the Drift Fence (1992) (25 page)

"Let go of me, Molly," ordered Jim. "If he's such a skunk as that, he might kill you. And if he means to murder me you can't stop him."

"Now you're talkin', Mister Trait," returned Dunn, harshly.

Molly not only refused to move, but she got her arms around Jim, and clung to him, shielding his vital parts with her quivering body.

"Arch, you cain't shoot him--when he's down--crippled--defenceless," she burst out, passionately. "It wouldn't be human. It wouldn't be like Slinger Dunn... If it's on my account, you're wrong--terribly wrong. He never meant--bad by me."

"Molly, I reckon he's done bad by you. An' you're not only lyin' for him, but givin' yourself away."

"You cold-hearted devil!" she exclaimed. "How could you have a decent thought?... Kill me, too!"

"Ahuh. You damn little hussy!... But bein' daid wouldn't hide your shame, Molly Dunn."

"Oh, Arch, there's no shame... There's been nothin' but thoughts an' feelin's that have changed me... I love him. Cain't you see it? I love him!"

"Wal, I ain't blind," replied Slinger, and reaching down he laid hold of Molly and tried to pull her off. But she clung like a leech. Then with a curse he shifted his hold to her hair. Even then he could only budge her by savage force, and he had to step on Jim's shoulder to keep her from lifting him with her. Suddenly Molly, fierce as a wildcat, flung herself upon Slinger, and fought him for the gun, which he held out in his right hand.

The girl's courage, following her declaration of love, roused the lion in Jim. With all his might he kicked Dunn's hand, knocking the gun out of it.

"Hold still!--Somebody comin'!" whispered Dunn, hoarsely, stiffening.

Molly slipped out of his grasp, down to the ground. Jim listened, but could hear nothing save the pounding of his heart. Dunn stood strung like a listening deer, gradually relaxing his intensity. He might have been mistaken. But during this short interval he had removed his eyes from Molly, who suddenly snatched up the gun. She held it low, with both hands tight, pointing up at Dunn's body.

Jim could not bear the terrible intent expressed in her face and eyes. He grasped the gun, turned it aside.

"Molly, you mustn't shed your brother's blood--even to save my life," he said, very low. And at his words she relinquished the gun.

Slinger Dunn seemed to be calculating desperate chances. That Jim would not instantly turn the gun on him never flashed into his consciousness.

Jim grasped this and thought he might turn it to good account. The last thing he could be forced to do would be to kill Molly's brother.

Then the brush crashed.

"Hands up!" came in cool, sharp voice that made Jim's blood leap.

Dunn's back was turned. Swiftly he elevated his arms high above his head.

Jim moved to see that Curly Prentiss had appeared round the corner of the lean-to. He held a cocked gun.

"Come round heah, Bud," he called. And with more crashing in the brush Bud Chalfack followed his extended rifle into view. Both cowboys stepped closer, eyes quick and hard.

Jim slipped Dunn's gun out of sight--an act as impulsively swift as the thought that prompted it.

"Face around heah," ordered Curly, and as Dunn pivoted he showed no surprise, but an alert, cold suspicion.

"By Gawd!" shouted Bud. "Look. Curly! If there ain't the boss... An' Molly Dunn!"

Jim seized avidly upon his opportunity, though his wit and spirit far exceeded his physical strength.

"Hello--boys!" he began, huskily. "So you found me--at last... Put up your guns."

"What's wrong heah?" demanded Curly, and Jim's heart felt a rush of warm gladness and thrill at the significance of the cowboys' mien.

"Nothing wrong, Curly--now--you've found me," replied Jim, cheerfully, though he realized his appearance must have given the lie to his words.

"Boss, you're pretty white--an' there's blood on your shirt," returned Curly, sharply.

"You bet. But put down your gun--and you, too, Bud. I'm nervous."

"Wal, you look it," growled Curly, complying with Jim's order. Bud likewise lowered his weapon. "I reckon you'd better talk fast."

