The Cattle-Baron's Daughter Part 39

"Then, if he will be surety for their safety, the team is at Mr.

Clavering's disposal," he said.

Clavering said nothing to Grant, but he thrust his hand into his pocket and laid a five-dollar bill on the table.

"I am very sorry I helped to destroy some of your crockery, fraulein, and this is the only amend I can make," he said. "If I knew how to replace the broken things I wouldn't have ventured to offer it to you."

The little deprecatory gesture was graceful, and Hetty flashed an approving glance at him; but she also looked at Grant, as if to beseech his comprehension, when she went out. Larry, however, did not understand her, and stood gravely aside as she pa.s.sed him. He said nothing, but when he was fastening the fur robe round her in the sleigh Hetty spoke.

"Larry," she said softly, "can't you understand that one has to do the square thing to everybody?"

Then, Clavering, who could not hear what she was saying, flicked the horses and the sleigh slid away into the darkness.

A moment or two later, while the men still lingered talking without and Larry stood putting on his furs in the room, Breckenridge saw Miss Muller, who had been gazing at the money rise, and as though afraid her resolution might fail her, hastily thrust it into the stove.

"You are right," he said. "That was an abominably unfair shot of Clavering's, Larry. Of course, you couldn't answer him or tell anybody, but it's horribly unfortunate. The thing made the impression he meant it to."

"Well," said Larry bitterly, "I have got to bear it with the rest. I can't see any reason for being pleased with anything to-night."

Breckenridge nodded, but once more a little twinkle crept into his eyes.

"I scarcely think you need worry about one trifle, any way," he said. "If you think Miss Torrance or Miss Schuyler wanted Clavering to drive them, you must be unusually dense. They only asked him to because they have a sense of fairness, and I'd stake a good many dollars on the fact that when Miss Schuyler first saw him she was convulsed with laughter."

"Did Miss Torrance seem amused?" Grant asked eagerly.

"Yes," said Breckenridge decisively. "She did though she tried to hide it.

Miss Torrance has, of course, a nice appreciation of what is becoming. In fact, her taste is only slightly excelled by Miss Schuyler's."

Grant stared at him for a moment, and then for the first time, during several anxious months, broke into a great peal of laughter.

XXII

THE CAVALRY OFFICER

The winter was relaxing its iron grip at last and there were alternations of snow and thaw and frost when one evening a few of his scattered neighbours a.s.sembled at Allonby's ranch. Clavering was there, with Torrance, Hetty, and Miss Schuyler, among the rest; but though the guests made a spirited attempt to appear unconcerned, the signs of care were plainer in their faces than when they last met, and there were times when the witty sally fell curiously flat. The strain was beginning to tell, and even the most optimistic realized that the legislature of the State was more inclined to resent than yield to any further pressure that could be exerted by the cattle-barons. The latter were, however, proud and stubborn men, who had unostentatiously directed affairs so long that they found it difficult to grasp the fact that their ascendancy was vanis.h.i.+ng. Showing a bold front still, they stubbornly disputed possession of every acre of land the homesteaders laid claim upon. The latters' patience was almost gone, and the more fiery spirits were commencing to obstruct their leader's schemes by individual retaliation and occasionally purposeless aggression.

Torrance seemed older and grimmer, his daughter paler, and there were moments when anxiety was apparent even in Clavering's usually careless face. He at least, was already feeling the pinch of straitened finances, and his only consolations were the increasing confidence that Torrance reposed in him, and Hetty's graciousness since his capture by the homesteaders. It was, perhaps, not astonis.h.i.+ng that he should mistake its meaning, for he had no means of knowing, as Miss Schuyler did, that the cattle-baron's daughter met Larry Grant now and then.

Hetty was sitting in a corner of the big room, with Flo Schuyler and Christopher Allonby close at hand, and during a lull in the conversation she turned to him with a smile.

"You find us a little dull to-night, Chris?" she said.

