CHAPTER VII
A BITTER AWAKENING
The first day on which my attendants would treat me as a rational beingwas a memorable one to me. It must have been late in the morning when Iopened my eyes, for the sun had risen above the level of the openwindow, and I lay still blinking out across the prairie with, at first,a curious satisfaction. I had cheated death and been called back out ofthe darkness to sunlight and life, it seemed. Then I began to remember,and the pain in the arm bound fast to my side helped to remind me thatlife implied a struggle. Raising my head, I noticed that there had beenchanges made in my room, and a young woman standing by the windowfrowned at me.
"I guess all men are worrying, but you're about the worst I ever struck,Rancher Ormesby. Just you lie back till I fix you, or I'll call the boysin to tie you fast with a girth."
She was a tall, fair, well-favored damsel, with a ruddy countenance andsomewhat bold eyes; but I was disappointed when I saw her clearly, eventhough her laugh was heartsome when I answered humbly: "I will try notto trouble you if you don't mean to starve me."
Miss Sally Steel, for it was my neighbor's sister, shouted to somebodythrough the window, and then turned to the man who rose from a corner."You just stay right where you are. When I call cookie I'll see hecomes. I've been running this place as it ought to be run, and you won'tknow Gaspard's when you get about, Rancher Ormesby."
The man laughed, and I saw it was Thorn, though I did not know then thatafter doing my work and his own during the day he had watched thegreater part of every night beside me.
"Feeling pretty fit this morning?" he asked.
"Comparatively so," I answered. "I should feel better if I knew justwhat happened to me and to the stock. You might tell me, beginning fromthe time the fence went down."
"If he does there'll be trouble," broke in Miss Steel, who, I soondiscovered, had constituted herself autocratic mistress of Gaspard'sTrail. "He must wait until you have had breakfast, anyway." And I sawthe cook stroll very leisurely towards the window carrying a tray.
"Was anybody calling?" he commenced, with the exasperating slowness hecould at times assume; and then, catching sight of me, would haveclambered in over the low window-sill but that Miss Steel stopped him.
"Anybody calling! I should think there was--and when I want peoplethey'll come right along," she said. "No; you can stop out there--isn'tall the prairie big enough for you? There'll be some tone about thisplace before I'm through," and the cook grinned broadly as he caught myeye.
Miss Steel's voice was not unpleasant, though it had a strident ring,and her face was gentle as she raised me on a heap of folded blanketswith no great effort, though I was never a very light weight, afterwhich, between my desire to please her and a returning appetite, I madea creditable meal.
"That's a long way better," she said approvingly. "Tom brought a fooldoctor over from Calgary, who said you'd got your brain mixed and aconcussion of the head. 'Fix up his bones and don't worry about anythingelse,' I said. 'It would take a steam hammer to make any concussionworth talking of on Rancher Ormesby's head.'"
"Thorn has not answered my question," I interrupted; and Miss Steelflashed a glance at the foreman, who seemed to hesitate before heanswered. "It happened this way: You were a trifle late lighting outwhen you'd cut the fence. Steel said one of the beasts charged you, andafter that more of them stampeded right over you. The horse must havekept some of them off, for he was stamped out pretty flat, and it was arelief to hear you growling at something when we got you out."
"How did you get me out?" I asked, and Thorn fidgeted before heanswered: "It wasn't worth mentioning, but between us Steel and Imanaged to split the rush, and the beasts went by on each side of us."
"At the risk of being stamped flat, too! I might have expected it of youand Steel," I said; and the girl's eyes sparkled as she turned to theforeman.
"Then Steel went back for the wagon after we found you had an arm and acollarbone broken. I rode in to the railroad and wired for a doctor.Sally came over to nurse you, and a pretty tough time she has had of it.You had fever mighty bad."
"There's no use in saying I'm obliged to both of you, because you knowit well," I made shift to answer; and Sally Steel stroked the hair backfrom my forehead in sisterly fashion as she smiled at Thorn. "But whatabout the stock? Did they all get through?"
Thorn's honest face clouded, and Sally Steel laid her plump hand on mymouth. "You're not going to worry about that. A herd of cattle stampededover you and you're still alive. Isn't that good enough for you?"
I moved my head aside. "I shall worry until I know the truth. All thebeasts could not have got out. How many did?" I asked.
Thorn looked at Sally, then sideways at me, and I held my breath untilthe girl said softly: "You had better tell him."
"Very few," said the foreman; and I hoped that my face was asexpressionless as I tried to make it when I heard the count. "Some ofthose near the fence got clear, and some didn't. Steel had grubbed up apost, and when the wires slacked part of the rest got tangled up andwent down, choking the gap. It was worse than a Chicago slaughter-housewhen the fire rolled up."
"The horses, too? How long have I been ill, and has any rain fallen?" Iasked, with the strange steadiness that sometimes follows a crushingblow, and Thorn moodily shook his head.
"Both horses done for. You've been ill 'bout two weeks, I think. No rainworth mentioning--and the crop is clean wiped out."