"Curly," burst out Jim, in relief, "yesterday I found a cut in the drift fence. And horse tracks on the trail. I followed them down here... Somebody shot me, knocked me galley-west off my horse... When I came to, Molly Dunn was bathing my face. Pretty lucky for me she happened to ride along. She was on her way up to camp--to warn me that Jocelyn and the Cibeque outfit had planned to kidnap me--for ransom. She heard the shot and found me... Well, it turned out the bullet had glanced off my watch and cut up through my shoulder. We tied it up. I wasn't able to get on my horse. Molly wanted to ride up to camp and fetch you, but I thought it'd be best for her to go home. You fellows would probably trail me, and if you didn't she could ride up today... Well, Molly came today, and it seems that her brother trailed her. Found us here. And, well--the truth is, he thinks I'm a bad egg--and had evil intentions toward Molly. That upset me--and made Molly sore. We were having hell when you came up... And, I reckon--that's all."

"Slinger Dunn, you're shore a hell of a bright fellar," quoth Curly, with all the sarcasm of a disgusted cowboy. "Let your hands down. An' mebbe you'd do well to make yourself scarce around heah. But before you go you put this in your pipe an' smoke it, you ---- ---- hard nut of a Cibeque gun-slinger!--My boss, Jim Traft, wouldn't never have evil intentions toward no gurl, much less so sweet an' luvly a little lady as your sister."

"Slinger, sumbody ought to beat the daylights out of you," added Bud, with even more scorn. "An' I'll bet you a hat the boss will do it sometime... Me an' Curly both made up to Molly. Was we good enough fer her? No, we was not. Mebbe Jim was good enough. But you can gamble both he an' Molly are above your low-down suspicions... Now you mozey along, and hereafter stay on your side of the fence."

Slinger eyed them while they delivered their separate speeches, and then looked strangely down upon Molly, who had rallied somewhat from the ravages of emotion, and lastly at Jim. There was little to be made of his impassive face, strong and hard as brown stone. Then he strode out to disappear in the brush. The situation lost its suspense.

"You dog-gone old tenderfoot!" said Curly, sitting down beside Jim, to place a hand on him. "Gone an' got yourself shot fer the Diamond! I shore hope it ain't bad."

Bud crowded in beside Molly. "Boss, I wuz orful scared fust off. 'Course we didn't see who it wuz... Gosh! I never wuz so glad aboot nothin'... Did thet bullet go deep?"

"Not very. I bled a good deal. And I'm sore. But I should think you could hold me on my horse and get me up to camp."

"An' so little Molly found you!" ejaculated Curly, tossing his sombrero and shaking his curly head, while he bent bright knowing eyes upon the confused girl. "My Gawd! the luck uv some fellars!... How air you, Miss Molly?"

"Not so well, this minute, Mr. Prentiss," replied Molly, with a wan smile. "But I'm sure glad--the way it's turned out."

"Howdy, Molly!" drawled Bud. "You look orful purty this minnit. So you saved our boss? Wal, I reckon now the Diamond will belong to you."

"Boys," interposed Jim, with a happy ring in his voice, "I know a diamond that will be Molly's, if she'll take it--along with the boss of the Diamond."

The cowboys looked bewildered volumes and were speechless, which loss of function absolutely testified to a state so rare in them. And Molly was hopelessly stricken and confused. She had no strength left, even if rebellion was in her.

"You boys take yourselves off in the woods for ten minutes," ordered Jim, audaciously.

Curly got up awkwardly, after the manner of cowboys, and Bud followed suit. It was just as well, thought Jim, that he had flabbergasted them and then had not allowed them time to recover. Signs were forthcoming of potential and scintillating cowboy wit.

"But say good-bye to Molly," added Jim, relenting.

Curly had dignity and selflessness. "Miss Molly, you shore hey my thanks.

Jim has won over the Diamond, an' if, as he hints, he's won you--wal, I don't wonder, an' I reckon him the luckiest fellar on the range. Good-bye an' good luck."

Bud, however, availed himself of an opportunity to make sheep's eyes.

"Molly, good-bye, an' so long's it can't be me, I reckon you've made the best deal by ropin' the boss."

They slumped away into the spruce, leaving a pleasant jingle of spurs.

"Oh, they're terrible--an' lovable, too," burst out Molly, lifting a flushed face.

"You bet they are. But that tickled me, Molly," declared Jim. "I've had a time with them. And of all the tables turned on them, this with you is the best!"

