Sunset Pass (1990) (6 page)

Trueman bit his tongue. The girl had suddenly covered her face with her hands.

"Aw, Miss Preston, forgive me," he burst out. "I spoke out quick, without thinkin'--"

She drew her hands away and lifted her head. "You're quite right--Mr. Rock," she said unsteadily. "Ash is--all that you say. To my shame I confess it. All my life I've made excuses for him. It's no use. I--I cannot do it any more. But that's not the point."

Rock sat down beside her, his anger flown. "I know. The point was the harm that might come through Ash. Please be frank with me. If I've brought this distress upon you I'm entitled to know why."

"I've always been very--very fond of Ash," she said tremulously, struggling for composure. "Partly because he was always so bad--and I seemed the only one who could influence him for good. Ash cares for nothing but me. He hates men--he hates horses--he hates cattle. I--I've stuck to him until now. I--I--Mr. Rock, I can't tell you."

"Spare yourself, Miss Preston," returned Rock impulsively. "It's wonderful--beautiful of you. I admire and respect you for it. But I can't understand."

"I would dare tell you, but would only make this unfortunate situation worse. I only hint of it because it's not fair to let You think we--or I--dislike you."

"Oh, then you don't?"

"No. I--I think I really like you, though it's such short notice. And Mr. Rock, if I had my way, I'd like to be friends with you."

"Thank you, Miss Thiry," he returned gratefully, swayed by her unexpected avowal. "Honest, I didn't hope for so much. All I wanted was a chance to prove I could deserve you--your friendship."

"I--I dare say you could," she returned, looking away. "But the thing is I can't be friends with you."

"Because of Ash?"

"Yes. He will not let any boy or man be friends with me--at least out here at Sunset. Cowboys have called on me here and many have come to ride for Dad. Ash soon got rid of them."

"I wonder how he did all that. I know cowboys well, where a pretty girl is concerned.. And I'm just curious."

"I'll tell you. He's lied. He'd coolly invite them to leave. He'd bluff. He'd threaten. He'd cripple and shoot their horses. Oh, that was the vilest thing! He'd get them drunk while on guard--which Dad couldn't forgive. He'd ridicule any sensitive cowboy before the outfit--so terribly that the poor fellow would leave. He'd concoct devilish schemes to make a cowboy seem negligent or crooked. And as a last resource he'd pick fights. Then worst of all--he has thrown his gun on more than one."

"How very interestin'! Yet you love him!" ejaculated Rock bitterly.

"I do--more because I seem the only one. But it's not so much that. I've kept him from going to the bad.".

"How could he be any worse?"

"Oh, he could be. You can't understand. But I do."

"Miss Thiry, have you been so vastly concerned for the good health of all these poor lovesick cowboys as you seem about mine?" asked Rock.

"You are sarcastic again. Yes, I was concerned--worried about these boys. But I've never been so--so scared as I am over your coming."

"Scared for me?"

"Yes. I can't lie to you. I'm scared because of the--the harm that may come--if you stay."

"What is the reason you want me to run off like a coward?"

"I've been trying to tell you," she replied. "But I don't want you to be a coward. I'd think it brave, generous to help me. I told you and I tell you again, harm, terrible harm, might come of this, if you stay. Ash will not try any of his tricks on you. For you are different. Why, my Dad said to me, not an hour ago: 'There, lass, is a cowboy whose face Ash won't rub in the dirt. An' he won't be throwin' guns around so careless. True Rock is a different kind of a hombre from all those Ash has stacked up against.' I was thunderstruck. It seemed almost as if Dad was glad. I never heard him speak like that."

She was in the grip of some strong emotion now, beautiful and soul moving to Rock. "You wouldn't stay here--with--us--and--and leave me alone?" she asked, with a simplicity wholly free of vanity.

"Yes, I might--if you cut me cold or slammed the door in my face."

"That I couldn't do. If you stay on, living here and eating at our table, I could not help but talk to you, be with you some. I think it would be nice--if Ash wasn't around. I--I'm afraid I might like you. Now, if you stayed--you'd--you'd--"

"Yes, Miss Thiry, I would," he returned swiftly. "I would be a very great, deal worse than any cowboy you ever knew."

