Part 30 (1/2)
She knew that surely and swiftly this man had gone down the path of unreasoning love, that he would give anything he possessed, do anything possible, to win for himself this slim mistress of Last's Holding.
Therefore she played the one card she held, hoping to rouse the bully, and did just the thing she was trying to avert.
”Buck,” she said, her black head on his shoulder, her dark eyes watching covertly his careless face, ”the Last girl is lost to every Valley man. Sooner or later she'll leave the country, mark my word, with this Forest Service fellow, for she's in love with him, though she doesn't know it yet.”
With a slow movement Courtrey loosed his arm about Lola and lifted her from him. His eyes were narrowed as he looked into her face.
”For G.o.d's sake!” he said, ”what makes you think that?”
”Knowledge,” said Lola, ”long knowledge of women and men.”
”If I thought that,” said Courtrey slowly, his eyes losing sight of her as he seemed to look beyond her. ”If--I--thought that--why, h.e.l.l!
If that's th' truth--why, it--it's th' lever!”
And he rose abruptly, though he had just settled himself in Lola's apartment for a pleasant chat, as was his habit whenever he rode in from the Stronghold.
”Lola,” he said presently, ”I might's well tell you that I'm plannin'
to have this girl for mine,--_mine_, you understand, legally, by law.
I can't have her like I've had you. She'd blow my head off th' first time I stopped holdin' her hands.” He laughed at the picture he had conjured, then went on.
”An' so I feel grateful to you, old girl, for that remark. It sets me thinkin'.” And he stooped and kissed her on the lips. The woman returned the kiss, a wonderful caress, slow, soft, alluring, but the man did not notice.
His face was flushed, his eyes studying.
Then he swung quickly out through the Golden, Cloud, and Lola slipped limply down on a couch and covered her ashen cheeks with her hands.
”Oh, Buck!” she whispered brokenly, ”Oh, Buck! Buck!”
Courtrey went straight home, still, cold, thinking hard. His henchmen left him in solitude after the first word or two. They knew him well, and that something was brewing.
At midnight that night he roused Wylackie Bob, Black Bart and the man who was known as Arizona, and the four of them went out on the levels for a secret talk.
The next day the master of the Stronghold rode away on Bolt. As he left, Ellen, standing in the doorway like a pale ghost, lifted her tragic eyes to his face with the look of a faithful dog.
”Where you goin', Buck?” she asked timidly.
”Off,” said the man shortly.
”Ain't you goin'--goin' to kiss me?”
He laughed cruelly.
”Not after what I ben a-hearin', I ain't!”
She sprang forward, catching at his knee.
”What--what you ben a-hearin'? There ain't nothin' about me you could a-heard, Buck, dear! Nothin' in this world! I ben true to you as your shadow!”