CHAPTER XX
THE LED HORSE
Anne Marshall had stepped from the porch to the living-room. OverlandRed was alone with Louise.
Facing her quickly, his easy banter gone, his blue eyes intense,untroubled, magnetic, he drew a deep breath. "They're waiting for medown the canon, about now," he said, and his tone explained his speech.
Louise frowned slightly, studying his face. "That is unfortunate, justnow," she said slowly.
"Or most any time--for the other fella," responded Overland cheerfully.
The girl gazed at the toe of her slipper. "I know you didn't speakbecause you were afraid. What do you intend?"
"If I ain't oversteppin' the rules in invitin' you--why, I was goin' tosay, 'Miss Lacharme, wouldn't you like to take a little buggy-ride inthe Guzzuh, nice and slow. She's awful easy ridin' if you don't rein hertoo strong.'"
"I don't know," said Louise pensively. "Your car can only hold two?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I couldn't run away and leave Mrs. Marshall. Of course, you would goon--after--after we were in the valley. How could I get back?"
"That's so!" exclaimed Overland, with some subtlety, pretending he hadnot thought of that contingency. "'Course Collie could ride down aheadwith a spare hoss. You see the sheriff gent and Saunders--"
"Saunders? Our man Saunders?"
"Uhuh. Me and him ain't friends exactly. I figure he's rode down to tellthe Tenlow man that I'm up here."
"You are sure?"
"Yes, Miss. I don't make no mistakes about him."
"Then one of our men has gone to get the deputy to arrest you, and youare our guest."
"Thanks, Miss, for sayin' that. It's worth gettin' pinched to be _your_guest."
"I did intend to ride down for the mail. Boyar needs exercising."
"So does the Guzzuh, Miss. It's queer how she acts when she ain't beenworked every day."
"I don't believe Anne would care to come, in the machine. I'll ask her."And Louise stepped to the living-room.
Collie, who had been watching anxiously from the corrals, came acrossthe yard to the veranda. He was dressed for riding, and he had a gun onhis hip. Overland scowled. "You little idiot," he said, "when your UncleJack's brains get ossified, just give the sad news to the press. You'rejest itchin' to get in a muss and get plugged. I ain't. I figure to ridedown the Moonstone Trail, steerin' the Guzzuh with one hand and smellin'a bunch of roses in the other. Watch my smoke. Now, beat it!"
Louise, coming blithely from the living-room, nodded to Overland. Herpensiveness had departed. Her cheeks were flushed. "Oh, Collie! SaddleBoyar--" she began, but Overland coughed disapprovingly. He did not wishTenlow and Saunders to suspect that the led horse was for Louise.
"Or--no. Saddle Sarko," said Louise, at once aware of Overland's plan."And have him at the foot of the hill for me as soon as you can."
"Yes, Miss Louise." And Collie departed for the corrals wonderingly.Overland was too much for him.
They had luncheon and allowed Collie two hours to arrive at the valleylevel with the led pony. After luncheon Louise appeared in riding-skirtand boots. "Mr. Summers is going to take me for a ride in his new car,"she said. "Don't worry, aunty. He is going to drive slowly. He findsthat he has to leave unexpectedly."
"I'm sorry you are going without seeing Mr. Stone and Dr. Marshallagain," said Aunt Eleanor. "You'll be careful, won't you?"
"So am I, ma'am.--Yes, I'll run slow."
"But how will you come back?" queried Anne.
"Collie has gone ahead with a spare pony. Good-bye, aunty."
"I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for Billy. I am soglad he's well and strong again. We never could manage him. Good-bye,and tell Billy he _must_ come over and see us right away."
"You'll drive carefully?" queried Aunt Eleanor again.
"Jest like I was goin' to get pinched," said Overland, bowing.
* * * * *
As Collie rode down the last pitch, leading the restive Sarko, DickTenlow stepped from the brush. "'Morning, Collie. Out for a littlepasear?"
"Shouldn't wonder, Dick."
