CHAPTER XXI
BORROWED PLUMES
"He speaks of a pretty round sum," said Walter Stone, returning theletter that Collie had asked him to read. "I don't know but that theland you speak of is a good investment. You were thinking of raisingstock--horses?"
"Yes, sir. The Oro people are making good at it. The land north of youis good grazing-land and good water. Of course, I got to wait for awhile. Red says in the letter that my share of the claim so far is fivethousand. That wouldn't go far on that piece of land, but I've savedsome, too."
"You might make a payment to hold the land," said Stone.
"I don't like that way. I want to buy it all at once."
Walter Stone smiled. Collie was ambitious, and rather inexperienced. "Soyou think you will leave us and go to mining until you have made enoughmore to buy it outright?"
"Yes, sir. I don't want you to think I ain't satisfied here. I like ithere."
"I know you do, Collie. Well, think it over. Prospecting is gambling.It is sometimes magnificent gambling. Miss Lacharme's father was aprospector. We have never heard from him since he went out on thedesert. But that has nothing to do with it. If I didn't believe you'dmake a first-rate citizen, I shouldn't hesitate a minute about yourgoing. I'd rather see you ranching it. We need solid men here inCalifornia. There are so many remittance-men, invalids, idlers,speculators, and unbalanced enthusiasts that do more harm than good,that we need a few _new_ landmarks. We need a few new cornerstones andkeystones to stiffen the structure that is building so fast. I realizethat we must build from the ground up--not hang out tents from thetrees. That day is past."
"It's a big thing--to be stuck on California more than getting rich,"said Collie.
"Yes. The State of California is a bank--a new bank. The more depositorswe have, the stronger we shall be--provided our depositors have faith inus. We have their good will now. We need solid, two-handed men who cantake hold and prove that investment in our State is profitable."
"You bet!" exclaimed Collie, catching some of the older man'senthusiasm. Then he added with less enthusiasm: "But how about suchthings as the Jap ranchers dumping carloads of onions in the rivers andmelons in the ocean, by the ton, and every one cut so it can't be usedby poor folks? If Eastern people got on to that they would shy offpretty quick."
"Yes," said the rancher, frowning. "It's true enough that such things dohappen. I've known of boatloads of fish being dumped back in the oceanbecause the middlemen wouldn't give the fishermen a living price. Inwestern Canada thousands of bushels of grain have been burned on theground because the Eastern market was down and the railroads would notmake a rate that would allow a profit to the farmer. Such things are notlocal to California. California is in the limelight just now and suchthings are naturally prominent."
"It looks awful bad for good fruit and vegetables and fish to be thrownaway when folks have to pay ten cents for a loaf of bread no bigger thana watch-charm," said Collie.
"It is bad. Crookedness in real estate transactions is bad. We don'twant to waste our time, however, in feeling worried about it. What wewant to do is to show the other fellow that _our_ work is successful andstraight."
"Yes, sir. A fellow has got to believe in something. I guess believingin his own State is the best."
"Of course. Now, about your leaving us. I had rather you would stayuntil the Marshalls go. Louise and Mrs. Stone depend on you so much."
"Sure I will! You see, Red don't say to come, in his letter, but he sentthe check for three hundred if I did want to come. There's no hurry."
"All right. Hello, Louise! Dinner waiting?"
"Yes, Uncle Walter. How are you, Collie?" And Louise nodded to him."What are you two hatching? You seem so serious."
"Plans for the ultimate glory of the State," said Stone.
"Ultimate?"
"Yes. We've been going beneath the surface of things a little. Collieexpects to go even deeper, so he tells me."
Collie walked slowly toward the bunk-house. Halfway there he tookOverland's check from the letter and studied it. He put it back into hispocket. As he passed the corrals, Apache nickered in a friendly way."Haven't got a thing for you," said Collie. "Not a bite. We're not goin'to town to-day. To-morrow, maybe, for there'll be doings at the OroRancho and we'll be there--we'll be there!"
