Part 17 (1/2)
”There isn't much to tell,” the driver of the buckboard said in a quavering voice. ”I'm on the way to town to sell the ranch--the S Bar.
I have my husband's body with me on the wagon. He was murdered yesterday.”
Not until then did Kid Wolf see the grim cargo of the buckboard. His face sobered and his eyes narrowed.
”Do yo' want to sell, ma'am?”
”No, but it's all I can do now,” she said tearfully. ”Major Stover, in San Felipe, offered me ten thousand for it, some time ago. It's worth more, but I guess this--this is the end. I don't know why I'm tellin'
you all this, young man.”
”This Majah Stovah--is he an army officer?” The Kid asked wonderingly.
The woman shook her head. ”No. He isn't really a major. He never was in the army, so far as any one knows. He just fancies the t.i.tle and calls himself 'Major Stover'--though he has no right to do so.”
”A kind of four-flus.h.i.+n' hombre--a coyote in sheep's clothin', I should judge,” drawled Kid Wolf.
”Thet just about describes him,” the woman agreed.
”But yo' sho'ly aren't alone on yo' ranch. Wheah's yo' men?” asked The Kid.
”They quit last week.”
”Quit?” The Kid's eyebrows went up a trifle.
”All of them--five in all, includin' the foreman. And soon afterward, all our cattle were chased off the ranch. Gone completely--six hundred head. Then yesterday”--she paused and her eyes filled with tears--”yesterday my husband was shot while he was standing at the edge of the corral. I don't know who did it.”
No wonder this woman felt that every hand was turned against her. Kid Wolf's eyes blazed.
”Won't the law help yo'?” he demanded.
”There isn't any law,” said the woman bitterly. ”Now you understand why I fired at you. I was desperate--nearly frantic with grief. I hardly knew what I was doing.”
”Well, just go back home to yo' ranch, ma'am. I don't think yo' need to sell it.”
”But I can't run the S Bar alone!”
”Yo' won't have to. I'll bring yo' ridahs back. Will I find them in San Felipe?”
”I think so,” said the woman, astonished. ”But they won't come.”
”Oh, yes, they will,” said The Kid politely.
”But I can't ranch without cattle.”
”I'll get them back fo' yo'.”
”But they're over the line into Old Mexico by now!”
”Nevah yo' mind, ma'am. I'll soon have yo' place on a workin' basis again. Just give me the names of yo' ridahs and I'll do the rest.”