Part 35 (1/2)

”Thank you,” said King, in cold hauteur.

Chadron's eyes were lighting with the glitter of revenge. He sat grinding his bridle-reins in his gloved hand, as if he had the bones of the nesters in his palm at last.

”You will proceed, with the rescued party under guard, to Meander,”

continued Major King to his officer, speaking as if he had plans for his own employment aside from the expedition. ”There, Mr. Chadron will furnish transportation to return them whence they came.”

”I'll furnish--” began Chadron, in amazement at this unexpected turn.

”Transportation, sir,” completed Major King, in his cold way.

”These men should be held to the civil authorities for trial in this county, and not set free,” Macdonald protested, indignant over the order.

Major King ignored him. He was still looking at Chadron, who was almost choking on his rage.

”h.e.l.l! Do you mean to tell me the whole d.a.m.n thing's goin' to fizzle out this way, King? I want something done, I tell you--I want something done! I didn't bring you up here--”

”Certainly not, sir!” snapped King.

”My orders to you--” Chadron flared.

”It happens that I am not marching under your orders at--”

”The h.e.l.l you ain't!” Chadron exploded.

”It's an outrage on humanity to turn those scoundrels loose, Major King!” Neel said. ”Why, I've got signed statements, I tell you--”

”Remove this man to the rear!” Major King addressed a lieutenant, who communicated the order to the next lowest in rank immediately at hand, who pa.s.sed it on to two troopers, who came forward briskly and rode the protesting correspondent off between them.

Other troopers were collecting the arms of the homesteaders, a proceeding which Macdonald witnessed with a sick heart. Frances, sitting her horse in silence through all that had pa.s.sed, gave him what comfort and hope she could express with her eyes.

”Detail a patrol of twenty men,” Major King continued his instructions to his officer, ”to keep the roads and disarm all individuals and bands encountered.”

”That don't apply to my men!” declared Chadron, positively. In his face there was a dark threat of disaster for Major King's future hopes of advancement.

”It applies to everybody as they come,” said King. ”Troops have come in here to restore order, and order will be restored.”

Chadron was gaping in amazement. That feeling in him seemed to smother every other, even his hot rage against King for this sudden s.h.i.+fting of their plans and complete overthrow of the cattlemen's expectations of the troops. The one little comfort that he was to get out of the expedition was that of seeing his raiders taken out of Macdonald's hands and marched off to be set free.

Macdonald felt that he understood the change in King. The major had come there full of the intention of doing Chadron's will; he had not a doubt of that. But murder, even with the faint color of excuse that they would have contrived to give it, could not be done in the eyes of such a witness as Frances Landcraft. Subserviency, a bending of dignity even, could not be stooped to before one who had been schooled to hold a soldier's honor his most precious endowment.

Major King had shown a hand of half-fairness in treating both sides alike. That much was to his credit, at the worst. But he had not done it because he was a high-souled and honorable man. His eyes betrayed him in that, no matter how stern he tried to make them. The coming of that fair outrider in the night had turned aside a great tragedy, and saved Major King partly to himself, at least, and perhaps wholly to his career.

Macdonald tried to tell her in one long and earnest look all this. She nodded, seeming to understand.

”You've double-crossed me, King,” Chadron accused, in the flat voice of a man throwing down his hand. ”I brought you up here to throw these nesters off of our land.”

”The civil courts must decide the owners.h.i.+p of that,” returned King, sourly. ”Disarm that man!” He indicated Macdonald, and turned his horse as if to ride back and join his command.

The lieutenant appeared to feel that it would be no lowering of his dignity to touch the weapons of a man such as Macdonald's bearing that morning had shown him to be. He approached with a smile half apologetic. Chadron was sitting by on his horse watching the proceeding keenly.

”Pardon me,” said the officer, reaching out to receive Macdonald's guns.