"Horses are lookin' good. Feed good on the hills yet?"
"Pretty good."
"I hear you got company up to the Moonstone."
"Yep. Eastern folks, doctor and his wife." And Collie looked the deputyhard in the eye.
"Oh, that was their machine I heard coughin' up the canon last night,eh?"
"I didn't ask them about that," replied Collie.
"You're improvin' since you first come into these hills," said Tenlow,with some sarcasm.
"I'm holdin' down a better job than I did then," said Colliegood-naturedly.
"Well, I ain't. I'm holdin' the same job, which you will recollect. Itain't much of a job, but it's good to requisition that cayuse you'releadin'."
"What you kiddin' about?"
"Straight goods," said Tenlow, reaching for Sarko's reins. "Just handover your end of that tie-rope."
"I guess not, Dick. You're on the wrong trail. What do you think I am?"
"Same as I always thought."
"Then you want to change your opinion of me," said Collie, relinquishingthe tie-rope. "I ain't breaking the law, but you are going to hear moreabout this."
"I'll risk that. You can ride right along, pronto."
"And you keep Sarko? I guess not! I'll stick."
"You can't throw no bluff this morning," said Tenlow, irritated by theyouth's persistence. "I guess you know what I mean."
"You got the horse, but I don't leave here without him," said Colliestubbornly. And there was an underlying assurance about Collie'sattitude that perplexed the deputy, who was satisfied that the led horsewas for Overland Red's use.
Saunders, hiding back in the brush, cursed Tenlow's stupidity. To havelet Collie go on and have followed him under cover would have been theonly sensible plan. Rapidly approximating the outcome of this muddle,Saunders untied his pony and rode back toward the ranch, taking anunused and densely covered bridle-trail.
From up in the canon came the thunder of the racing-car. Far above themTenlow and Collie could see it creeping round a turn in the road. Itdisappeared in a dip, to reappear almost instantly, gliding swiftly downthe long slant toward the valley. The staccato drumming of the exhaustechoed along the hillside. Overland's silk hat shone bravely in the sun.Beside the outlaw was the figure of a woman. Tenlow foresawcomplications and muttered profanely.
Down the next ditch rolled the car, rocking to the unevenness of themountain road. Overland opened the throttle, the machine shot forward,and in a few seconds drew up abreast of the deputy.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Summers," said Louise, stepping from the car."How are you, Mr. Tenlow."
"How'do, Miss Lacharme."
"Good-bye, Mr. Summers. I enjoyed the ride very much."
"Just a minute--" began the deputy.
"Where's my pony, Collie? He didn't get away, did he?"
"No, ma'am. Mr. Tenlow 'requisitioned' him. Thought I'd wait till youcame along so I could explain."
"Requisitioned my pony! What do you mean?"
"It's this way, Miss Lacharme. That man there in the machine is wanted.He--"
"What has that to do with my pony, please?"
"I guess you know who he is. I figured he was layin' to get away on thatpony."
"You want to go back to school, pardner, and learn to figure correct,"said Overland, his foot on the accelerator pedal of the throbbing car."One minus one is nothin'."
"Hold on there!" cried Tenlow, striding forward. Louise stood betweenthe deputy and the car.
"My horse, please," she said quietly. As she spoke the car roared,jumped forward, and shot down the smooth grade of the valley road.
"Now, Mr. Tenlow, I wish you would explain this to me. And then to UncleWalter. I sent one of our men with a horse. He was to wait for me here.What right have you to interfere with him?"
"I guess I got as muc
h right as you have to interfere with me," saidTenlow sullenly.
"Hold on there!" cried Collie, jumping forward.
"Collie, I'll talk with him."
"Take my horse, Miss Louise," said Collie, flushing.
"No, indeed. I'll ride Sarko."
"I'll get him," said Collie.
"No. Mr. Tenlow will get him, I am sure."
"A woman can make any deal look smooth--if she is interested," saidTenlow, turning toward the brush. He came out leading the pony.
"Thank you. Collie, you may get the mail, please."
