Judith of the Godless Valley Part 36

Charleton stood glaring at his prospective son-in-law.

"Come off, Charleton!" cried Douglas disgustedly. "You are a fine one to raise trouble over a situation like this. Strikes me you've done everything you could do to bring it about."

Charleton did not seem to hear. His face was cold and hard. "Marion, you and Jimmy pack up and get out of here!"

"I can't, Dad! I'm too sick!" sobbed the girl.

"Sick or no sick, you get out of here!"

"Don't you do it, Marion!" cried Judith. "No man's got a right to act so at a time like this. I'll stick by you. Jimmy, you go get Grandma Brown.

I'll bet she can fix Charleton."

Jimmy rushed out of the house.

"Now, Doug," Judith went on, walking over to take Marion's hand, "you and Charleton go on out while I have a talk with Marion."

"This happens to be my house," said Charleton. "Marion, get up and get out!"

"I can't!" repeated the girl.

"You are a fine guy to tell a fellow how to live on wine, women and horses," exclaimed Douglas, "and then raise the devil when your chickens come home to roost. We all know Little Marion was born a month before you were married."

Charleton gave Douglas an ugly look. "I'll settle with you, for that, young fellow!" He stepped toward the bed. "Are you going to get out, Marion?"

"No, she isn't!" snapped Douglas. He made a sudden rush at Charleton and pushed him into the kitchen, Judith slammed and locked the door behind them.

It was on this scene that John Spencer appeared, closing the outer door innocently behind him.

"I wanted to borrow your buckboard for a couple of weeks," he began. Then he paused and looked inquiringly from his son to his old friend.

"Marion's in trouble," said Douglas, "and Charleton is trying to drive her out. Jude and I won't let him."

"Why should you b.u.t.t in?" demanded John.

"Anybody with a decent heart would," replied Douglas.

"Get your kids out of here, John!" roared Charleton. "Judith's in there with the door locked!"

"Judith!" called John. "'Come here!"

"I can't, Dad. I promised Marion to stick by her."

"You come out or I'll break the door down and bring you!"

"If you do, I'll not go to Mountain City with you!"

John hesitated, though his face was purple.

"You couldn't keep her away from the rodeo and you know it," sneered Charleton. "Fetch her out, John, unless you're afraid of Doug."

"Jude, are you coming?" shouted John.

"No, sir."

John heaved against the flimsy door and it broke on its hinges. He rushed into the inner room. Judith, her great eyes blazing, stood with one hand on Marion's shoulder.

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Dad! You put a finger on me or Marion if you dare!"

"Don't touch her, Dad!" Douglas' voice had the old note of warning in it.

But John, furious that his children should be defying him in public, was quite beyond any effort at self control. He rushed on toward the bed.

"You blank-blank!" screamed Judith. "You aren't fit to touch Little Marion's feet! You or Charleton either!"

John seized Judith's arm. Quick as a lynx-cat, Douglas leaped across the room, seized his father from behind and was dragging him toward the door when Grandma Brown ran in.

"Now," she cried sternly, "what does this mean? Every one of you get out of here as fast as your feet will carry you!"

John stood up, sheepishly, Douglas eying him belligerently.

"Look here, Grandma," Charleton shook his finger in the old lady's face, "I want you to understand that--"

"Understand!" shrilled Grandma. "Understand! You have the face to try to say anything to me, Charleton Falkner? Do you think any man in this valley can have anything to tell me I want to hear, least of all you, Charleton Falkner? I know your history, man! And yours too, John Spencer.

And you can either get out or listen while I tell these children a few facts about you."

Charleton put a cigarette between his teeth, handed one to John, lighted his own, gave a light to John and, John at his heels, walked out into the night.

"You and Douglas go home, Judith," said Grandma briskly. "Jimmy, I want a talk with Little Marion. You put that door back on the hinges, then disappear."

So Judith and Douglas rode away. It was a heavenly night, with more than a hint of frost in the air, and the horses were as frolicsome as Prince.

"Now, will you tell me," asked Judith as she brought Buster back into the trail for the third time, "just why Charleton acted so?"

"It's just like I told you once," replied Douglas. "A man wants his own women to be straight no matter how much he does to make 'em crooked."

"Men are yellow," said Judith succinctly. "What's the use of Charleton--" She paused as if words failed her, and they rode their prancing horses in silence till John galloped up and pushed Beauty between them.

"I hope you two fools feel better!" he shouted. "You've got a row going with Charleton."

"Lot I care!" chuckled Judith. "I'll sic Grandma Brown on him again if he bothers me."

"I'd rather have a wolverine after me than Charleton," John went on excitedly. "You both ought to be licked!"

"Try it," suggested both the young people together.

"I've a notion not to take you up to Mountain City and I wouldn't if--"

Judith interrupted him. "You're not going to take me. I'm going with Doug."