"So--you see," she said, entreatingly. "Then you and Ash would fight over me. First with fists, probably like, a couple of beasts. Then with guns! Oh, that's the horror of it--there would be blood spilled. He might kill you. But most likely you would kill him."

"I'll just make up my mind I won't fight. I'll keep out of his way. I'll do anythin' for you."

"But you've only seen me once!"

"I'm not committin' myself yet. But I'm afraid, if seein' you the other day wasn't enough, this time is."

"Oh, please go away to-morrow--before it's too late," she implored. "You're so sharp--so keen. You'll-" Suddenly in her agitation, she jerked a hand to her lips, as if to silence them. Her eyes dilated. She stared up at Rock like a child who had almost betrayed herself.

Rock had intuition enough to grasp that part of Thiry's fear, perhaps the greater, was not due to the inevitable clash between him and Ash. She was afraid he would find out something.

"Afraid of me," he ejaculated hurriedly. "Why, Thiry--Miss Thiry, that's absurd! Right this minute I'm the best friend you have in the world."

"Then prove it," she said, bending closer. "Go away tomorrow."

"And never see you again?"

"It would be best," she returned, and, looked away. "But perhaps I--we might meet in town. I'm going in over the Fourth. Mrs. Dabb is to give a dance. I could see you there. I--I'll go with you--if you ask me."

"Don't bribe me to run off from Sunset Pass," he said. "But thank you for sayin' you'd go with me. I'd like to. I'd almost give my head to take you to a dance."

"Please, Mr. Rock, go away tomorrow before trouble comes. I'll never be able to thank you enough. It's the only chance you have to be my--my friend."

"You're a queer, wonderful girl," he replied, puzzled and sad.

"I will come to town oftener--then," she almost whispered.

"You'd meet me in town and hope to deceive Ash?"

"Yes. I--I'll try," she faltered.

"But he'd find it out. Then he would have a real case against me. He'd hunt me down, force me to meet him."

"Oh!"

"If I give in to you and leave Sunset Pass, I'd never willingly see you again," he went on, with more bitterness.

"Mr. Rock, that wouldn't be such a--a loss to you as you imagine now," she answered.

"I don't know. All I know is that I hate to refuse you anythin'. Listen. There's two sides to this deal, and here's mine." He leaned close so that he could see her better in the pale shadow. "I want you to know about me. For sixteen years I've lived the life of a wanderin', ridin', drinkin', fightin' cowboy. I stuck here on this range longest of all. I don't say I was bad, but I wasn't much good. I was always gettin' in trouble for other people. That's how I came to shoot Pickins. It was a good riddance. But the sheriff then--Cass Seward--was a friend of Picking's. I didn't want to kill Seward, so I left Wagontongue. I stayed away six years, then had to come back. I got there the day I met you. Found out Seward was gone. Found out a lot of other things. I wanted to know about my old girls.

"I had always been crazy over pretty girls. Sol Winter told me a lot of bad news about the girls--and about his son Nick. So I lost my happy mood. I wanted to go out and get drunk. Sol asked me to keep store for him. And I sat there sinkin' into one of the old black spells that had kept me from makin' someone out of myself. Then you walked into that store. And somethin' happened. I don't know yet what it was. But it was wonderful. It's been such a tearin', changin' somethin' that I don't know myself. I'm findin' out little by little. Seein' you this second time has helped a lot. I'll make a clean breast of all--soon as I know. But right now I know--if you don't turn your back on me--I'll never drink again. Or hunt for a fight! Or waste my time and money!"

"Mr.--Rock!" she exclaimed, low-voiced and trembling. "Are you telling me you--you love me?"

"No, I'm not tellin' you that," he returned doggedly. "But I'm sure afraid somethin's terrible wrong. Miss Thiry, please--please don't make me go away."

"Could I make you do anything? How silly! But if you're manly enough to save me misery, you will go."

