CHAPTER VI
AT THE TWO DIAMOND
As Ferguson rode through the pure sunshine of the morning his thoughtskept going back to the little cabin in the flat--"Bear Flat," she hadcalled it. Certain things troubled him--he, whose mind had been alwaysuntroubled--even through three months of idleness that had not beenexactly attractive.
"She's cert'nly got nice eyes," he told himself confidentially, as helingered slowly on his way; "an' she knows how to use them. She suremade me seem some breathless. An' no girl has ever done that. An' herhair is like"--he pondered long over this--"like--why, I reckon Ididn't just ever see anything like it. An' the way she looked at me!"
A shadow crossed his face. "So she's a writer--an' she's studiedmedicine. I reckon I'd like it a heap better if she didn't monkey withnone of them fool things. What business has a girl got to----" Hesuddenly laughed aloud. "Why I reckon I'm pretty near loco," he said,"to be ravin' about a girl like this. She ain't nothin' to me; shejust done what any other girl would do if a man come to her place bitby a rattler."
He spurred his pony forward at a sharp lope. And now he found that histhoughts would go back to the moment of his departure from the cabinthat morning. She had accompanied him to the door, after bandaging theankle. Her brother had gone away an hour before.
"I'm thankin' you, ma'am," Ferguson said as he stood for a moment atthe door. "I reckon I'd have had a bad time if it hadn't been for you."
"It was nothing," she returned.
He had hesitated--he still felt the thrill of doubt that had assailedhim before he had taken the step that he knew was impertinent. "I'llbe ridin' over here again, some day, if you don't mind," he said.
Her face reddened a trifle. "I'm sure brother would like to have you,"she replied.
"I don't remember to have said that I was comin' over to see yourbrother," was his reply.
"But it would have to be he," she said, looking straight at him. "Youcouldn't come to see me unless I asked you."
And now he had spoken a certain word that had been troubling him. "Doyou reckon that Two Diamond range boss comes over to see your brother?"
She frowned. "Of course!" she replied. "He is my brother's friend.But I--I despise him!"
Ferguson grinned broadly. "Well, now," he said, unable to keep hispleasure over her evident dislike of the Two Diamond man from showingin his eyes and voice, "that's cert'nly too bad. An' to think he'swastin' his time--ridin' over here."
She gazed at him with steady, unwavering eyes. He could still rememberthe challenge in them. "Be careful that you don't waste your time!"was her answer.
"I reckon I won't," was his reply, as he climbed into the saddle. "ButI won't be comin' over here to see your brother!"
"Oh, dear!" she said, "I call that very brazen!"
But when he had spurred his pony down through the crossing of the riverhe had turned to glance back at her. And he had seen a smile on herface. As he rode now he went over this conversation many times, muchpleased with his own boldness; more pleased because she had not seemedangry with him.
It was late in the morning when he caught sight of the Two Diamondranch buildings, scattered over a great basin through which the riverflowed. Half an hour later he rode up to the ranchhouse and metStafford at the door of the office. The manager waved him inside.
"I'm two days late," said Ferguson, after he had taken a chair in theoffice. He related to Stafford the attack by the rattler. The lattershowed some concern over the injury.
"I reckon you didn't do your own doctorin'?" he asked.
Ferguson told him of the girl. The manager's lips straightened. Agrim humor shone from his eyes.
"You stayed there over night?" he questioned.
"I reckon I stayed there. It was in a cabin down at a place which Iheard the girl say was called 'Bear Flat.' I didn't ketch the name ofthe man."
Stafford grinned coldly. "I reckon they didn't know what you wascomin' over here for?"
"I didn't advertise," returned Ferguson quietly.
"If you had," declared Stafford, his eyes glinting with a coldamusement, "you would have found things plum lively. The man's name isBen Radford. He's the man I'm hirin' you to put out of business!"
For all Stafford could see Ferguson did not move a muscle. Yet thenews had shocked him; he could feel the blood surging rapidly throughhis veins. But the expression of his face was inscrutable.
"Well, now," he said, "that sure would have made things interestin'.An' so that's the man you think has been stealin' your cattle?" Helooked steadily at the manager. "But I told you before that I wasn'tdoin' any shootin'."
"Correct," agreed the manager. "What I want you to do is to prove thatRadford's the man. We can't do anything until we prove that he's beenrustlin'. An' then----" He smiled grimly.
"You reckon to know the girl's name too?" inquired Ferguson.
"It's Mary," stated the manager. "I've heard Leviatt talk about her."
Ferguson contemplated the manager gravely. "An' you ain't sure thatRadford's stealin' your cattle?"
Stafford filled and lighted his pipe. "I'm takin' Dave Leviatt's wordfor it," he said.
"Who's Leviatt?" queried Ferguson.
"My range boss," returned Stafford.
"He's been ridin' sign on Radford an' says he's responsible for all thestock that we've been missin' in the last six months."
Ferguson rolled a cigarette. He lighted it and puffed for a moment insilence, the manager watching him.
"Back at Dry Bottom," said Ferguson presently, "there was a manshootin' at a can when I struck town. He put five bullets through thecan. Was that your range boss?"
Stafford smiled. "That was Leviatt--my range boss," he returned. "Wewent over to Dry Bottom to get a gunfighter. We wanted a man who couldshoot plum quick. He'd have to be quick, for Radford's lightnin' witha six. Leviatt said shootin' at a can would be a good way to find aman who could take Radford's measure--in case it was necessary," headded quickly.
Ferguson's face was a mask of immobility. "Where's Leviatt now?" hequestioned.
"Up the Ute with the outfit."
"How far up?"
"Thirty miles."
Ferguson's eyelashes flickered. "Has Leviatt been here lately?" hequestioned.
"Not since the day before yesterday."
"When you expectin' him back?"
"The boys'll be comin' back in a week. He'll likely come along withthem."
"U--um. You're giving me a free hand?"
"Of course."
Ferguson lounged to the door. "I'm lookin' around a little," he said,"to kind of size up things. I don't want you to put me with theoutfit. That strike you right?"
"I'm hirin' you to do a certain thing," returned Stafford. "I ain'ttellin' you how it ought to be done. You've got till the fall roundupto do it."
Ferguson nodded. He went to the corral fence, unhitched his pony, androde out on the plains toward the river. Stafford watched him until hewas a mere dot on the horizon. Then he smiled with satisfaction.
"I kind of like that guy," he said, commenting mentally. "There ain'tno show work to him, but he's business."