Part 41 (1/2)
”Craig!” she called, pulling up her horse. ”I want you a minute.”
He came to the step of the buck-board, dressed in greasy overalls, with an oil smear on his hand, but she felt that he was to be trusted as she gave him an approving glance. She liked his level look and his steady eyes; there was force in his quiet face. He was the type of man she admired: swift in action, free from what she called meanness, and determined. Indeed, she felt inclined to hesitate as she thought of his resolute character. It would be easy to set him in motion, but once that was done he could not be stopped, and there might be startling developments. It was rather like firing the train to a mine; and there was a disturbing possibility that she might, after all, be wrong in her surmises.
But she gathered up her courage; and she knew that there was no time to be wasted.
”Craig,” she said, ”do you want Beatrice Mowbray?”
He started and his brown face flushed.
”I want her more than anything else in the world.”
Mrs. Broadwood gave him a quick, approving nod.
”Do you know how she feels about you?”
”No. I only know what I hope.”
”Well,” said Mrs. Broadwood thoughtfully, ”I believe she'd rather take you than Brand.”
”Brand!”
”I expect she'll be engaged to him to-night, unless you act.” Mrs.
Broadwood checked him as he was about to speak. ”This is your chance, Craig; you'll never get another half as good. Listen quietly for a few minutes.”
He stood very still, without asking a question, until she had finished.
”I guess you're right,” he said with set jaws; ”and I know the man who holds the note. If Beatrice is to give Brand her answer to-night, it means that Davies is coming here to squeeze the Colonel, and if his train's on time, he ought to make the Grange in about three hours.”
”And you'll be there to meet him?”
Harding smiled.
”When I'm wanted I like to be on hand, and I guess I'm wanted pretty badly now.”
”You certainly are. I suppose you see what you must do?”
”If there's a note out with my name on it, it has got to be taken up.
You can leave the thing to me. I meet my obligations.”
Mrs. Broadwood saw that he had found a more effective way of dealing with the situation than had yet occurred to her.
”Craig,” she exclaimed with frank admiration, ”you're a wonder!”
He held out his hand with a twinkle of rather grim amus.e.m.e.nt.
”Anyway, I have to thank you for putting me on the track, and I'm not going to forget it. Now I have several matters to fix up before I start for the Grange.”
She touched the horse with the whip and he stepped back.