Rimrock Jones Page 9

  CHAPTER IX

  YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

  "Well, well," remarked Rimrock after he had started his machine and thedesert was gliding smoothly by, "so that's why they call you MissFortune, eh? Losing all your money on that stock."

  The silent woman who sat beside him closed her lips, but made no reply.He glanced at her curiously. She was deaf, of course, though sheseldom showed it--perhaps she had failed to hear.

  "But that can be fixed," he said, speaking louder, "you can cut offthat Miss, any time."

  "Yes," she said with a touch of sarcasm, "I believe I've heard thatbefore."

  "But I mean it!" he declared and she smiled rather grimly. "And that!"she answered, whereupon Rimrock flushed. He had used those wordsbefore in exactly the same connection. It must be madness, this insaneprompting that moved him to talk love to this girl. The first time hehad met her, after a scant hour of conversation, he had made thatequivocal remark: "How about fifty-fifty--an undivided half?" And manytimes since, when he came to think of it, he had wondered how the wordshad slipped out. It was a way he had, of speaking impulsively, but nowit was more than that. He had deliberately planned to take her out onthe desert and ask her that question again. There was something abouther that destroyed his judgment even when, as now, she made no effortto charm.

  "Then that shows I mean it!" he answered fatuously. "I meant it, thevery first time."

  "Well, it's very flattering," she said, dimpling slightly, "but isn'tthis rather sudden?"

  "You bet it's sudden--that's the way I do things!" He dropped thewheel and caught her in his arms.

  "Oh, be careful," she cried and as he tried roughly to kiss her shethrust him in the throat with her elbow. They struggled for a momentand then, as the machine made a swerve, she laid her hands on the wheel.

  "Just let me drive this machine," she said, "and remember--you aresupposed to be a gentleman."

  "Well, I am!" protested Rimrock as he came out of his madness. "What'sthe matter? Are you going back home?"

  She had flung a quick turn out across a hard flat and was swinging backinto the road.

  "I think we'd better," she answered quietly. "I hope you haven't madeany mistake?"

  "Why--no!" he stammered. "Why? What do you mean? Don't you think I'mon the square? Well, I certainly am; I'm asking you to marry me!"

  "Yes, but even then; have I given you any reason to think I'm so madlyinfatuated? Of course I was foolish to come out with you this way, butI assure you I'm no flighty girl."

  "Oh, I didn't mean that!" protested Rimrock abjectly. "Say, nowlisten, you don't understand." He stopped and panted as he fought downhis emotions and the automobile sped smoothly on. It was eight or tenmiles across the level desert and a few minutes would bring them intotown. "You don't know my ways," he went on bluffly, "but say, youdon't need to be afraid. Just slow down a little, I want to talk withyou--you're the finest girl I know. I want you, don't you see? Andwhen I want anything----"

  He stopped as she glanced at him swiftly.

  "Yes, you try to take it," she said and curled her lip with scorn. "Iunderstand you, perfectly; but I want to tell you something--there aresome things you can't get that way. And one of them is love. That hasto be given to you--and you have to be worthy of it--I don't supposeyou ever thought about that."

  She kept her eyes on the road ahead, but Rimrock could see that she wasbiting her lip with anger.

  "That's the thing I don't like about you," she burst out passionately,"you never think about anybody else. You always resort to violence.And just because you can walk in on Mr. McBain----"

  "Ah!" exclaimed Rimrock, leaning forward accusingly; but she scorned tomeet his stare.

  "--just because you can terrorize him with that pistol you carry----"

  "So that's what's the matter," went on Rimrock significantly, "you'rethinking about Andy McBain!"

  "Mr. Jones!" she burst out, bringing the auto to a stop, "I guess thishas gone far enough. Will you walk to town, or shall I?"

  "Neither one," he said quietly, taking over the wheel, "I'll drive youto the hotel myself."

  "Very well," she said and sat back white with anger as mile after milesped past.

