Under Handicap Part 38

She had heard the shots. Her eyes were open and turned curiously upon him as he came swiftly to where she lay.

"Will you give me some water?" she whispered.

He lifted her head, and she drank thirstily, looking with reproachful surprise at him when he took the canteen from her lips.

"That is all now, Argyl," he told her, his voice choking. And then, all power of restraint swept away from him by the joyous, throbbing love which so long he had silenced, he drew her close, closer to him, crying, almost harshly: "Oh, Argyl, thank G.o.d! For if you hadn't come back to me--I love you, love you! Don't you know how I love you, Argyl?"

Her hand closed weakly upon his.

"Of course, dear," she answered him, faintly, her poor lips trying to smile. "Of course we love each other. But can't I have a little water, dear?"

CHAPTER XXIV

It was the twentieth day of September by the calendar--ten days before the first of October as every man, woman, and child in the Valley measured time.

Conniston came and went superintending every part of the work, and, although he was still the gaunt, tired man he had been two weeks ago, he was no longer tight-lipped and somber-eyed. He smiled often; he laughed readily, like a boy. Argyl, her clean, healthy, resilient young body and spirit having shaken off the effects of the clutch of the desert, was the same Argyl who had raced for the Overland Limited that day when Conniston had first seen her; her laugh was as spontaneous as his, sparkling and free and buoyantly youthful. Mr.

Crawford was quiet, saying few words, but the little lines of care had gone from the corners of eyes and mouth. Tommy Garton was the proverbial cricket on the hearth of the Valley's big family. Brayley looked upon his ditches with the gleam in his eye bespeaking a deep pride like the pride of owners.h.i.+p and a big, strong love. Jimmie Kent a.s.sured whomever would listen that he was glad that he had stayed, and that he had a mind to call on his old friend Oliver to see how he was feeling. Rattlesnake Valley had become the Happy Valley. With the first of October ten days off there was no shadow of doubt in a single heart that the Great Work would be a finished, actual, successful thing before the dawn of the Great Day.

Upon the twentieth day of September Greek Conniston, being in Valley City, received a telegram which puzzled him. It was from Edwin Corliss, private secretary and confidential man of affairs of William Conniston, Senior, of Wall Street. Conniston replied immediately and by wire. During the three days following he received and despatched several telegrams. Since the messages have a certain bearing upon the Great Work, they are given below in the order in which they were received in the Valley and despatched from it:

"WM. CONNISTON, Jr.,

"Rattlesnake Valley.

"Drop everything. Come home immediately. Your father insists. Particulars when you arrive.

"CORLISS."

"EDW. CORLISS,

"New York.

"Can't get away. Under contract. Love to dad.

"WM. CONNISTON, Jr."

"WM. CONNISTON, Jr.

"Rattlesnake Valley.

"Smash contract. Will pay damages. Your father wants you in New York in five days.

"CORLISS."

"EDW. CORLISS,

"New York.

"Impossible. Can make hurried trip East after October first.

"WM. CONNISTON, JR."

"WM. CONNISTON, JR.,

"Rattlesnake Valley.

"Orders imperative from your father. Cables from Paris drop everything immediately and come home.

"CORLISS."

"EDW. CORLISS,

"New York.

"I refer you to wire of yesterday.

"WM. CONNISTON, Jr."

Then came a message which puzzled Greek Conniston more deeply than the others had done--a message _via_ cable and telegraph and telephone from his father himself:

"WM. CONNISTON, Jr.,

"Rattlesnake Valley.

"Come home. Leave that work alone. Start minute you get this. Wiring you thousand dollars Crawfordsville. Corliss will advance all you want in New York. Do as I command immediately or I disinherit you.

"WM. CONNISTON, Sr."

"WM. CONNISTON, Jr.,

"Rattlesnake Valley.

"At your father's orders have wired thousand to you Crawfordsville.

"CORLISS."

"EDW. CORLISS,