Part 9 (1/2)

This was wholly false. White never took any one into his business secrets, least of all Greyson for whom he had deep contempt. ”But I don't call that clean to us-all, Jed. We don't want strangers to catch Burke; we don't want them to--to string him up or shoot him full of holes; what we-all want is to force White to hand him over to justice, give him a fair trial, and then send him to one of them prison traps to eat his soul out behind bars. Jed--just you shut your eyes and _see_ Burke Lawson behind bars--eating sop from a pan, drinking prison water--just you call that picture up.”

Jed endeavoured to do so and it grew upon his imagination.

”We-all wants to trail him,” Greyson continued, ”we don't want to give him a free pa.s.sage to Kingdom-Come by rope or shot--we-all want prison for Lawson, prison!”

As Jed was the one most concerned, this edict went abroad by mountain wireless.

”Catch him alive!” Friend and foe were alert.

”And when all's fixed and done--when Burke's trapped,” Greyson said, ”what you going to do--for me, Jed?”

This was a startling, new development.

”I didn't reckon yo' war doin' this--fur pay!” Jed faltered. Then Greyson came forth:

”No pay, Jed. Gawd knows I do my duty as I see it. But being keen about duty, I see more than one duty. When you catch and cage Lawson, Jed, I want to be something closer to you than a friend.”

”Closer than--” Jed gasped.

”And duty drives me to confess to you, Jed, that the happiness of a lady is at stake.”

Jed merely gaped now. Visions of Nella-Rose made him giddy and speechless.

”The day you put Lawson in jail, Jed, that day I'll give you the hand of my daughter. She loves you; she has confessed! You shall come here and share--everything! The hour that Burke is convicted--Marg is yours!”

”Marg!” The word came on a gasp.

”Not a word!” Greyson waved his hand in a princely way--this gesture was an heirloom from his ancestry. ”I understand your feelings--I've seen what has been going on--but naturally I want my daughter to marry one worthy of her. You shall have my Marg when you have proven yourself!

I've misjudged you, Jed, but this will wipe away old scores.”

With a sickening sense of being absorbed, Jed sank into black silence.

If Marg wanted him and old Greyson was helping her, there was no hope!

Blood and desire would conquer every time; every mountaineer recognized that!

And so things were seething under a surface of deadly calm, when Truedale, believing that he had himself well in control, packed his gunny sack and started forth for a long tramp. He had no particular destination in mind--in fact, the soft, dreamy autumn day lulled him to mental inertia--he simply went along, but he went as directly toward the rhododendron slick as though he had long planned his actions. However, it was late afternoon before he came upon Nella-Rose.

On the instant he realized that he had been searching for her all day.

His stern standards crumbled and became dry dust. One might as well apply standards to flickering sunlight or to swirling trifles of mountain mist as to Nella-Rose. She came upon him gaily; the dogs had discovered her on one of their ventures and were now quietly accompanying her.

”I--I've been looking for you--all day!” Truedale admitted, with truth but indiscretion. And then he noted, as he had before, the strange impression the girl gave of having been blown upon the scene. The pretty, soft hair resting on the cheek in a bewildering curve; the large, dreamy eyes and black lashes; the close clinging of her shabby costume, as if wrapped about her slim body by the playful gale that had wafted her along; all held part in the illusion.

”I had to--to lead Marg to Devil-may-come Hollow. She's hunting there now!” Nella-Rose's white teeth showed in a mischievous smile. ”We're right safe with Marg down there, scurrying around. Come, I know a sunny place--I want to tell you about Marg.”

Her childish appropriation of him completed Truedale's surrender. The absolute lack of self-consciousness drove the last remnant of caution away. They found the sunny spot--it was like a dimple in a hill that had caught the warmth and brightness and held them always to the exclusion of shadows. It almost seemed that night could never conquer the nook.

And while they rested there, Nella-Rose told him of the belief of the natives that he was the refugee Lawson.

”And Marg would give you up like--er--this” (Nella-Rose puffed an imaginary trifle away with her pretty pursed lips). ”She trailed after me all day--she lost me in a place where hiding's good--and there I left her! She'll tell Jed Martin this evening when she gets back. Marg is scenting Burke for Jed and his kind to catch--that's her way and Jed's!”