  "Here you are," he said as he slowed down at the Gunsight and suddenlyshe was her old, sweet self.

  "Thank you very much," she said, stepping gracefully out of the car;"the country was very beautiful." And she went smilingly in throughthe door.

  Rimrock Jones sat silent, struck dumb by her manner, so different fromher cold, silent wrath; and then he caught a flash of movement on theveranda. She was hiding their quarrel from the women!

  "Sorry you couldn't stay longer," he answered, taking off his hat witha belated flourish. "Good evening," he added and then, jamming on hishat, he drove off where he could be alone.

  After twenty-four hours of conflicting emotions Rimrock weakened andtook his troubles to Hassayamp; and after a passionate presentation ofhis side of the misunderstanding he acknowledged that the lady wasright. He was nothing but a brute, a despicable barbarian, not worthyto look at her; a presumptuous hound, and so on. But he toldHassayamp, as one friend to another, that there would soon be a deaddog in camp; and if Andy McBain ever crossed his path he would shoothim down in his tracks.

  With all this on his mind he made very poor company and Gunsight hadjust about decided he had failed on his mine when it awoke to a suddenmiracle. A large party of surveyors had come in during the night andwere running a line to the south. Straight out across the desert,while the morning light was good, they had driven their line of stakes;a line which sighted as true as a rifle to the Tecolote Hills. It wasfor a wagon road, perhaps--but why these surveyors when the wholedesert was as flat as a board? A railroad! The whole town jumped tothe same conclusion at once and the rush for the Tecolotes was on.

  The men who had laughed at Rimrock Jones for months were leaders in thewild stampede and Hassayamp roused up Rimrock from where he wasbrooding and warned him to get to his ground.

  "They'll jump you," he bellowed, "the whole town is going. They'llstake every claim for miles!"

  "Let 'em stake!" answered Rimrock whose mood was vindictive, "and thefirst man that jumps me, I'll jump him, by grab, with this!"

  He patted his pistol which, in its ancient holster was once more slungon his hip, and stalked sullenly out into the street. Every wagon andbuckboard in the town of Gunsight seemed lined up in front of thestores. Men rushed to and fro with canteens and grub-sacks orhalf-filled boxes and sacks.

  "Is it a railroad?" they yelled as Rimrock appeared and he answered:

  "You bet your life it is!"

  That settled it, and soon across the desert there went a procession ofhorsemen and wagons. Those who could travel no other way filled syrupcans with water and started for the Tecolotes on foot. A railroad!Well, why had they never thought of that in the long, wasted daysbefore? Even L. W., the scoffer, caught the sudden contagion; butAndrew McBain did not stir. He was a cautious man and good friends hadtold him that Rimrock Jones had threatened his life. He stayed intown--and Rimrock stayed also--and soon the procession came back. Itwas led by L. W. in his cactus-proof automobile, and he reported allthe ground as staked. He reported further that the ground wasworthless, but Rimrock Jones only smiled.

  "Yes, all that's left," he answered grimly. "I made you out a sucker,for once. I guess you remember when I offered you a share in my minefor two thousand dollars or less; but now, by grab, I've staked it alland you Gunsight boys can go bust. And I give you fair warning!" heshouted fiercely, "I'll say it to all of you--the first man that jumpsme, I'll kill him!"

  "Well, who's trying to jump you?" asked L. W. irritably. "What'sbiting you, anyway? Ain't your claims all legal? Has anybody disputedyou? Well, get onto yourself, you danged fool!"

  "Well, all the same," went on Rimrock insistently, "I know what somepeople will do. I don't name no names, but I've been cleaned outonce----"
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  "Aw, you make me tired!" snapped back L. W., "you're crazy--and what'smore you're drunk! You're a hell of a subject to be Gunsight's firstcitizen, a building ho-tels, and general stores and banks!"