Allonby laughed. "There was a time when you delighted in trapping me into admissions of that kind, but I'm growing wise," he said. "In fact, another year like this one would make an old man of me. I don't mind admitting that there is something wrong with the rest. I have told them the stories they have laughed over the last three years, and could not raise a smile from one of them; and when I got my uncle started playing cards I actually believe your father forgot what trumps were, for the first time in his life!"

"That is significant," said Hetty, whose face had grown serious. "Nothing has gone well for us lately, Chris."

Allonby sighed. "We don't like to acknowledge it, but it's a fact," he said. "Still, there's hope yet, if we can just stir up the homestead-boys into wrecking a railroad bridge or burning somebody's ranch."

"It is a little difficult to understand how that would improve affairs, especially for the man whose place was burned," said Miss Schuyler drily.

"One can't afford to be too particular," said Allonby, with a deprecating gesture. "You see, once they started in to do that kind of thing the State would have to crush them, which, of course, would suit us quite nicely. As it is, after the last affair at Hamlin's, they have sent in a draft of cavalry."

"And you are naturally taking steps to bring about the things that would suit you?" asked Flora Schuyler.

Allonby did not see the snare. "Well," he said, "I am not an admirer of Clavering, but I'm willing to admit that he has done everything he could; in fact, I'm 'most astonished they have stood him so long, and I don't think they would have done so, but for Larry. Anyway, it's comforting to know Larry is rapidly making himself unpopular among them."

A spot of colour showed in Hetty's cheek, and there was a little gleam in Flora Schuyler's eyes as she fixed them on the lad.

"You evidently consider Mr. Grant is taking an unwarranted liberty in persuading his friends to behave themselves as lawful citizens should?"

she said.

"I don't quite think you understand me, of course, one could scarcely expect it from a lady; but if you look at the thing from our point of view, it's quite easy."

Flora Schuyler smiled satirically. "I fancy I do, though I may be mistaken. Subtleties of this kind are, as you suggest, beyond the average woman."

"You are laughing at me, and it's quite likely I deserve it. We will talk of something else. I was telling you about the cavalry officer."

"No," said Hetty, "I don't think you were."

"Then I meant to. He has just come up from the Apache country--a kind of quiet man, with a good deal in him and a way of making you listen when you once start him talking. We half expect him here this evening, and if he comes, I want you to be nice to him. You could make him believe we are in the right quite easily."

"From the Apache country?" and Flora Schuyler glanced at Hetty.

Allonby nodded. "New Mexico, Arizona, or somewhere there. Now, just when you were beginning to listen, there's Mr. Torrance wanting me."

He rose with evident reluctance, and Miss Schuyler sat reflectively silent when he moved away.

"What are you thinking of?" asked Hetty sharply.

"That the United States is not after all such a very big country. One is apt to run across a friend everywhere."

Hetty did not answer, but Miss Schuyler knew that she was also wondering about the cavalry officer, when half an hour later it became evident, from the sounds outside, that a sleigh had reached the door, and when a little further time had pa.s.sed Allonby ushered a man in blue uniform into the room. Hetty set her lips when she saw him.

"Oh!" said Miss Schuyler. "I felt quite sure of it. This is the kind of thing that not infrequently happens, and it is only the natural sequence that he should turn up on the opposite side to Larry."

"Flo," said Hetty sharply, "what do you mean?"

"Well," she said lazily, "I fancy that you should know better than I do. I have only my suspicions and some little knowledge of human nature to guide me. Now, of course, you convinced us that you didn't care for Cheyne, but we have only your word to go upon in regard to Larry."

Hetty turned upon her with a flash in her eyes. "Don't try to make me angry, Flo. It's going to be difficult to meet him as it is."

"I don't think you need worry," and Flora Schuyler laughed. "He is probably cured by this time, and has found somebody else. They usually do.

That ought to please you."

In the meantime, Allonby and the man he was presenting to his friends were drawing nearer. Hetty rose when the pair stopped in front of them.