CHAPTER XXVIII.
A SLAP ON THE FACE.
As they were riding toward the post they were joined by Ben, Bud, Kit,Clay, and Carl, who came riding up like Cossacks, and were presented toMiss Croffut, on either side of whom they fell into place, and began totalk animatedly and enthusiastically about the coming trail.
Ben expanded mightily in the presence of a new girl, while quiet Kitcontented himself by slipping in a witty remark that was pointed enoughto puncture Ben's gas bag of grand talk once in a while, to the greatamusement of the army girl, who had never before met such fine, free,and easy, yet gentlemanly, fellows.
Ted and Stella were riding together behind them.
"Did you see him?" asked Stella at last, looking up at Ted.
"See who?" asked Ted.
"The man who shot at you, trying to murder you, and cast the blame onthe Indians," she replied directly.
"Oh, that was an accident," said Ted. "I saw a flash of a blue coat overwhere the shot came from, but it was probably an Indian with a blueshirt on."
"And you didn't see who it was?" she asked again wonderingly.
"No."
"Don't you even suspect?"
"Hadn't thought of it."
"Suppose it was not an accident, who do you think would be most likelyto try to shoot you from ambush, and make it appear an accident?"
Ted thought a moment. Could it be possible that it was not an accident?For a few minutes after the ball had plowed its way through their littleparty he had thought perhaps it might have been sent at themaccidentally, as the Indians were doing some pretty wild shooting, andthen again he almost believed it to be an intentional shot. It could nothave come closer to him from such a distance, and yet so narrowly missedhis heart, unless it was intended for him.
"Let me see," he mused. "Why, of course," he said, with a smile. "Ididn't think of it before. It must have been that Indian, Running Bear,who was trying to get square for the punching I gave him."
"Ted, you're as blind as a rat," said Stella.
"Did you see the fellow who shot at me?"
"I did. Got a good, square, sure-enough look."
"Who was it?"
For a moment Stella did not reply.
"You'll hardly believe it," she answered, at last.
"I'll believe you. I don't know that you ever told me anything that wasnot the truth."
"But it seems so incredible, that I would hardly believe it if I had notseen it with my own eyes."
"Well, out with it."
"It was Lieutenant Barrows."
"Stella! You can't mean it."
Ted stopped his pony, and stood staring at the girl.
"It was he who fired the shot. I am positive of it. I saw him do it, andwas just about to cry out a warning when the bullet struck your pony andpassed through your coat sleeve, and he dodged out of sight."
"The hideous cur!" exclaimed Ted, who was the apostle of fair play, andwho always felt bitterly when he saw another practice false, andespecially an officer, who was supposed to uphold all the best standardsfor a gentleman. In fact, "an officer and a gentleman" were synonymousto him.
"It seems incredible," he said, at last. "I didn't think he was much ofa chap, he has not had much experience, and I thought he would grow outof his bad habits."
"He's horrible," exclaimed Stella impatiently. "But that is not theworst of it. Hallie is engaged to marry him some day. Think of it!"
"Too bad. Of course she must know nothing of this. She must believe thatit was an accident."
"Of course. Unless she mentions it we will say nothing about it, andI'll tell her that you do not care to have anything said about it."
"That's the thing. Pretty bad outlook for her."
"Yes, and the worst of it is, she's crazy about him, and the colonel,her father, is very much in favor of the marriage, and is doingeverything he can to bring it about. You see, Barrows is very rich."
"Is he the son of Barrows, the railroad multi-millionaire, do you know?"
"Yes, Hallie told me all about it. She says his father is going to havehim promoted through his influence in Washington to be military attacheto one of our embassies in Europe. He has completely dazzled her withhis wealth, and the prospects ahead of her."
"Too bad."
"And she is such a sweet and sensible girl, but she has no mother, andthe other ladies at the post, especially Mrs. Calhoun, the major's wife,have put a lot of nonsense into her head."
"Well, if she comes with us, we'll try to get some of it out."
"It looks as if Ben was trying to do that now," said Stella, pointing towhere Ben was talking to the girl, who was laughing happily.
"Yes, or putting a lot of another brand into it."
"Don't they make a handsome couple. Ben is such a fine-looking chap inthe saddle. I wish he would do something to cut out Barrows."
