“You’ll learn by watchin’,” grinned Buck, taking the reins of his horse. “I’m goin’ to ask the lady soft an’ polite to step up to her cabin an’ pile into some ham an’ eggs. If she don’t want to I’ll rough her up a little, an’ she’ll love me for it afterwards!”
“The way she loves a snake!” growled Kilduff.
“By God, Silent,” said Haines, his face white with emotion, “if Buck puts a hand on her I’ll—”
“Act like a man an’ not like a damn fool boy,” said Silent, dropping a heavy hand on the shoulder of his lieutenant. “He won’t hurt her none, Lee. I’ll answer for that. Come on, Buck. Speakin’ personal, I wish that calico was in hell.”
Leading his horse, Buck followed Silent towards the girl. She did not move when they approached. Her eyes still held far down the valley. The steps of the big outlaw were shorter and shorter as they drew close to the girl. Finally he stopped and turned to Buck with a gesture of resignation.
“Look at her! This is what she’s been doin’ ever since yesterday. Buck, it’s up to you to make good. There she is!”
“All right,” said Buck, “it’s about time for you amachoors to exit an’ leave the stage clear for the big star. Now jest step back an’ take notes on the way I do it. In fifteen minutes by the clock she’ll be eatin’ out of my hand.”
Silent, expectant but baffled, retired a little. Buck removed his hat and bowed as if he were in a drawing-room.
“Ma’am,” he said, “I got the honour of askin’ you to side-step up to the shanty with me an’ tackle a plate of ham an’ eggs. Are you on?”
To this Chesterfieldian outpouring of the heart, she responded with a slow glance which started at Buck’s feet, travelled up to his face, and then returned to the purple distance down the canyon. In spite of himself the tell-tale crimson flooded Buck’s face. Far away he caught the muffled laughter of the outlaws. He replaced his hat.
“Don’t make no mistake,” he went on, his gesture including the bandits in the background, and Silent particularly, “I ain’t the same sort as these other fellers. I c’n understand the way you feel after bein’ herded around with a lot of tin horns like these. I’m suggestin’ that you take a long look at me an’ notice the difference between an imitation an’ a real man.”
She did look at him. She even smiled faintly, and the smile made Buck’s face once more grow very hot. His voice went hard.
“For the last time, I’m askin’ if you’ll go up to the cabin.”
There was both wonder and contempt in her smile.
In an instant he was in his saddle. He swung far to one side and caught her in his arms. Vaguely he heard the yell of excitement from the outlaws. All he was vividly conscious of was the white horror of her face. She fought like a wildcat. She did not cry out. She struck him full in the face with the strength of a man, almost. He prisoned her with a stronger grip, and in so doing nearly toppled from the saddle, for his horse reared up, snorting.
A gun cracked twice and two bullets hummed close to his head. From the corner of his eye he was aware of Silent and Rhinehart flinging themselves upon Lee Haines, who struggled furiously to fire again. He drove his spurs deep and the cattle pony started a bucking course for the shanty.
“Dan!” he muttered at her ear.
The yells of the men drowned his voice. She managed to jerk her right arm free and struck him in the face. He shook her furiously.
“For Whistling Dan!” he said more loudly. “He’s dying!”
She went rigid in his arms.
“Don’t speak!” he panted. “Don’t let them know!”
The outlaws were running after them, laughing and waving their hats.
“Dan!”
“Faint, you fool!”
Her eyes widened with instant comprehension. Every muscle of her body relaxed; her head fell back; she was a lifeless burden in his arms. Buck dismounted from the saddle before the shanty. He was white, shaking, but triumphant. Rhinehart and Purvis and Jordan ran up to him. Silent and Kilduff were still struggling with Haines in the distance.
Rhinehart dropped his head to listen at her breast for the heartbeat.
“She’s dead!” cried Jordan.
“You’re a fool,” said Buck calmly. “She’s jest fainted, an’ when she comes to, she’ll begin tellin’ me what a wonderful man I am.”
“She ain’t dead,” said Rhinehart, raising his head from her heart, “but Haines’ll kill you for this, Buck!”
“Kate!” cried an agonized voice from the shanty, and old white-haired Joe Cumberland ran towards them.
“Jest a little accident happened to your daughter,” explained Buck. “Never mind. I c’n carry her in all right. You fellers stay back. A crowd ain’t no help. Ain’t no cause to worry, Mr. Cumberland. She ain’t hurt!”
He hastened on into the shanty and laid her on the bunk within. Her father hurried about to bathe her face and throat. Buck pushed the other three men out of the room.
“She ain’t hurt,” he said calmly, “she’s jest a little fussed up. Remember I said in fifteen minutes I’d have her eatin’ out of my hand. I’ve still got ten minutes of that time. When the ten minutes is up you all come an’ take a look through that window. If you don’t see the girl eatin’ at that table, I’ll chaw up my hat.”
He crowded them through the door and shut it behind them. A cry of joy came from old Joe Cumberland and Buck turned to see Kate sitting up on the bunk.
CHAPTER XXXI
“LAUGH, DAMN IT!”
She brushed her father’s anxious arms aside and ran to Buck.
“Shut up!” said Buck. “Talk soft. Better still, don’t say nothin’!”
“Kate,” stammered her father, “what has happened?”
“Listen an’ you’ll learn,” said Buck. “But get busy first. I got to get you out of here tonight. You’ll need strength for the work ahead of you. You got to eat. Get me some eggs. Eggs and ham. Got ’em? Good. You, there!” (This to Joe.) “Rake down them ashes. On the jump, Kate. Some wood here. I got only ten minutes!”
In three minutes the fire was going, and the eggs in the pan, while Joe set out some tin dishes on the rickety table, under orders from Buck, making as much noise as possible. While they worked Buck talked. By the time Kate’s plate was ready his tale was done. He expected hysterics. She was merely white and steady-eyed.
“You’re ready?” he concluded.
“Yes.”
“Then begin by doin’ what I say an’ ask no questions. Silent an’ his crew’ll be lookin’ through the window over there pretty soon. You got to be eatin’ an’ appearin’ to enjoy talkin’ to me. Get that an’ don’t forget it. Mix in plenty of smiles. Cumberland, you get back into the shadow an’ stay there. Don’t never come out into the light. Your face tells more’n a whole book, an’ believe me, Jim Silent is a quick reader.”
Joe retreated to a corner of the room into which the light of the lamp did not penetrate.
“Sit down at that table!” ordered Buck, and he placed a generous portion of fried eggs and ham before her.
“I can’t eat. Is Dan—”
“I hear ’em at the window!”
He slipped onto a box on the opposite side of the table and leaned towards her, supporting his chin in his hands. Kate