Part 37 (1/2)

She told him quietly all she had heard respecting Merril's affairs, and when at last she stopped, Jordan made an abrupt gesture.

”It's a pity I can't act upon what you have told me,” he said.

”You can't act upon it?”

”No,” said Jordan firmly. ”You should never have done it--it cost you too much. Oh, I know the shame and humiliation it must have brought you.

You can't make things like these counters in a business deal.”

”You must;” and Eleanor's eyes grew suddenly hard again. ”Is all I have gained by doing what I loathed to be thrown away? Listen, Charley. I loved my father, and looked up to him until Merril laid a trap for him.

Then he went downhill, and I had to watch his courage and control being sapped away. He lost it all, and his manhood, too, and died crazed with rank whisky.”

She rose, and stood very straight, pale in face and quivering a little.

”Could anything ever drive out the memory of that horrible night? You could hardly bear what had to be done, and you can fancy what it must have been to me--who loved him. Can I forgive the man who brought that on him?”

Jordan s.h.i.+vered a little with pity and horror, as the scene in the room where the burned man gasped out his life in an extremity of pain rose up before him. Then he was conscious that Eleanor had recovered herself and was looking at him steadily.

”Charley,” she said, ”you must stand by me in this, or go away and never speak to me again. There is no alternative. Only support me now, and afterward I will obey you for the rest of our lives.”

The man realized that she meant it, and though it cost him an effort, he made a sign of resignation.

”Then,” he said, ”it must be as you wish. And I guess, after what you have told me, we hold Merril in our hand. That is, if Jimmy and I can do our part.”

Both of them had felt the tension, and now that it had slackened they said nothing for several minutes as they walked toward the house. Then Eleanor turned to her companion.

”I am glad I can depend on you,” she said. ”When the pinch comes Jimmy will fail us.”

”Jimmy,” said Jordan quietly, ”is your brother as well as my friend.”

”Ah!” said Eleanor, ”don't misunderstand. Jimmy would flinch from nothing on a steamer's bridge. Still, it isn't nerve of that kind that will be needed, and Miss Merril has a hold on him.”

Jordan saw the faint sparkle in her eyes. ”After all, you can't hold the girl responsible for her father?”

”I do,” said Eleanor, with a curious bitter smile. ”At least, I would keep her away from Jimmy.”

Jordan said nothing, but there was trouble in his face, for he had seen how things were going, and though he was Eleanor's lover he was Jimmy's friend. When they reached the ranch they found that Mrs. Forster had come back, and she glanced at Jordan with a smile in her eyes when he crossed the room.

”Do you know that you have split your jacket up the back?” she asked.

Jordan looked reproachfully at Forster. ”Well,” he said, ”I almost think that your husband does.”

”Then he will lend you another one while I sew it for you.”

”One would fancy that Eleanor would prefer to do it,” said the rancher dryly.

His wife pursed up her face. ”It is possible that she may bring herself to do such things by and by. Still, I can't quite imagine Eleanor quietly sitting down and mending a man's clothes.”

Jordan laughed. ”It's quite likely that she'll have to. It depends on how the _Shasta_ pleases the miners. Forster, I'll trouble you to lend me a jacket. I guess you owe it to me.”