"Look out. Don't you go to meddling in this affair," laughed Ted. "Well,here we are at the colonel's. I reckon he didn't count on this additionto his table."
As they rode up to the others, Hallie Croffut was insisting that theother boys remain for dinner, and the colonel, hearing the contentionfrom his chair on the veranda, came down to add his invitation to thatof his daughter.
So it was that they all stayed, and just before dinner was announcedLieutenant Barrows rode up and joined the group.
He was hot and dusty, and in a bad temper. He acknowledged theintroductions to the boys superciliously, and barely nodded to Ted.
Hallie looked at him with a puzzled frown, but said nothing, and enteredthe house with Stella.
During dinner Ben sat at the left hand of Hallie, with Barrows opposite.
Ben was in his usual good spirits, and was so easy and gentlemanly inhis deportment, in spite of his rough clothes, that Stella was quiteproud of him.
While he kept Hallie in a constant gale of laughter by his wittyremarks, Barrows did nothing but scowl at him, when he was not castingsinister glances at Ted, who, however, never looked at him.
After dinner the girls rushed away to get ready for the trip, and theboys went out on the veranda to wait for them, while the colonel andBarrows went into the library, ostensibly to talk over business of thepost, as Barrows was officer of the day.
But presently Ted heard the voices of the two men rising above thenormal pitch.
"I seriously object to Hallie going with such people."
The voice was Barrows', and it was angry.
"But they are all right," said the colonel. "I know Strong well byreputation, and the Grahams are old friends of mine. Knew them for yearswhen I was in New Mexico. Hallie and Stella went to school together.There can be no objection on that score."
"But this cad Strong is nothing but a common cow-puncher, and hiscompanions are even worse."
"They're worth more than you are financially," said the colonel. "Thatis, they have made more individually than you have made. I'm not sayingwhat your father gives, or will give you. And that counts forsomething."
"Well, there is no use saying anything more about it if you are willingto give your consent to Hallie traveling in the company of, and campingwith, such a low blackguard as that fellow Strong."
"You dare not call him that to his face," came an indignant voice.Evidently Stella had entered the library in time to hear Barrows'speech.
"I am surprised to hear you speak in that manner of one of my guests,"came the voice of Hallie Croffut. "Papa, I'm going with Stella. At firstI hesitated to leave you and Clarence here alone, but now I am decided.You will not be very lonely, and I shall be very safe and happy withStella and dear Mrs. Graham, who is like an own aunt to me, and withthose gentlemen, the broncho boys. Good-by, daddy. We'll be back soon."
"So his name's Clarence, eh?" said Bud Morgan, on the veranda. "Well,wouldn't that jar yer?"
In the library Hallie was kissing her father good-by, and then offeredher hand to Barrows.
"Good-by, Clarence," she said. "I hope you'll be in a better fra
me ofmind when I get back."
"I want to talk to you privately before you go," said Barrows, in asulky voice.
"It is not necessary," answered the girl.
"But I insist upon it. It is my right."
"You have no rights I do not give you. This is good-by."
"I'll make you regret this yet. I'll----"
"Hold hard, Barrows. Remember, you are in my house, and that you aretalking to my daughter. Threats to a girl do not come gracefully from agentleman." The colonel evidently had sprung to his feet, and his voicewas cold and harsh.
"Very well, I will not threaten. I will execute."
The young officer strode from the room and through the hall, pausing topick up his cap.
At the door he came face to face with Ted Strong, who was standing therequietly, waiting for the moment when he should think his presence wouldbe necessary in the library.
As the two came face to face, Barrows stopped and looked into Ted's eyeswith a look of intense hatred. He was as white as a sheet, and his lipstrembled.
"So you have been acting the eavesdropper, eh?" Barrows said, with asneer. "I hope you heard all I said about you, and that is not all Ithink, either. Would you like to hear some more."
"I don't care what you think about me. That will do me no harm. But ifyou desire to retain your beauty I would advise you to keep it toyourself. You probably know what I think of you, you cowardly assassin."Ted spoke these words in a tone intended only for the ears of Barrowshimself.
"What do you mean?" stammered the young officer, pale as death.
"You know. You missed my heart at the beef issue by an inch or two, butyou were seen, you cur, and you can't lie out of it. If I were to tellit, you would be drummed out of the army, and every place else wherethere are square men. Keep away from me and mine in every way, andespecially with your filthy tongue. If you do not, I'll break you."