There was silence for some minutes, and Sally Steel patted my uninjuredshoulder sympathetically. Then I pointed to a litter of papers on thetable, and inquired if there were any letters in Lane's writing. Thornhanded me one reluctantly, and it was hard to refrain from fierceexclamation as I read the laconic missive. Lane regretted to hear of myaccident, but the scarcity of money rendered it necessary to advise methat as I had not formally accepted his terms, repayment of the loan wasoverdue, and he would be obliged to realize unless I were willing topledge Crane Valley or renew the arrangement at an extra five per cent.on the terms last mentioned.
"Bad news?" said Sally. "Then I guess Thorn sha'n't worry you any more;but it's just when things look worst the turn comes. That team will bebolting soon, Thorn. I'll sit right back in the corner, and until youwant to talk to me you can forget I'm there."
The high-pitched voice sank to a gentler tone, and I felt grateful toSally Steel. Her reckless vagaries often formed a theme for laughterwhen the inhabitants of the prairie foregathered at settlement or store;but there was a depth of good-nature, as well as an overdaring love ofmischief in her, and not infrequently a blessing accompanied the jest.Thorn was moving towards the door when, recollecting another point, Ibeckoned him.
"How was it that when they had, or should have had, time enough,Henderson's man and Redmond did not stop the cattle bunching in thefence? It's very unlike our ways if they made no effort to save mybeasts as well as their own masters' property," I said.
Foreman Thorn looked troubled, and I saw that Sally was watching himkeenly. "I don't understand it rightly, and I guess no man ever will,"he said. "Of course, we struck Henderson's Jo with just that question,and this is what he made of it. He and Redmond were camping in Torkill'sdeserted sod-house, and when they saw the fires were bad that night,Redmond said he'd ride round the cattle. Their own lot was pretty wellout of harm's way, east of the fence, but Jo told him to take a look atyours. Redmond started, and, as Jo knew that he'd be called if he werewanted, he went off to sleep."
"That does not explain much," I interjected, when Thorn halted, rubbinghis head as though in search of inspiration.
"There isn't an explanation. Jo, waking later, saw the fire coming rightdown the hollow and started on foot for the fence. There was no sign ofRedmond anywhere. Jo couldn't get the stock out, and he couldn't cut thefence, and he was going back for an ax when we met him. You know all therest--'cept this. Steel and I were standing over you, and the fire wasroasting the beasts mixed up in the fence, when Redmond comes along. Theway he stood, the
flame shone right on his face. It seemed twisted, andthe man looked like a ghost. He stood there blinking at the beasts--andit wasn't a pretty sight--then shook all over as he stooped down andlooked at you. There was a good deal of blood about you from the horse.
"'What the devil's wrong with you? Stiffen yourself up!' says Steel; andRedmond's voice cracked in the middle as he answered him: 'I'm feelingmighty sick. Is he dead?'
"'Looks pretty near it. If you'd seen those beasts clear he mightn'thave come to this. Here, take a drink. We'll want you presently,' saysSteel, and went on strapping you together with a girth and bridle, whileI watched Redmond with one eye. As you know, there was never much gritin the creature, and he had another shivering fit.
"'Get out until you're feeling better. That kind of thing's catching,and we've lots to do,' I said; and he laughs with a cackle like anhysterical woman, and blinks straight past me. Steel and I figured he'dgot hold of some smuggled whisky and been drinking bad, but afterwardsHenderson's Jo said no.
"'It's murder. My God! It's horrible--an' he never done anyone no harm,'he says, and falls to cussing somebody quietly. I can talk prettystraight when I'm hot myself, but that was ice-cold swearing with venomin it, and when he got on to Judas, with the devil in his eyes, I rippedup a big sod and plugged him on the head with it.
"'If you don't let up or quit I'll pound the life out of you,' saysSteel.
"Well, we got you fixed so you couldn't make the damage worse, and whenSteel went for the wagon and I looked around for Redmond he was gone.Don't know what to think of it, anyway, 'cept his troubles or bad whiskyhad turned his head. You see he was never far from crazy."
"Why didn't one of you get hold of him and make him talk next day?" Iasked; and Thorn looked at me curiously.
"Because he'd gone. Lit out to nobody knows where and stopped there. Idon't know just what to think, myself."
Sally took Thorn by the shoulders and thrust him out, but he left mewith sufficient, and unpleasant, food for reflection. The stock I hadcounted on were gone. Also, when it was above all things desirable thatI should be up and doing, I must lie still for weeks, useless as a log.One thing at least I saw clearly, and that was the usurer's purpose toabsorb my property; and as I lay with throbbing forehead andtight-clenched fingers, which had grown strangely white, I determinedthat he should have cause to remember the struggle before heaccomplished it. That Redmond had been driven by him into shamefultreachery appeared too probable, though there was no definite proof ofit, and the thought stiffened my resolution. My scattered neighbors,patient as they were, were ill to coerce and would doubtless join me inan effort before the schemer's machinations left us homeless.