"But, Jim, it cain't ever be true," she murmured, sorrowfully. "Forget your trouble now, Molly dear," replied Jim. "You must hurry home. I'll find some way to let you hear from me. A letter--or I'll come to West Fork."

"Oh, you mustn't! It wouldn't be safe!" she cried.

"Molly, I think we turned the table on Slinger, too. That fellow is no clod... Darling, do you know you told him--you loved me?"

"What else could I do?" wailed Molly.

"But, Heavens, tell me you didn't lie!"

She turned away her face. "No, Jim."

"You do love me?" he implored, drawing her close.

"I cain't help it... But don't ask me--never no more--what you did."

"I shan't, if you're going to be distressed. But, Molly Dunn, that offer stands!"

"Don't!--What do you think I'm made of, anyhow?... But, Jim, the wonderfullest thing I ever lived was when you hatched that lie to save Slinger... That Prentiss boy is a real hombre. He'd have shot Slinger in the wink of an eye. An' my brother knew it... Jim, if I hadn't loved you before that I'd have done it after... Perhaps it's all for some good. You shore have changed me. Who knows? Maybe even Slinger Dunn might be made to see."

"I had the same thought, Molly," said Jim, earnestly. "And some day I'll follow it up... Now you must go, Molly."

He released her, won to solicitude by the gray hue and strain of face she betrayed. But suddenly she surprised him by flinging her arms around his neck and pressing lips and cheeks to his. "Oh--Jim! Jim!..." Then she rose and ran into the spruce.

Jim lay back spent, elated, conscious of recurring pangs in his wounds, overcome by his feelings. So that sooner or later, when the cowboys returned of their own accord, it was no wonder they were concerned.

"Lemme see where he got plugged?" growled Curly, and with Bud assisting, he untied the bandages. "Wal, Bud," he continued, presently, "it's only a groove, an' we could do no better by it... Reckon it's the gurl thet took the sap out of him."

"Ahuh. Anyone could see he was light-haided," replied Bud, plaintively.

"Ain't it funny what a lovely female can do to a fellar? But, my Gawd! if I'd been Jim--"

"Idiots!" burst out Jim, opening his eyes and sitting up. "Shut up and get me to camp."

"Ex-coose us, boss," said Curly, hastily. "You see, we was comin' back--reckonin' your--the little lady had gone--but jest then she pounced on you, an'--"

"Curly, you needn't explain," interrupted Jim. "You are a couple of two-faced demons from Hades. Find my horse. He's hobbled here somewhere."

"Wal, boss, I understand you," drawled Curly, as he got up.

"My conscience has stung me more'n once fer mistrustin' friends on account uv a gurl."

They ambled away into the woods, snickering and talking low, and presently Curly's mellow laugh rolled out. Jim had to love them, realizing they were secretly delighted with his conquest of Molly Dunn.

But what would his Uncle Jim say? Jim decided to withhold the matter until some time when he could contrive to have the old bachelor cattleman see Molly in that white dress. Then the rest would be easy.

Just here, however, he happened to remember Molly had refused him and importuned him not to ask her "never no more." The poor harassed, conscientious, adorable child!

Presently Jim's reverie was disrupted by the advent of the cowboys with his horse and their own. Bud found his saddle, and then came into the lean-to for the blankets.

"Come on, you boss of the Diamond," he said, making no effort to help Jim up.

Jim slowly crawled to a post of the lean-to and using that as a support he laboured to a standing position. For a moment he felt dizzy. Then it passed.

"Fetch this medicine and towel," he said, as he walked out.

Bud was singing one of his Texas ditties: "When a boy falls in love with a pretty turtle dove, He will linger all around her under jaw--"

They made no move to help Jim on his horse, and he certainly gave no hint that their aid would have been most helpful. This cowboy school was a hard one. Jim remembered something about the Spartans, and concluded that Curly's and Bud's mothers had been Spartans. He swung up into the saddle to fierce shooting pangs through his shoulder.

They rode off, with Bud leading the way, and Curly beside Jim.

"Boss," he said, abruptly, "are you shore Slinger Dunn didn't shoot you?"