Barrows uttered an unspeakable epithet to Ted under his breath.
A loud crack sounded far enough to reach the ears of those in thelibrary, and bring the broncho boys to their feet. Across the white faceof Lieutenant Barrows were the crimson finger marks left by Ted Strong.
Without a word the lieutenant swung on his heel, and walked down thesteps, mounted his horse, and rode away.
In the doorway stood a young girl who looked at his going with wideeyes. She was very pale, but as Barrows rode away without a word or aglance backward, a flush slowly mounted to her forehead.
She turned and threw her arms around the neck of Stella, for it wasHallie Croffut who had seen the blow delivered.
"He didn't even offer to resent the blow," sobbed Hallie. "Is itpossible that he is a coward?"
"There, dear, I wouldn't worry about him," said Stella soothingly. "Itwas very wrong for Ted to do so."
Ted, who was standing near, also watching the departing lieutenant withsome surprise, heard these words and turned to look at the girls.
He smiled, however, when he heard Stella trying to comfort Hallie byblaming him, for over the shoulder of the crying girl his girl pardwinked at him with a smile that assured him that, no matter what shesaid, she thought that whatever happened he was all right.
"Say," drawled Bud to the other boys, "Ted put ther bloom o' youth onClarence's cheek, didn't he?"
"He certainly did," said Ben, "and probably saved Clarence from gettinga good, stout punch on the nose from me."
Ben held up for inspection a fist as big as a picnic ham, and worked itaround as if it was fitted to a toggle joint.
"He didn't get all that was coming to him, either," said Kit. "If everthere was a cad he's got the job."
"And seems to be swelled up over it, too," said Clay.
"Ach, yes, dot iss der vay mit dem army offichers," sighed Carl. "Deyvas so conspicuousness in deir uniforms dot dey vos ridiculousness."
"Say, Dutch, you want ter look out or you'll blow out all o' yer teethsome o' these days sayin' them words," warned Bud.
"Well, it isn't such a good joke as it seems," said Kit reflectively. "Ayoung fellow in the army, and with the backing he has, can make itpretty disagreeable for fellows like us living and doing business in acountry where an army post is part of the civil government. Have youthought of that?"
"Kit's right," said Ted. "I guess we've made an enemy. But I'll bemighty glad of it if it serves to accomplish one thing."
"What's that?" asked Ben.
"If it will keep him away from Hallie Croffut," was the answer.
"I reckon there's others who will help attend to that," said Bensturdily, whereat several of the boys smiled. Ben was forever coming tothe rescue of maidens in distress, especially if they were more thanmerely pretty.
"We've all got to do our share at cheering the poor girl up," said Kit,with a sly glance at Ted, who grinned.
"Oh, I guess I'm large and strong enough to carry my own burdens," saidBen. "I've managed to pack a good many of them' so far without gettinground-shouldered."
"Yes, and without losing your appetite."
"Hush, boys," cautioned Ted. "Here come the girls."
Stella came out of the house, bearing in her arms a lot of shawls andbundles, followed by Mrs. Graham and Hallie Croffut.
"When you see me coming at this stage of the game loaded down like thisyou'd know for sure that Auntie Graham was going on a roughing trip."
"That's all right," said Kit. "Mrs. Graham can take whatever she likeson the trips, if she'll only go along."
"You're a nice boy, Kit, to say such nice things," said Mrs. Graham,smiling. "But you're all nice boys to take an old lady like me with you,and stand for all my laziness and tantrums."
"That's right, auntie, you keep on with that line of talk, and you'llget these fellows so spoiled that I'll have to begin training them allover again. I just had them so that they were going along all right. Butyou mustn't let them know they're nice, or they'll quit being nice rightthere. Come, fellows, help carry Auntie Graham's things down to thewagon. We've got to get started pretty pronto."
They were all ready to start when an orderly dashed up on horseback, andhanded Hallie a letter, saluted, and rode off.
The girl tore open the envelope, and read its contents.
"What shall I do?" she asked, handing the letter to Ted.
Ted's eyes ran over it rapidly.
"Forget it," he answered, crumpling the note in his hand and throwing itaway.