"That's hittin' hard. Suppose I get it into my mind that by stayin' I can save you more misery?"

"Mr. Rock!" she cried, shocked.

His sudden query had been a random shot, but it struck home.

Rock's heart leaped. He had to stifle a wild impulse. "Quien Sabe! I might," he returned, almost coldly. "Give me a day to think over whether I'll go or stay. I'll meet you tomorrow night and tell you."

"Tomorrow night. Here at this hour?" she returned, rising.

"Yes. Good night, Miss Preston."

"I'm very, very sorry--Good night."

Rock gave her one long look as she stood now in the moonlight. He would carry that picture in his heart of hearts all his days. Then he strode away, and when he turned she was still standing like a white statue.

Chapter
6

A bell awakened Rock from late slumbers. The sun was up, and as he peeped out over his blanket covering he saw the grass shine gold under the cedars.

Rock made short work of his breakfast, and hurried away down toward the corrals. At the barn-yard Rock found Al Preston leading in some horses; and one of his brothers was jacking up a hind wheel of a green wagon.

"Mornin' boss," drawled Al.

The other boy nodded at Rock.

"Are you Tom or Harry?" asked Rock, reminded of the twins.

"I'm Harry."

"All right, Harry, I'll know you tomorrow or bust. Where's Tom?"

"He left us to grease the wagon and went off after a horse for you."

"For my horse, Egypt?"

"No--I'm--sorry to say. Ash saddled him and rode of on him."

Rock for the moment succumbed to a silent fury. But seeing the grey-eyed brothers watching him curiously, he thought he had better explode naturally and wholesomely as might any cowboy. "-- -- -- --!" he yelled lustily. "He took my new white horse! And my saddle that I wouldn't lend to the King of England! Doggone! Boys, was it supposed to be a joke?"

"Take it as a joke. Or better be nice about it," added Harry. "That always stumps Ash. If he can't make you mad he lets up--for a while, anyway."

"Thanks, boys. I'll think it over," rejoined Rock.

While Rock and Al greased the wagon wheels, Harry hitched up, and by the time this task was done Tom rode in, leading a horse. It was a bay that instantly took Rock's eye.

"You boys rustle along. I'll catch up." When Rock rode around the barn he espied the wagon far ahead down the gentle slope. He moved on at a trot, his mind busy. He came to the forks of the road, and taking the left one he entered the cedars, climbed the ridge, and descended to a grassy open meadow, only, to mount another cedared ridge. It was not long until the sweet sage-wind became tainted. Rock rode up a sparsely cedared slope to a level bench, and soon came upon the site that had once been Slagle's ranch. The boys were halting before the several cabins. As Rock rode up, the stench unmistakably heralded a slaughter-house. Skins of cattle hung everywhere.

The horses were turned loose to graze, and Rock, with the three boys, set to work. It was no easy task for one man, or even two men, to fold a stiff hide and compress it into small space. But that was what they had to do.

Nevertheless, during this labour, and while joking with the brothers, Rock was bending all his keen faculties toward the end that he had determined upon. Nothing escaped his sharp eye. Toward late afternoon he happened to kick a piece of white substance, not stone, and of a colour markedly contrasting with the red earth, smelled it--tasted it. Quicklime! Rock put it in his pocket.

In due time Tom mounted the loaded wagon to drive home, while the other brothers rode off toward the woods, and Rock was left alone.

He took out the piece of quick, lime. It did not appear to be very old. After diligent search he found a smaller piece. Quicklime in any quantity there might be used to deaden the stench of decaying offal, blood and bones. Rock searched the cabins, sheds, bins without finding any more. None had ever been used upon the horrible pile that had accumulated in the hollow below the slaughter-house.

Manifestly the Prestons left the entrails and skeletons of their cattle there on the ground to rot. But they might have left something here that they wanted to destroy quickly. Hides! Cow hides they could not sell because they did not bear their brands!

All of a sudden, into Rock's searching mind there flashed memory of a deep well he had once helped to dig on these premises. Slagle wanted to get water close at hand. But they never struck water, and at 80 feet abandoned the effort.