  "Well, all the same, you watch me do it! I'm going to make this townover right. And I warn you all, you can't be friends with me and thatdastardly McBain outfit, too. It's a fight to a finish and I don'tcare who knows it, I'm going to bust him if it takes my last cent. I'mnot talking about L. W. nor anybody else--you can jump any way youplease--but there's one man in this town that I'm out to get and I'llkill him, by grab, if he peeps!"

  "You talk too much!" answered L. W. scornfully. "Why don't you go andput up that gun? If we had a town marshal that was worth the powderhe'd come around and take it away."

  "He would not," retorted Rimrock, "because he knows I won't give it up.I'm carrying that gun just to let people know that I'm out now to fightfor my rights. As long as I'm left alone in my legal rights I'm themost peaceable man in this town, but the first man that builds amonument on my claims is going to find that I can't be bluffed."

  "Oh, cut it off," cried L. W. in disgust, "we know you're bad--you'vetold us before. And as for Andrew McBain, you'd better not crowd himtoo far; he'll fight, on a pinch, himself."

  "All right, if he wants it. I've got my eye on him. I'm just waitingtill he makes the first move. I know it's coming, but as sure as hedoes it----"

  "Plain drunk," grunted L. W. contemptuously and stumped away up thestreet.

  It was easy enough to say Rimrock was drunk, but it was soondemonstrated that he was not crazy. He was standing in front of theAlamo Saloon, still holding forth against McBain, when a Mexican boybeckoned him off to one side and slipped a note into his hand.

  "Please come to my office at once.--M. F."

  Rimrock read it over and thrust it into his pocket, then drew it outand read it over again; after which he went up the street.

  He stepped into the office with his eyes fixed and sullen and she methim just inside the door.

  "I'll accept your apology for your conduct the other day," she saidwith compelling calm, "and then I want to tell you some news."

  "All right," mumbled Rimrock, "I apologize, all right. I was amiserable, pot-licking hound. I'd give my right hand----"

  "Yes, yes, that's all right," she broke in hurriedly, "but here's whatI want to say. Mr. McBain has been up to Geronimo and got him a copyof that survey of your claims!"

  "I knowed it!" burst out Rimrock swinging his fist into his hand, "Isaw him get off that train!"

  "No, listen!" she said, "you mustn't talk so loud! You mustn't talk atall! Just listen to what I say. I depend on you to save our mine."

  "I'll do it!" began Rimrock; but she made a motion for silence and wentswiftly on with her tale.

  "More than that," she said. "I happen to know that he's looked up thenames of those Mexicans, the original locators of your claims; and Ithink--I can't be sure--but I think that one or two of them were notcitizens of the United States. Now wait! I've not finished! I'mlooking to you to go out there and protect our claims!"

  "Well--the dirty--thief!" rumbled Rimrock in his throat. "I didn'tthink he had the nerve. But say," he went on, suddenly struck with anidea, "how come you're telling me all this? I thought you andMcBain----"

  "We won't discuss that, if you please," she broke in, blushingpainfully. "There are some things you don't understand. But I think,under the circumstances, I have the right to take steps to protect myown interests. Now will you go out to the claims and keep them frombeing jumped, or----"

  "Leave it to me," he said, the fighting light in his eyes. "Where'sMcBain? He's the man I've got to stop."

  "No, now let's not have any violence. I know something of the law.All you need to do is to stay on the ground. If you're inpossession----"

  "That's got nothing to do with it!" he burst out impatiently. "Thishas gone beyond the law. I've warned this man McBain before all kindsof witnesses not to set his foot on my ground; and if he does it--I'llmake him pay for it."

  He started for the door, hitching up his belt, and she caught at hispistol as he passed.

  "No," she said, "I don't want you to shoot him. I'd rather we'd losethe mine."

  "You don't understand," he answered. "This has got nothing to do witha mine." He took both her hands in one of his and put them firmlyaway. "It's between me and him," he said and went off without lookingback.