Wunpost Part 22

He fixed her with his eyes and as Wilhelmina read his thoughts she laid down the waiting pen. Eells drew up his lip, Lapham shuffled uneasily, and Wilhelmina took up the contract. She glanced through it page by page, dipping in here and there and then turning impatiently ahead; and as she struggled with its verbiage the sweat burst from Eells' face and ran unnoticed down his neck.

"All right," she smiled, and was picking up the pen when she paused and turned hurriedly back.

"Anything the matter?" croaked Lapham, clearing his throat and hovering over her, and Wilhelmina looked up helplessly.

"Yes; please show me the place where it tells about that contract--the one for Mr. Calhoun."

"Oh--yes," stammered Lapham, and then he hesitated and glanced across at Eells. "Why--er----" he began, running rapidly through the sheets, and John C. Calhoun strode forward.

"What did I tell you?" he said, nodding significantly at Wilhelmina and grabbing up the d.a.m.ning papers. "That'll do for you," he said to Lapham.

"We'll have you in the Pen for this." And when Lapham and Eells both rushed at him at once he struck them aside with one hand. For they did not come on fighting, but all in a tremble, clutching wildly to get back the papers.

"I knowed it," announced Wunpost; "that clause isn't there. This is one time when we read the fine print."

CHAPTER XXVII

A COME-BACK

It takes an iron nerve to come back for more punishment right after a solar plexus blow, but Judson Eells had that kind. Phillip F. Lapham went to pieces and began to beg, but Eells reached out for the papers.

"Just give me that contract," he suggested amiably; "there must be some mistake."

"Yes, you bet there's a mistake," came back Wunpost triumphantly, "but we'll show these papers to the judge. This ain't the first time you've tried to put one over, but you robbed us once before."

He turned to Wilhelmina, whose eyes were dark with rage, and she nodded and stood close beside him.

"Yes," she said, "and I was selling it for almost nothing, just to get that miserable grubstake. Oh, I think you just ought to be--hung!"

She took one of the contracts and ran through it to make sure, and Eells coughed and sent Lapham away.

"Now let's sit down," he said, "and talk this matter over. And if, through an oversight, the clause has been left out perhaps we can make other arrangements."

"Nothing doing," declared Wunpost. "You're a crook and you know it; and I don't want that grubstake contract, nohow. And there's a feller in town that I know for a certainty will give five hundred thousand dollars, cash."

"Oh, no!" protested Eells, but his glance was uneasy and he smiled when Wilhelmina spoke up.

"Well, I _do_!" she said. "I want that grubstake contract cancelled. But forty thousand dollars----"

"I'll give you more," put in Eells, suddenly coming to life. "I'll bond your mine for a hundred thousand dollars if you'll give me a little more time."

"And will you bring out that grubstake contract and have it cancelled in my presence?" demanded Wilhelmina peremptorily, and Eells bowed before the storm.

"Yes, I'll do that," he agreed, "although a hundred thousand dollars----"

"There's a hundred thousand in sight!" broke in Wunpost intolerantly.

"But what do you want to trade with a crook like that for?" he demanded of Wilhelmina, "when I can get you a certified check? Is he the only man in town that can buy your mine? I'll bet you I can find you twenty. And if you don't get an offer of five hundred thousand cash----"

"I'll make it two hundred," interposed Judson Eells hastily, "and surrender the cancelled grubstake!"

"I don't _want_ the danged grubstake!" burst out Wunpost impatiently. "What good is it now, when my claim has been jumped and I ain't got a prospect in sight? No, it ain't worth a cent, now that the Sockdolager is located, and I don't want it counted for anything."

"But _I_ want it," objected Wilhelmina, "and I'm willing to let it count. But if others will pay me more----"

"I'll bond your mine," began Judson Eells desperately, "for four hundred thousand dollars----"

"Don't you do it," came back Wunpost, "because under a bond and lease he can take possession of your property. And if he ever gits a-hold of it----"

"I'm talking to Miss Campbell," bl.u.s.tered Eells indignantly, but his guns were spiked again. Wilhelmina knew his record too well, for he had driven her from the Willie Meena, and yet she lingered on.

"Suppose," she said at last, "I should sell my mine elsewhere; how much would you take for that grubstake?"

"I wouldn't sell it at any price!" returned Judson Eells instantly. "I'm convinced that he has other claims."

"Well, then, how much will you give me in cash for my mine and throw the grubstake in?"

"I'll give you four hundred thousand dollars in four yearly payments----"

"Don't you do it," b.u.t.ted in Wunpost, but Wilhelmina turned upon him and he read the decision in her eye.

"I'll take it," she said. "But this time the papers will be drawn up by a lawyer that I will hire. And I must say, Mr. Eells, I think the way you changed those papers----"

"It ought to put him in the Pen," observed Wunpost vindictively. "You're easy--and you're compounding a felony."

"Well, I don't know what that is," answered Wilhelmina recklessly, "but anyway, I'll get that grubstake."

"Well, I know one thing," stated Wunpost. "I'm going to keep these papers until he makes the last of those payments. Because if he don't dig that gold out inside of four years it won't be because he don't _try_."

"No, you give them to me," she demanded, pouting, and Wunpost handed them over. This was a new one on him--Wilhelmina turning pouty! But the big fight was over, and when Eells went away she dismissed John C.

Calhoun and cried.

It takes time to draw up an ironclad contract that will hold a man as slippery as Eells, but two outside lawyers who had come in with the rush did their best to make it air-tight. And even after that Wunpost took it to Los Angeles to show a lawyer who was his _friend_. When it came back from the friend there was a proviso against everything, including death and acts of G.o.d. But Judson Eells signed it and made a first payment of twenty-five thousand dollars down, after which John C.

Calhoun suddenly dropped out of sight before Wilhelmina could thank him.

She heard of him later as being in Los Angeles, and then he came back through Blackwater; but before she could see him he was gone again, on some mysterious errand into the hills. Then she returned to the ranch and missed him again, for he went by without making a stop. A month had gone by before she met him on the street, and then she _knew_ he was avoiding her.

"Why, good morning, Miss Campbell," he exclaimed, bowing gallantly; "how's the mine and every little thing? You're looking fine, there's nothing to it; but say, I've got to be going!"

He started to rush on, but Wilhelmina stopped him and looked him reproachfully in the eye.

"Where have you been all the time?" she chided. "I've got something I want to give you."

"Well, keep it," he said, "and I'll drop in and get it. See you later."

And he started to go.

"No, wait!" she implored, tagging resolutely after him, and Wunpost halted reluctantly. "Now I _know_ you're mad at me," she charged; "that's the first time you ever called me Miss Campbell."