Part 22 (1/2)
Well, it was worth it, it certainly was worth it! What he called the front porch, was the ledge after it had flipped itself around the jutting; and when a feller stood on it, he felt plenty enough like a bird to make it interestin'. The Big Horns ran across the top o' the picture about a hundred an' forty miles to the north, and gettin' all blended in with the clouds. On the other two sides were different members of the Shoshone family, most o' which I knew by sight from any angle; and down below was miles an' miles of country spread out like a map, but more highly colored.
”Friar,” I sez, ”you're a wealthy man.”
This tickled him a lot, 'cause he was as proud o' that view as if he'd painted it. ”I am, Happy,” he said, ”and I have yielded to a wealthy man's temptations. Any one who comes here will be welcome; but I own up, I have kept this place a secret to have it all to myself.”
”A man like you needs some quiet place to consider in,” sez I.
”Get thee behind me, Satan, get thee behind me,” cried the Friar. ”I have been on far too friendly terms with that excuse for many a long month. But I do enjoy this place; so I am going to let you help me lay in my winter's supply of wood, and then make you a joint member in full standing.”
We packed wood along that spider thread of a path all morning; and finally I got so it didn't phaze me any more 'n it did him. He sang at his work most of the time, and I joined in with him whenever I felt so moved, though it did strike me 'at this was a funny way to keep a place secret; and my idee is that he sang to ease his conscience by showin' it that he wasn't sneakin' about his treasure.
I remember him mighty plain as he walked before me on the ledge, totin' a big log on his shoulder, and singin' the one 'at begins, ”Hark, my soul! It is the Lord!” This was one he fair used to raise himself in, and it seemed as if we two were climbin' right up on the air, plumb into the sky. When he'd let himself out this way, he'd fill me so full of a holy kind of devilment, that it would 'a' given me joy to have leaped off the cliff with him, and take chances on goin' up or down.
We had about filled his wood place, and were goin' back after the last load when just as he swung around a corner, I saw his hand go up as though warnin' me to stop; and I froze in my tracks. He hadn't been singin' this trip, for a wonder; but the next moment I heard a sound which purt nigh jarred me off. It was a low, deep growl which I instantly recognized as belongin' to Olaf the Swede. Olaf didn't talk with much brogue, though when he got excited he had his own fas.h.i.+on for hitchin' words together.
”Where is the girl?” he asked with quiet fierceness, and for a s.p.a.ce I was sorry my parents hadn't been eagles. There wasn't room to fight out on that ledge, the Friar didn't have a gun on, I couldn't possibly shoot around him; and Olaf was seven parts demon when he laid back his ears and started to kick.
”Where she cannot be bothered,” sez the Friar, full as quiet but without any fierceness. The' was a little bush about eight feet up, and I felt sure it would hide me, so I stuck my fingers in the side o'
the cliff and climbed up; but the' was no way for me to get out to the bush, and I had to drop back to the ledge and stand there with the sweat tricklin' down between my shoulders until I felt like yellin'.
”I intend to kill you,” said Olaf, as calm as though talkin' about a sick sheep.
”It would be a foolish waste of time,” replied the Friar, as if he was advisin' a ten-year-old boy not to fish when the Blue Bull was high and muddy. ”It wouldn't do any good, and I shall not allow it.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”I intend to kill you,” said Olaf, as calm as though talkin' about a sick sheep.
”It would be a foolish waste of time,” replied the Friar, as if he was advisin' a ten-year-old boy not to fish when the Blue Bull was high and muddy. ”It wouldn't do any good, and I shall not allow it.”]
I got out my gun, and made ready to do whatever the angels suggested; but for some time the' was silence, and durin' this time I was keyed up so tight my muscles began to ache. I knew they were lookin' into each other's eyes, and I'd have given a finger off each hand to see how the Friar's steady gray eyes handled those queer blue ones of Olaf.
”Is she all right?” asked Olaf, and all the threat had left his voice, and it had just a glint o' pleadin' in it. I wouldn't have been one bit more surprised to have seen a prairie-dog come flyin' up the gorge, blowin' a cornet with his nose.
”She has sprained her ankle; but aside from this has no physical ill,”
sez the Friar. ”You men have caused her a lot of worry, and her soul is sick; but her body is well.”
After another silence, Olaf said slowly: ”Yes, yes; I can tell by the light that you speak true. What do you intend to do with her?”
”I intend to cure her,” sez the Friar. ”I intend to help and strengthen her; and I want you to help her, too. Olaf, she has had a lot of trouble, and her wild gaiety is only a veil to hide the wounds in her heart. I want you to help her.”
”I know, I know she is honest,” said Olaf, and blamed if his voice didn't sound like a new boy talkin' to the boss; ”but she made me love her. Yes, I do love her. I must marry her. Yes, this is so.”
”She cannot marry you, or any one else, now,” sez the Friar, kindly.
”This is why she has gone from one man to another-to disgust them all and make them leave her alone.”
”That is a d.a.m.n devil of a way,” cried Olaf in anger. ”Why should she go to dances, and out ridin', and so on, if she wants men to leave her alone?”
”She was foolish, she knows that now; but her father is not the right sort of a man, and her home was not pleasant,” said the Friar.
”I told him I kill him, if she marry any one but me,” said Olaf. ”I know he is not honest; but he is afraid of me, and he will not bother her now. I go to see him again purty soon, and tell him some more.