Part 57 (1/2)
When Jane spoke again it was in an easier tone.
”How did you happen to come to this country, Cole?”
He looked up, relief showing in his face as she abandoned the other line of questioning. Hepburn stirred and Webb lifted a hand to hook his thumb in his belt.
”Why, I heered about this place. Good feed an' water an' a place to settle. So I just come; that's all.”
”How did you hear about it?”
”A feller told me.”
”Who?”
”I dunno his name. I--”
”How many cows have you?”
Her voice was suddenly sharp and hard as she cut in on his impotent evasion and s.h.i.+fted her subject again.
”Why, 'bout twenty.”
”And how many calves are with them?”
He seemed to calculate, but she insisted, leaning closer to him:
”How many calves?”
”Why, not more'n half of 'em got calves.”
”Sure? Not more than half?”
”Why ... I guess--”
”And you've got sixteen young calves in this pen! How do you account for that?”
A murmur ran among her men and Cole looked at her with fright in his eyes.
”I dunno!” he suddenly burst out, voice trembling. ”I dunno nothin'
about it. You've all got me here an' are pickin' on me. I didn't steal anything. I thought they was all mine.” And then, in a broken, repressedly frantic appeal: ”I don't want to go to jail again. I don't know nothin'....”
”Again?” she said, quite gently.
He looked at her and nodded slowly. The little resistance he had offered her was gone; his limbs trembled and his eyes had that whipped, abject look that a broken spirited dog will show.
”You've been in jail once? For stealing cattle?”
”I didn't steal.... They said I did. They didn't want me around.
They're like all you big outfits; they don't want me ... they don't want me....”
He lifted one hand in a gesture of hopeless appeal and tears showed in his eyes. They didn't want him, as she didn't want him! And suddenly an overwhelming pity surged upward in the girl for this man. It was like her, like all the Jane Hunters, like all men and women in whose hearts great strength and great pity is combined. There was no question of his guilt, but he was helpless before her; his fate was in her hands ...