Collie stood watching her as she rode away. Then with much deliberationhe tied his own pony Apache to a clump of greasewood. He unbuckled hisbelt and flung it, with gun and holster, to the ground.
"Now," he said, his face blazing white with suppressed anger. "I'm goingto make you eat that speech about any woman making things looksmooth--_if she's interested_."
"You go on home or I'll break you in two," said Tenlow.
Collie's reply was a flail-like blow between Tenlow's eyes. The deputystaggered, gritted his teeth, and flung himself at the younger man. Thefight was unequal from the beginning. Apache snorted and circled as thebushes crashed and crackled.
A few minutes later, Tenlow strode from the brush leading his pony. Hewiped the blood and sweat from his face and spat viciously.
* * * * *
Louise, riding homeward slowly, heard a horse coming behind her. Shereined Sarko and waited. Collie saw no way out of it, so he rode up,grinning from a bruised and battered face.
"Why, Collie!"
The young man grinned again. His lips were swollen and one eye wasnearly closed.
Dismounting, Louise stepped to the ford. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she cried."Your face is terribly bruised. And your eye--" She could not helpsmiling at Collie's ludicrous appearance.
"I took a fall," he mumbled blandly. "Apache here is tricky at times."
Louise's gaze was direct and reproachful. "Here, let me bathe your face.Stoop down, like that. You don't look so badly, now that the dirt isoff. Surely you didn't fall on your _eye_?"
Collie tried to laugh, but the effort was not very successful.
Tenderly she bathed his bruised face. Her nearness, her touch, made himforget the pain. Suddenly he seized her hand and kissed it, leaving astain of blood where his lips had touched. She was thrilled with amingled feeling of pride and shame--pride in that he had fought becauseof her, as she knew well enough, and shame at the brutality of theaffair which she understood as clearly as though she had witnessed it.She was too honest to make herself believe she was not flattered, in away, but she made Collie think otherwise.
He evaded her direct questioning stubbornly. Finally she asked whetherMr. Tenlow "had taken a fall," or not.
"Sure he did!" replied Collie. "A couple or three years ago--tryin' tooutride Overland Red. Don't you remember?"
"Collie, you're a regular hypocrite."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And you look--frightful."
"Yes, ma'am."
"You're not a bit ashamed."
"Yes, ma'am, I am."
"Don't say 'Yes, ma'am' all the time. You don't seem to be ashamed. Whyshould you be, though. Because you were fighting?"
"No, Miss Louise. Because I got licked."
Louise mounted Sarko and rode beside Collie silently. Presently shetouched his arm. "But did you?" she asked, her eyes grave and her toneconveying a subtle question above the mere letter.
"No! By thunder!" he exclaimed. "Not in a hundred years!"
"Well, get some raw meat from the cook. I'll give your explanation toDr. and Mrs. Marshall, for you will have to be ready for the tripto-morrow. You will have to think of a better explanation for the boys."
While riding homeward, Louise dropped her glove. Collie was afootinstantly and picked it up. "Can I keep it?" he said.
The girl looked curiously at him for a moment. "No, I think not,Collie," she said gently.
Collie rode up to the corrals that afternoon whistling as blithely as hecould considering his injuries. He continued to whistle as he unsaddledApache.
At the bunk-house Brand Williams looked at him once, and bent doublewith silent laughter. The boys badgered him unmercifully. "Fell off ahoss!--Go tell that to the chink!--Who stepped on your face, kid?--Beenridin' on your map, eh?--Where _was_ the wreck?--Who sewed up youreye?"
"S-s-h-h, fellas," said Miguel, grinning. "If you make all that noise,how you going to hear the tune he is whistling, hey?"
Collie glanced at Saunders, who had said nothing. "Got anything to offeron the subject, Silent?" he asked.
"Nope. I take mine out in thinkin'."
"You're going to have a chance to do a whole lot more of it beforelong," said Collie; and he said it with a suggestiveness that did notescape the taciturn foreman, Brand Williams.