CHAPTER XIII
WITH HAY HOOKS
It is no more than right that the first kiss should be forgiven,especially if no one is to blame, and Wilhelmina forgave him verysweetly; but there was a wild, hunted look in Wunpost's bold eyes and hewondered what would happen next. Something had come over him verysuddenly and made him forget the restraint which all ladies, even inoveralls, laid upon him; and when their hands had touched some greatforce had drawn them together and he had kissed her before she knew it.But instead of resisting she had yielded for a moment, and then pushedhim away very slowly; and he still remembered, like part of a dream, herheart beating against his breast. But it was all over now, and she wastoying with the field-glasses which he had brought from the city as apresent.
"Isn't it wonderful," she said, "how we first came together? And thefirst place I looked for when you gave me these glasses was that washwhere you made your two fires."
"If you'd had them then," ventured Wunpost at last, "you'd've been ableto see me plain."
"Yes," she sighed, "but I found you anyhow. Doesn't it seem a long timeago? And it was only the end of last May."
"Something doing every minute," burst out Wunpost gaily, "say, I'vefound two mines this summer! What did old Eells think of the StingingLizard? I hooked him right on that--he'll be careful what he grabs nexttime. And when he jumps the next claim of mine I reckon he'll sink a fewfeet before he builds any more ten thousand dollar roads!"
He chuckled and ran his hand through his tumbled hair, which alwaysstood straight on end, but Billy was looking at him curiously.
"Mr. Eells was up to see us," she said at last, "and he claims yousalted that mine. And he even told Father that you located it up ourcanyon just on purpose so we could use his road!"
"And what did you say?" inquired Wunpost teasingly. "Didn't I tell you,right here, I was going to do it?"
"Oh, but you were just fooling!" she protested laughing, "and I told himyou did nothing of the kind. And then Father stepped in, when he heardwhat we were talking about, and he told Mr. Eells what he thought ofhim."
"No, but I did salt the mine!" spoke up Wunpost quickly, "there wasn'tany fooling there. And, being as I had to locate it somewhere--well, thechances are Eells was correct."
"Oh, that's just the way you talk!" she burst out incredulously; "didyou honestly do it on purpose?"
"Well, I guess I did!" boasted Wunpost. "I just stopped over inBlackwater and told Mr. Eells all about it. So don't be worried on_my_ account--and he built you a mighty good road."
"Yes, but do you think it was quite right," began Billy indignantly, "tomake Father seem a party to a fraud? It's what some people would call avery shady transaction; but I suppose, of course, you're proud of it!"
"Why, sure I am!" returned Wunpost warmly, "and you don't need to be sohigh and mighty. I guess I'm just as good as your old man or anybody,and I notice he's using the road!"
"He won't though," answered Billy, "if I tell him what's happened! Myfather is honest, he works for what he gets, and that road is just thesame as stolen!"
"Well, go ahead and tell him!" challenged Wunpost angrily. "We'll cometo a show-down, right now. And anybody that's too good to use my road istoo good to associate with _me_!" He brought down his big fist intothe palm of his hand and Wilhelmina jumped at the smack. "Didn't I tellyou," he demanded rising and pointing at her accusingly, "didn't I say Iwas going to build that road? Well, why didn't you kick about it_then_? You were game to follow me up and jump my mine so yourfather could build him a road; but the minute I trim old Eells, who hasrobbed you of a million, by grab, all of a sudden you get _good_!You can't bear to use a road that that old skinflint built, thinkinghe'd robbed me of another rich mine! No, that wouldn't be right, that'sa shady transaction! All right then, don't use the doggoned road!"
He smashed his fist into his hand in a final sweeping gesture of disdainand Wilhelmina gazed at him fixedly.
"I thought you were just talking," she said at last, "but don't you evertell Father what's happened. If you do he'll never use the road--or ifhe does, he'll pay Mr. Eells for it. He tries to be honest ineverything."