With a run and a spring the young man leaped the gate and trotted intothe bunk-house.
Brand Williams was solemnly shaving. He turned a lathered face towardCollie whose abrupt entrance had all but caused the foreman tosacrifice his left ear. "Well," he drawled, "who is dead?"
"You mean, Who is alive? I guess. Say, Brand, what do you think thatYuma horse over at the Oro is worth?"
"That dam' outlaw? Ain't worth the trouble of mentioning."
"But, oh, Brand, she's built right! I tell you! Short-coupled, and themlegs and withers! They ain't a pony in the valley can touch her. Andonly three years old!"
"Nor a man neither," said Williams.
"She's been scared to death because the fellows was scared of her andstarted in wrong."
"So'll the man be that tries to ride her. Say, I seen thatcopper-colored, china-eyed, she-son of a Kansas cyclone put Bull O'Tooleso far to the bad once that his return ticket expired long before he gotback. I tell you, kid, she's _outlaw_. She's got the disposition of aComanche with a streak of lightnin' on a drunk throwed in. You keep offthat hoss!"
"Maybe," said Collie. "But I notice you put me to breakin' about all thestock on this ranch that you can't handle yourself."
Which was true. Williams shaved and perspired in silence.
"Let's see," he said presently, emerging from the wash-basin. "When'sthat barbecue comin' off?"
"To-morrow. As if you didn't know!"
"Sunday, eh? Well, you might as well get killed on a Sunday as any otherday. I suppose your askin' about that hoss means you are thinkin' ofridin' her, eh?"
"I was thinkin' of it. They are putting her up as a chance for the manthat can. She has put three of their boys to the bad. Matt Gleason, theOro foreman, says he'll give her to any Moonstoner that can stay on hertwo minutes."
"He said 'Moonstoner' particular?" queried Williams.
"He did. To me. I was over tryin' to buy her."
"You're plumb loco. So he said any _Moonstoner_ eh? Any Moonstoner. Bycrip, I've a notion--Let's see, there's Miguel--he's too swift. BillyDime might make it if he didn't get too much red-eye in him first. Budain't steady enough--and it wouldn't look right if I was the only riderhere to take a chance. I dunno."
"What you gaspin' about?" queried Collie.
"Nothin', kid. You can get hosses ready for all the ladies for to-morrowmornin' at six sharp. Sabe? I got orders to send you over with 'em.Mebby you're some proud now, eh? Well, don't fall off Apache pertendin'you're so polite you can't spit."
"What you sore about, Brand?"
"I was thinkin' what a slashin' string of riders we got. Here a littleold ranch like the Oro says they'll give a hoss to any Moonstoner whatkin stay on him for two minutes. It's plumb sickenin'. Kids! Jest kids,on this ranch."
"That so? Say, Brand, you ain't got rid of so much English talk at oncesince I been here. You ought to talk more. You keep too quiet. Talkingsociable will help to take the wrinkles out of your neck."
"You talk so much you'll never live to get any."
"Say, Brand."
"Uhuh."
"Will you lend me the Chola spurs and that swell quirt old Miguelplaited for you, and your Mexican bridle, just for to-morrow?"
"So that's what you been lovin' up to me for, eh?"
"Lovin' up to you, you darned old--darned old--_dude_, you."
"Hold on! You said it! Take the spurs! Take the quirt! Take the bridle!Take the hat and gloves with the silk roses on! Anybody that's got nerveenough to call _me_ a _dude_ can take anything I got. Say, you don'twant to borrow a pair of _pants_, do you?"
Honors were about even when Collie left the bunk-house, his arms ladenwith the fo
reman's finery. He colored to his hair as he saw Louisecoming toward him. He fumbled at the gate, opened it, and stood asidefor her to pass. As she smiled and thanked him, he heard his namecalled.
"Hey!" shouted Williams, coming suddenly from the bunk-house. "Hey,Collie! You went away without them pants! I'll lend 'em to you--"
Collie, his face flaming, strode down the trail, the blood drumming inhis ears.