Part 35 (2/2)
As it happened, Jesse was an actual witness to Mr. Brooke's inspection of the Star mules at their pasture below his ranch. Here is his narrative:
”Mules are the most religious of all animals. They believe in the bell mare, who creates gra.s.s, water, mud holes, and mosquitoes, and leads them in the paths of virtue where they don't get any fun. And when they wors.h.i.+p her too much she kicks them in the stomach.
”The trouble for these poor mules was that they followed a false G.o.ddess. Their bell mare Prue ought to have been old enough to know better, but at the age of twenty-three, with gray hair and bald withers, she was still female.
”She and her mules had been grazing maybe half a mile when my new stallion, young Jehoshaphat, happened along with his harem of twenty-five mares, smelling down wind for a drink. The mares looked so snug and gra.s.s-fat they could scarcely waddle, but Jehoshaphat was full of sinful pride, waltzing high steps at the sight of Prue.
”You should have seen Prue playing up innocent modesty in front of Jehoshaphat, pretending she wasn't there, making believe he was too sudden, didn't approve of the gentleman, flattering his vanity with all sorts of airs and graces. He up with his tail and showed off, prancing around pleased as Punch. Prue paraded herself along in front of the harem to spite the married mares, and all her mules came wors.h.i.+ping along in pursuit. Those mares gave the mules the biggest kicking you ever saw in your life.
”There was me lying on Face Rock like a little boy at a circus, and there was the performance proceeding so joyful that I never saw Brooke until he rode down right into the middle of the fun. Jehoshaphat got mad and went for Brooke, chasing him around the pasture. Prue chased Jehoshaphat, the mules chased Prue, the harem mares bit and kicked at everybody, Brooke galloped delirious in all directions, and I laughed until I could hardly hold down the rocks.
”Of course, if Brooke hadn't been a mere mistake on earth, he would have herded gently to the nearest corral, and cut the two outfits apart. But Brooke proceeded to lose his temper, pulled his gun, jumped his wretched sorrel behind a tree, and let drive. He missed the stallion. He shot Prue through the heart.
”There was nothing after that to keep the sixty Star mules together.
Some went up the canon, some down, a few even swam the Fraser, but the heft of them climbed the big cliffs and vanished into the forest.
”I reckon Pete and his _arrieros_ could collect those mules and break them to loving a new _madrina_. But with Brooke as cargador, the great Star Pack-train's numbered with the past, and Mathson's partners.h.i.+p is scarce worth arguing.
”I was sorry to see the fine mules lost, and in my grief I kicked Brooke about one-third of a mile on his way home afoot.”
CHAPTER VI
THE BLACK NIGHT
_Kate's Narrative_
”I, Boulton Wemyss Taylor, Commander R. N., retired, being of sound mind in a dying body, do hereby make my last will and testament:
”And do appoint the lady known as Madame Scotson my sole executress and trustee of all property which I may die possessed of;
”To pay my just debts, and to administer the remainder on behalf of my grandson, James Taylor,
”Until at his coming of age he shall receive the whole estate, if there is any;
”Save only that I bequeath to Madame Scotson my sword and the Victoria Cross;
”And with regard to burial, it is my will that no money whatever shall be spent, but that my body, wrapped in the flag by right of her majesty's commission, shall be consigned to the earth by my neighbors; that no friend of mine shall be allowed to stand uncovered catching cold, or to wear unseemly black clothing at the service of the resurrection, or to toll bells which should be pealed when the soul pa.s.ses to G.o.d, or to make pretense or parade of grief for one who is glad to go.”
The months of nursing were ended. No longer should Nurse Panton and I be afraid when our patient was good, or rejoice when fractious whims and difficult absurdities marked those rallies in which he fought off death.
At the last, after many hours of silence, he asked me in a boyish voice if he might go up-stairs to see his uniform. In his dreams he was leaving school to enter the royal navy.
Billy was away on an errand to the Falls, and it was Nurse Panton's watch below, when at ten in the evening I saw the change come very suddenly. The face of my dear friend, no longer old, but timeless, reflected an unearthly majesty.
For the next hour I was busy rendering the last services, in haste, for the lamp had a most peculiar smell. I took it away and lighted candles, but it was not the lamp. Spreading the Union Jack upon the bed, I bolted from that room. For a time I sat in the dining-hall but could not stay there. Even in the barroom I still had to fight off something intangible, a sense of being watched, a presentiment of evil coming swiftly nearer.
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