Part 21 (1/2)
”Is Soapy that kind?” she asked, but not because she did not know the answer.
”He's the other kind, bad at the heart. But Curly was just a kid crazy with the heat when he made that fool play of rustling horses.”
A lad made his way to them with a note. Kate read it and turned to d.i.c.k.
Her eyes were s.h.i.+ning happily.
”I've got news from Dad. It's all right. Soapy Stone has left town.”
”Why?”
”A dozen of the big cattlemen signed a note and sent it to Stone. They told him that if he touched Curly he would never leave town alive. He was given word to get out of town at once.”
Maloney slapped his hand joyously on his thigh. ”Fine! Might a-known Luck would find a way out. I tell you this thing has been worying me. Some of us wanted to take it off Curly's hands, but he wouldn't have it. He's a man from the ground up, Curly is. But your father found a way to b.u.t.t in all right. Soapy couldn't stand out against the big ranchmen when they got together and meant business. He had to pull his freight.”
”Let me tell him the good news, d.i.c.k,” she said, eagerly.
”Sure. I'll send him right up.”
Bronzed almost to a coffee brown, with the lean lithe grace of youth garbed in the picturesque regalia of the _vaquero_, Flandrau was a taking enough picture to hold the roving eye of any girl. A good many centered upon him now, as he sauntered forward toward the Cullison box cool and easy and debonair. More than one pulse quickened at sight of him, for his gallantry, his peril and his boyishness combined to enwrap him in the atmosphere of romance. Few of the observers knew what a wary vigilance lay behind that careless manner.
Kate gathered her skirts to make room for him beside her.
”Have you heard? He has left town.”
”Who?”
”Soapy Stone. The cattlemen served notice on him to go. So he left.”
A wave of relief swept over the young man. ”That's your father's fine work.”
”Isn't it good?” Her eyes were s.h.i.+ning with gladness.
”I'm plumb satisfied,” he admitted. ”I'm not hankering to shoot out my little difference with Soapy. He's too handy with a six-gun.”
”I'm so happy I don't know what to do.”
”I suppose now the hold-up will be put off. Did Sam and Blackwell go with him?”
”No. He went alone.”
”Have you seen Sam yet?”
”No, but I've seen Laura London. She's all the nice things you've said about her.”
Curly grew enthusiastic, ”Ain't she the dandiest girl ever? She's the right kind of a friend. And pretty--with that short crinkly hair the color of ripe nuts! You would not think one person could own so many dimples as she does when she laughs. It's just like as if she had absorbed suns.h.i.+ne and was warming you up with her smile.”
”I see she has made a friend of you.”
”You bet she has.”
Miss Cullison shot a swift slant glance at him. ”If you'll come back this afternoon you can meet her. I'm going to have all those dimples and all that suns.h.i.+ne here in the box with me.”