Part 24 (2/2)
The younger man's head came back with a snap.
”Ye says they're holdin' a council over thar at Hump Doane's?” he demanded.
”Yes--an' hit's a war conf'rence. I've hed men find thet out--they're right sim'lar ter a swarm of hornets.”
Parish Thornton took a step forward.
”Will ther Harpers stand to what ther two of us agrees on tergither in full accord--an' leave cavillin' an' wranglin' amongst ourselves fer a more seemly time?”
Aaron nodded his head. ”So long as us two stands agreed we kin handle 'em, I reckon.”
The young man nodded his head in a gesture of swift decision.
”All right then! I'm goin' over thar ter Hump Doane's house--an' reason with them hotheads. I'm goin' ter advocate peace as strong es any man kin--but I'm goin' ter tell 'em, too, thet ther Harpers kin give 'em uns.h.i.+rted h.e.l.l ef they disdains peace. I'm goin' ter pledge ourselves ter holp diskiver an' penitenshery ther man thet shot at old Jim Rowlett. Does thet suit ye?”
Aaron stood looking at Parish Thornton with eyes blankly dumfounded, and the other two faces mirrored his bewilderment, then the spokesman broke into bitterly derisive laughter, and his followers parroted his mirthless ridicule.
”Hit _mout_ suit me,” he finally replied, ”save only hit denotes thet ye're either p'intedly wishful ter throw yore life away--or else plum bereft of reason.”
”Thet's a _secret_ meetin' over thar,” interposed Lincoln Thornton, grimly, ”with rifles in ther la'rel ter take keer of trespa.s.sers. They'd stretch ye dead afore ye got nigh enough ter shout out--much less reason with 'em. Some things is practical an' others is jest d.a.m.n foolery.”
”I took thought of them chances,” replied Parish, quietly, ”afore I made my proffer.”
This time there was no laughter but Aaron shook his head decisively.
”No,” he declared, ”hit won't do. Hit's a right bold idee but hit would be sartain death. Ye're ther man they're cussin' an' d.a.m.nin' over an'
above all others, over thar--right now.”
”All right then,” a.s.serted Thornton, crisply, ”ef I kin stop 'em from cussin' an' d.a.m.nin' me, mebby they mout quiet down again an listen ter reason. Anyhow, ef ye agrees ter let me bind ye by my words, I'm a-goin'
over thar.”
After that the talk was such a discussion of ways and means as takes place between allies in complete harmony of agreement.
”Afore G.o.d in Heaven,” exclaimed the old clansman at its end, ”ye _air_ a man thet's cut out ter lead! Hev ye got yore pistol handy?”
”Hit's handy enough,” answered Parish, ”but I don't aim ter go over thar armed--ef they kills me like ye foretells they will, they've got ter murder me coldblooded--so all men kin see wh'ar ther fault lays at.”
CHAPTER XVII
Parish Thornton and Aaron Capper stood for a few moments watching the departure of the two other hors.e.m.e.n, one of whom was a spy and a traitor--for Aaron himself meant to wait here until he could ride home with some knowledge of the outcome of his new ally's mad project.
But Parish could not wait long, for the summer afternoon was already half spent and his depleted strength would make travelling slow.
The thought that now oppressed him with the poignancy of an immediate ordeal was the need of saying good-bye to Dorothy, and neither of them would fail to understand that it might be a last good-bye. There was no room for equivocation in this crisis, and as he gazed up into the full and peaceful shade over his head, a flood of little memories, bound tendril-like by sounds, sights, and fragrances to his heart, swept him with disconcerting violence.
He steadied himself against that a.s.saulting and went resolutely into the room where Dorothy was standing with her back half turned so that she did not at once see him.
She stood deep in thought--artlessly posed in lance-like straightness, and on the smooth whiteness of her neck a breath of breeze stirred wisps of bronzed and crisply curling hair. The swing of her shoulders was gallant and the man thanked G.o.d for that. She would want her courage now.
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