"Yes, and look what it gets him!" cried Wunpost passionately, "he'sspent half his life in this hell-hole of a canyon and you're chasingaround here in overalls! And then when some _crook_ like me comesalong and gives him a ten thousand dollar road this is all the thanks hegets! I'm through--you can rustle for yourself!"
"Very well!" returned Billy with a wild gleam in her eye, "and if youdon't like my overalls----"
"I do!" he broke in, "I like 'em fine--like 'em better than those flimsydanged skirts! But if you're too good to use my road----"
"It isn't that," interrupted Billy, "I'm glad you built the road, butFather looks at it differently. He told Mr. Eells he wouldn't be a partyto any such scheme to defraud. But--now it's all built--don't tell himhow you did it; because I want him to have a little happiness. He's beenworking so long and this came, as he said, just like an act ofProvidence; so let's not tell him, and when he's taken out his ore hecan pay Mr. Eells, if he wishes to."
"If he's crazy!" corrected Wunpost. "What, pay that crook? Say, do yousee those two men on the trail? They're hired by Eells to tag alongbehind me and trail me to my mine. Now what right has he got to claimthat mine? Did he ever give me a dollar to spend, while I was up therein the high country looking for it? He did not, and he stole everydollar I had before I ever went out to prospect. Didn't he rob us bothof the Willie Meena--take it all without giving us a cent? Well, what'sthe sense of trying to treat him white, when you know he's out to doyou? His name is Eells and he skins 'em alive! But you wait--I'm out toskin _him_!"
"You're awfully convincing," conceded Billy smiling tremulously, "butsomehow it doesn't seem right. Just because he robs you----"
"Aw, forget it; forget it!" exclaimed Wunpost impatiently, "didn't Itell you this is no Sunday school picnic? What're you going to do, lethim go on robbing everybody until he has all the money in the world? No,you've got to play the game--go after him with the hay hooks and get hisback hair if you can! I've trimmed him of twenty thousand and a tenthousand dollar road, but where did he get all that coin? He took it outof our mine, the old Willie Meena, and a whole lot more besides. Well,whose money was it, anyway--didn't I own the mine first? All right,then, I reckon it was _mine_!"
He patted his pocket, where his roll of bills lay, and smiled roguishlyas he grabbed up the dog.
"Fine pup, eh?" he began, "well, he picked me out himself--followedalong when I was going down the street. Tried to lose him and couldn'tdo it, he followed me everywhere, so I kept him and called him GoodLuck. Get the idea? Luck is my pup, he lays down and rolls over wheneverI say the word. Going to make a fine watch-dog if he lives through thishot weather--how'd you like to keep him a while?"
"Oh, I'd like to!" beamed Billy, "only I'm afraid you might bejealous----"
"Not of no pup, kid," returned Wunpost with his lordliest swagger, "andif you steal him, by grab you can have him!"
"Well, I'll bet I can do it!" answered Billy defiantly. "And are youstill going to give me that mine?"
"If you can find it!" nodded Wunpost. "Or I'll give it to Mr. Lynch, ifhe'll promise to follow the leader. I see that's an Injun that he's gotriding along behind him but I'm going to lose 'em both. TheseShooshonnies ain't so much--I can out-trail 'em, any time--and I tellyou what I'm going to do. I'm going to lead Mr. Lynch and his rat-eatingguide just as long as they're game to follow, and if they follow me twoweeks I'll take 'em to my mine and tell 'em to help themselves. Nowthat's sporting, ain't it? Because the Sockdolager ain't staked andshe's the richest hole I've struck."
"Yes, it's sporting," she admitted, "but why don't you stake it? Are youafraid they'll take it away from you?"
"Don't you think it!" he exclaimed, "if it was staked I'd have half ofit! No, I'm doing this out of pride. I'm leaving that claim open and ifMr. Eells can find it he's welcome to it _all_! But I'm tellingyou, it'l
l never be found!"
He nodded impressively, with a wise, mysterious, smile, and Billy roseup impatiently.
"I believe you _like_ to fight," she stated accusingly and Wunpostdid not deny it.