Then I could hardly check a groan as I remembered all that the briefglimpses of a brighter life at Bonaventure had suggested. A few monthsearlier it had appeared possible that with one or two more good seasonsI might even have attained to it; but since then a gulf had openedbetween Beatrice Haldane and me, and the best I could hope for was aresumption of what now seemed hopeless drudgery. It was a bitterawakening, and I almost regretted that Steel and Foreman Thorn had notbeen a few seconds later when the fence went down. An hour passed, andSally Steel, bringing a chair over to my side, offered to read to mewhat she said was a real smart shadowing story. I glanced at theinvincible detective standing amid a scene of bloodshed, depicted on thecover of the journal she held up, and declined with due civility.
"I am afraid my nerves are not good enough. I should sooner you talkedto me, Sally," I said.
She laughed coquettishly, and there was no doubt that Steel's sister washandsome, as women on that part of the prairie go. Sun and wind hadripened the color in her face, her teeth were white as ivory, her lipsfull and red, and perhaps most men would have found pleasure watchingthe sparkle of mischief that danced in her eyes as she answereddemurely: "That would be just too nice. What shall we talk about?"
"You might tell me who was the first to come ask about me," I said.
The girl stretched out one plump arm with a comprehensive gesture. "Theyall came, bringing things along, most of them. Even the littleIcelander; he loaded up his wagon with a keg of herrings--said they werebest raw--and lumps of grindstone bread. Oh, yes; they all came, and Iwas glad to see them, 'cept when some of their wives came with them."
"They are kind people in this country; but how could the women worryyou? In any case, I think you would be equal to them," I commented; and,somewhat to my surprise, the girl first blushed, and then lookedpositively wicked.
"They--well, they would ask questions, and said things, when they foundTom was down to Brandon," she answered enigmatically. "Still, I guess Iwas equal to most of them. 'Rancher Ormesby's not sending the hat roundyet, and that truck is not fit for any sick man to eat when it's justabout half-cooked,' I said. 'You can either take it back or leave it forThorn to worry with. Fresh rocks wouldn't hurt his digestion. Just nowI'm way too busy to answer conundrums.'"
Sally seemed glad to abandon that topic, and did not look quite pleasedwhen I hazarded another question, with suppressed interest, but ascarelessly as I could: "Did anybody else drive over?"
The girl laughed a trifle maliciously, and yet with a certain enjoyment."Oh, yes. One day, when I was too busy for anything, the people fromBonaventure drove over, and wanted to take you back. I don't know why,but the way Haldane's elder daughter looked about the place just got myback up. 'You can't have him. This is where he belongs,' I said.
"'But he is ill, and this place is hardly fit for him. There are nocomforts, and we could take better care of him,' said the younger one,and I turned round to her.
"'That's just where you're wrong. Rancher Ormesby has lived here foreight years, and when he's sick he has plenty friends of his own kind totake care of him. I'm one of them, and we don't dump our sick people onto strangers,' I said.
"The elder one she straightens herself a little, as though she didn'tlike my talk. 'He could not be as comfortable as he would be atBonaventure, which is the most important thing. We will ask the doctor;and have you any right to place obstacles in the way of Mr. Ormesby'srecovery?' says she, and that was enough for me.
"'I've all the right I want,' I answered. 'I'm running Gaspard's Trail,and if you can find a man about the place who won't jump when I wanthim, you needn't believe me. That makes me a busy woman--see?--so I'llnot keep you. Go back to Bonaventure, and don't come worrying thepeople he belongs to about Rancher Ormesby.'"
I groaned inwardly, and only by an effort concealed my blankconsternation. "What did they say next?" I asked.
"Nothing much. The younger one--and I was half sorry I'd spoken straightto her--opened her eyes wide. The elder one she looks at me in a waythat made me feel fit to choke her, while Haldane made a little bow. 'Ihave no doubt he is in capable hands, and we need not trouble youfurther. No, I don't think you need mention that we called,' says he."
Sally tossed her head with an air of triumph as she concluded, and I layvery still, for it was too late to pray for deliverance from my friends,though of all the rude succession this was about the most cruel blow.What mischievous fiend had prompted the quick-tempered girl to turn uponthe Haldanes I could never surmise, but jealousy might have hadsomething to do with it, for Trooper Cotton had once been a favorite ofhers. In any case, the result appeared disastrous, for, while I believedher no more than thoughtless, there was no disguising the fact that someof the settlers' less-favored daughters spoke evil of Sally Steel, and Ifeared their stories had reached Bonaventure.
When five minutes or so had passed she looked at me somewhat shyly."You're not mad?" she said.
"I could hardly be vexed with you, whatever happened, after all you havedone for me. I was only thinking," I made shift to answer. "Still, youmight have been a little more civil, Sally."
For a moment or two the girl appeared almost penitent; then she bent herhead towards my own, and again the mischief crept into her eyes.
"I'd have brought them in to a banquet, if I had only guessed,"
shesaid; and with a thrill of laughter she slipped out of the room. It waswith sincere relief I saw her go, for I was in no mood for the somewhatpointed prairie banter, and felt that, in spite of her manifoldkindnesses, I could almost have shaken Sally Steel. Then I turned myhead from the light, remembering I was not only a ruined man withouteven power to move, but had left a discordant memory with the friendswhose good opinion I most valued, and whom now I might never again meeton the old terms.