an ope
ning. Mason held his hands asthough to grapple with his opponent, when Ricker, thinking he saw anopportunity to get a hold, suddenly darted in and received a swingingblow to the jaw that dazed him. He fell into a crouch, as the blow hadhurt him, and took a lightning uppercut for his pains. As he backedaway, Mason could see that he was full of fight and a hog forpunishment. The man was a regular giant in stature and the way herecovered from the effect of the blows amazed Mason. He decided tochange his tactics. Ricker rushed him furiously, his great brawny armtrying to encircle Mason's body. Mason easily side-stepped this madrush and shot a snappy punch to his opponent's eye, completely closingthat member. He followed this blow with a series of body punchesbefore Ricker could clinch him. Mason worked his arms free and swung afierce left to Ricker's face cutting a wide gash over his other eye,and causing him to back away cursing. Mason followed up his advantage,swinging short body blows that brought a spasm of pain to Ricker'sface. The bully was breaking ground now before Mason's relentlesssmashes and tried to clinch at every opportunity.
"I knew you had a streak of yellow in you, Ricker," Mason said coollyas he evaded a wild swing. "Why, your efforts are clumsy, stand uplike a man and take a licking."
Ricker bellowed like a bull at the taunt and rushed at Mason in a wildattempt to finish his nimble opponent with a single blow. The bully'seyes were nearly closed and his breath came in gasps. His men satamazed at the easy way Mason was handling him. Some of them nervouslyfingered their guns, but Bud was watching every move sharply and theydidn't dare make any display of force. Mason set himself and metRicker's bull-like rush with a powerful blow to the jaw. The man'shead snapped back while his heels were lifted clear from the ground.Mason had scored a clean knockout, scarcely receiving a scratchhimself.
It took some time for Ricker's men to bring him to, and as he climbedweakly on his horse he pointed a shaking finger at Mason.
"You haven't seen the last of me, young fellow," he swore betweenswollen lips; "I'm going to get you for this, and I want to tell you,too, Anderson, if I catch any of your men on my range, I'm going tomake an example of them."
"That is an idle threat, Ricker," Bud retorted calmly; "none of my menwill venture on your range unless there is a good reason, and then youmay be sure I will come with them."
Ricker frowned darkly at this return to his threat. He gave a commandto his men and soon the band were in motion. Josephine watched them inthe distance through her field glasses and saw they were taking thefork in the trail toward Trader's Post.
"Well, I hope this is the last we will see of that crowd," the ranchowner said with a sigh of relief. "Mason, you sure did beat up Rickersome."
"I don't know if Josephine has told you the story or not," heanswered, "but there had been bitter enmity between Ricker and my dadfor years, and he came over here mainly to pick a quarrel with me."
"Josephine did tell me something of the kind," the ranch owneradmitted wonderingly, "but I didn't pay much attention to her at themoment and it clean slipped my mind."
That evening, Mason with Bud and the ranch owner's family were talkingover the events of the day and were wondering how far Ricker would gowith his threat when they heard a commotion down near the corral. Loudvoices reached their ears causing Bud and Mason to spring to theirfeet. Both rushed out on the porch and at a glance they saw that atragedy had occurred. Two cowboys were assisting one of their comradesout of his saddle. A third cowboy started on a run for the ranchhouse. Bud recognized him as Buck Miller.
"What's the trouble down there, Miller?" Bud called to him.
"One of the Ricker crowd shot up Tex down at the Post!" came thestartling answer.
Bud swore softly.
"It's war to the knife from now on between Ricker and me"; he said thewords in the manner of a man registering a vow.