Part 51 (1/2)
”Turnin' in.”
Riley settled back in his blankets and muttered:
”It's funny ... d.a.m.ned funny, Jim.”
”He's like a man that's _through_. Didn't appear to have any real interest in the work today, seems like he don't give a d.a.m.n. I don't understand it.”
”If it wasn't Tom Beck I'd say that they'd got his goat. It's hard to believe of him.”
”It can't be that.” Oliver was loyal. ”It's somethin' else, but it seems like somethin' worse than a man bein' sick of his job. Still, he said twice today that he wouldn't be here long an' the way he said _long_ made me think it'd be a mighty short time.”
Silence for a time.
”Mebby,” said Riley, ”it's her.”
”Mebby you're right,” the other replied. ”Tom didn't used to give a d.a.m.n whether school kept or not. Then, after she come he changed, got to takin' things seriously and anybody could see he was gone on her.
Now....
”Well, he ain't afraid of men. There ain't bad men enough in this country to drive Tom Beck out.... But women.... They'll put a crimp in th' best of us!”
It was the following evening that news of the destruction of Cathedral Tank was brought to Tom Beck. Riley had ridden the far circle himself and had found no cattle at the waterhole which the HC foreman had visited only a few days before. That is, no live cattle. He found four steer carca.s.ses, already ravaged by coyotes and buzzards, found the fresh gash in the rock basin and had ridden back to help those cowboys who were on shorter circles, holding explanation of the fact that he returned empty handed until he could give it first to Beck.
Tom received the news silently.
”I expect you can fix up the basin with some concrete so it'll hold next winter,” Riley said.
”It's likely,” the other responded, ”but next winter's plans for this outfit ain't worryin' me, Riley.”
He meant, of course, that there were matters of greater importance just then. The dynamiting had been accomplished after his warning to Webb and Hepburn, which was clear evidence that the war went on as desperately as before and that these other men were not cowed, their determination to run him from the country had not been shaken. A hot rage swept through him. Next winter's plans were remote indeed! Fate had taken his woman from him; these renegades would take away the last hold on life!
But Riley did not construe his meaning as such and when, the following morning, Tom called Jimmy Oliver aside and talked to him the misunderstanding of what went on in his mind was more complicated for he said:
”Jimmy, you're goin' to lead this round-up for a while ... mebby for good.”
”So, Tom?”--in surprise, and in hope that an explanation would be forthcoming.
”I'm leavin' here an' mebby I won't be back.”
Beck was thinking that he would inspect that tank and track down the men responsible for its destruction and make them pay. He said that he might not be back because he had warned them away from HC property and could expect no leniency if he invaded their stronghold. Invade it he would, for this had gone past the point where he could play a waiting game. So long as it had been his safety which mattered most he could a.s.sume and retain the defensive, but now Two-Bits had all but lost his life while executing his orders and HC cattle had been driven by hundreds into high country before he had planned they should come. It was time to counter-attack.
Rapidly the word ran through the camp: Beck was leaving! As it pa.s.sed from man to man it grew, as rumors all will, and took more definite shape: Beck was quitting.
He ate silently with the others and his very silence was so marked that it quieted the rest, warded off the questions which under other circ.u.mstances might have been put to him.
The wrangler brought in the horses and Beck was the first to approach the cavet with rope ready. He selected his big roan, looked the animal over carefully and slinging a canteen over the horn, climbed rather heavily to the saddle.
Other men were catching up their horses. One was pitching and fighting the rope; two others were trying desperately to break out of the cavet.