The Heart of Thunder Mountain Part 6

Several men in the crowd laughed, whereupon Huntington, who had evidently forgotten the money, made matters worse for himself by hastily and clumsily thrusting it into the pockets of his coat, while his face flushed angrily.

"That's right, Cousin Seth," Haig said lightly. "You may need it."

Marion, at these words, quivered with alarm. Was he going to tell Huntington, there in that crowd, of the incident in the pasture? His next speech, however, rea.s.sured her.

"Now, Larkin," he said, "let's understand things. That's my horse, isn't it?"

"That's what I've been sayin' some time back," answered Larkin, in a tone of relief.

"And you, Smith?"

"I suppose so," was the sullen reply.

"And Raley?"

"No, it ain't!" answered that one with a sudden flare-up of courage.

"Then whose horse is it?"

"It belongs to Larkin an' Smith an' me."

"Of course. But why did you bring him to Paradise Park?"

"To sell him."

"To whom, please?"

Raley, caught in the trap, looked appealingly toward Smith, but got no help from him.

"To whom?" repeated Haig sharply.

"To you--if you wanted him!" Raley blurted out at last.

"If I wanted him!" retorted Haig ironically. "I bargained for him with you, didn't I?"

"Yes," growled Raley.

"And you went and caught him _for me_?"

"Yes."

"And you brought him to Paradise Park _for me_?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Don't be downhearted!" he said cheerfully. "A good name is more to be desired than great riches. Isn't that so, Cousin Seth?"

The ranchman's face flamed.

"If you've got anything to say to me, say it quick!" he jerked out.

"I have several things to say to you, one at a time," replied Haig smoothly. "To begin with, these men told you the horse was mine, didn't they?"

"No, they didn't. They said you'd offered a thousand dollars for him."

Haig laughed.

"All right, if that suits you better! They told you they had brought him here to deliver him to me for a thousand dollars, and you thought it would be a fine joke to buy him yourself. Is that it?"

Huntington did not respond to this, but watched Haig narrowly, a little puzzled by his manner.

"How much did he offer you?" Haig asked Larkin.

"Two thousand dollars--and then he said name our price."

Haig whistled.

"Well, I'm d.a.m.ned if you haven't got some sporting blood in you!" he said, smiling at Huntington. "How much was in your roll?"

Huntington's first impulse was to tell Haig that it was none of his business. But he was deceived by Haig's manner, having expected his enemy to fall upon him like a thunderbolt. His surprise was shared, indeed, by most of the men, who had expected gun-play on the jump.

Only Marion, sitting still and watchful on her pony, was not misled.

She felt that Haig was playing with Huntington, and biding his time.

Huntington's vanity completed his self-delusion.

"Four thousand, two hundred dollars" he replied boastfully, glancing around at his neighbors.

"Whew!" uttered Haig, between pursed lips. Then to Larkin: "You were hard pressed, weren't you? But never mind, boys, I'll do better than I promised--and charge it up to Cousin Seth."

Another laugh flickered around the crowd. It was evident that there was no great objection to seeing Huntington baited.

"My name's Huntington!" he snorted. "What's this d.a.m.ned cousin business, anyhow?"

Haig raised his eyebrows.

"Does it annoy you?" he asked, in a tone of exaggerated politeness.

Huntington merely glared. He was one of those self-made wits who enjoy their own jokes immensely but grumble at plucking barbed shafts out of their own skins. He began to wish for the thunderbolt.

"But it's your own fault, you know," Haig added.

"What in h.e.l.l are you talking about?" Huntington growled.

"I'm talking about your last visit to my ranch."

"My last--What do you mean, d.a.m.n you!" the ranchman thundered, his right hand moving to his belt.

There was a hurried movement among those of the crowd who, absorbed in the dialogue, had half-consciously crept nearer. But Haig appeared to have noticed neither Huntington's motion nor the backing away of the spectators.